Daily News Summaries
This page gives you access to all of RBA's daily news summaries (since April 13, 2006), 10 days at a time. The most recent are shown, or you can select a specific date to show (along with the previous 10 days). Prior to April 13, 2006 you can find weekly reviews, located in articles.
Get news summaries starting        GO
  << Newer Back to the most recent Older>>  
Monday 9th May 2016  
  The highlight of the day was a Dalmatian Pelican in Cornwall, where it was actually first seen on Saturday, at Gwithian. Today the bird lingered between Land's End, Sennen and Polgigga for much of the day, and it transpired that it had previously visited Poland between 6th-11th April, Germany on 16th April-1st May, and eastern France on 3rd May.

New discoveries included a Terek Sandpiper in Ceredigion at Ynys-hir, Baird's Sandpiper in Lancashire at Stocks Reservoir, three White-billed Divers together in County Donegal, Great Reed Warblers in both Derbyshire at Willington, and at Netherfield, Nottinghamshire, and Subalpine Warblers in Cornwall, Gwynedd, Isles of Scilly, and the Shetland Isles (3). In addition, brief encounters included both Pallid Harrier and Black Kite in County Kerry, Gull-billed Tern in Pembrokeshire, Black Kite in Lancashire, Red-footed Falcon in West Yorkshire and Bee-eater in Kent.

Lingering rarities confirmed as still present were the Western Rufous Turtle Dove in Kent, Pied-billed Grebe in Argyll, both Snowy Owl and two Red-rumped Swallows on the Isles of Scilly, Western Bonelli's Warbler in Lincolnshire, two Whiskered Terns together on Cleveland, King Eider in Highland, Red-footed Falcon in South Yorkshire, and Ferruginous Duck in County Durham.

The best of the rest comprised Melodious Warbler (Isles of Scilly), two each of White-winged Black Tern, Short-toed Lark and Serin, three of Bluethroat, Red-backed Shrike and Wryneck, four of both Woodchat Shrike and Grey-headed Wagtail, and six Golden Orioles.
Chris Batty, RBA
Sunday 8th May 2016  
  An exiciting day with new rarities including a Broad-billed Sandpiper in Merseyside at Marshside, Bonelli's Warbler sp in Lincolnshire at Gibraltar Point, two Whiskered Terns together in Cleveland at Saltholme, Western Subalpine Warblers in County Wexford on Great Saltee and on Fair Isle, Red-footed Falcon in South Yorkshire at Thorne Moors, Black-headed Wagtails in both Denbeighshire and Pembrokeshire, White-billed Diver in County Donegal, Red-rumped Swallow in Cornwall, three Red-rumped Swallows together on the Isles of Scilly, Tawny Pipit and a Subalpine Warbler on the Shetland Isles, whilst elsewhere brief encounters included two Whiskered Terns and an Alpine Swift in Gloucestershire, Black Kites in Cornwall and Lancashire, Red-footed Falcon in Norfolk, Red-rumped Swallow in Kent and Bee-eater in Dorset. Lingering rarities confirmed as still present were the Western Rufous Turtle Dove in Kent, Pied-billed Grebe in Argyll, Hudsonian Whimbrel in Cornwall, Snowy Owl on the Isles of Scilly, Red-footed Falcon in Dorset, Black-winged Stilt in Norfolk, and both Lesser Yellowlegs and King Eider in Aberdeenshire. Scarcities included Kentish Plover (Dorset), Serin (London), Purple Heron (Norfolk), two each of White-winged Black Tern, Red-backed Shrike and Grey-headed Wagtail, three Hoopoes, four each of Short-toed Lark, Bluethroat and Golden Oriole, and six of both Woodchat Shrike and Temminck's Stint.
Chris Batty, RBA
Saturday 7th May 2016  
  The first twitchable Alpine Accentor since 2004 was discovered this evening at Gibraltar Point NNR, Lincolnshire. A Pied-billed Grebe was on Loch Feorlin, Argyll for its second day. It or another was present at the same site for a week in 2014.

Other new discoveries today included a singing male Dusky Warbler in Norfolk, a Pallid Harrier in Lancashire, two Whiskered Terns in both Hampshire and Cheshire, single Black-winged Stilts in Norfolk and Dorset, Lesser Yellowlegs in Aberdeenshire, two Black Kites in Kent and another in Hampshire, single Bee-eaters in Norfolk and Yorkshire and White-billed Diver in Shetland.

Lingering rarity highlights included the Western Rufous Turtle Dove in Kent, Snowy Owl, Iberian Chiffchaff and Red-rumped Swallow in the Isles of Scilly, Red-footed Falcon in Dorset, King Eider in Highland and White-billed Diver in Aberdeenshire.
Will Soar, RBA
Friday 6th May 2016  
  An Eastern Bonelli's Warbler was still present at the Calf of Man on the Isle of Man this morning, having been trapped and ringed there yesterday.

New discoveries today included two Whiskered Terns at Long Eaton GPs, Derbyshire before moving to Attenborough NR, Nottinghamshire, a Pallid Harrier over Wykeham Lakes and Long Nab, Yorkshire, a Black-winged Stilt and a Black Kite at Grove Ferry NNR, Kent, two more Black-winged Stilts at Hengistbury Head, Dorset, a Red-footed Falcon on St Mary's, Isles of Scilly and a Red-rumped Swallow over Pegwell Bay, Kent.

Lingering rarities included the Western Rufous Turtle Dove in Kent, Snowy Owl and Iberian Chiffchaff in the Isles of Scilly, Black-winged Stilt in Lincolnshire, Lesser Yellowlegs in County Wexford, Red-footed Falcon in Dorset and Savi's Warbler in Suffolk.

The Pomarine Skua passage continued along the south coast, with the highest counts coming from Dungeness (119), Splash Point (76) and Birling Gap (62).
Will Soar, RBA
Tuesday 3rd May 2016  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of a showy Rose-breasted Grosbeak on the Shetland Isles on West Burra: only the second spring record in Britain or Ireland - following a female suppressed at Holme, Norfolk on 4th-5th May 2006 - and just the fifth record for Scotland. Elsewhere, a Black-winged Stilt was new in Lincolnshire at Frampton Marsh, a Black Kite showed briefly in Suffolk, and a White-rumped Sandpiper flew past Walney Island, Cumbria.

Lingering rarities confirmed as still present were the Western Rufous Turtle Dove in Kent, both Snowy Owl and Iberian Chiffchaff on the Isles of Scilly, Lesser Yellowlegs in Argyll, Black-headed Wagtail in Norfolk, and Savi's Warbler in Suffolk.

Scarcities included Richard's Pipit (Norfolk), Rough-legged Buzzard (Lincolnshire), Spotted Crake (Suffolk), three Hoopoes, seven Glossy Ibises, and 18 Dotterel (all together in Norfolk). Eight Long-tailed and 347 Pomarine Skuas passed North Uist, Western Isles.
Chris Batty, RBA
Monday 2nd May 2016  
  New rarities discovered today comprised a flock of 10 Black-winged Stilts in West Sussex at Pulborough Brooks, a Lesser Yellowlegs in Argyll on Islay, and a Black-headed Wagtail at Titchwell, Norfolk.

Lingering rarities confirmed as still present were the Western Rufous Turtle Dove in Kent, Glaucous-winged Gull in County Cork, American Herring Gull in Cornwall, Iberian Chiffchaff in Shropshire, Savi's Warblers in both Norfolk and Suffolk, single White-billed Divers in both Aberdeenshire and the Orkney Isles, King Eider in Highland, and Lesser Scaup in Glamorgan.

Scarcities included Short-toed Lark (Shetland Isles), Wryneck (Lothian), Montagu's Harrier (East Yorkshire), Ring-necked Duck (County Down), Kumlien's Gull (County Mayo), two Rough-legged Buzzards, three Hoopoes, 11 Glossy Ibises, and a total of 24 migrant Dotterel.
Chris Batty, RBA
Sunday 1st May 2016  
  The highlight of the day was continued presence of the Western Rufous Turtle Dove in Kent. Elsewhere, a Lesser Scaup at Lochwinnoch, Clyde proved to be the roaming Portugese-ringed bird that bears a red nasal saddle, the Iberian Chiffchaff remained on the Isles of Scilly, Savi's Warblers were in both Norfolk and Suffolk, and White-billed Divers were noted in Aberdeenshire (9), Moray and the Western Isles.

Scarcities included Kentish Plover and Serin (both Dorset), Cory's Shearwater (West Sussex), Rough-legged Buzzard (Yorkshire), Montagu's Harrier (Essex), two each of both Hoopoe and Spotted Crake, three Wrynecks, four Glossy Ibises and 14 Dotterel.

In Cheshire the White-crowned Sparrow could not be found today at Woolston Eyes, and photographs taken yesterday show the bird was of the western taiga form gambelii Gambel's White-crowned Sparrow; the first British - and second Western Palearctic - record of this form; all others here being of the nominate eastern taiga form leucophrys.
Chris Batty, RBA
Saturday 30th April 2016  
  The sixth White-crowned Sparrow for Britain was discovered in a mist net at Woolston Eyes NR, Cheshire mid morning. It was seen sporadically after release up to late morning, but wasn't seen again by this evening. The Western Rufous Turtle Dove reappeared in Kent today, still in the gardens off the A225 in Otford this evening.

Two Black-winged Stilts visited Steart WWT, Somerset early morning, and a Bee-eater was over Portland Bill, Dorset briefly before flying back out to sea. Other new rarities today included single Black Kites over Ibsley Water, Hampshire, Kirton Marsh, Lincolnshire and Mucking, Essex and a White-billed Diver off the Isle of Skye, Highland.

Lingering rarities included the Snowy Owl and Iberian Chiffchaff in the Isles of Scilly, the other Iberian Chiffchaff in Shropshire, Hudsonian Whimbrel in Cornwall, Savi's Warbler in Suffolk, Bonaparte's Gull in County Wexford, White-billed Divers in Orkney and Aberdeenshire (five) and Lesser Scaup in Glamorgan.
Will Soar, RBA
  << Newer Back to the most recent Older>>  
All weather charts on this page are Crown Copyright of the Met Office and are reproduced here with their permission.
If you wish to reproduce any of these charts yourself, you must seek prior approval from the Met Office