Daily news summaries

Catch up with RBA's daily birdnews summaries. Browse ten days at a time, or choose a date to read summaries from that day backwards.

Daily summaries are available from 13 April 2006. For earlier weekly reviews, visit our articles.


Friday 14th April 2017

	Rarities today comprised the Rock Thrush still on the Isles of Scilly, the Pied-billed Grebe in Argyll, Black Duck in Highland, Subalpine Warbler on the Isle of Wight, Long-billed Dowitcher in County Wexford, and Lesser Yellowlegs in both Carmarthenshire and Dorset. An Alpine Swift was seen briefly in Kent, as were Black Kites in both County Cork and West Sussex. Scarcities included Serin (Devon), Woodchat Shrike (County Waterford), Purple Heron (Lothian), Night Heron (Shropshire), Surf Scoter (Fife), two of Ring-billed Gull, Ring-necked Duck, Yellow-browed Warbler and Great Grey Shrike, three Glossy Ibises, six Shorelarks, 12 Lapland Buntings and a total of 38 Cattle Egrets.
- Chris Batty, RBA


Thursday 13th April 2017

	The highlight of the day was the discovery of more Mediterranean overshoots with single Western Subalpine Warblers in Dorset at Portland Bill and on the Isle of Wight at St Lawrence, a Red-rumped Swallow briefly in Worcestershire at Upper Bittell Reservoir, an Alpine Swift briefly at North Fambridge, Essex, a Night Heron in Devon and a Hoopoe in Nottinghamshire. Rarities elsewhere comprised the Rock Thrush still on the Isles of Scilly, the Northern Harrier on the Orkney Isles, American Coot on the Western Isles, Black Duck in Highland, Bonaparte's Gull in Oxfordshire and Long-billed Dowitcher in County Wexford. A Coues's Arctic Redpoll was new at Holt Lowes, Norfolk. Scarcities included Woodchat Shrike (County Waterford), Ring-billed Gull (County Clare), Glossy Ibis (Leicestershire), Great Grey Shrike (North Yorkshire), three Ring-necked Ducks, eight Lapland Buntings, 20 Shorelarks and a total of 24 Cattle Egrets.
- Chris Batty, RBA


Wednesday 12th April 2017

	Rarities today comprised the Rock Thrush still on the Isles of Scilly, the territorial Pied-billed Grebe still in Argyll, Lesser Yellowlegs in Dorset, Ferruginous Duck in County Durham, an Alpine Swift briefly in West Sussex at Littlehampton, and a Cackling Goose new-in on the Western Isles on North Uist. Scarcities today included Yellow-browed Warbler (Devon), Green-winged Teal (Western Isles), two each of both Woodchat Shrike and Lapland Bunting, three of Ring-necked Duck, Ring-billed Gull and Glossy Ibis, 12 Shorelarks, and a total of 22 Cattle Egrets. Significant late news concerns a Western Rufous Turtle Dove present in West Yorkshire at Crigglestone on 11th March.
- Chris Batty, RBA


Tuesday 11th April 2017

	On Isles of Scilly the Rock Thrush continued its stay on St Martin's, whilst a Red-rumped Swallow, Western Subalpine Warbler and Purple Heron were also logged on the archipelago. Elsewhere new discoveries included Red-rumped Swallow in East Yorkshire and Black-winged Stilt in Somerset, and Bonaparte's Gull (Oxfordshire), Northern Harrier (Orkney), Long-billed Dowitcher (Co Wexford) and Lesser Yellowlegs (Carmarthenshire) all lingered. The best of the rest included Yellow-browed Warbler (Devon) and Woodchat Shrike (Co Waterford).
- Stuart Piner, RBA


Monday 10th April 2017

	The Isles of Scilly lead the field today with a smart male Rock Thrush present on St.Martins for its second day. It showed well for most of the day at the east end of the island. There was also a Wryneck in the same place and, on St.Agnes, the Western Subalpine Warbler was still present along with a Hoopoe, whilst on St.Mary's there was a Red-rumped Swallow at Porth Hellick and the Purple Heron was still present at Lower Moors. Elsewhere around the country, new rarities discovered comprised Black Kite and Black-winged Stilt in Kent and a Red-rumped Swallow in Northumberland. Longer staying rarities included Pied-billed Grebe in Argyll, American Coot on the Western Isles, Black Duck in Highland, Bonaparte's Gull in Oxfordshire and two Black-winged Stilts in Essex. The Kentish Plover at Breydon Water in Norfolk remained a major attraction and there were still Woodchat Shrikes in Cornwall and County Waterford. Five Shorelarks popped up at Happisburgh in Norfolk whilst the long staying bird was still in Shropshire.
- Pete Hayman, RBA


Sunday 9th April 2017

	The highlight of the day was confirmation of the seventh and eighth singing Iberian Chiffchaffs of the spring in Merseyside at Seaforth and in East Yorkshire at Kilnsea. Elsewhere, a Western Subalpine Warbler was new on St Agnes, Isles of Scilly, a Red-rumped Swallow in Cornwall at Penberth Cove, and a Lesser Yellowlegs in Carmarthenshore present for a third day at Laugharne. Lingering rarities confirmed as still present were the Pied-billed Grebe in Argyll, Bonaparte's Gull in Oxfordshire, two Black-winged Stilts together in Essex, Long-billed Dowitcher in County Wexford, Lesser Yellowlegs in Dorset, and White-billed Divers in Aberdeenshire, Moray (2) and the Orkney Isles. Scarcities included Kentish Plover, American Wigeon, Serin and Richard's Pipit all in Norfolk, four Woodchat Shrikes (including three in Cornwall), Purple Heron and Hoopoe on the Isles of Scilly, Wryneck in Cornwall, White Stork in Suffolk, two each of Surf Scoter, Ring-billed Gull and Yellow-browed Warbler, three Glossy Ibises, four Ring-necked Ducks, five Shorelarks, 13 Lapland Buntings and a total of 64 Cattle Egrets.
- Chris Batty, RBA


Saturday 8th April 2017

	New discoveries included a Bonaparte's Gull in Oxfordshire, Alpine Swift in Co Wexford, at least six Black-winged Stilts in Essex and Gyr on Western Isles, whilst White-billed Diver and Northern Harrier (Orkney), Ferruginous Duck in Northumberland, Pied-billed Grebe in Argyll, Long-billed Dowitcher in Co Wexford and Hudsonian Whimbrel in Cornwall all lingered. The best of the rest included Hoopoe (Cornwall), Purple Heron (Isles of Scilly), Serin (Hampshire), two Yellow-browed Warblers, two Night Herons and two Woodchat Shrikes.
- Stuart Piner, RBA


Friday 7th April 2017

	New discoveries today included a male Western Subalpine Warbler at Spurn, East Yorkshire and an adult Bonaparte's Gull at Llangorse Lake, Powys. Lingering rarities included the Pied-billed Grebe in Argyll, single Iberian Chiffchaffs in Shropshire and Kent, Hudsonian Whimbrel in Cornwall, Long-billed Dowitcher in County Wexford and King Eider in Highland. Scarcity highlights included a Night Heron, a Woodchat Shrike, five Great Grey Shrikes, a Hoopoe, two Purple Herons, two Serins, three Yellow-browed Warblers, two Ring-billed Gulls, two Green-winged Teals and four Ring-necked Ducks.
- Will Soar, RBA


Thursday 6th April 2017

	A male Blue Rock Thrush was discovered at Beachy Head, East Sussex mid morning, where it remained near the Belle Tout Lighthouse until dusk. Analysis of the photographs show it to be the same individual that wintered in Stow-on-the-Wold, Gloucestershire, which was last seen on Tuesday. Other big news today concerned an Allen's Gallinule which was found dead on St Kilda, Western Isles on 26th March. Other new discoveries today were a Black Kite over Minsmere RSPB, Suffolk and a White-billed Diver off Papa Westray, Orkney. Lingering rarities included the Iberian Chiffchaffs in Shropshire and Kent, American Coot in the Western Isles, Hudsonian Whimbrel in Cornwall, White-billed Diver in Aberdeenshire and Ferruginous Duck in Northumberland.
- Will Soar, RBA


Wednesday 5th April 2017

	Black Kites were seen over Coryton, Essex and Cleadon, County Durham today. Lingering rarities included the Little Bittern in the Isles of Scilly, single Iberian Chiffchaffs in Shropshire and Kent, American Coot in the Western Isles, Killdeer in Shetland, Hudsonian Whimbrel in Cornwall, Lesser Yellowlegs in Dorset, single White-billed Divers in the Western Isles, Moray and Aberdeenshire, Black Duck and King Eider in Highland and Ferruginous Duck in Northumberland. Scarcity highlights included two Purple Herons, two Woodchat Shrikes, two Richard's Pipits, two Yellow-browed Warblers and three Serins.
- Will Soar, RBA