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.

Choose a starting date
Thursday 4th May 2017  
  On Orkney the Red-winged Blackbird continued its stay on North Ronaldsay, whilst rarity highlights elsewhere comprised Red-footed Falcon (Dorset), Great Reed Warbler (Staffordshire), Gull-billed Tern (Co Cork), Bonaparte's Gulls (Hampshire and Dorset), White-billed Divers (Orkney and Western Isles), Pallid Harrier (Lancashire), Black-winged Stilts (Norfolk), Western Bonelli's Warbler and Little Bittern (Isles of Scilly) and Savi's Warbler (Norfolk).

The best of the rest included Pectoral Sandpiper (Western Isles), Little Bunting (Shetland), White-tailed Eagle (Norfolk), Richard's Pipit (Isles of Scilly), at least three Wrynecks and four Night Herons.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Wednesday 3rd May 2017  
  New discoveries included Western Bonelli's Warbler (Isles of Scilly), Red-rumped Swallow (Hampshire), Red-footed Falcon (South Yorkshire), Bonaparte's Gull (Dorset), Subalpine Warbler and White-billed Diver (Shetland), Bee-eater (Suffolk) and a Whiskered Tern was reported in Nottinghamshire.

Lingering rarities included the Red-winged Blackbird (Orkney), Pallid Harrier (Lancashire), Eastern Subalpine Warbler (Shetland), Little Bittern (Isles of Scilly), Savi's Warbler (Norfolk), Bonaparte's Gull (Dorset), Pied-billed Grebe (Argyll) three Black-winged Stilts and five White-billed Divers.

The best of the rest included Pallas's Warbler (Northumberland), Richard's Pipit (Cornwall), Red-backed Shrike (Shetland), Short-toed Lark (Dorset), White-tailed Eagle (Norfolk), two Serins, Temminck's Stints and Golden Orioles, three Night Herons, four Wrynecks and five Hoopoes.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Tuesday 2nd May 2017  
  The Red-winged Blackbird continued its stay on North Ronaldsay (Orkney).

New discoveries included Eastern Subalpine Warbler (Shetland), Dusky Warblers (Dorset and Shetland), Broad-billed Sandpiper (East Yorkshire) and Pallid Harrier (Norfolk), whilst the Pallid Harrier (Lancashire), Eastern Subalpine Warbler (Dorset), Pied-billed Grebe (Argyll), Broad-billed Sandpiper (Anglesey), Gull-billed Tern (Co Cork), Lesser Scaup (Cornwall), Bonaparte's Gulls (Dorset, Essex and Oxfordshire), Black Duck (Highland), Black-winged Stilts (Norfolk and Isles of Scilly), Savi's Warblers (Norfolk and Suffolk), Subalpine Warbler sp (Shetland) and Little Bittern (Isles of Scilly) all lingered.

The best of the rest included Pallas's Warbler (Northumberland), Little Bunting (Shetland), Short-toed Lark (Isles of Scilly), two Richard's Pipits, two Serin, three Purple Herons, three Wrynecks, three Night Herons, four Golden Orioles and five Hoopoes.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Monday 1st May 2017  
  The highlight of the day was the continued presence of the Red-winged Blackbird on North Ronaldsay, Orkney Isles, whilst the territorial Pallid Harrier remained in Lancashire, as did the Eastern Subalpine Warbler in Dorset, Gull-billed Tern in County Cork, Squacco Heron in County Kerry, Little Bittern on the Isles of Scilly, Bonaparte's Gulls in Dorset, Hampshire and Oxfordshire, Savi's Warblers in both Norfolk and Suffolk, Black-winged Stilts in Cambridgeshire and Norfolk (3), King Eider in Aberdeenshire and White-billed Diver on the Orkney Isles.

Newly discovered rarities were in the main brief encounters with a Broad-billed Sandpiper on Anglesey at Llanfachraeth, a Subalpine Wabler on the Shetland Isles on Unst, a Red-rumped Swallow in Essex, a Black Kite in Kent and Red-footed Falcons in both East Sussex and Norfolk (2).

Scarcities included Kentish Plover (Buckinghamshire/Hertfordshire), American Golden Plover (Dumfries and Galloway), Purple Heron (Kent), Ring-billed Gull (County Kerry), Great Grey Shrike (Dorset), two each of Wryneck, Ring-necked Duck, Glossy Ibis and Green-winged Teal, three Lapland Buntings, four of both Night Heron and Temminck's Stint, five Hoopoes, 16 Dotterel, 22 Shorelarks and a total of 42 Cattle Egrets.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Sunday 30th April 2017  
  A very busy day, with a heavy inland passage of terns and waders along with good numbers of Pomarine Skuas along the south coast producing over 900 bird news messages.

Headlining was the lingering Red-winged Blackbird on North Ronaldsay, Orkney, which obliged all day.

New discoveries today included three Black-winged Stilts at Boyton, Suffolk, a female Two-barred Crossbill at Haddon Hill, Somerset (joining the lingering male), a Subalpine Warbler species at Geosetter, Shetland and single Black Kites on St Mary's, Scilly and over Folkestone and Seabrook, Kent.

Lingering rarities included the Pallid Harrier in Lancashire, Pied-billed Grebe in Argyll, Squacco Heron in County Kerry, Little Bittern in Scilly, Eastern Subalpine Warbler in Dorset, single Savi's Warblers in both Norfolk and Suffolk, Gull-billed Tern in County Cork, single Bonaparte's Gulls in Dorset, Hampshire and Oxfordshire, two Black-winged Stilts in both Norfolk and Scilly, Long-billed Dowitcher in County Down, two White-billed Divers in Orkney and one in Aberdeenshire, King Eider in Highland and Ferruginous Duck in County Durham.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Saturday 29th April 2017  
  The first Red-winged Blackbird for Britain was discovered on North Ronaldsay, Orkney mid afternoon, where it remained into this evening.

Other new discoveries today included a Pallid Harrier at Grimston and a Savi's Warbler at Spurn, both Yorkshire, five Black-winged Stilts at March Farmers, Cambridgeshire, and two Black-winged Stilts at Welney WWT and a Black Kite at Hickling, both Norfolk.

Lingering rarities included the male Pallid Harrier in Lancashire, Eastern Subalpine Warbler in Dorset, single Savi's Warblers in Norfolk and Suffolk, Two-barred Crossbill in Somerset, Little Bittern in the Isles of Scilly, Gull-billed Tern in County Cork, Bonaparte's Gulls in Essex, Oxfordshire, Hampshire and Dorset, Black Duck and King Eider in Highland, Long-billed Dowitcher in County Down and single White-billed Divers in Aberdeenshire and Moray.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Friday 28th April 2017  
  New discoveries included Eastern Subalpine Warbler (Dorset), Black Kite (Lothian) and two Red-rumped Swallows (Co Wexford), whilst the Pallid Harrier (Lancashire), Little Bittern (Isles of Scilly), Two-barred Crossbill (Somerset), King Eider and Black Duck (Highland), Lesser Scaup (Cornwall), Pied-billed Grebe (Argyll), Long-billed Dowitcher (Co Down), Gull-billed Tern (Co Cork), two Black-winged Stilts, two Savi's Warblers, five Bonaparte's Gulls, five Red-rumped Swallows and six White-billed Divers all lingered.

The best of the rest included Pectoral Sandpiper and Serin (Isle of Wight), Kentish Plover (Cornwall), Short-toed Lark (Isles of Scilly), White-tailed Eagle (Lancashire) and three Night Herons.<
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Thursday 27th April 2017  
  Today's headline news related to an adult male Pallid Harrier in the Forest of Bowland (Lancashire), where it was present for its second day. A White-tailed Eagle was also present at the same site this evening.

Two sites simultaneously hosted a Bonaparte's Gull and Red-rumped Swallow today - Abberton Reservoir in Essex and Longham Lakes in Dorset. Bonaparte's Gulls also lingered in Hampshire, Oxfordshire and Co Kerry and a further four Red-rumped Swallows were logged (two in Nottinghamshire and singles in Surrey and East Sussex).

Elsewhere new discoveries included Black Kites in Kent and East Sussex, whilst the Gull-billed Tern (Co Cork), Long-billed Dowitcher (Co Down), Squacco Heron (Co Kerry), King Eider (Highland), Savi's Warbler (Norfolk), Black-winged Stilts (Isles of Scilly) and Two-barred Crossbill (Somerset) all lingered.

The best of the rest included Short-toed Lark (Isles of Scilly), Pectoral Sandpiper (Isle of Wight), Temminck's Stint (Conwy), Wryneck (East Sussex), Kentish Plover (Cornwall) and four Night Herons.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Wednesday 26th April 2017  
  New discoveries included a Gull-billed Tern in Co Cork, Tawny Pipit in West Sussex, Long-billed Dowitcher in Co Down, White-billed Diver in Shetland and Bonaparte's Gull in Dorset.

Lingering rarities included Lesser Scaup in Cornwall, Two-barred Crossbill in Somerset, Bonaparte's Gulls in Essex, Hampshire and Oxfordshire, Savi's Warbler in Norfolk, White-billed Diver in Orkney and Little Bittern on Isles of Scilly.

The best of the rest included Yellow-browed Warbler (Somerset), White-tailed Eagle (Suffolk), Pectoral Sandpiper (Isle of Wight), Wryneck (Devon), Short-toed Lark and Golden Oriole (Isles of Scilly), four Night Herons and nine Dotterel.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Tuesday 25th April 2017  
  The highlight of the day was a Red-footed Falcon in Kent at Grove Ferry. Elsewhere rarities comprised the Little Bittern still on the Isles of Scilly, Long-billed Dowitcher on the Orkney Isles, Lesser Scaup in Cornwall, territorial Savi's Warblers in both Norfolk and Suffolk, Black-winged Sitlts in Cambridgeshire (2) and the Isles of Scilly (2), and Bonaparte's Gulls in Essex, Hampshire and Oxfordshire.

Scarcities included Short-toed Lark (Isles of Scilly), Bluethroat (East Sussex), Hoopoe (County Durham), Dotterel (Conwy), Ring-necked Duck (Kent), two each of both Ring-billed Gull and Great Grey Shrike, four Night Herons, 20 Lapland Buntings, 22 Shorelarks and a total of 39 Cattle Egrets.
-  Chris Batty, RBA