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| Wednesday 9th June 2021 | ||
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| New discoveries today included a Subalpine Warbler species on Lundy, Devon (where there was no sign of the Sulphur-bellied Warbler), a Laughing Gull off Berry Head in the same county, a Black Kite over Allhallows, Kent (with a report of another on Scilly), two Red-rumped Swallows at Vidlin, Shetland, and Bee-eaters were seen at Romsey, Hampshire (eight), Folkestone Warren (nine), Sandwich Bay (four) and North Foreland, all Kent and over Wolla Bank, Lincolnshire.
Lingering rarities included the River Warbler in Somerset, Great Reed Warblers in Nottinghamshire, Northumberland and Shetland and Collared Pratincole in Kent. Scarcity highlights included a Hoopoe, a Woodchat Shrike, two Red-backed Shrikes, five Marsh Warblers, 19 Rose-coloured Starlings, a Honey Buzzard, three Purple Herons, a Glossy Ibis, a Red-necked Phalarope, a Pectoral Sandpiper, a Ring-necked Duck, a Long-tailed Skua, a Roseate Tern and a Glaucous Gull. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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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.
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| Tuesday 8th June 2021 | ||
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| Astounding news from Lundy, Devon this morning, with a Sulphur-bellied Warbler singing in Millcombe Valley. It remained all day, with several charter boats reaching the island in the evening. This is the second record for the Western Palearctic, following the Danish bird in 2016.
Other new discoveries today included a Rustic Bunting at Ham Wall RSPB, Somerset with the long staying singing River Warbler, a Caspian Tern at Worth Marsh and ten Bee-eaters at Dover, both Kent (and another of the latter over Potter Heigham, Norfolk). Other lingering rarities included the Great Reed Warblers in Nottinghamshire, Northumberland and Shetland, two Collared Pratincoles in Kent, Red-footed Falcon in Norfolk and Bee-eater in Yorkshire. Scarcity highlights included a Hoopoe, two Golden Orioles, two Woodchat Shrikes, three Red-backed Shrikes, five Marsh Warblers, 31 Rose-coloured Starlings, two Purple Herons, two Glossy Ibises, two Honey Buzzards, a Grey Phalarope, two Red-necked Phalaropes, a Balearic Shearwater and a Long-tailed Skua. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Monday 7th June 2021 | ||
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| New rarities discovered today comprised, on the Shetland Isles, a Great Reed Warbler on Mainland at Quendale,
Rustic Buntings on both Fair Isle and Foula, and a male Eastern Stonechat
species - probably a Caspian Stonechat - on Fetlar, with, elsewhere, now three
Collared Pratincoles together in Kent at Dungeness, a Great Reed Warbler in Cambridgeshire at Teversham, and
Black Kites briefly in both Devon and Kent. Lingering rarities confirmed as still present were the Red-necked Stint in Northumberland, River Warbler in Somerset, Pied-billed Grebe in Argyll, territorial Great Reed Warblers in both Northumberland and Nottinghamshire, Red-footed Falcons in Norfolk and Suffolk, Lesser Yellowlegs, White-billed Diver, and two King Eiders on Shetland, Bee-eater in Pembrokeshire, and a White-billed Diver on the Western Isles. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Sunday 6th June 2021 | ||
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| The highlight of the day was the continued presence of both mega rarities: the Red-necked Stint in Northumberland on the Blyth Estuary, and the
River Warbler in Somerset at Ham Wall. Discoveries included a Black-headed Bunting in Essex on The Naze briefly, two Collared Pratincoles together in Kent at Dungeness, a Lesser Yellowlegs at Grutness, Shetland Isles, a Black Stork briefly at Sellindge, Kent, a Black Kite briefly at Oakham, Leicestershire, and single Bee-eaters in each of County Cork, East Yorkshire, and the Isles of Scilly. Other rarities today comprised the American Herring Gull still in Cornwall, Rustic Bunting, King Eider, and two White-billed Diver all on Shetland, territorial Great Reed Warblers still in both Northumberland and Nottinghamshire, King Eider still in Aberdeenshire, and Red-footed Falcons in Kent, Norfolk (2), and Suffolk. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Saturday 5th June 2021 | ||
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Britain's eighth Red-necked Stint was a mega find on the Blyth Estuary in Northumberland in the evening. Other discoveries included three Blyth's Reed Warblers and a Rustic Bunting in Shetland, and one or two Black Kites in Kent. Red-footed Falcons were found in Norfolk, Suffolk and East Yorkshire, while lone Bee-eaters were reported in Kent, East Yorkshire and Merseyside. There was news of a Black-headed Bunting 'recently' in a garden at Lelant in Cornwall. The River Warbler continued singing and showing well in Somerset, while other stayers included the American Herring Gull in Cornwall, Black Stork in Kent, Iberian Chiffchaff in Suffolk, Great Reed Warblers in Northumberland and Nottinghamshire, King Eiders in Aberdeenshire and Shetland, and Red-rumped Swallow in Co.Cork. The Lesser Yellowlegs returned to Nosterfield in North Yorkshire. Further highlights included 21 Rose-coloured Starlings, Hoopoe (Cornwall), three Golden Orioles, two Woodchat Shrikes, 10 Red-backed Shrikes, Serin (East Yorkshire), four Common Rosefinches, 11 Marsh Warblers, five Icterine Warblers, Montagu's Harrier (Kent), two American Golden Plovers (Shetland), two Temminck's Stints, three Purple Herons, Surf Scoter (Co.Wicklow), Green-winged Teal (Co.Wexford), two Ring-necked Ducks and three Glossy Ibises. |
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| - David Campbell, RBA | ||
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| Friday 4th June 2021 | ||
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| The highlight of the day was the discovery of a River Warbler in song at Ham Wall, Somerset where it showed well into the evening and was accompanied by a
Savi's Warbler. Discoveries elsewhere included a Great Reed Warbler in Northumberland at East Chevington, Red-footed Falcon in Norfolk at Hickling Broad, and on the Shetland Isles a Rustic Bunting on Foula, a Great Reed Warbler at Sumburgh, Mainland, and a Blyth's Reed Warbler on East Burra. Brief encounters included both a Black Stork and Bee-eater in Cornwall, and further Bee-eaters in Derbyshire and Northumberland. Lingering rarities confirmed as still present were the Calandra Lark and two King Eiders on Shetland, Great Reed Warbler in Nottinghamshire, and Western Subalpine Warbler on the Isle of Man. Significant late news concerned a Red-footed Falcon at Staveley, North Yorkshire, and a Blyth's Reed Warbler at Whitburn, County Durham both present yesterday, and that the reported territorial Little Crake recently in Cambridgeshire was actually most likely a Shelduck. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Thursday 3rd June 2021 | ||
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What was presumably Scilly's Little Swift was located over St.Agnes Beacon in the morning. Mizen Head in Co.Cork hosted a Western Bonelli's Warbler. Finds in Shetland included Paddyfield Warbler, Thrush Nightingale, Lesser Grey Shrike, Red-flanked Bluetail and a female subalpine warbler sp. A Black Stork flew over South Foreland/St.Margaret's-at-Cliffe in Kent. Black Kites appeared in Ceredigion, Lancashire and Suffolk. 30 Bee-eaters were scattered across Yorkshire. New Blyth's Reed Warblers were discovered in Co.Durham, Orkney and Shetland. There was a report of a Snowy Owl yesterday at Dundalk, Co.Louth. The Calandra Lark on Fair Isle, Little Crake in Cambridgeshire, Black Stork in Cornwall and Great Reed Warbler in Nottinghamshire all remained. Among other highlights were 28 Rose-coloured Starlings, two Woodchat Shrikes, 14 Red-backed Shrikes, 15 Marsh Warblers, nine Icterine Warblers, Golden Oriole (Scilly), two Bluethroats and Grey-headed Wagtails, four Common Rosefinches, Montagu's Harrier (East Yorkshire), Night Heron (Scilly), Purple Heron (Co.Cork), American Golden Plover (Devon), Temminck's Stint (Shetland), Pectoral Sandpiper (Orkney), Long-tailed Skua (Highland), seven Spotted Crakes (singing at one site in North Yorkshire), Ring-necked Duck (Moray) and two Glossy Ibises. |
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| - David Campbell, RBA | ||
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| Wednesday 2nd June 2021 | ||
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| A White-tailed Lapwing was present at Stodmarsh NNR, Kent briefly this morning, before it flew south, whilst a Little Swift was also a brief visitor to Porth Hellick, Scilly this evening.
A Western Bonelli's Warbler was found on Skoholm, Pembrokeshire, with a Blyth's Reed Warbler at Langport, Somerset, a Pallid Harrier in Aberdeenshire, two Red-rumped Swallows at Mizen Head, County Cork and several Bee-eaters in Yorkshire (nine at Whitby, eight at East Newton, five at Spurn, one at Filey and one at Bempton) with further birds in Kent at Dungeness and South Foreland and Gibraltar Point, Lincolnshire. Lingering rarities still present included the Calandra Lark in Shetland, Lesser Grey Shrike in Yorkshire, Great Reed Warbler in Nottinghamshire, Black Stork and American Herring Gull in Cornwall and White-billed Diver in Shetland. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Tuesday 1st June 2021 | ||
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A Black Stork was seen near Bodmin while the other Cornish bird remained in the St.Ives area. In Yorkshire, a flock of nine Bee-eaters were near Whitby and four were seen at Spurn. Fair Isle hosted a Blyth's Reed Warbler and an Eastern Subalpine Warbler appeared at Carmel Head, Anglesey. A Western Subalpine Warbler was trapped and ringed on the Calf of Man and a subalp likely to be this species too was on Unst, Shetland. A Rustic Bunting was on Lundy. The Calandra Lark on Fair Isle, Sardinian Warbler in Shetland, Lesser Grey Shrike in North Yorkshire, Great Reed Warbler in Nottinghamshire, two Black-winged Stilts in Suffolk and Red-rumped Swallow in Orkney were still present. There was a good mix of scarcities today, including: Red-breasted Flycatcher (East Yorkshire); two Purple Herons, Woodchat Shrikes and Grey-headed Wagtails; three Common Rosefinches, Wryneck (Shetland), nine Red-backed Shrikes, Hoopoe (Cornwall), four Icterine Warblers, five Marsh Warblers, six Golden Orioles and Rose-coloured Starlings, American Golden Plover (Devon), Pectoral Sandpiper (Shetland), two Red-necked Phalaropes, Temminck's Stint (Aberdeenshire), two Long-tailed Skuas, Rough-legged Buzzard (Shetland), Ring-necked Duck (Shetland), eight Spotted Crakes (an influx into the Lower Derwent Valley) and two Glossy Ibises. |
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| - David Campbell, RBA | ||
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| Monday 31st May 2021 | ||
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| A Slate-coloured Junco was photographed in a garden in east Lothian, and late news from Sunday involved a Little Crake heard at Wicken Fen NT, Cambridgeshire late evening.
Other new discoveries today included single Lesser Grey Shrikes on Skomer, Pembrokeshire and at Whitby, Yorkshire (the latter joined by a flock of at least 11 Bee-eaters, with further singletons on St Agnes, Scilly and over Samphire Hoe Country Park, Kent), a Thrush Nightingale at Brook, Isle of Wight, two Rustic Buntings on mainland Shetland, a Blyth's Reed Warbler on Coll, Argyll, a Western Subalpine Warbler on Skokholm, Pembrokeshire (with a Subalpine Warbler species on Unst, Shetland), a Greenish Warbler at Spurn, Yorkshire, a Red-rumped Swallow on North Ronaldsay, Orkney and a Black Kite over Bodmin Moor, Cornwall. Lingering rarities still present included the Calandra Lark, Rustic Bunting and Bee-eater in Shetland, Great Spotted Cuckoo, Black Stork and Black Kite in Cornwall, Sardinian Warbler in Shetland, Great Reed Warbler in Nottinghamshire, Collared Pratincole in Kent, Pied-billed Grebe in Argyll, two Black-winged Stilts in Suffolk and Black Kite in Kent. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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