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
Friday 2nd June 2023  
 

New discoveries today consisted of a White-rumped Sandpiper at Portstewart in County Derry, two Black-winged Stilts at Misson in Nottinghamshire, Bee-eater at Pembroke in Pembrokeshire, Eastern Subalpine Warbler at Sumburgh in Shetland, Red-rumped Swallow on Oakenholt in Flintshire, and a Blyth's Reed Warbler at Dundee in Angus.

Lingering rarities today comprised of a Ferruginous Duck in Nottinghamshire, two Great Reed Warblers in Kent and Norfolk respectively, Great Snipe in East Yorkshire, Eight Black-winged Stilts, two in Essex, one in Gloucesterhire, three in Norfolk, and two in North Yorkshire, American Black Tern in Northumberland, Squacco Heron in North Yorkshire, Snowy Owl in Shetland, Western Subalpine Warbler in Shetland, Blyth's Reed Warbler in Western Isles, and a King Eider in Aberdeenshire

Scarcities included three Golden Orioles, two Rosefinches, Purple Heron, four Marsh Warblers, three Rose-coloured Starlings, two Temminck's Stints, two Honey Buzzards, Pectoral Sandpiper, three Glossy Ibises, two Glaucous Gulls, three Red-backed Shrikes, Green-winged Teal, Serin, Balearic Shearwater, White-winged Black Tern, Taiga Bean Goose, Grey-headed Wagtail, American Wigeon, and two Ring-necked Ducks.
-  Ben Clark, RBA
Thursday 1st June 2023  
  New discoveries today included a Squacco Heron at Bank Island and North Duffield Carrs, Yorkshire, a Blyth's Reed Warbler at Sumburgh and a Red-rumped Swallow at Spiggie, both Shetland, a Bee-eater over Pembroke, Pembrokeshire, two Black-winged Stilts at Fiskerton Fen, Lincolnshire and the American Black Tern returned to Long Nanny, Northumberland.

Lingering rarities still present included the Great Snipe in Yorkshire, Broad-billed Sandpiper in Anglesey, Black-winged Stilts in Gloucestershire, County Wexford (two) and Yorkshire (two), Black Duck in County Mayo, Ferruginous Ducks in Nottinghamshire and Yorkshire, Great Reed Warbler in Norfolk and a Rustic Bunting and Western Subalpine Warbler in Shetland.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Wednesday 31st May 2023  
 

New discoveries today consisted of a Great Snipe at Spurn in East Yorkshire, Iberian Chiffchaff at Ballard Down in Dorset, Bee-eater at Langass on Western Isles, two Black-winged Stilts at Staveley in North Yorkshire, as well as two Black-winged Stilts at Shelley in Suffolk, Blyth's Reed Warbler on Papa Westray on Orkney, and a Broad-billed Sandpiper at Inland Sea in Anglesey.

Lingering rarities today comprised of a Ferruginous Ducks, Great Reed Warbler, and Long-billed Dowitcher in Norfolk, Ferruginous Duck in Nottinghamshire, three Black-winged Stilts, two in Essex and one in Gloucesterhire, Squacco Heron in North Yorkshire, Western Subalpine Warbler in Shetland, Blyth's Reed Warbler in Western Isles, and a King Eider in Aberdeenshire

Scarcities included two Golden Orioles, Rosefinch, two Icterine Warblers, Purple Heron, Red-breasted Flycatcher, 15 Roseate Terns, five Temminck's Stints, five Honey Buzzards, Pectoral Sandpiper, two Glossy Ibises, American Golden Plover, three Red-backed Shrikes, Green-winged Teal, two Night Heron, Serin, Red-necked Phalarope, Purple Heron, Melodious Warbler, Grey-headed Wagtail, two American Wigeons, and two Ring-necked Ducks.
-  Ben Clark, RBA
Tuesday 30th May 2023  
  The first Turkestan Shrike for Sussex was discovered at West Rise Marsh mid afternoon, where it remained until the evening. Other new discoveries included a Squacco Heron at Wool, Dorset, a Gull-billed Tern at St Osyth, Essex, an Eastern Subalpine Warbler on Bardsey Island, Gwynedd, a Rustic Bunting on Fair Isle, Shetland and a Blyth's Reed Warbler on Barra, Western Isles. The Forster's Tern reappeared in Hampshire, and Black-winged Stilt pairs were found at Nosterfield and Edderthorpe, both Yorkshire.

Lingering rarities still present included the Squacco Heron in Yorkshire, King Eider in Aberdeenshire, Ferruginous Duck in Yorkshire, Black-winged Stilt in Gloucestershire, Ferruginous Duck, two Black-winged Stilts and Great Reed Warbler in Norfolk and Western Subalpine Warbler in Shetland.

Scarcity highlights included a Short-toed Lark, a Common Rosefinch, a Serin, a Richard's Pipit, four Red-backed Shrikes, two American Golden Plovers, three Pectoral Sandpipers, seven Temminck's Stints, four Honey Buzzards, a Night Heron, a Purple Heron, a Ring-necked Duck, a Green-winged Teal, an American Wigeon, a Surf Scoter, a Taiga Bean Goose and a Sabine's Gull.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Monday 29th May 2023  
  New discoveries today included a Squacco Heron at Potter Brompton Carr, North Yorkshire (although news of which was unfortunately not released until after dark) and a Ferruginous Duck at Potteric Carr and two Black-winged Stilts at Old Moor RSPB, both South Yorkshire.

Lingering rarities included the Grey-headed Lapwing in Western Isles, Great Reed Warbler and three Ferruginous Ducks in Norfolk, Western Subalpine Warbler in Shetland and single Black-winged Stilts in Norfolk, Gloucestershire and County Wexford.

Scarcity highlights included a Short-toed Lark, a Bluethroat, a Marsh Warbler, two Red-backed Shrikes, two Golden Orioles, three Common Rosefinches, three Grey-headed Wagtails, a Pectoral Sandpiper, five Temminck's Stints, a Night Heron, a Purple Heron, six Glossy Ibises, two Honey Buzzards, an American Wigeon, a Ring-necked Duck, a Surf Scoter, a Taiga Bean Goose, a Balearic Shearwater and three Glaucous Gulls.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Sunday 28th May 2023  
  New discoveries today included a Bee-eater at Helmsdale, Highland and up to three in Kent (one over North Foreland and two over South Foreland), and two Ferruginous Ducks at Arundel WWT, Sussex.

Lingering rarities included the Grey-headed Lapwing in Western Isles, three Ferruginous Ducks and a Great Reed Warbler in Norfolk, Western Subalpine Warbler and Snowy Owl in Shetland and Black-winged Stilts in Norfolk (two), Gloucestershire and Yorkshire (two).

Scarcity highlights included a Woodchat Shrike, six Red-backed Shrikes, a Common Rosefinch, a Grey-headed Wagtail, two Golden Orioles, a Pectoral Sandpiper, two Red-necked Phalaropes, seven Temminck's Stints, a Purple Heron, up to 26 Glossy Ibises, a Montagu's Harrier, five Honey Buzzards, a Green-winged Teal, two American Wigeon, two Ring-necked Ducks, two Surf Scoters, a Taiga Bean Goose, a Tundra Bean Goose, a Roseate Tern, two Glaucous Gulls and two Iceland Gulls.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Saturday 27th May 2023  
  New discoveries today included a Gull-billed Tern at Grafham Water, Cambridgeshire, a Broad-billed Sandpiper at Hatfield Moors, Yorkshire and two Black Kites in Cornwall at Gwithian and St Ives.

Lingering rarities included the Grey-headed Lapwing in Western Isles, Black Duck in County Mayo, Ferruginous Duck in Norfolk, Black-winged Stilts Northamptonshire, Suffolk (two), Norfolk (two), Gloucestershire and in County Wexford, Great Reed Warbler in Norfolk, Western Subalpine Warbler in Shetland, a Subalpine Warbler species in County Cork and a Bee-eater in Yorkshire.

Scarcity highlights included a Woodchat Shrike, a Red-backed Shrike, a Common Rosefinch, a Serin, a Marsh Warbler, a Rose-coloured Starling, a Grey-headed Wagtail, four Golden Orioles, two Montagu's Harriers, four Honey Buzzards, two Night Herons, three Purple Herons, 23 Glossy Ibises, nine Temminck's Stints, a Ring-necked Ducks, two American Wigeon, a Taiga Bean Goose, a White-winged Black Tern, two Roseate Terns, two Iceland Gulls and two Glaucous Gulls.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Friday 26th May 2023  
 

New discoveries today consisted of the rediscovery of a Grey-headed Lapwing at Balemore in Western Isles, Hooded Merganser at Grimbister in Orkney, Tawny Pipit at St Marys on Scilly, Bee Eater at Spurn in East Yorkshire, Squacco Heron at Filey Dams NR in North Yorkshire, and a Black-winged Stilt at Summer Leys NR in Northamptonshire.

Lingering rarities today comprised the Ferruginous Duck, Great Reed Warbler, and Long-billed Dowitcher in Norfolk, Western Subalpine Warbler in Shetland, three Black-winged Stilts, two in Norfolk and one in Northamptonshire, Lesser Scaup in Staffordshire, White-billed Diver in Orkney, and Savi's Warbler in East Yorkshire.

Scarcities included three Golden Orioles, Taiga Bean Goose, two Surf Scoters, three Purple Herons, Dotterel, Marsh Warbler, 10 Temminck's Stints, eight Honey Buzzards, Glaucous Gull, 14 Glossy Ibises, two Long-tailed Skuas, Red-backed Shrike, Green-winged Teal, two Pomarine Skuas, Bluethroat, two Iceland Gulls, two American Wigeons, and two Ring-necked Ducks.
-  Ben Clark, RBA
Thursday 25th May 2023  
 

Rarities today comprised the Laughing Gull still on the Isles of Scilly, Western Subalpine Warbler still on the Shetland Isles, Long-billed Dowitcher, two Great Reed Warblers, and three Black-winged Stilts all in Norfolk, and Bee-eater and two Black-winged Stilts in Lincolnshire.

Scarcities included White-spotted Bluethroat (Gloucestershire), American Golden Plover (County Wexford), Montagu's Harrier (Oxfordshire), Purple Heron (Norfolk), Golden Oriole (Suffolk), American Wigeon (Dumfries and Galloway), Ring-necked Duck (South Yorkshire), Dotterel (Orkney Isles), three Red-backed Shrikes, 10 Glossy Ibises (together in Lincolnshire), and a total of 17 Temminck's Stints.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Wednesday 24th May 2023  
 

The highlight of the day was the discovery of a Squacco Heron in Lancashire at Leighton Moss whilst elsewhere new rarities comprised a Pallid Harrier on the Orkney Isles on Westray, a Black Kite briefly in Staffordshire near Boarsgrove, a Red-rumped Swallow in Kent at South Foreland, and Bee-eaters in Kent (3), Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Suffolk (5), and East Yorkshire.

Lingering rarities confirmed as still present were the Forster's Tern in County Galway, Laughing Gull on the Isles of Scilly, Western Subalpine Warbler on the Shetland Isles, both Great Reed Warbler and Ferruginous Duck in Norfolk, Iberian Chiffchaff on territory in Gloucestershire, and Black-winged Stilts in Gloucestershire, Norfolk and Suffolk (2).

Scarcities included Common Rosefinch (Devon), Night Heron (Norfolk), Ring-necked Duck (Yorkshire), two each of Bluethroat, Montagu's Harrier, and migrant Dotterel, four of both Golden Oriole and Red-backed Shrike, 13 Temminck's Stints, and a total of 18 Glossy Ibises.
-  Chris Batty, RBA