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
Wednesday 14th June 2023  
 

The highlight of the day was a Little Crake singing in Cambridgeshire at Ouse Fen, whilst discoveries elsewhere comprised a Citrine Wagtail in London at Barnes, a Gull-billed Tern in Hampshire briefly at Inchmery, another Great Reed Warbler on the Orkney Isles on North Ronaldsay, and Blyth's Reed Warblers in Norfolk at Holme and the Shetland Isles at Scatsta.

Rarities elsewhere comprised the Least Tern still in County Louth, Caspian Tern again in County Durham, Great Reed Warblers still singing in Cleveland and Norfolk, King Eider in Aberdeenshire, Bee-eaters in Norfolk (3) and Suffolk (2), and Black-winged Stilts in Gloucestershire, Kent (2), Lincolnshire, Norfolk (2), and South Yorkshire (2).

Scarcities included Icterine Warbler (Highland), White-spotted Bluethroat (Gloucestershire), Rose-coloured Starling (Nottinghamshire), Hoopoe (County Dublin), Green-winged Teal (Argyll), two each of Woodchat Shrike and Common Rosefinch, three Purple Herons, and five each of Marsh Warbler, Red-backed Shrike, and Night Heron.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Tuesday 13th June 2023  
 

Discoveries today included a Blyth's Reed Warbler in Shetland at Bigton, a Red-footed Falcon in Suffolk near Felixstowe Ferry, a Pacific Golden Plover in Glamorgan west of Loughor, and at least three Bee-eaters in Kent SW of Boughton Street.

Rarities elsewhere included the Blue-winged Teal in Cambridgeshire, nine Black-winged Stilts in Gloucestershire (1), Linolnshire (6), and Norfolk (2), and King Eider in Aberdeenshire.

Scarcities included Woodchat Shrike, White-spotted Bluethroat, Taiga Bean Goose, Purple Heron, Roseate Tern, Red-breasted Flycatcher, Rose-coloured Starling, two Ring-necked Ducks, two Honey Buzzards, two Icterine Warblers, two Common Rosefinches, four Glossy Ibises, three Red-backed Shrikes, six Night Herons, and a total of four Marsh Warblers.
-  Ben Clark, RBA
Monday 12th June 2023  
 

Discoveries today included a Paddyfield Warbler in Norfolk at Cley briefly, a Great Reed Warbler on the Orkney Isles on North Ronaldsay, and a Subalpine Warbler species on the Shetland Isles on Bressay.

Rarities elsewhere included the Least Tern still in County Louth, American Black Tern still in Northumberland, Blue-winged Teal in Cambridgeshire, a Caspian Tern in Cleveland and County Durham, White-rumped Sandpiper in South Yorkshire, Great Reed Warblers singing in Cleveland and Norfolk, White-billed Diver in Highland, Black-winged Stilts in Gloucestershire, Linolnshire (6), and Norfolk, and a Wilson's Petrel at sea off the Isles of Scilly.

Scarcities included Woodchat Shrike and Golden Oriole (Shetland), White-spotted Bluethroat (Gloucestershire), Serin (Kent), Purple Heron (Northamptonshire), Rose-coloured Starling (Nottinghamshire), Pectoral Sandpiper (Northumberland), Ring-necked Duck (West Yorkshire), two Icterine Warblers, three Common Rosefinches, five Glossy Ibises, six Red-backed Shrikes, seven Night Herons, and a total of nine Marsh Warblers.

Significant late news concerned at Spotted Sandpiper on 5th June at Hopton-on-Sea, Norfolk/Suffolk.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Sunday 11th June 2023  
 

The highlight of the day was the return of the Least Tern to Little Tern colonies in County Dublin and later County Louth. Other discoveries included a Caspian Tern in Cleveland at Saltholme, a White-rumped Sandpiper in South Yorkshire at Hatfield Moors, a Black-headed Wagtail on the Western Isles on Lewis, a Ferruginous Duck in West Yorkshire at Swillington Ings, a Baltic Gull in Cheshire at Widnes, and Blyth's Reed Warblers on the Shetland Isles on Fair Isle and the Western Isles on North Uist.

Rarities elswehere were the Broad-billed Sandpiper still on the Shetland Isles, Blue-winged Teal still in Cambridgeshire, American Black Tern in Northumberland, Great Reed Warblers singing in Cleveland and Norfolk, Bee-eaters in Kent and Suffolk, and Black-winged Stilts in Gloucestershire, Lincolnshire (6), Greater Manchester (2), and Norfolk.

Scarcities included Woodchat Shrike (East Yorkshire), White-spotted Bluethroat (Gloucestershire), Common Rosefinch (Cumbria), Wryneck (Shetland), Purple Heron (Northamptonshire), Red-necked Phalarope (Aberdeenshire), Pectoral Sandpiper (Northumberland), American Wigeon (Argyll), Ring-necked Duck (Forth), Grey-headed Wagtail (Norfolk), two Red-backed Shrikes, three each of Golden Oriole and Glossy Ibis, five Night Herons, and seven Marsh Warblers.

Significant late news concerned a Barolo Shearwater on Friday on Lundy, Devon.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Saturday 10th June 2023  
  In Shetland, a Blue-cheeked Bee-eater was seen on Foula briefly, whilst a White-crowned Sparrow was singing at Girdle Ness, Aberdeenshire for most of the day. Other new discoveries included a Blue-winged Teal at Fen Drayton, Cambridgeshire, a Blyth's Reed Warbler at Boddam, Shetland, a Bee-eater at Tophill Low, Yorkshire, a Red-footed Falcon at The Naze, Essex and single White-billed Divers off Haroldswick, Unst, Shetland and Dunnet Bay, Highland.

Lingering rarities still present included the American Black Tern in Northumberland, Broad-billed Sandpiper in Shetland, Black-winged Stilts in Gloucestershire, Lincolnshire (two) and Norfolk, Great Reed Warblers in Somerset, Cleveland and Norfolk, Blyth's Reed Warbler in Shetland, Black Duck in County Mayo and White-billed Diver in Western Isles.

Scarcity highlights included a Serin, a White-spotted Bluethroat, a Red-backed Shrike, two Golden Orioles, two Common Rosefinches, four Marsh Warblers, a Red-necked Phalarope, two Pectoral Sandpipers, a Purple Heron, four Night Herons, four Glossy Ibises, two Montagu's Harriers, five Honey Buzzards, two Ring-necked Ducks and seven Balearic Shearwaters.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Friday 9th June 2023  
 

Discoveries today included an Eleonora's Falcon briefly in Lothian at North Berwick, a Caspian Tern in Cambridgeshire at Northstowe, and on the Shetland Isles a Collared Flycatcher on Fair Isle, a Blyth's Reed Warbler on Foula, and on Out Skerries both Greenish Warbler and White-billed Diver.

Lingering rarities confirmed as still present were the Eastern Olivaceous Warbler on Shetland, Gull-billed Tern still in County Wexford, American Black Tern in Northumberland, Great Reed Warblers singing in Cleveland and Norfolk, Lesser Scaup in Highland, and Black-winged Stilts in Gloucestershire, Lincolnshire (4), and Norfolk.

Scarcities included Night Heron (Cambridgeshire), Rose-coloured Starling (Norfolk), Long-tailed Skua (Western Isles), two Ring-necked Ducks, three each of both Common Rosefinch and Pectoral Sandpiper, four Marsh Warblers, five Red-backed Shrikes, and a total of seven Glossy Ibises.

Significant late news concerned an Arctic Warbler present on Monday at Berrow, Somerset.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Thursday 8th June 2023  
 

Discoveries today included a Gull-billed Tern briefly in County Wexford at Tacumshin, and in Lincolnshire a Caspian Tern at Baston Langtoft and a Lesser Yellowlegs at Manby.

Rarities elsewhere comprised the Eastern Olivaceous Warbler still on the Shetland Isles, Collared Flycatcher still on the Orkney Isles, Little Bittern in Warwickshire, American Black Tern in Northumberland, Great Reed Warblers singing in both Cleveland and Norfolk, Lesser Scaup in Highland, Bee-eater in Northumberland, Hooded Merganser in Cumbria, Ferruginous Duck in Norfolk, and Black-winged Stilts in both Gloucestershire and Norfolk (2).

Scarcities included Common Rosefinch (Cumbria), Rose-coloured Starling (Norfolk), Hoopoe (Pembrokeshire), Temminck's Stint (Aberdeenshire), American Wigeon (Argyll), Ring-necked Duck (Kent), Grey-headed Wagtail (East Yorkshire), two each of Golden Oriole, Night Heron, and Pectoral Sandpiper, three of Red-backed Shrike and Glossy Ibis, and five Marsh Warblers.

Late news from yesterday concerneed at Savi's Warbler in song in East Yorkshire at Leven Carrs.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Wednesday 7th June 2023  
 

Discoveries today comprised an Eastern Olivaceous Warbler on the Shetland Isles at Quendale, a Collared Flycatcher on the Orkney Isles on North Ronaldsay, a Gull-billed Tern in Glamorgan at Loughor, and a Lesser Scaup in Highland at Loch Watten.

Lingering rarities confirmed as still present were the Little Bittern in Warwickshire, Broad-billed Sandpiper on the Shetland Isles, American Black Tern in Northumberland, Great Reed Warblers singing in both Cleveland and Norfolk, and Black-winged Stilts in Cambridgeshire (2), Cheshire, and Norfolk (2).

Scarcities included Ortolan Bunting (Shetland Isles), Icterine Warbler (Conwy), Pectoral Sandpiper (County Donegal), Ring-necked Duck (Gwent), Green-winged Teal (Warwickshire), two each of Common Rosefinch, Golden Oriole, Rose-coloured Starling, and Glossy Ibis, three of Marsh Warbler and Night Heron, and a total of seven Red-backed Shrikes.

Significant late news concerned a Rose-breasted Grosbeak reported in Corby, Northamptonshire yesterday.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Tuesday 6th June 2023  
 

The highlights today were an Eastern Subalpine Warbler in Cleveland at Boulby, and the return of the Little Bittern to Ladywalk, Warwickshire.

Rarities elsewhere comprised Broad-billed Sandpiper and Red-rumped Swallow on the Shetland Isles, Great Reed Warblers singing in both Cleveland and Norfolk, Ferruginous Duck in Norfolk, Bee-eaters briefly in Kent and Suffolk, and Black-winged Stilts in Cheshire, Conwy, Lincolnshire (8), and Norfolk.

Scarcities included Serin (Dorset), Icterine Warbler (East Yorkshire), Common Rosefinch (Cumbria), Night Heron (Cambridgeshire), Wryneck (Shetland), Green-winged Teal and Glossy Ibis (Norfolk), two each of Purple Heron, Pectoral Sandpiper, and Temminck's Stint, three Golden Orioles, and five of both Marsh Warbler and Red-backed Shrike.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Monday 5th June 2023  
 

Discoveries today included a Spotted Sandpiper in Worcestershire at Upton Warren, a Gull-billed Tern in County Cork at Ring Strand, Great Reed Warbler in Cleveland at Saltholme, and two Black-winged Stilts Cambridgeshire at Etton Maxey.

Lingering rarities confirmed as still present were the Broad-billed Sandpiper on the Shetland Isles, American Black Tern in Northumberland, both Great Reed Warbler and Ferruginous Duck in Norfolk, and Red-footed Falcon and Ferruginous Duck in Nottinghamshire.

Scarcities included Red-breasted Flycatcher (Shetland), Bluethroat (Fife), Icterine Warbler (East Yorkshire), Purple Heron (Norfolk), Ring-necked Duck (West Yorkshire), Temminck's Stint (Norfolk), Grey-headed Wagtail (Northumberland), two each of Serin, Marsh Warbler, Night Heron, Pectoral Sandpiper, and Rose-coloured Starling, three Glossy Ibises, and four Red-backed Shrikes.
-  Chris Batty, RBA