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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Sunday 2nd July 2023  
 

The highlight of the day was a Pacific Swift present on the Shetland Isles at Sumburgh Head, Mainland briefly mid morning, where it or another had been present on 19th June 2022.

Elsewhere rarities comprised the Least Tern still in County Dublin, American Black Tern still in Northumberland, Steppe Grey Shrike in Highland, Wilson's Petrel in Cornwall, Broad-billed Sandpiper in Shetland, Lesser Scaup in Norfolk, King Eider in Aberdeenshire, Black Kites reported in Devon and Oxfordshire, Black-winged Stilts in Gloucestershire and South Yorkshire (8), and Bee-eaters in Norfolk (4) and the Isles of Scilly (12).

Scarcities included White-winged Black Tern (Lancashire), White-spotted Bluethroat (Gloucestershire), Purple Heron (Northumberland), Red-backed Shrike (Orkney Isles), and two each of both Night Heron and Glossy Ibis.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Saturday 1st July 2023  
  Twelve Bee-eaters roamed St Mary's, Isles of Scilly from mid afternoon, with a further five seen at Dalkeith, Lothian. In Cornwall, two more Wilson's Petrels flew past Pendeen Watch and another went past Trevedran.

Lingering rarities seen today included the Least Tern in County Dublin, Steppe Grey Shrike in Highland, Pacific Golden Plover in Orkney, Lesser Scaup, Long-billed Dowitcher and three Bee-eaters in Norfolk and Black-winged Stilts in Gloucestershire, Lincolnshire (five) and Yorkshire (eight).

Scarcity highlights included a White-spotted Bluethroat, a Red-backed Shrike, a Purple Heron, two Night Herons, five Glossy Ibises, two Honey Buzzards, a Ring-necked Duck, a Leach's Petrel, a Great Shearwater, a Cory's Shearwater, a Balearic Shearwater and a White-winged Black Tern.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Friday 30th June 2023  
  Seawatching produced a Fea's or Desertas Petrel and a Great Shearwater off Pendeen and a Wilson's Petrel off Trevedran, both Cornwall, another Wilson's Petrel off Bridges of Ross, County Clare, three more Great Shearwaters off Deelick Point, County Kerry and a Cory's Shearwater from the Scillonian III. Other rarities found today included a Pacific Golden Plover on North Ronaldsay, Orkney and a Baltic Gull at Cromer, Norfolk.

Lingering rarities included the Steppe Grey Shrike in Highland, Lesser Scaup, Long-billed Dowitcher and three Bee-eaters in Norfolk, two Black-winged Stilts in Yorkshire, King Eider in Aberdeenshire and American Black Tern in Northumberland.

Scarcity highlights included a Serin, a White-spotted Bluethroat, a Red-backed Shrike, three Marsh Warblers, a Purple Heron, two Night Herons, two Glossy Ibises, three Honey Buzzards, a Pectoral Sandpiper and three Balearic Shearwaters.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Thursday 29th June 2023  
 

Notable discoveries today included a brief Little Swift in Lincolnshire at Alkborough Flats, a Steppe Grey Shrike in Highland at Branault, and a Long-billed Dowitcher in Norfolk at Hickling Broad.

Rarities elsewhere comprised Caspian Tern, Lesser Scaup, Ferruginous Duck, and three Bee-eaters all still in Norfolk, American Black Tern still in Northumberland, a Black Kite briefly in Kent, two Wilson's Petrels at sea off the Isles of Scilly, and Black-winged Stilts in Gloucestershire and South Yorkshire (9).

Scarcities included White-spotted Bluethroat (Gloucestershire), Icterine Warbler (Clyde), Red-backed Shrike (Staffordshire), Common Rosefinch (East Yorkshire), Purple Heron (Northumberland), Night Heron (Cambridgeshire), Glossy Ibis (Essex), and two each of White-winged Black Tern, Marsh Warbler, and Pectoral Sandpiper.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Wednesday 28th June 2023  
 

The highlight of the day was the first Lesser Scaup for Norfolk identified at Colney, whilst in southwest England single Wilson's Petrels were seen from land in Cornwall at Pendeen Watch and Start Point, Devon.

Rarities elsewhere comprised Caspian Terns in both Kent and Norfolk, three Bee-eaters still together in Norfolk, and Black-winged Stilts in Gloucestershire, Lincolnshire (11), and South Yorkshire (8).

Scarcities included White-winged Black Tern (Northumberland), American Golden Plover (Norfolk), Icterine Warbler (Shetland Isles), Pectoral Sandpiper (Orkney Isles), Ring-necked Duck (Suffolk), Glossy Ibis (Essex), and two each of both Bluethroat, Marsh Warbler, and Night Heron.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Tuesday 27th June 2023  
 

The highlight of the day were Caspian Terns in Kent at Dungeness and Norfolk at Hickling Broad.

Rarities elsewhere comprised the Black Duck still in County Mayo, King Eider still in Aberdeenshire, three Bee-eaters still together in Norfolk, and Black-winged Stilts in Gloucestershire, Lincolnshire (6), and South Yorkshire (8).

Scarcities included White-winged Black Tern (Northumberland), White-spotted Bluethroat (Gloucestershire), Icterine Warbler (Shetland Isles), Night Heron (Cambridgeshire), Temminck's Stint (County Durham), Pectoral Sandpiper (Orkney Isles), Glossy Ibis (Essex), two each of both Great Shearwater and Ring-necked Duck, and four Marsh Warblers.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Monday 26th June 2023  
  New discoveries today included a Caspian Tern at Lower Moor, Worcestershire and a Wilson's Petrel off Brandon Point, County Kerry.

Lingering rarities included the Least Tern in County Dublin, Black-winged Stilts in Lincolnshire (ten), Yorkshire (eight) and Gloucestershire and three Bee-eaters in Norfolk.

Scarcity highlights included a White-spotted Bluethroat, a Common Rosefinch, two Marsh Warblers, an American Golden Plover, a Pectoral Sandpiper, a Glossy Ibis, a Night Heron, two Purple Herons, two Great Shearwaters, ten Cory's Shearwaters, a Pomarine Skua, a White-winged Black Tern and a Surf Scoter.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Sunday 25th June 2023  
 

Rarities today comprised the Least Tern still in County Dublin, the American Black Tern still in Northumberland, Bee-eaters in Devon and Norfolk (3), and Black-winged Stilts in Gloucestershire, Lincolnshire, and South Yorkshire (7).

Scarcities included White-spotted Bluethroat (Gloucestershire), American Golden Plover (Norfolk), Montagu's Harrier (Lincolnshire), Common Rosefinch (Cumbria), Purple Heron (County Cork), Red-backed Shrike (Aberdeenshire), Ring-necked Duck (Suffolk), Glossy Ibis (County Wexford), two Great Shearwaters, and four Marsh Warblers.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Saturday 24th June 2023  
  New discoveries today included a Western Subalpine Warbler on Skokholm, Pembrokshire and a Black Kite at Bockhill Farm, Kent.

Lingering rarities included the Little Crake in Cambridgeshire, Least Tern in County Dublin, Great Reed Warbler and Savi's Warbler in Cleveland, three Bee-eaters in Norfolk, Black-winged Stilts in Gloucestershire and Yorkshire(two) and White-billed Diver in Highland.

Scarcity highlights included a Golden Oriole, a White-spotted Bluethroat, two Common Rosefinches, six Marsh Warblers, a Pectoral Sandpiper, an American Golden Plover, three Honey Buzzards, a Night Heron, two Purple Herons, a Ring-necked Duck, two Surf Scoters, a White-winged Black Tern and an Iceland Gull.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Friday 23rd June 2023  
  An adult Franklin's Gull was discovered at Holland Haven Country Park, Essex mid morning, and a Blyth's Reed Warbler was at Mossbank, Mainland, Shetland.

Lingering rarities included the Least Tern in County Dublin, Little Crake in Cambridgeshire, Black-winged Stilts in Gloucestershire, Lincolnshire (six) and Yorkshire (two), three Bee-eaters in Norfolk, Savi's Warbler in Cleveland, King Eider in Aberdeenshire and White-billed Diver in Highland.

Scarcity highlights included a White-spotted Bluethroat, a Golden Oriole, a Common Rosefinch, two Marsh Warblers, an American Golden Plover, two Pectoral Sandpipers, a Surf Scoter, a Glossy Ibis, two Night Herons, two Purple Herons, four Honey Buzzards, a Great Shearwater, two Pomarine Skuas, a Sabine's Gull and a Glaucous Gull.
-  Will Soar, RBA