Strathbeg CASPIAN TERN

The CASPIAN TERN had returned to the Starnafin Farm pools and was there until at least 3pm, although by 3.45pm it was no longer on view. There has been no further sign of it as of yet, but we will be keeping the Visitor Centre open until late this evening if people want to try coming up for it.The two Eurasian Spoonbills are still in front of the Visitor Centre. For additional pictures of the tern, check out the Strathbeg site at http://www.rspb.org.uk/community/groups/lochofstrathbeg/default.aspx (David Parnaby)

Scottish CASPIAN TERN now in Aberdeenshire

The CASPIAN TERN was at Meikle Loch until 0800 hours, at which time it flew north (per Phil Crockett).

Recent Highlights - new RED-FOOTED FALCONS

Incredulously, yet another TUFTED PUFFIN was seen today in NW Europe - flying past Nesseby in Finnmark (NORWAY). Maybe the UK's birders will get another chance of finding one of these after all.

Newly discovered today was a cracking adult male RED-FOOTED FALCON in the Adur Valley in East Sussex, east of Seaford at Cuckmere Haven. The bird has been showing very well this afternoon and evening on the fenceposts and in the meadow north of the footpath between the Coastguard Cottages and the Golden Galleon pub. Meanwhile, a RED-FOOTED FALCON was recently east of Baston and Langtoft GP at Cradge Farm (Lincs) at TF 161 151.

The drake BLUE-WINGED TEAL (which incidentally bears a metal ring) continues SW of Earith (Cambs) at Berry Fen (see Mike Lawrence's excellent images above). Park carefully by the A1123 east of Bluntisham village and follow the footpath through the metal gate in a southerly direction before walking west for about quarter of a mile to view (TL 373 738)

Incredibly, after such a long period, the male WHITE-SPOTTED BL:UETHROAT continues to sing and show in reeds and vegetation by the Lyle Hide at Welney WWT (Norfolk), whilst over in Derbyshire, their first-ever GREAT REED WARBLER continues to perform and bellow from Phragmites WSW of Ilkeston at Straw's Bridge Reserve, accessed from the A609 High Lane East car park. A male MARSH WARBLER was present at Spurn Point (East Yorks) today, with another still singing NE of Newchurch (Isle of Wight) north of the cycle track and just east of the conifer plantation. The male IBERIAN CHIFFCHAFF 3 miles SE of Doncaster (South Yorks) at Potteric Carr YWT in St Catherine's Field.

An adult ROSEATE TERN is present for a second day on Minsmere RSPB scrape (Suffolk), whilst in the Midlands, a female RED-NECKED PHALAROPE arrived at Upton Warren NNR, where it showed well from Avocet Hide on The Flashes.

A COMMON CRANE was today south of Chester (Cheshire) in fields by the A483 by the Pulford roundabout before flying east

On the Isles of Scilly, a singing male EUROPEAN SERIN remains on St Agnes.

On the Isle of Sheppey (North Kent), the 3 summering EURASIAN SPOONBILLS remain, whilst the usual summer build-up of Spotted Redshanks increased to 23 birds.

Yesterday, the first CASPIAN TERN of the year appeared at Loch Lomond (Clyde), where it was seen at the SE end of the Endrick Mouth on a couple of occasions.

Recently, a singing male COMMON ROSEFINCH remained 10 miles west of Kinross (Perthshire) and a mile NW of Glendevon by the A823 in the car park of Tormaukin Inn at NN 982 049.

Flyover CATTLE EGRET in Sussex

On the way home tonight at 20:25 a CATTLE EGRET flew east over the Falmer Road just to the south of Falmer Pond. Nice and low so excellent view (Ian Barnard)

IBERIAN CHIFFCHAFF at Brownstown Head, COUNTY WEXFORD, today

A link to youtube featuring some video of heads, sky and bushes with this bird singing a couple of times is below (Paul Moore)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xk4dRD3JNsk&feature=channel

Spring Passage now coming to a close

With mid June rapidly approaching, the annual spring migration of birds is virtually over. Our star performer of the spring - the very confiding and sprightly first-summer male MARMORA'S WARBLER - continues to delight on its chosen moorland territory just south of Blorenge and NE of Blaenavon (Monmouthshire/Gwent border). It is still favouring the area visible from the lower car park at SO 270 109 (more of Chris Thomas's fantastic images displayed above). Not that far away, the singing male IBERIAN CHIFFCHAFF is still to be seen in Wentwood Forest, at the edge of the clearing 125 yards south of the Cadira Beeches car park (ST 425 945).

The BROAD-BILLED SANDPIPER (superbly photographed above) remains in Cleveland, again frequenting the flood at Port Clarence viewable from the fence just west of the A178, whilst in South Devon, the BLACK STORK is still roaming, flying over Jurston, near Fernworthy Reservoir, yesterda

An excellent record for London - a singing male first-summer COMMON ROSEFINCH - remains present for a second day today. The bird is singing quite frequently but is extremely elusive and difficult-to-see and is present at Tottenham Marsh, immediately west of the Lee River Navigation and Lockwood Reservoir. It is commuting between the scrub just south of the Stonebridge Lock car park and bushes beside the busy A1055 and is primarily seen in flight.

The long-staying GREAT REED WARBLER continues to bellow out from its chosen clump of Phragmites at SK 453 416, in the NW lake at Straw Bridges NR, west of Ilkeston (Derbyshire), with the even longer territorial male WHITE-SPOTTED BLUETHROAT close to the Lyle Hide at Welney WWT (Norfolk). A male RED-BACKED SHRIKE appeared today at Buston Links, south of Alnmouth (Northumberland) following a male at Snettisham (Norfolk) over the weekend, whilst on the Isle of Wight, a male MARSH WARBLER continues to sing east of Newchurch cycle track in the reedbed just east of the plantation.

In Scotland, an adult COMMON CRANE is present for a third day in a bare field inland of Shell Bay at Drumeldrie, to the east of Lower Largo village (Fife) (at NO 453 022), with two Eurasian Spoonbills still present on the pools in front of the Starnafin centre at Loch of Strathbeg RSPB (Aberdeenshire). At least 11 RED-NECKED PHALAROPES have returned to Scottish breeding sites including a male visible from the viewing platform at Loch na Muilne, Arnol, on Lewis (Outer Hebrides). A LONG-TAILED SKUA has paired up with an Arctic Skua at a moorland locality.

Eurasian Spoonbills today include a party of 8 on Jackson's Marsh, Gibraltar Point NNR (Lincs) and another at Cley NWT North Scrape (North Norfolk)

A female RED-FOOTED FALCON was an excellent local record at Exminster Marshes RSPB (South Devon) - present from 11-13 June.

No significant news from IRELAND has been received in recent days. On the AZORES, a pair of KILLDEER have apparently nested - the first breeding occurrence of this North American shorebird in the Western Palearctic (per Alan Vittery)

First CORY'S of year

A CORY'S SHEARWATER, the first of the year in Britain, was on the sea off of Goring-on-Sea (Sussex) from 1022-1040 hours this morning before flying off east