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| Monday 16th October 2006 | ||
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| The undoubted highlight of a busy autumn day was a Red-flanked Bluetail at Thorpeness, Suffolk. Found early in the morning the bird showed until late afternoon although proved to be very elusive. The other major talking point was provided by a wing-barred
Phylloscopus at Filey, North Yorkshire; initially identified as an Arctic Warbler general opinion swayed towards
Two-barred Greenish Warbler as the afternoon progressed. New passerine rarities included a Subalpine Warbler at Chapel Porth, Cornwall, Radde's Warblers at both South Gare, Cleveland and Filey, North Yorkshire - the latter with a Pallas's Warbler - and brief Red-throated Pipits at Landguard, Suffolk, Dursey Island, Co Cork and Cape Clear, Co Cork. New waders included White-rumped Sandpipers in Co Down and Co Mayo and American Golden Plovers in Cambridgeshire, Dumfries and Galloway and Lincolnshire. Lingering rarities were headlined by Baltimore Oriole on Cape Clear, Co Cork, American Robin and Booted Warbler (or perhaps Sykes's Warbler) on the Isles of Scilly, Roller in Northumberland, Whiskered Tern in Norfolk and the pair of Red-breasted Geese in Lincolnshire. |
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| - Chris Batty, 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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| Sunday 15th October 2006 | ||
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| Sunday produced an excellent spread of new rarities. The most popular find
was probably a first-winter Daurian Shrike at Dungeness Kent, which
showed well throughout the day. On Isles of Scilly a Roller caused both
excitement and disappointment in equal measure as it only showed briefly after
discovery. In Angus a Radde's Warbler was at Castlesea Bay, whilst
another was on Mainland Shetland. Two Olive-backed Pipits were on North
Ronaldsay, with another on Fair Isle and American Golden Plovers were
found near Welney WWT, Norfolk, Lewis, Western Isles, Holy Island,
Northumberland and Rosscarbery, County Cork.
In County Cork a Subalpine Warbler was discovered near Old Head of Kinsale and the Baltimore Oriole continued it's stay on Cape Clear Island. Amazingly, at least five, and possibly as many as seven White-rumped Sandpipers were at Tacumshin, County Wexford. On Isles of Scilly a Booted Warbler was discovered on St.Mary's and a Cattle Egret was at Fairburn Ings RSPB, West Yorkshire, with two more at Lodmoor RSPB, Dorset; the latter site also boasted a flyover Bee-eater. In Lancashire the Pine Lake Lesser Scaup was relocated at nearby Leighton Moss RSPB, and the Glossy Ibis made another brief appearance at Martin Mere WWT; it certainly doesn't seem to like hanging around at this site! Tantalising news of a possible Eyebrowed Thrush on Spurn Point was released early evening, but despite extensive searching there was no further sign of the bird in question. Late news concerned an Isabelline Wheatear at Filey, North Yorkshire yesterday evening and on Lundy an Eastern Subalpine Warbler was present on Friday. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Saturday 14th October 2006 | ||
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| The East Coast extravaganza that many had predicted failed to materialise,
but it was still a relatively bird-filled day. The best fresh discoveries were a
Radde's Warbler at Start Point, Devon, and a Great Reed Warbler
trapped and ringed at Dingle Marshes, Suffolk. Olive-backed Pipits were
found at Spurn, East Yorkshire and on North Ronaldsay, Orkney, where a
White-rumped Sandpiper was also discovered. A Pechora Pipit was also
located in the Virkie Willows, Mainland Shetland.
In Ireland the Baltimore Oriole remained elusive on Cape Clear Island and in County Clare the Red-eyed Vireo reappeared at Kilbaha, but the Canada Warbler escaped before the weekend twitchers arrived. The Isles of Scilly continued to host American Robin, American Golden Plover and Booted Warbler and other popular rarities around the country included the Whiskered Tern in Norfolk, Red-breasted Geese in Lincolnshire and Roller in Northumberland. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Friday 13th October 2006 | ||
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| Another busy autumn day produced a fine selection of rarities. Fresh birds
included a Red-flanked Bluetail on Unst, where a Bonelli's warbler
species was also found, but unfortunately not heard. A Booted Warbler was
located on Bryher, Isles of Scilly, and nearby an Arctic Warbler was on
St Mary's. In Norfolk a juvenile Whiskered Tern showed exceptionally well
at Titchwell RSPB, after initially being located yesterday at nearby Brancaster.
A Subalpine Warbler on Lundy, Thrush Nightingale on South
Ronaldsay and Red-rumped Swallow at Porthgwarra, Cornwall were also new
discoveries.
Yesterday a pair of adult Red-breasted Geese were briefly at Covenham Reservoir, Lincolnshire, and today they were relocated with Dark-bellied Brent Geese at Donna Nook, before heading south along the coast. Surely these birds have got to be considered genuine vagrants. Interestingly, a pair of adult Red-breasted Geese recently arrived together in The Netherlands. The Canada Warbler remained at Kilbaha and the Baltimore Oriole was on Cape Clear Island, but extremely elusive. Popular rarities included the Least and Spotted Sandpiper partnership on the Hayle Estuary, Cornwall, American Robin on Scilly, Roller in Northumberland and Glossy Ibis in Lancashire. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Thursday 12th October 2006 | ||
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| Ireland's second Baltimore Oriole was found on Cape Clear Island,
County Cork this evening, continuing a superb week for American vagrants in the
country. On Shetland, the third Blyth's Pipit for the archipelago was
identified on Mainland and other new rarities found today included a Radde's
Warbler at Horse Shoe Point, Lincolnshire, Great White Egret and
Ferruginous Duck in Kent and in County Derry a Long-billed Dowitcher
was on the Bann Estuary.
The Canada Warbler continued to attract the crowds in Kilbaha, County Clare whilst on the Scilly Isles the American Robin remained on Tresco. Other rarities still creating the headlines included a Radde's Warbler in Suffolk, Least and Spotted Sandpipers in Cornwall and another Spotted Sandpiper was still in Devon. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Wednesday 11th October 2006 | ||
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| The Canada Warbler remained at Kilbaha, Co Clare with the Red-eyed Vireo still there as supporting cast. No new rarities were discovered on the Isles of Scilly but
American Robin, Western Bonelli's Warbler, Greenish Warbler and
American Golden Plover all remained. In Northumberland the Roller was still present at Beal during the morning. Other lingering attractions were headlined by Least Sandpiper and Spotted Sandpiper in Cornwall, Radde's Warbler Suffolk, Spotted Sandpiper Devon, Long-billed Dowitcher Kent, Subalpine Warbler Co Cork, Lesser Yellowlegs Somerset and three White-rumped Sandpipers in Norfolk. Fresh finds included a Great White Egret in West Yorkshire, White-rumped Sandpiper in Co Kerry and American Golden Plovers in Co Clare and South Yorkshire whilst in Lancashire the Glossy Ibis was relocated at Pilling. Late news received from the previous week included a Snowy Owl in Co Donegal, Greenish Warbler in Co Kerry, White-rumped Sandpiper in Argyll and an Olive-backed Pipit on the Shetland Isles. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Tuesday 10th October 2006 | ||
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| Nearctic landbirds once again created the headlines today. A Blackpoll Warbler
was found on Dursey Island, County Cork and an American Robin on Tresco no doubt pleased those who had chosen to stay on Scilly rather than head
to County Clare. Those who did cross the Irish Sea however, were rewarded
with the continuing presence of the
first-winter Canada Warbler at Kilbaha, along with the Red-eyed Vireo.
In Cornwall a juvenile Least Sandpiper was located at the Hayle Estuary RSPB, possibly the same individual that was present in late September. At Kenidjack Valley, yet another Spotted Sandpiper was found. Other new rarities included the first Radde's Warbler of the autumn at Landguard NR, Suffolk, a Subalpine Warbler on Cape Clear Island, County Cork, Olive-backed Pipit on Fair Isle, Ferruginous Duck at Brandon Marsh, Warwickshire and Greenish Warbler on St.Agnes, Scilly. The adult Roller continued the dazzle the crowds in Northumberland and a total of three Spotted Sandpipers were around the country (including the new Kenidjack bird). Two juvenile White-rumped Sandpipers were mobile in the Cley/Salthouse area, Norfolk. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Monday 9th October 2006 | ||
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| The Canada Warbler at Kilbaha in County Clare was, not surprisingly,
the main attraction today as many British birders made the journey to western
Ireland to see it. Kilbaha also continued to hold a Red-eyed Vireo as
well as Common Rosefinch and Red-breasted Flycatcher. The stunning
adult Roller at Beal in Northumberland also continued to prove very
popular.
A new White-rumped Sandpiper was at Cley in north Norfolk and nearby a Cattle Egret, without rings, was found at Blakeney freshmarsh. New rarities on the Shetlands came in the form of an Arctic Warbler on Mainland at Boddam and an Olive-backed Pipit on Mainland at Kergord. A juvenile American Golden Plover found at Fen Drayton in Cambridgeshire was possibly the bird previously at Farcet Fen. A Great White Egret was found in southern Ireland near Bantry. The Laughing Gull reappeared at Brora in Highland, Spotted Sandpipers were in Cornwall at Hayle and Upper Tamar Lake, the Western Bonelli's Warbler remained at Longstone on St.Mary's in The Scillies, the Hoopoe was still at Walsall in the West Midlands and there were three other American Golden Plovers in the country in addition to the one mentioned previously: on Tresco (Scillies); at Keyhaven (Hampshire) and at Deeping High Bank (Lincolnshire). |
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| - Pete Hayman, RBA | ||
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| Sunday 8th October 2006 | ||
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| Just as many where beginning to think autumn 2006 was doomed to be remembered
for it's distinct mediocrity, the first Canada Warbler to be recorded in
Britain and Ireland was found in Kilbaha, County Kerry this afternoon; this
first-winter bird constitutes only the second record for the Western Palearctic,
following an individual in Iceland in 1973.
An superb adult Roller in Northumberland was rather upstaged by the warbler, but was undeniably still a mega find. Initially located on Holy Island, it quickly found the mainland and was mobile in the Goswick and Beal are till dusk. A Black-throated Thrush on Foula continued the island's fabulous autumn and a probable Pechora Pipit was on Unst. In Devon, Upper Tamar Lake scored a superb double in the form of Spotted Sandpiper and Long-billed Dowitcher. New White-rumped Sandpipers were found at Tyninghame Bay, Lothian, Freiston Shore, Lincolnshire and another remained at Dungeness RSPB for its second day. In Lincolnshire a Great White Egret flew over Saltfleetby NNR and Cruisetown Strand, County Louth, hosted a Forster's Tern. A Pacific or American Golden Plover was found in Cleveland at Bowesfield Marsh. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Saturday 7th October 2006 | ||
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| County Kerry created the headlines, with Kilbaha hosting both Red-eyed
Vireo and Spotted Sandpiper and Valentia Island holding a Greenish
Warbler. Elsewhere new discoveries included White-rumped Sandpipers at
Titchwell RSPB, Norfolk, Fair Isle, Shetland and Tacumshin, County Wexford.
Somerset also produced the goods, in the form of a Lesser Yellowlegs at
Weston and a Buff-breasted Sandpiper at Hunstpill. A Western Bonelli's
Warbler on St.Mary's, Scilly, was probably the long staying bird that was last seen on
Tuesday.
Popular rarities included the American Golden Plovers in Lincolnshire and Hampshire, Pallid Harrier in Norfolk, Long-billed Dowitcher in Kent, and a juvenile Spotted Sandpiper was seen on the Hayle Estuary, Cornwall, for it's second day. On Shetland the Upland Sandpiper was still on Unst until 10.10am when it flew south and Foula continued to hold a Lanceolated Warbler. The Red-eyed Vireo remained on The Mullet, County Mayo. Although not a vintage showing, seawatchers enjoyed a small passage on Leach's Petrels, mainly off the north west coastline. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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