Daily News Summaries
This page gives you access to all of RBA's daily news summaries (since April 13, 2006), 10 days at a time. The most recent are shown, or you can select a specific date to show (along with the previous 10 days). Prior to April 13, 2006 you can find weekly reviews, located in articles.
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Sunday 5th October 2008  
  The main news of the day was the confirmation of the juvenile Little Blue Heron, now present for its twelve day, at Letterfrack, County Galway. This is the fourth record for the Western Palearctic and, of course, the first for Ireland.

The Scottish Isles again produced some good pipits, with a new Red-throated Pipit found on Shetland at Virkie, and the Buff-bellied Pipit on North Ronaldsay, Orkney and Pechora Pipit on North Uist, Western Isles. Also on the Western Isles, a Siberian Stonechat was seen briefly on Lewis, at Eoropaidh. Two Richardson's Canada Geese were identified at Caerlaverock WWT, Dumfries and Galloway, with another two yesterday at Loch Gruinart RSPB, Argyll.

The juvenile Broad-billed Sandpiper was seen a couple of times on Wallasea Island, Essex, and a Subalpine Warbler was found this evening at Nanquidno Valley, Cornwall. Hornemann's Arctic Redpolls remained on Yell and Unst, both Shetland.

Seawatching on the south coast produced good numbers of Long-tailed Skuas, along with a few Leach's Petrels and plenty more Balearic Shearwaters.
Will Soar, RBA
Saturday 4th October 2008  
  Quality rather than quantity today, with a Pechora Pipit on North Uist, Western Isles, King Eider on Shetland, the returning Forster's Tern in County Louth, with a Long-billed Dowitcher and White-rumped Sandpiper also in Ireland. An unseasonal Broad-billed Sandpiper was identified this evening at Wallasea Island, Essex, and is present for its third day. Two Taverner's Canada Geese were reported from Caerlaverock WWT, joining the Cackling Canada Goose already present with the Barnacle Goose hordes. Further south, a Ross's Goose was found with the Pink-footed Geese at Martin Mere WWT, Lancashire.

Potential megas involved a probable Little Shearwater in Somerset, and a belated report of a probable juvenile Little Blue Heron on 24th September in County Galway.

The American Buff-bellied Pipit remained on North Ronaldsay, Orkney, as did Siberian Stonechat in Devon, Glossy Ibis in Cambridgeshire, Ferruginous Duck in Buckinghamshire and a Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll on Yell, Shetland.
Will Soar, RBA
Friday 3rd October 2008  
  Two American Buff-bellied Pipits were discovered today, at opposite ends of the country. The first record for Orkney was located on North Ronaldsay, with another bird on Bryher, Scilly. Other rare passerines included two new Hornemann's Arctic Redpolls, in County Mayo, Ireland and on Yell, Shetland, with others on Foula and Unst, both Shetland.

Seabird records include reports of Fea's Petrels past Pendeen Watch and St Ives Island, Cornwall, whilst strong north-westerly winds along the east coast produced a couple of Cory's Shearwaters, several Long-tailed Skuas, good numbers of Pomarine Skuas, and a few Leach's Petrels, Storm Petrels, Sabine's Gulls and Balearic Shearwaters. The Leach's Petrel passage continued in the north-west, with around 150 birds seen.

The Glossy Ibis remained on the Ouse Washes, Cambridgeshire all day, before roosting again at Fen Drayton Gravel Pits. The Siberian Stonechat was still at Bere Regis, Dorset, the Red-footed Falcon was at Tophill Low, Yorkshire and another Baird's Sandpiper was found in County Kerry at Derrymore Strand.
Will Soar, RBA
Thursday 2nd October 2008  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of a Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler on Foula, Shetland Isles – the fifth record of this species in Britain this autumn. Other birds recorded around the archipelago included ten Yellow-browed Warblers, three Richard's Pipits, two Red-breasted Flycatchers, single Short-toed Lark, Little Bunting, Bluethroat, Ring-necked Duck, Barred Warbler, Honey Buzzard and Lapland Bunting with single Hormenann's Arctic Redpolls remaining on both Fair Isle and Unst.

Rarities elsewhere included the Gull-billed Tern in Argyll, Lesser Yellowlegs on the Western Isles, Rustic Bunting in Cumbria, two Small Canada Geese in Dumfries and Galloway, Siberian Stonechat in Dorset, two Cattle Egrets in Devon, Red-footed Falcon in East Yorkshire, Ferruginous Duck in Buckinghamshire, Glossy Ibises in both Cambridgeshire and West Yorkshire and single Great White Egrets in Essex, Hampshire, Staffordshire and Suffolk.

Many west coast locations enjoyed productive seawatching including five Sabine's Gulls, six Long-tailed Skuas, 25 Grey Phalropes, 30 Pomarine Skuas and over 250 Leach's Petrels scattered across nine counties.

Away from the Shetland Isles, scarce landbirds comprised 17 Yellow-browed Warblers, four Great Grey Shrikes, three each of Red-backed Shrike and Lapland Bunting, two Little Buntings and singles of both Woodchat Shrike and Common Rosefinch.
Chris Batty, RBA
Monday 29th September 2008  
  The highlight of the day was a Gull-billed Tern on Tiree, Argyll. Elsewhere, brief encounters included a Penduline Tit in Dorset at Hengistbury Head, a Savi's Warbler in Kent at Sandwich Bay and a Red-throated Pipit at Barton-on-Sea, Hampshire.

Lingering rarities included the Stilt Sandpiper in Cumbria, Glossy Ibis in Cambridgeshire, Rustic Bunting in Cumbria, Aquatic Warbler in Devon, Radde's Warbler in Suffolk, Red-footed Falcon in East Yorkshire and American Golden Plover on the Western Isles, whilst single Great White Egrets remained in both Hampshire and Suffolk and Cattle Egrets were seen in Somerset (3) and Devon (2).

On the Shetland Isles a Blyth's Reed Warbler was still present along with an American Golden Plover, seven Yellow-browed Warblers, three Barred Warblers, two Common Rosefinches, a Short-toed Lark and a Ring-necked Duck. On the Isles of Scilly two Little Buntings were seen with six Yellow-browed Warblers, a Short-toed Lark and a Lapland Bunting.

Elsewhere, scarce landbirds were represented by a further 19 Yellow-browed Warblers, seven Red-backed Shrikes, five Great Grey Shrikes, two each of Red-breasted Flycatcher, Richard's Pipit and Wryneck and single Woodchat Shrike, Bluethroat, Icterine Warbler and Common Rosefinch.
Chris Batty, RBA
Friday 26th September 2008  
  Despite the disappearance of yesterdays four mega Asian passerines - Brown Shrike, Brown Flycatcher, Siberian Thrush and Sykes's Warbler - it was another great day along the east coast with Norfolk alone hosting Blyth's Reed Warbler at West Runton, Lesser Grey Shrike at Weybourne, Siberian Stonechat at Stiffkey, Radde's Warbler at Holkham and both Radde's Warbler and Red-throated Pipit at Burnham Overy Dunes. Further Radde's Warblers were in East Yorkshire at Flamborough Head, Suffolk at Shingle Street and in Kent at Sandwich Bay. Elsewhere in Kent a Booted Warbler was at Margate briefly and a Dusky Warbler at St Margaret's at Cliffe. The Red-flanked Bluetail remained on North Ronaldsay, Orkney Isles with, on the Shetland Isles, Siberian Stonechat on Fair Isle and both Eastern Olivaceous Warbler and Blyth's Reed Warbler on Foula. A Greenish Warbler was seen at South Gare, Cleveland.

Other rarities comprised the Stilt Sandpiper in Cumbria, Hudsonian Whimbrel on the Isles of Scilly, Snowy Owl on the Western Isles, Black Duck in County Donegal, Lesser Yellowlegs in County Wexford, White-billed Diver on the Orkney Isles, Red-footed Falcon in East Yorkshire, White-winged Black Tern in Greater Manchester, Ferruginous Duck in Somerset and single Great White Egrets in Ceredigion, Essex, Hampshire and Suffolk.

Scarce landbirds included 86 Yellow-browed Warblers, nine Red-breasted Flycatchers, seven Red-backed Shrikes, five Great Grey Shrikes, four each of Barred Warbler, Wryneck and Lapland Bunting, three each of Little Bunting and Common Rosefinch, two each of Rose-coloured Starling, Bluethroat, Marsh Warbler and Richard's Pipit along with single Tawny Pipit and Serin.
Chris Batty, RBA
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