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| Wednesday 22nd October 2008 | ||
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| The highlight of the day was a brief Rose-breasted Grosbeak at Kilbaha, County Clare. Other discoveries included a Long-billed Dowitcher in County Clare at Liscannor,
Red-throated Pipit in Devon on Lundy, Lesser Scaup in Perth and Kinross at Loch Leven,
Cattle Egret in County Cork at Bantry and a White-rumped Sandpiper on South Uist, Western Isles. On the Isles of Scilly the Grey-cheeked Thrush, Blyth's Reed Warbler and Olive-backed Pipit all remained on St Agnes with two White-rumped Sandpipers, Red-breasted Flycatcher, Spoonbill and ten each of both Yellow-browed Warbler and Grey Phalarope scattered around the archipelago. Elsewhere, lingering rarities comprised the Glossy Ibis in County Cork, King Eider in Devon, two Lesser Scaups in Clyde, Cattle Egrets in Pembrokeshire and East Sussex (4), Great White Egret in Suffolk, two Small Canada Geese in Dumfries and Galloway, Hooded Merganser in Dorset and single Ferruginous Ducks in Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Somerset. Significant news from yesterday concerned the reappearance of the Little Blue Heron in Barnaderg Bag, County Galway - but it could not be located there today. |
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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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| Tuesday 21st October 2008 | ||
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| Today's highlights came from the Isles of Scilly where the first Red-flanked Bluetail
for the archipelago was discovered on St Mary's, a Bobolink was found on St Agnes and two
White-rumped Sandpipers arrived on Tresco. Other birds recorded around the islands today included single
Grey-cheeked Thrush, Blyth's Reed Warbler and Olive-backed Pipit
- all on St Agnes - along with totals of ten Yellow-browed Warblers, five
Grey Phalaropes, two each of Little Bunting and Red-breasted Flycatcher and single Richard's Pipit
and Pectoral Sandpiper. In County Cork a Black-browed Albatross flew past Mizen Head, an American Golden Plover was recorded at Clonakilty and a Glossy Ibis was found at Pilmore. Other single Glossy Ibises were seen briefly in London at Rainham Marshes and Staffordshire at Belvide Reservoir. Elsewhere, lingering rarities comprised the Baird's Sandpiper in Somerset, Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll on the Shetland Isles, White-billed Diver on the Orkney Isles, Lesser Scaup in Clyde, King Eider in Devon, Cattle Egret in Pembrokeshire, Great White Egret in Suffolk, Hooded Merganser in Dorset and single Ferruginous Ducks in each of Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Somerset. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Monday 20th October 2008 | ||
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| An Olive-backed Pipit spent a couple of hours on St Agnes, Isles of
Scilly, this afternoon, before flying south-east. On the same island, the
Grey-cheeked Thrush remained, still showing well, although the Sociable
Plover appears to have departed from St Mary's.
A Baird's Sandpiper was seen briefly in Somerset, at Burnham-on-Sea, and a Lesser Scaup was at Hogganfield Loch, Clyde, present for its second day. Both the Cackling Canada Goose and the Taverner's Canada Goose were at Caerlaverock WWT, Dumfries and Galloway, whilst both Siberian Stonechat and Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll were still on Shetland. The Forster's Tern was seen again in County Louth, and the King Eider remained in Devon. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Sunday 19th October 2008 | ||
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| A White's Thrush in Aberdeenshire, present for its second day, was
bird of the day. It remained very elusive, but was seen a few times this
afternoon, after access was arranged for the Parkhill Estate, Dyce. There will,
however, be no further access to this site.
Negative news from both Yorkshire and Wirral, where there was no sign of either the Amur Falcon or the probable Snowy Egret. New rarities included another Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll on Shetland, at Isbister, a Siberian Stonechat nearby at Collafirth, and a Great White Egret and four Cattle Egrets in County Cork and Sussex respectively. On Scilly, both the Sociable Plover and the Grey-cheeked Thrush remained in-situ, and the King Eider continued to show well in Devon, at Appledore. Ferruginous Ducks remained in Somerset and Hertfordshire, the Glossy Ibis was seen at Swillington Ings, Yorkshire with American Golden Plover again in Cornwall and White-billed Diver on Orkney. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Saturday 18th October 2008 | ||
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| The hot news this evening related to the reidentification of the
Red-footed Falcon present since 14th September at Tophill Low NR, East
Yorkshire as an Amur Falcon. The last confirmed sighting of the bird was
on Wednesday.
New discoveries today included a Red-eyed Vireo on Isle of Wight, Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll on Unst, Shetland, two American Golden Plovers on South Uist and Cattle Egrets in Dorset and Cumbria. A White's Thrush on Shetland headlined the long stayers and the Grey-cheeked Thrush, Sociable Plover and Blyth's Reed Warbler on Isles of Scilly, White-throated Sparrow in Co Cork and King Eider in Devon were all notable. Six Richard's Pipits, five Great Grey Shrikes, two Little Buntings, two Rose-coloured Starlings, two Green-winged Teals and single Red-backed Shrike, Serin, Spotted Crake and Golden Oriole were logged today. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Friday 17th October 2008 | ||
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| Having kept a low profile since Tuesday, the Grey-cheeked Thrush on St
Agnes, Isles of Scilly finally gave itself up today and showed well throughout
the afternoon. The Blyth's Reed Warbler was also still present on the
same island and a Red-throated Pipit flew over. On St Mary's the
Sociable Plover was still in situ.
American Golden Plovers were discovered on South Uist and Lewis, Western Isles, Great White Egrets visited Dale, Pembrokeshire and Abberton Reservoir, Essex and a Red-rumped Swallow flew over Titchwell RSPB, Norfolk. A Cattle Egret was observed in Sandy Haven, Pembrokeshire. Lingering rarities came in the form of White's Thrush on Shetland, Little Blue Heron in Co Galway, White-throated Sparrow in Co Cork, Red-eyed Vireo in Cornwall, Wilson's Phalarope in Norfolk and King Eider in Devon. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Thursday 16th October 2008 | ||
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| A Blyth's Reed Warbler on Isles of Scilly, Radde's Warbler at
Start Point, Devon and a White-winged Black Tern at Skipwith Common,
North Yorkshire were today's main new discoveries. Elsewhere available rarities
included the Little Blue Heron in Co Galway, White-throated Sparrow
in Co Cork, White's Thrush on Mainland Shetland, Sociable Plover
on Isles of Scilly, Wilson's Phalarope in Norfolk, King Eider in
Devon and Red-eyed Vireo in Cornwall.
Ferruginous Ducks remained in Somerset and Buckinghamshire, the Ross's Goose was still in Lancashire, a Rough-legged Buzzard visited Holkham Freshmarsh, a Little Bunting was seen on Shetland, a Rose-coloured Starling remained in Cornwall and a showy Red-necked Phalarope was once again in Glamorgan. Yellow-browed Warblers, Richard's Pipits and Red-breasted Flycatchers graced several locations. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Wednesday 15th October 2008 | ||
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| New discoveries today included a Lanceolated Warbler on Foula, Shetland,
Olive-backed Pipit at Spurn, East Yorkshire, American Golden Plovers
at Port Meadow, Oxfordshire and at Doonbeg, Co Clare and a Ferruginous Duck
at Weston sewage works, Somerset.
The Sociable Plover in Cornwall headlined the lingering rarities - the Isles of Scilly also continued to host Blackpoll Warbler, White-rumped Sandpiper and a Red-eyed Vireo. Elsewhere lingerers came in the form of King Eider in Devon, White-billed Diver in Orkney, Glossy Ibis in West Yorkshire, Lesser Scaup in Berkshire, Wilson's Phalarope in Norfolk, Red-footed Falcon in East Yorkshire and Red-eyed Vireo in Cornwall. In Ireland the Little Blue Heron remained in Co Galway and the White-throated Sparrow was still on Cape Clear, Co Cork but the Co Clare Philadelphia Vireo had departed. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Tuesday 14th October 2008 | ||
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| Those who are now becoming regular commuters across the Irish Sea were
rewarded again today as the Philadelphia Vireo remained at Loop Head in
County Clare all day and showed well at times. Also remaining in Ireland were
the White-throated Sparrow on Cape Clear in County Cork and an
American Golden Plover on The Mullet in County Mayo. A Great White Egret
was a new find at Lough Corrib in County Galway, although there was no news
on the Little Blue Heron.
Not to be outdone, the Shetland Islands played host to a Pechora Pipit which was found at the north end of Mainland with the White's Thrush also remaining on Mainland at Kergord. On Scilly, a Grey-cheeked Thrush was seen briefly on St.Agnes in the morning and lingering rarities on these islands included the Sociable Plover on St.Mary's, a Red-eyed Vireo on Gugh and a Blackpoll Warbler on St.Agnes. Elsewhere, an American Golden Plover was found on Anglesey, and also in Wales, there came belated news of a Blackpoll Warbler photographed at Marloes Mere in Pembrokeshire on 7th October. Both Red-eyed Vireo and American Golden Plover were still to be found near Land's End in Cornwall and the Wilson's Phalarope remained at Cley in Norfolk. In Cleveland, the Lesser Yellowlegs was seen at Saltholme Pools early in the morning but not subsequently. In Berkshire the Lesser Scaup was still at Queen Mother Reservoir and in Hertfordshire the Ferruginous Duck was still at Amwell Gravel Pits. |
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| - Pete Hayman, RBA | ||
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| Monday 13th October 2008 | ||
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| This autumn is becoming more like 1985 by the day - Irish headlands have
already produced the first American Redstart and Scarlet Tanager
since '85 and today a Philadelphia Vireo was
discovered on Loop Head, Co Clare. The two previous records of
Philidelphia Vireo relate to birds on Galley Head, Co Cork in 1985 and on Tresco, Isles of
Scilly in October 1987.
Elsewhere new discoveries included a Red-eyed Vireo in Wembury, Devon (other Red-eyed Vireos included three on Isles of Scilly and one in Cornwall), White's Thrush on Mainland Shetland, Lesser Yellowlegs at Port Clarence, Cleveland and Penduline Tit at Sandwich Bay, Kent. Other new rarities consisted of a flyover Olive-backed Pipit in Dorset, White-rumped Sandpiper on Isles of Scilly and Semipalmated Sandpiper in Co Galway. The Isles of Scilly hosted the Sociable Plover for its second day, as well as Blackpoll Warbler and the aforementioned Vireos. Lingering rarities elsewhere in the country included the Red-footed Falcon in East Yorkshire, Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll on North Uist, King Eider in Devon, Wilson's Phalarope in Norfolk and on Orkney the American Buff-bellied Pipit reappeared on North Ronaldsay. Across the Irish Sea, both the Little Blue Heron in Co Galway and White-throated Sparrow in Co Cork were still on show and the Radde's Warbler was retrapped on Copeland Island, Co Down. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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