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 4th November 2008  
  Once again, Asian passerines dominated the headlines with Red-flanked Bluetail and Dusky Warbler together in Norfolk at Weybourne, Radde's Warbler in Cleveland at South Gare, Desert Wheatear in Suffolk at Easton Bavents, Siberian Stonechat in East Yorkshire at Easington and single Dusky Warblers in Suffolk at Bawdsey and in East Yorkshire at both Flamborough Head and Spurn. Related scarce migrants comprised eleven Yellow-browed Warblers, six Pallas's Warblers and singles of Bluethroat, Red-breasted Flycatcher and Richard's Pipit.

Elsewhere, a Grey-cheeked Thrush was a new discovery on Bryher, Isles of Scilly, as were an American Golden Plover and a Black-bellied Dipper in Lincolnshire and a brief Great White Egret in Norfolk.

Lingering rarities comprised the Green Heron in Kent, Hooded Merganser in Fife, Lesser Scaup in Clyde, Glossy Ibis in Lancashire, Ferruginous Duck in Buckinghamshire and Great White Egret in Greater Manchester.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Monday 3rd November 2008  
  The East Coast continued to produce the goods, with a Rustic Bunting and Radde's Warbler in Cleveland and Dusky Warblers in Norfolk and East Yorkshire all being discovered today. The Red-flanked Bluetail remained at Muckleburgh Hill, Norfolk and other lingering rarities included Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler on Unst, Shetland, Siberian Stonechat in East Yorkshire and Olive-backed Pipit at Gibraltar Point, Lincolnshire.

Notable wildfowl came in the form of a Ferruginous Duck at Chew Valley Lake, Somerset, the King Eider in Devon and Lesser Scaup in Clyde. The Kent Green Heron continued to show well and the Glossy Ibis was still in Lancashire.

Nine Pallas's Warblers, at least seventeen Yellow-browed Warblers and a couple of Richard's Pipits were all seen along with approximately 1,400 Waxwings, the majority of which were in Scotland, including a flock of 400 on Isle of Skye, Highland.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Sunday 2nd November 2008  
  Once again, Asian passerines stole the show with at least two Red-flanked Bluetails, one at Weybourne, Norfolk and perhaps two at Ramsgate, Kent, an Olive-backed Pipit in Lincolnshire at Gibraltar Point, Hume's Yellow-browed Warblers on Unst, Shetland and in Kent at Sandwich Bay, Dusky Warblers in East Yorkshire at Spurn and Kent at North Foreland, and single Siberian Stonechats at Easington, East Yorkshire and St Margaret's at Cliffe, Kent. Scarce migrants totalled 13 Pallas's Warblers, 22 Yellow-browed Warblers, five Great Grey Shrikes, four Lapland Buntings, two each of Serin, Barred Warbler and Richard's Pipit and a single Common Rosefinch.

Otherwise, in Scotland American Buff-bellied Pipit, Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll and White-rumped Sandpiper were all on the Western Isles, two White-billed Divers were around the Shetland Isles, the Hooded Merganser remained in Fife as did a Cackling Canada Goose in Dumfries and Galloway. In Ireland the Black Duck was still in County Kerry and a Lesser Scaup was found in County Galway.

In England the Green Heron remained in Kent, Glossy Ibis and Ross's Goose returned to Lancashire, King Eider remained in Devon as did both American Golden Plover and Black-bellied Dipper in Norfolk, Lesser Scaup in Nottinghamshire and two Cattle Egrets in Somerset. Ferruginous Ducks were in both Buckinghamshire and Essex and single Great White Egrets were seen in Hampshire, Greater Manchester and Northamptonshire.

Waxwings continue to be recorded in some numbers, with 517 reported from eighteen counties today.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Saturday 1st November 2008  
  The highlight of the day was the continued presence of rarities along the east coast all the way from Kent to the Shetland Isles. Headline birds concerned single Red-flanked Bluetails at Ramsgate, Kent and in Norfolk at Weybourne, Hume's Yellow-browed Warblers were found in Cleveland on the Shetland Isles, a Black-bellied Dipper in Norfolk and Subalpine Warbler in East Yorkshire. Siberian Stonechats were seen in Kent and East Yorkshire (2) with scarce passerines being represented by 19 Yellow-browed, eleven Pallas's and one Barred Warbler, four Great Grey Shrikes, two each of Red-breasted Flycatcher, Common Rosefinch and Lapland Bunting and single Little Bunting, Serin and Bluethroat.

Elsewhere, an American Buff-bellied Pipit was found on the Western Isles, as were a Marbled Duck in Northamptonshire and a brief White-billed Diver in County Durham. 

The Green Heron lingered in Kent as did the Snowy Owl on the Isles of Scilly, Blyth's Reed Warbler in County Cork, Glossy Ibis in West Yorkshire, American Golden Plover in Norfolk, Cackling Canada Goose in Dumfries and Galloway, King Eiders in Devon and the Shetland Isles, Lesser Scaups in Clyde and Nottinghamshire, Hooded Merganser in Fife, Ferruginous Duck in Buckinghamshire and single Great White Egrets in Essex and Greater Manchester. Fourteen Cattle Egrets were recorded; comprising six in Somerset, three in Lancashire, two in Cambridgeshire and singles in Cornwall, Dorset and Pembrokeshire.

Waxwings continue to arrive with 599 logged from 16 counties including 220 in Highland, 93 in Lothian, 84 in Moray and 42 in Norfolk.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Friday 31st October 2008  
  A Red-flanked Bluetail at Muckleburgh Hill and a Black-throated Thrush near Holme, Norfolk were today's headline discoveries, but the supporting cast was also impressive. Norfolk also produced an Olive-backed Pipit (at Holme), ten Pallas's Warblers and the American Golden Plover remained on East Harling Heath. In addition to the Norfolk birds a further ten Pallas's Warblers were found on the English east coast.

In East Yorkshire a Subalpine Warbler was at Bempton Cliffs RSPB and a Red-breasted Flycatcher arrived at Flamborough Head. Two White-billed Divers were tracked up the Co Durham/ Northumberland coastline and another flew past Girdle Ness, Aberdeenshire, a Blyth's Reed Warbler was located on Mizen Head, Co Cork and in Kent the Green Heron was still on show. The Waxwing invasion continued along the east coast (with a flock of 21 making it to Cumbria) and a Little Bunting was briefly at Gibraltar Point NNR, Lincolnshire, as was a possible Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler. The Siberian Stonechat remained near St Margaret's at Cliffe, Kent.

On Isles of Scilly a second Grey-cheeked Thrush was discovered on St Mary's, a Red-throated Pipit flew over St Agnes (where a White-rumped Sandpiper was also seen) and the Snowy Owl remained on St Martin's.

The Hooded Merganser was back at Tayport Pond, Fife - the bird is no longer believed to be an escape from Fife Animal Park.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Thursday 30th October 2008  
  In North Yorkshire a drake Canvasback was discovered with a small Pochard flock at Nosterfield this afternoon, where it showed until dusk. Elsewhere other new rarities included an adult American Golden Plover in Cambridgeshire and a Siberian Stonechat in Kent.

On Isles of Scilly both the Snowy Owl and Grey-cheeked Thrush were still available, as was a White-rumped Sandpiper. Lingering rarities located elsewhere included Green Heron in Kent, American Golden Plover in Norfolk, White-rumped Sandpiper on Western Isles, Lesser Scaup in Clyde and King Eider in Devon.

The Hooded Merganser first seen at Tayport on 26th was seen again at the same site yesterday, before relocating to Gaddon Lochs NR today. However, this bird is now thought to have escaped from the adjacent Fife Wildlife Park.

Some decent easterly weather resulted in the arrival of at least eleven Pallas's Warblers, along with a couple of Richard's Pipits. The Bluethroat remained at Land's End, the northern Scotland and Northern Isles Grey Phalarope wreck continued and Waxwings began to arrive, especially on Shetland.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Wednesday 29th October 2008  
  Bird of the day was a Snowy Owl on Isles of Scilly, the fifth record for the archipelago, and the first since 1972. Elsewhere on the islands the Grey-cheeked Thrush remained, as did the Blyth's Reed Warbler and a White-rumped Sandpiper. Nearby, the first Paddyfield Warbler for Devon was trapped and ringed on Lundy.

In the Northern Isles, both King Eiders and White-billed Divers were found on Shetland, with large numbers of Grey Phalaropes still present, mainly on Orkney. A White-billed Diver was also seen in Yorkshire, whilst on the Western Isles a juvenile White-rumped Sandpiper was found on South Uist. A new American Golden Plover was found in Cambridgeshire, with yesterday's juvenile still present at East Harling, Norfolk.

Lingering rarities included the Green Heron in Kent, Lesser Scaup in Nottinghamshire, Great White Egret in Greater Manchester, King Eider in Devon and Ferruginous Duck in Buckinghamshire.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Tuesday 28th October 2008  
  A Red-flanked Bluetail on Isles of Scilly showed well intermittently on St Mary's this afternoon - presumably this is the bird first seen on 21st October. The Grey-cheeked Thrush, Blyth's Reed Warbler and White-rumped Sandpiper also remained on the archipelago.

In Kent the Green Heron continued to show well in West Hythe and other lingering rarities included King Eider in Devon, Ross's Goose in Lancashire, Lesser Scaups in Nottinghamshire and Clyde (2), Black Duck in Co Kerry and Glossy Ibis in West Yorkshire.

A juvenile American Golden Plover was located on East Harling Heath, Norfolk, the showy Bluethroat remained at Land's End, Cornwall, the Northern Isles Grey Phalarope wreck continued and the odd Waxwing trickled into the country via the east coast.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Monday 27th October 2008  
  In Kent the showy first-winter Green Heron remained in West Hythe on the Royal Military Canal. In Argyll a Black-browed Albatross flew past Uisaed Point and a drake Lesser Scaup was at Holme Pierrepont GPs, Nottinghamshire, for its second day. Other highlights included the Bluethroat in Cornwall, at least three Serins at Rainham Marshes in London, a Red-breasted Flycatcher in Kent and the Northern Isles Grey Phalarope wreck continued unabated.

The Isles of Scilly continued to host at least one White-rumped Sandpiper, a Grey-cheeked Thrush, Blyth's Reed Warbler and a couple of Red-breasted Flycatchers. The bad news from Scilly concerned the reported Brown Shrike - it is in fact a Red-backed Shrike.

In Ireland a juvenile Baird's Sandpiper was at Black Rock Strand, Co Kerry and an American Golden Plover was in Co Cork at Ballymacoda.

Late news included a Pine Bunting in an Essex garden on Friday and a Hooded Merganser yesterday in Fife.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Sunday 26th October 2008  
  Another exciting day was headlined by the identification of a first-winter Brown Shrike on St Mary's, Isles of Scilly this evening. The bird was found earlier in the day but just like the 2001 Scilly Brown Shrike, it was initially identified as a Red-backed Shrike. A Grey-cheeked Thrush and American Golden Plover were also discovered on St Mary's and the Blyth's Reed Warbler was still on St Agnes.

In Kent the first-winter Green Heron showed well at West Hythe - the bird has probably been present since Thursday.

Continuing the recent run of 'unconfirmed reports', a Northern Flicker was reported in New Milton, Hampshire today, but a vigil in the area throughout the afternoon failed to locate anything of interest.

Other new discoveries included a White-rumped Sandpiper (and Pectoral Sandpiper) at Goldcliff Lagoons, Gwent, Great White Egret at Astley Green, Greater Manchester and Cattle Egret at Drift Reservoir, Cornwall. In Argyll an Islay goose-fest consisted of a Taverner's, Todd's and two Richardson's Canada Geese all with the Barnacle Geese.

Lingering rarities included the adult Ross's Goose in Lancashire, two Lesser Scaups in Clyde, King Eider in Devon, Glossy Ibis in West Yorkshire and Great White Egrets in Suffolk and Hampshire. The best of the rest came in the form of four Serins at Rainham Marshes RSPB, London, Bluethroat at Land's End Cornwall and a wreck of Grey Phalaropes in northern Scotland.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA