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| Tuesday 20th October 2009 | ||
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| The fourth Fea's Petrel this month flew past Budleigh Salterton, Devon
mid morning. Surprisingly, despite being close inshore, it was not seen anywhere
else along the coast, despite good observer coverage. New pipit discoveries
today included an Olive-backed Pipit at Geosetter, Shetland, and single
Red-throated Pipits at Marshside RSPB, Merseyside and over the airfield
on St Mary's, Isles of Scilly. A second juvenile American Golden Plover
joined the flock at Deerness, Orkney, making a total of four in the same field
in the last few weeks (two adults and two juveniles).
The Brown Shrike remained for its 10th day in Surrey, as did the Red-flanked Bluetail in Suffolk. Other lingering rarities included Glossy Ibises in Warwickshire (2), Northumberland, Kent (3) and Aberdeenshire, Great White Egrets in Kent, Suffolk, Norfolk and Hampshire, with a new bird at Boddington Reservoir, Northamptonshire, Ferruginous Duck in Somerset, Cattle Egret in Kent and Azorean Yellow-legged Gull in Oxfordshire. |
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| - Will Soar, 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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| Monday 19th October 2009 | ||
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| A female Pied Wheatear was discovered at Shingle Street, Suffolk,
early this morning, and remained present all day, showing well. A Little
Bittern was an excellent find at Cossington Meadows LRWT, Leicestershire
late afternoon. It was seen to go to roost on the Reedbed Pool. The wandering
two Long-billed Dowitchers were seen at Connah's Quay NR, Flintshire mid
afternoon, with another remaining at Cockersand, Lancashire. A Glossy Ibis
was seen to fly south at Gibraltar Point NNR, whilst on the Staffordshire
/Warwickshire border another was found at Fisher's Mill Pit, remarkably the
third different individual at this site in three days. New Cattle Egrets
were in County Kerry, Pembrokeshire and Somerset.
The Brown Shrike was still in Surrey, as were the Red-flanked Bluetails in Suffolk and East Yorkshire, American Buff-bellied Pipit in County Clare, Azorean Yellow-legged Gull in Oxfordshire and Lesser Yellowlegs in Lothian. Belated news from France concerned a sighting of a Sandhill Crane near Landes on 12th October. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Sunday 18th October 2009 | ||
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| Confirmation that the Red-flanked Bluetail at Spurn Point, East
Yorkshire, yesterday was a 2nd bird in the area came today when it was trapped
and ringed this evening, after being present all day, although it continued to
be very elusive. Another Red-flanked Bluetail remained at Minsmere RSPB,
Suffolk, where a Glossy Ibis and a Great White Egret were also
present. Other Glossy Ibises were in Warwickshire, Derbyshire, Kent (3),
Aberdeenshire and County Wexford.
In Kent, the Fan-tailed Warbler made another of its very erratic appearances at Pegwell Bay. Other lingering rarities included the Brown Shrike in Surrey, Western Bonelli's Warbler and Spotted Sandpiper on Shetland, King Eider in Lincolnshire, American Buff-bellied Pipit in County Clare and Blackpoll Warbler and Arctic Warbler in County Cork. A presumed Fea's Petrel flew past St John's Point, County Down (the third record for both county and site), a Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll was at Brae, Shetland, a Citrine Wagtail was on North Ronaldsay, Orkney and two American Golden Plovers were at Rahasane Turlough, County Galway. Late news concerned a Bee-eater yesterday in Suffolk, and the Booted Warbler in Cornwall on the 13th and 14th October has reportedly been reindentified as a Sykes's Warbler, which would be the 11th record for Britain. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Saturday 17th October 2009 | ||
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| New rarities included both Red-flanked Bluetail and Radde's Warbler
on the Spurn peninsula and a Black-browed Albatross that flew past
the Fife coastline. On Fair Isle a Desert Lesser Whitethroat was trapped,
having initially been seen yesterday.
Shetland hosted Taiga Flycatcher, Western Bonelli's Warbler, two Hornemann's Arctic Redpolls, Spotted Sandpiper and American Golden Plover whilst Isles of Scilly held a lingering Radde's Warbler. Away from the extremities of Britain lingering rarities included Brown Shrike in Surrey, Western Bonelli's Warbler on Isle of Man, Lesser Scaup in Glamorgan, four Long-billed Dowitchers (two in Lancashire and two in Cheshire), Red-flanked Bluetail in Suffolk, Azorean Yellow-legged Gull in Oxfordshire, Blue-winged Teal in Cleveland, Lesser Yellowlegs in Lothian and White-rumped Sandpiper in Essex. Ireland produced Forster's Tern in Co Louth, Blackpoll and Arctic Warblers in Co Cork and American Golden Plover in Co Kerry. Seven Glossy Ibises, up to seven Great White Egrets and five Cattle Egrets were also recorded. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Friday 16th October 2009 | ||
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| Shetland continued to host Blackpoll Warbler, Western Bonelli's
Warbler, Taiga Flycatcher, two Hornemann's Arctic Redpolls,
Spotted Sandpiper and Rustic Bunting.
On Isles of Scilly Radde's Warblers were observed on St Mary's and St Martin's and a Red-throated Pipit flew over the former island. Elsewhere a Black Stork spent the afternoon at Bishop Middleham (Co Durham) and on Orkney the adult Franklin's Gull reappeared. Lingering rarities included Brown Shrike in Surrey, Red-flanked Bluetail in Suffolk, King Eider in Lincolnshire, Long-billed Dowitchers in Cheshire (2) and Lancashire, Azorean Yellow-legged Gull in Oxfordshire, Lesser Scaup in Warwickshire, Lesser Yellowlegs in Lothian and American Golden Plover in Fife. Eleven Glossy Ibises were recorded, including five in Somerset. In Ireland Blackpoll Warbler and Arctic Warbler both remained in Co Cork, the America Buff-bellied Pipit lingered in Co Clare and an American Golden Plover was discovered in Co Kerry. Late news from yesterday related to a Western Bonelli's Warbler on Calf of Man (Isle of Man). |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Thursday 15th October 2009 | ||
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| On the Shetland Isles a Blackpoll Warbler and a Siberian Stonechat both arrived on Fair Isle with other rarities around the archipelago comprising the
Taiga Flycatcher, two Red-flanked Bluetails, Lanceolated
Warbler, Western Bonelli's Warbler, Arctic Warbler, Spotted
Sandpiper, Siberian Stonechat, Rustic Bunting, two Bluethroats,
Barred Warbler, Richard's Pipit, Pectoral Sandpiper, Lapland Bunting, and three
Yellow-browed Warblers. Meanwhile, on the Isles of Scilly two Radde's Warblers and a Red-throated Pipit proved elusive, but were supported by a cast of a Little Bunting, Red-breasted Flycatcher, Common Rosefinch, Lapland Bunting, Balearic Shearwater, two each of both Rose-coloured Starling and Wryneck, four Spoonbills and five Yellow-browed Warblers. Elsewhere, new discoveries comprised an Eastern Olivaceous Warbler in County Mayo on Achill Island, a Paddyfield Warbler in Norfolk at Snettisham, a Red-flanked Bluetail in County Durham at Whitburn, an Arctic Warbler in Staffordshire at Newcastle-uner-Lyme, a Dusky Warbler in Lothian at Skateraw, a Lesser Yellowlegs in County Mayo on The Mullet and a Black Kite in Essex at Ramsey Marsh. Disappointingly, all of these birds were seen only briefly, and could not be relocated. More accommodating were the many lingering rarities: the Brown Shrike in Surrey, Blackpoll Warbler and Arctic Warbler in County Cork, Red-flanked Bluetail in Suffolk, Pied Wheatear in Norfolk, Long-billed Dowitchers in Cheshire (2), Lancashire (3) and the Western Isles, American Golden Plovers in both Fife and the Western Isles, White-rumped Sandpiper in Essex, King Eider in Lincolnshire, Lesser Scaup in Glamorgan, Azorean Yellow-legged Gull in Oxfordshire, Glossy Ibises in Aberdeenshire, County Kerry (9), Kent, Gloucestershire, Somerset (2) and County Wexford, Cattle Egrets in Hampshire (2) and Kent and Great White Egrets in both Kent and Suffolk. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Wednesday 14th October 2009 | ||
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| Highlights of another busy day were led by a Cedar
Waxwing on Inishbofin Island, County Galway, Black-throated Thrush
on Shetland at Sumburgh Head, Pied Wheatear in Norfolk at Horsey Gap,
Red-flanked Bluetail in Suffolk at Minsmere and a belated report of a
Ross's Gull in Gwynedd at Bangor yesterday. Also Baird's Sandpiper
in Nottinghamshire, another Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll in the Western
Isles on North Uist, and a Radde's Warbler on St.Martin's, Isles of
Scilly. Other notable birds included two fly over Red-throated Pipits
(Yorkshire and Surrey), Rustic Bunting on Fair Isle, Shetland and a
Cattle Egret in Cornwall.
Plenty of rare birds were still present from previous days,
including the Brown Shrike in Surrey, Western Bonelli's Warbler
on Shetland and both Blackpoll and Arctic Warblers Co.Cork. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Tuesday 13th October 2009 | ||
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| The highlight of the day was a claim of a Northern Rough-winged Swallow flying in off the sea at St Finan's Bay, County Kerry, but unfortunately it was not relocated. This is the Western Palearctic record of this species, and the eleventh Nearctic landbird to be discovered in the British Isles this autumn. Elsewhere, other brief encounters included a
Booted Warbler in Cornwall at Nanquidno and a Red-throated Pipit at Rainham Marshes, London. On the Shetland Isles lingering rarities comprised the River Warbler, Red-flanked Bluetail, Western Bonelli's Warbler, Arctic Warbler, Spotted Sandpiper and three Hornemann's Arctic Redpolls with a supporting cast of Red-breasted Flycatcher, Bluethroat, Common Rosefinch, Barred Warbler, Lapland Bunting and three Yellow-browed Warblers. Meanwhile, on the Isles of Scilly a Little Bunting showed briefly along with a Rose-coloured Starling, Richard's Pipit, two Wrynecks and seven Yellow-browed Warblers. Other rarities included the Brown Shrike still in Surrey, the American Buff-bellied Pipit in County Clare, Radde's Warbler in Kent, Arctic Warbler in County Cork, Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll on the Western Isles, Blue-winged Teal in County Dublin, Long-billed Dowitcher in Lancashire, Lesser Yellowlegs in Lothian, White-rumped Sandpiper in Essex, single American Golden Plovers in both Argyll and the Orkney Isles, Azorean Yellow-legged Gull in Oxfordshire, Glossy Ibises in Aberdeenshire, Cambridgeshire, Kent, County Kerry (11) and Northumberland, Cattle Egrets in both Kent and Somerset and Great White Egrets in Cornwall (2), Lancashire (2) and Somerset. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Monday 12th October 2009 | ||
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| The highlight of the day was the identification of a Brown Shrike at Staines Moor, Surrey. First found yesterday and believed to be a Red-backed Shrike, the true identity was not confirmed until well into the afternoon today, but the bird remained on site until dusk. On the Shetland Isles a Red-flanked Bluetail and two Lanceolated Warblers were discovered whilst the Taiga Flycatcher remained along with the River Warbler, Western Bonelli's Warbler, Olive-backed Pipit, Arctic Warbler, Spotted Sandpiper, American Golden Plover, two Hornemann's Arctic Redpolls, four Bluethroats, two each of Little Bunting and Lapland Bunting, a Barred Warbler, Sabine's Gull and Ring-necked Duck and eight Yellow-browed Warblers. Two Red-throated Pipits headlined on the Isles of Scilly with a supporting cast of nine Yellow-browed Warblers, three Wrynecks, two each of both Red-breasted Flycatcher and Rose-coloured Starling, a Lapland Bunting and a brief Ring-billed Gull. Elsewhere, a Lanceolated Warbler was found on the Orkney Isles whilst the Blackpoll Warbler and Arctic Warbler remained in County Cork, and likewise the American Buff-bellied Pipit in County Clare, Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll on the Western Isles, Radde's Warbler in East Yorkshire, two Long-billed Dowitchers together in Lancashire, Lesser Yellowlegs in Lothian, White-rumped Sandpiper in Essex, American Golden Plovers in each of Argyll, County Cork and Fife, Blue-winged Teal in County Dublin, Hooded Merganser in Cleveland, Glossy Ibises in Aberdeenshire, County Wexford, Gwynedd, Kent (3) and Northumberland, Cattle Egrets in Gloucestershire (2) and Kent and single Great White Egrets in Hampshire, Somerset and Suffolk. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Sunday 11th October 2009 | ||
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| Shetland continued to host a plethora of rarities, including Taiga
Flycatcher, Lanceolated Warbler, Blyth's Reed Warbler,
Western Bonelli's Warbler, Spotted Sandpiper, American Golden
Plover and two each of Pechora Pipit, Olive-backed Pipit,
Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll and Arctic Warbler.
At the other end of the British Isles, the best Isles of Scilly could offer was a Red-throated Pipit on St Martin's. New discoveries away from Shetland comprised Lesser Scaup in Glamorgan (presumably a returning bird), American Golden Plovers in Fife and Wirral, Long-billed Dowitcher in Hampshire and Radde's Warbler in East Yorkshire. A Blackpoll Warbler arrived a Garinish Point, Co Cork and elsewhere in Ireland an American Buff-bellied Pipit, Forster's Tern, Arctic Warbler and Glossy Ibis were all recorded. Lingering rarities came in the form of Lesser Yellowlegs in Aberdeenshire, Azorean Yellow-legged Gull in Oxfordshire, Subalpine Warbler in Gwynedd and White-rumped Sandpiper in Essex. Nine Glossy Ibises, five Cattle Egrets and three Great White Egrets were logged. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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