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 27th October 2009  
  A Black-throated Thrush at Scorriton (Devon) was today's star discovery. Elsewhere new rarities comprised Red-rumped Swallows in East Yorkshire (2), Gwynedd and Cambridgeshire, Red-throated Pipit over Portland (Dorset) and American Golden Plover in South Yorkshire (for its third day).

Lingering rarities included Brown Shrike (Surrey), Pied Wheatear (Fife), Citrine Wagtail (Isles of Scilly), Red-flanked Bluetail (East Yorkshire), Long-billed Dowitcher (Lancashire), Snowy Owl (Co Donegal), Radde's Warblers (Norfolk and Fife) and Ferruginous Duck (Somerset). Nine Great White Egrets included three at Leighton Moss RSPB (Lancashire) and two at Minsmere RSPB (Suffolk). Six Glossy Ibises and two Cattle Egrets were also reported.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Monday 26th October 2009  
  A Pied Wheatear at Fife Ness, Fife, this afternoon continued this sites recent run of good birds, which includes, today, a Radde's Warbler, Pallas's Warbler, Yellow-browed Warbler, two Firecrests and a Siberian Chiffchaff. Other new rarities included an Olive-backed Pipit at Levenwick, Shetland, Black Kite over Bardsey Island, Gwynedd, Long-billed Dowitcher at Baleshare, Western Isles and single Radde's Warblers in Norfolk and Cornwall.

The Brown Shrike continued its stay in Surrey, and one of the Red-flanked Bluetails reappeared at Spurn Point, Yorkshire. Other lingering rarities included Western Bonelli's Warbler on the Isle of Man, White-rumped Sandpiper in Norfolk, Snowy Owl in County Donegal, Citrine Wagtail on the Isles of Scilly, Blue-winged Teal in Cleveland, Lesser Yellowlegs in Lothian and Glossy Ibises in Warwickshire, Aberdeenshire, Kent and Somerset.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Sunday 25th October 2009  
  Garinish Point (Co Cork) scored its second Nearctic landbird of the autumn, this time Ireland's second Mourning Dove. In Co Kerry the Common Nighthawk was successfully released near Cahersiveen.

New rarities came in the form of Long-billed Dowitcher in Dumfries & Galloway, two Red-breasted Geese in Essex, White-rumped Sandpiper in Norfolk, Penduline Tit in Kent and Citrine Wagtail on Isles of Scilly.

Lingering rarities included Lesser Scaups in Warwickshire and Glamorgan, Brown Shrike in Surrey, Lesser Yellowlegs in Lothian, Radde's Warbler in Fife, Dusky Warbler in Kent, Long-billed Dowitcher in Flintshire, Red-flanked Bluetail in East Yorkshire, Blue-winged Teal in Cleveland and American Golden Plover in Orkney.

Eight Glossy Ibises, five Cattle Egrets and five Great White Egrets were all logged.

In addition to the two aforementioned Mega-rarities, Ireland produced Fea's Petrel past Co Antrim, Dusky Warbler in Co Cork, two American Golden Plovers in Co Down and Richardson's Canada Goose in Co Sligo.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Saturday 24th October 2009  
  A Common Nighthawk in County Kerry was picked up at Reenard Point today, and is due to be released at 10am tomorrow. Other new arrivals included an Olive-backed Pipit in Hampshire, a Siberian Stonechat in Kent and a Radde's Warbler on the Isles of Scilly.

In County Durham, the Eastern Crowned Warbler continued to show well all day. Nearby, the Blue-winged Teal remained in Cleveland, as did both Red-flanked Bluetail and Dusky Warbler in East Yorkshire. Other lingering rarities included the Brown Shrike in Surry, Olive-backed Pipit in Devon, Dusky Warblers in Kent and County Cork, Radde's Warbler in Fife, Glossy Ibises in Aberdeenshire and Warwickshire, Richardson's Canada Goose in Argyll, Great White Egrets in Lancashire (2), Cumbria, Kent and Suffolk, Cattle Egrets in Argyll, County Cork and Kent and Ferruginous Duck in Somerset.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Friday 23rd October 2009  
  To the delight of the assembled masses in South Shields (Co Durham) the Eastern Crowned Warbler was still in Trow Quarry for its second day, where it showed well intermittently until dusk.

The English East Coast also produced Red-flanked Bluetail at Bempton Cliffs RSPB and Dusky Warbler at Flamborough Head (East Yorkshire). Elsewhere new rarities comprised Olive-backed Pipits on St Agnes (Isles of Scilly) and Lundy (Devon), Red-throated  Pipits on Skomer (Pembrokeshire) and in Exmouth (Devon), Dusky Warbler at  Dungeness (Kent), Radde's Warblers at Fife Ness (Fife) and Girdle Ness (Aberdeenshire) and a Lesser Yellowlegs was reported at Pagham Harbour LNR (West Sussex).

In Surrey the Brown Shrike lingered at Staines Moor, the Radde's Warbler remained at Thorpeness (Suffolk), the Western Bonelli's Warbler was re-trapped on Calf of Man (Isle of Man), two Long-billed Dowitchers were still at Connah's Quay NR (Flintshire) and Lesser Scaups lingered in Glamorgan and Warwickshire.

In Ireland a Dusky Warbler was still in Co Cork, the long-staying Blue-winged Teal lingered in Co Dublin and an American Golden Plover was seen again in Co Kerry.

Four Pallas's Warblers were located along the East Coast.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Thursday 22nd October 2009  
  Britain's first Eastern Crowned Warbler was discovered at Trow Quarry in South Shields (Co Durham) this afternoon. The bird was initially misidentified as a Yellow-browed Warbler and its true identity only came to light after Whitburn birder Mark Newsome noticed photos that had been posted on the internet. Eastern Crowned Warbler has long been predicted to make an autumn appearance in Britain - there have been four previous Western Palearctic records, most recently in The Netherlands in 2007.

Elsewhere new rarities included Radde's Warblers in Suffolk, Angus and Northumberland, Dusky Warbler in Co Cork and Penduline Tit in Norfolk.

Lingering rarities comprised Brown Shrike in Surrey, Lesser Scaup in Warwickshire, two Long-billed Dowitchers in Lancashire and four Glossy Ibises, four Cattle Egrets and eight Great White Egrets were logged. Five Pallas's Warblers arrived were located along the east coast.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Wednesday 21st October 2009  
  The best new discovery concerned a Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler found on Foula, Shetland.

Lingering rarities comprised Brown Shrike in Surrey, Red-flanked Bluetail in Suffolk, five Long-billed Dowitchers (two in Cheshire, two in Merseyside and a lone bird in Lancashire), American Buff-bellied Pipit in Co Clare, Lesser Yellowlegs in Co Mayo, Lesser Scaup in Warwickshire and Azorean Yellow-legged Gull in Oxfordshire.

Eight Great White Egrets, five Cattle Egrets and four Glossy Ibises were logged and scarcity highlights came in the form of Pallas's Warbler in Aberdeenshire, Snow Goose in Norfolk and Rose-coloured Starling in Cornwall.

The best Isles of Scilly could offer included Red-breasted Flycatcher, Rose-coloured Starling and Common Rosefinch.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Tuesday 20th October 2009  
  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.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Monday 19th October 2009  
  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.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Sunday 18th October 2009  
  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.
-  Will Soar, RBA