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| Saturday 7th November 2009 | ||
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| A Wilson's Phalarope at Slimbridge WWT, Gloucestershire was a rather
surprising find, being just the third November record ever, with the only other
winter record being the Cleveland individual on 9th January 2005. A Baird's
Sandpiper in Lothian was slightly less unexpected, as were new Great
White Egrets in Devon and Suffolk.
Long staying rarities still present today included the Brown Shrike in Surrey, Fan-tailed Warbler in Kent, Azorean Yellow-legged Gull in Oxfordshire, Dusky Warbler in Suffolk, Blue-winged Teal in County Dublin and Lesser Yellowlegs in Lothian. A Pallas's Warbler was on Harris, Western Isles and a Red-breasted Flycatcher was at Seaford Head, Sussex. Yesterday, a probable Taiga Flycatcher was seen near St Just, Cornwall, but there was no sign of it today, despite extensive searching. |
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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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| Friday 6th November 2009 | ||
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| In Kent the Fan-tailed Warbler continued its current stint of
performing well at Pegwell Bay and in Surrey the Brown Shrike was still
on show at Staines Moor. An American Golden Plover visited Cley NWT
(Norfolk), the Dusky Warbler remained at Gunton Warren (Suffolk) and in
Lothian the Lesser Yellowlegs was still present at Aberlady Bay.
Six Great White Egrets, five Glossy Ibises and three Cattle Egrets were logged, American Golden Plovers lingered in Cornwall and Co Down and the best of the rest included Short-toed Lark (East Yorkshire), Yellow-browed Warbler (Dorset), Dotterel (Cambridgeshire) and a flock of 25 Waxwings in Cleveland. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Thursday 5th November 2009 | ||
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| An Olive-backed Pipit at Flamborough Head (East Yorkshire) and
Dusky Warbler on Whalsay (Shetland) were today's star discoveries.
In Kent the Fan-tailed Warbler lingered at Pegwell Bay Country Park and in nearby Surrey the Brown Shrike was still on show. Suffolk continued to host the Dusky Warbler at Gunton Warren and both Lesser Yellowlegs and Red-rumped Swallow remained at Aberlady, Lothian. Up to seven Great White Egrets, five Glossy Ibises and three Cattle Egrets were recorded and in Ireland the American Buff-bellied Pipit was seen again at Clahane Strand, Co Clare. Best of the rest included Azorean Yellow-legged Gull in Oxfordshire, Rose-coloured Starling on Orkney, American Wigeon in Dumfries & Galloway and Bluethroat on Shetland. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Wednesday 4th November 2009 | ||
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| Southeast England continued to host the long-staying Brown Shrike in
Surrey and Fan-tailed Warbler in Kent, whilst the main new discovery
concerned an Olive-backed Pipit on Mainland Shetland.
Lingering rarities comprised Dusky Warbler in Suffolk and both Red-rumped Swallow and Lesser Yellowlegs in Lothian. Five Great White Egrets were also recorded (including three together in Lancashire) but just one Cattle Egret (in Cornwall) was logged. In Ireland Co Galway produced a new American Golden Plover. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Tuesday 3rd November 2009 | ||
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| The highlight of the day was the discovery of a Red-rumped Swallow at Aberlady, Lothian. Elsewhere, lingering rarities comprised the Brown Shrike still in Surrey, Fan-tailed Warbler in Kent, Radde's Warbler in Cornwall, Dusky Warbler in Suffolk, Lesser Yellowlegs in Lothian, American Golden Plover in Cornwall, Azorean Yellow-legged Gull in Oxfordshire and Great White Egrets in both Kent and Lincolnshire. Scarcities included seven Lapland Buntings, five Green-winged Teals, two each of Ring-necked Duck, Yellow-browed Warbler and Little Auk and single Rough-legged Buzzard (County Durham), Pectoral Sandpiper (Nottinghamshire), Sabine's Gull (Northumberland), Great Grey Shrike (Powys) and Black Brant (Dorset). |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Monday 2nd November 2009 | ||
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| Newly discovered rarities today were a Dusky Warbler in Suffolk at Gunton, an
American Golden Plover in Cornwall at Dozmary Pool and a Taverner's Canada Goose on Islay, Argyll. Lingering rarities comprised the Brown Shrike still in Surrey, Fan-tailed Warbler in Kent, Olive-backed Pipit on the Isles of Scilly, Radde's Warbler in Cornwall, Lesser Yellowlegs in Lothian, Lesser Scaup in Warwickshire, Azorean Yellow-legged Gull in Oxfordshire, Glossy Ibises in Somerset (3) and West Sussex (2) and Great White Egrets in Kent, Lancashire (3) and Suffolk. Scarcities included five each of Yellow-browed Warbler and Lapland Bunting, three Great Grey Shrikes, two each of Ring-necked Duck, Sabine's Gull, Ring-billed Gull and Shorelark and single Short-toed Lark (Orkney Isles), Barred Warbler and Richard's Pipit (both Aberdeenshire), Long-tailed Skua (Cornwall), Little Auk (Isles of Scilly), Green-winged Teal (Norfolk) and Black Brant (Dorset). |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Sunday 1st November 2009 | ||
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| The Brown Shrike remained in Surrey, as did the Fan-tailed Warbler in Kent,
Forster's Tern between County Dublin and County Meath, Olive-backed Pipit
on the Isles of Scilly, Radde's Warbler and Greenish Warbler in Cornwall,
Lesser Yellowlegs in Lothian, American Golden Plover in County Down,
Glossy Ibises in Somerset (5) and County Wexford, two Cattle Egrets in Somerset and
Great White Egrets in Essex, Lancashire (3) and Suffolk. Scarcities included six Yellow-browed Warblers, five Shorelarks, four Bluethroats, three Ring-necked Ducks, two each of Short-toed Lark, Richard's Pipit and Great Grey Shrike and single Little Bunting (East Yorkshire), Ring-billed Gull (Derbyshire), Lapland Bunting (West Sussex), Black Brant (County Sligo), Sabine's Gull and Green-winged Teal (Northumberland). |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Saturday 31st October 2009 | ||
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| A Swainson's Thrush showed well all day at Old Head of Kinsale, County
Cork, although the news didn't reach a wider audience until late this evening.
Two Olive-backed Pipits were found at opposite ends of the country, one
on the Isles of Scilly and the other on Shetland, with a Blue-winged Teal
also on the latter. Single Red-rumped Swallows were at Thorpeness,
Suffolk and Helvick Head, County Waterford, and a Radde's Warbler was
trapped at Abbotsbury Swannery, Dorset.
The Greenish Warbler remained at Church Cove, Cornwall (its identity proven by sonograms), with other lingering rarities including Brown Shrike in Surrey, Fan-tailed Warbler in Kent, Azorean Yellow-legged Gull in Oxfordshire, Pied Wheatear in Fife, Lesser Scaup in Warwickshire, Radde's Warbler in Cornwall, American Golden Plover in County Cork, single Long-billed Dowitchers in Lancashire and Cheshire and Glossy Ibises in Kent (2), Sussex (3) and County Wexford. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Friday 30th October 2009 | ||
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| The identity of the phylloscopus warbler on The Lizard, Cornwall still hasn't
been resolved, with very little news coming out of the site. It was last
reported at 12.30pm, but not since.
In Norfolk, an Olive-backed Pipit was near Wells briefly before flying south-west. Nearby, in Wells Woods, the Common Crossbill flock is thought to contain at least one possible Parrot Crossbill. A Red-breasted Goose which flew past Thorpeness, Suffolk with Brent Geese may have been a genuine vagrant, or it may have been the regular feral Southwold individual. A new American Golden Plover was present at Kirkistown, County Down, two Glossy Ibises were at Pagham Harbour, West Sussex and a Great White Egret flew over Hilbre Island, Wirral. Lingering rarities included the Brown Shrike in Surrey for its 20th day, making it the longest staying Brown Shrike in Britain and Ireland, beating the 19 day County Kerry bird in 1999. The Fan-tailed Warbler was seen again in Kent, as was the Pied Wheatear in Fife, Long-billed Dowitcher in Cheshire, Radde's Warbler in Cornwall and three Richardson's Canada Geese are on Islay, Argyll, together with a parvipes Lesser Canada Goose. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Thursday 29th October 2009 | ||
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| Opinion remained divided on the identity of the Greenish or Green
Warbler on The Lizard (Cornwall) - the bird showed quite well intermittently
in Church Cove and was heard to call on several occasions.
Elsewhere in Cornwall an Olive-backed Pipit was discovered at St Levan, where the Radde's Warbler also lingered. A Radde's Warbler was also discovered in Lowestoft (Suffolk) and a Red-rumped Swallow flew over Durlston Country Park (Dorset). Lingering rarities included Brown Shrike in Surrey, Fan-tailed Warbler in Kent, Citrine Wagtail on Isles of Scilly, Lesser Scaup in Warwickshire and Pied Wheatear in Fife. In Ireland a Snowy Owl remained on Tory Island and American Golden Plovers were noted in Co Clare and Co Down. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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