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| Friday 13th November 2009 | ||
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| A Red-rumped Swallow was found on Holy Island, Northumberland early
afternoon, and lingered until late afternoon at least. A Long-billed
Dowitcher was seen in Port Carlisle harbour, Cumbria this afternoon, and a
Lesser Yellowlegs was seen at Bubwith Ings and Thorganby Ings, both
Yorkshire. A Great White Egret flew past Chalkwell, Essex, with other
birds remaining in Lancashire (3), Merseyside and Devon.
The Brown Shrike continued its stay in Surrey, the three Glossy Ibises were still in Somerset and another was still at Tacumshin, County Wexford. Scarcities included five Snow Geese, an American Wigeon, three Green-winged Teals, a Pomarine Skua, five Shorelarks, two Richard's Pipits (both at Slimbridge WWT, Gloucestershire), two Bluethroats, a Great Grey Shrike and a Rose-coloured Starling. |
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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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| Thursday 12th November 2009 | ||
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| With no new rarities discovered today, the headlines were left with the
Fan-tailed Warbler at Pegwell Bay, Kent, Brown Shrike at Staines
Moor, Surrey and the Wilson's Phalarope at Slimbridge WWT,
Gloucestershire.
Other long staying rarities included the Lesser Yellowlegs in Lothian, Glossy Ibises in Kent (2) and Somerset (3), single Cattle Egrets in Kent, Cornwall and Gloucestershire and Great White Egrets in Devon, Kent, Norfolk and Lancashire (2). In Perth and Kinross, the Bluethroat remained at Errol, although it is now proving very elusive. Another Bluethroat is still in County Cork, with other scarcity totals including six Snow Geese, two American Wigeon, Green-winged Teal, 21 Shorelarks, Yellow-browed Warbler, three Great Grey Shrikes and a Rose-coloured Starling. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Wednesday 11th November 2009 | ||
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| The highlight of the day was the discovery of two Penduline Tits in Gloucestershire at Slimbridge. In County Kerry a
Bonaparte's Gull was found at Tralee and in County Galway the Forster's Tern returned to winter at Nimmo's Pier. Lingering rarities confirmed as still present comprised the Brown Shrike in Surrey, both Fan-tailed Warbler and Glossy Ibis in Kent, Baird's Sandpiper in Lothian, Wilson's Phalarope in Gloucestershire, Blue-winged Teal in County Dublin, both American Golden Plover and White-rumped Sandpiper in Norfolk, Cattle Egret in Cornwall and Great White Egrets in Aberdeenshire, Devon, Kent, Lancashire, County Mayo, Norfolk (2) and Suffolk. Totals of scarcities included 25 Shorelarks, eight Lapland Buntings, four each of Little Auk and Caspian Gull, three each of Green-winged Teal and Great Grey Shrike, two Surf Scoters, Snow Geese, Ring-necked Ducks, American Wigeons and Glaucuous Gulls and single Rose-coloured Starling (Oxfordshire), Rough-legged Buzzard (Norfolk), Ring-billed Gull (Derbyshire) and Black Brant (Kent). |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Tuesday 10th November 2009 | ||
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| The long wait for Irish birders was finally over today, when the Ireland's
first Red-flanked Bluetail was discovered on Dursey Island, Co Cork. With
68 accepted records in Britain (by the end of 2008), this species has been
predicted to find its way onto the Irish list for some time.
Co Cork also hosted both Red-throated Pipit and Bluethroat. Back across the Irish Sea, long-stayers such as the Brown Shrike in Surrey, Fan-tailed Warbler in Kent and Lesser Yellowlegs in Lothian were the headline birds. In Gloucestershire the Wilson's Phalarope remained at Slimbridge WWT, a Barred Warbler was discovered in Lincolnshire, the Rose-coloured Starling lingered in Oxfordshire, Yellow-browed Warblers were reported from Isles of Scilly, East Yorkshire, Western Isles and Cornwall (2), the Wryneck was still on Bardsey Island (Gwynedd) and in Perth & Kinross the Bluethroat was still on show at Errol. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Monday 9th November 2009 | ||
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| A Dusky Warbler on St Mary's (Isles of Scilly) was today's best new
discovery, but headline lingering rarities comprised Fan-tailed Warbler
in Kent, Brown Shrike in Surrey, Wilson's Phalarope in
Gloucestershire, Baird's Sandpiper in Lothian and Dusky Warbler in
Suffolk. At least six Glossy Ibises, four Great White Egrets and a
Cattle Egret were recorded.
In Ireland both Red-throated Pipit and Bluethroat remained at Ballycotton (Co Cork). Rose-coloured Starlings were logged in Oxfordshire and Cornwall, the Bluethroat remained in Perth & Kinross and a Wryneck was trapped on Bardsey Island (Gwynedd). |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Sunday 8th November 2009 | ||
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| During a day of several false starts, real new rarities included a Red-rumped
Swallow at Udale Bay, Highland and a Red-throated Pipit at
Ballycotton, County Cork. New Great White Egrets were in
Northamptonshire, Leicestershire and Lancashire. The Wilson's Phalarope
was seen a couple of times at Slimbridge WWT, Gloucestershire, but only remained
on view for short periods. The Dusky Warbler in Suffolk was equally
difficult today, proving very elusive in the scrub north of Warrenhouse Wood.
Lingering rarities included the Brown Shrike in Surrey, Fan-tailed Warbler in Kent, Forster's Tern in County Louth, Baird's Sandpiper and Lesser Yellowlegs in Lothian, Richardson's Canada Goose in County Sligo and single American Golden Plovers in Norfolk and County Down. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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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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| 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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