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| Sunday 22nd August 2010 | ||
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| An exciting day produced two Mega Alerts. The first concerned an adult
Sharp-tailed Sandpiper at Patrington Haven (East Yorkshire), apparently
found by the finder of East Yorkshire's last Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, at Sammy's
Point, Easington in September 2007. The second Mega Alert came from County Cork,
where an outrageously early Chimney Swift was seen near Castletownroche. With one exception - a bird at Spurn on 6th August 2000 - all previous Chimney
Swifts have occurred in October and November.
Elsewhere rarities included a juvenile Broad-billed Sandpiper at Mersea Island (Essex), Semipalmated Sandpiper in Lincolnshire, Whiskered Tern in Cleveland, Aquatic Warbler in Devon, two Glossy Ibises in Co Wexford, Snowy Owl in Co Mayo and Ferruginous Duck in Somerset. Scarcities came in the form of at least six Barred Warblers, three Spotted Crakes, three Dotterels, three Wrynecks, two Red-backed Shrikes, two Great White Egrets, Purple Heron, Cattle Egret, Buff-breasted Sandpiper, Pectoral Sandpiper, White-winged Black Tern and Temminck's Stint. |
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| - Stuart Piner, 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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| Saturday 21st August 2010 | ||
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| Highlights included the lingering Semipalmated Sandpiper in
Lincolnshire and Whiskered Tern in Cleveland, whilst in Ireland, Co Mayo
produced Snowy Owl and Black Duck, Co Kerry hosted both American Herring Gull
and an Azorean Yellow-legged Gull and in Co Wexford the
Glossy Ibis remained at Tacumshin.
Barred Warblers were at Spurn and Flamborough Head (East Yorkshire), where a Red-backed Shrike was also discovered. Another Red-backed Shrike was located inland of Bridlington (East Yorkshire). Lingering scarcities included Pectoral Sandpipers in Perth & Kinross and Northumberland, Spotted Crakes in Co Durham and Kent, Purple Heron and Cattle Egret in Kent, Great White Egrets in Kent, Somerset and Co Down and Ring-necked Duck in Fife. Seabirds sightings were headlined by a report of a Little Shearwater off Stronsay (Orkney) and Wilson's Petrels off Isles of Scilly (3) and Galley Head, Co Cork (2). Eight Great Shearwaters, four Long-tailed Skuas and two Sabine's Gulls were also recorded from a selection of coastal watchpoints. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Friday 20th August 2010 | ||
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| The Semipalmated Sandpiper lingered at Alkborough Flats (Lincolnshire)
and the Whiskered Tern was still at Saltholme RSPB (Cleveland).
Scarcities included a White-winged Black Tern (Norfolk), Spotted Crakes (Norfolk, Kent and Co Durham), Purple Heron (Kent), Cattle Egrets (Essex and Kent), Great White Egrets (Kent and Somerset), Wrynecks (East Yorkshire and Orkney), Barred Warbler (Orkney), Pectoral Sandpipers (Perth & Kinross and Northumberland), Ring-necked Duck (Perth & Kinross) Wilson's Petrels were logged off Galley Head (Co Cork) and an Isles of Scilly pelagic. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Thursday 19th August 2010 | ||
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| The highlight of the day was the appearance of a Semipalmated Sandpiper in Lincolnshire at Alkborough Flats for the second night in succession: presumably the same individual as that present at nearby Blacktoft Sands, East Yorkshire on 9th August. Elsewhere, rarities comprised the Lesser Grey Shrike and a brief Greenish Warbler in Norfolk and the Whiskered Tern still in Cleveland. Scarcities included at least seven Great Shearwaters (between Cornwall and County Clare), three Barred Warblers and a Common Rosefinch (all on the Shetland Isles), two White-winged Black Terns (East Yorkshire and Norfolk), two Spotted Crakes (County Durham and Kent) and single Cory's Shearwater (County Clare), Ring-billed Gull (Lancashire), Pectoral Sandpiper (Kinross), Sabine's Gull (East Yorkshire), Cattle Egret and Great White Egret (together in Kent). |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Wednesday 18th August 2010 | ||
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| A juvenile Aquatic Warbler was trapped and ringed at Teifi Marshes NR,
Ceredigion this morning, which was, amazingly, the second record for the site
within three days. One was also reported at Radipole Lake RSPB, Dorset, before
being downgraded to a possible. An Arctic Warbler was discovered at
Haroldswick, Unst, Shetland.
Another Wilson's Petrel was seen from a Scilly pelagic this evening. The male Lesser Grey Shrike remained at Kelling, Norfolk, for its second day, as did the Whiskered Tern in Cleveland. Scarcity highlights included seven Great Shearwaters, six Red-backed Shrikes, four Honey Buzzards, three each of Spotted Crake, Wryneck and Great White Egret, two each of Barred Warbler, Dotterel and Cattle Egret, and single Icterine Warbler, Purple Heron, Pectoral Sandpiper, Long-tailed Skua, Pomarine Skua and White-winged Black Tern. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Tuesday 17th August 2010 | ||
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| The highlight of the day was the discovery of a Lesser Grey Shrike in Norfolk at Kelling Quags. Found during the afternoon, the bird lingered into the evening and showed well. Lingering rarities comprised the Sykes's Warbler still on the Shetland Isles (but disappointingly the individual in Northumberland was not seen today), the House Finch still in Devon, Whiskered Tern in Cleveland, Glossy Ibis in County Wexford and Ferruginous Duck in Somerset. Scarcities included five Great Shearwaters (off Cornwall and County Clare), three each of Surf Scoter (together in Aberdeenshire), Red-backed Shrike and Great White Egret, two each of White-winged Black Tern (East Yorkshire and London), Icterine Warbler, Cattle Egret and Spotted Crake and single White-spotted Bluethroat (Norfolk), Buff-breasted Sandpiper (County Clare), Ring-billed Gull (Lancashire) and Caspian Gull (Lincolnshire). |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Monday 16th August 2010 | ||
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| In Northumberland, the Sykes's Warbler remained at Druridge Bay all
day, showing very well this afternoon and into the evening. Amazingly, another
was discovered today, this time on Shetland, representing the second for Unst
and the sixth record for the archipelago.
Two juvenile Aquatic Warblers were found today, both in mist nets, in Devon and Ceredigion. In Ireland, the returning drake Black Duck was once again on Achill Island, County Mayo, whilst lingering rarities included Whiskered Tern in Cleveland, Lesser Yellowlegs' in Cheshire and Isles of Scilly, Glossy Ibis in County Wexford and Ferruginous Duck in Somerset. Scarcity totals were highlighted by two Spotted Crakes, two Buff-breasted Sandpipers, four Red-backed Shrikes, two Cattle Egrets, three Great White Egrets, and single Dotterel, Purple Heron, White-winged Black Tern, Ring-billed Gull and Ring-necked Duck. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Sunday 15th August 2010 | ||
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| A Sykes's Warbler was discovered this afternoon at Druridge Bay in
Northumberland, but it's identity was not confirmed until this evening. If it is
still present tomorrow it will undoubtedly prove very popular. Elsewhere on the
east coast a Citrine Wagtail was found this morning at Spurn but it did
not remain for long. In Cornwall tantalisingly brief views were had of a
possible Audouin's Gull near Padstow. Two White-winged Black Terns
were discovered today: one at Hornsea Mere in Yorkshire and one at Dungeness in
Kent. The latter site also boasted a Buff-breasted Sandpiper, a Cattle
Egret, a Great White Egret and at least one Purple Heron.
Other lingering rarities included the Whiskered Tern in Cleveland,
Glossy Ibises in County Wexford and in Hampshire (although only seen briefly
this morning), the Lesser Yellowlegs on Scilly (which has moved to Tresco)
and the Snowy Owl in County Mayo.
Spotted Crakes were in Kent and County Durham and scarce migrants along the east coast included: 3 Barred Warblers, 5 Icterine Warblers, 3 Red-backed Shrikes and a Wryneck. |
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| - Pete Hayman, RBA | ||
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| Saturday 14th August 2010 | ||
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| The first big movement of autumn migrants occurred today, with, predictably,
the east coast faring the best. The headline bird was a Thrush Nightingale
on the Farne Islands, Northumberland, followed closely by an Ortolan Bunting
at Flamborough Head, Yorkshire and a Greenish Warbler at Wells, Norfolk.
Further north, an Arctic Warbler was on Fair Isle, Shetland.
A Blue-winged Teal was at Fen Drayton Lakes RSPB, Cambridgeshire this evening, and a Glossy Ibis was seen briefly at Keyhaven, Hampshire. Lingering rarities included Whiskered Tern in Cleveland and Glossy Ibis in County Wexford. Scarcities included at least four Icterine Warblers, three Red-backed Shrikes, two Barred Warblers, five Wrynecks, a Purple Heron and a Spotted Crake. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Friday 13th August 2010 | ||
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| Lingering rarities confirmed as still present today were the Whiskered Tern in Cleveland, a mobile
Glossy Ibis in Dorset, the Laughing Gull in County Antrim and a
Ferruginous Duck in Suffolk. Scarcities included three Great White Egrets, two Cattle Egrets, a Buff-breasted Sandpiper (Norfolk), Spotted Crake (Kent), Ring-necked Duck (Fife) and Caspian Gull (Nottinghamshire). Seawatching highlights included single Long-tailed Skuas off each of East Yorkshire, County Durham and Northumberland, a Cory's Shearwater passing Norfolk and two Sabine's Gulls seen from County Mayo. Scarce drift migrants comprised an Icterine Warbler in Norfolk and a Wryneck in Cleveland. Significant late news from Ireland concerned a Wilson's Petrel seen yesterday off County Galway and an Azorean Yellow-legged Gull present last Sunday in County Kerry at Bennerville. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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