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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Sunday 5th September 2010  
  The hot news today related to the discovery of a Brown Flycatcher at Buckton (East Yorkshire). This is the third Brown Flycatcher to be recorded in the last four years, and by far the earliest of the three autumn records. Today's bird made landfall just under five miles from Old Fall Plantation, Flamborough Head, the site of the famous October 2007 Brown Flycatcher.

Elsewhere rarities included the House Finch in Devon, Whiskered Tern in Leicestershire, Citrine Wagtail in Cornwall, Ferruginous Ducks in Northamptonshire and Somerset, Semipalmated Sandpiper in Lothian, Arctic Warbler on Shetland and American Golden Plovers on Orkney and in Argyll. A Black Kite was seen in Cornwall.

In Ireland a Booted or Sykes's Warbler was on Tory Island (Co Donegal), Co Cork hosted Greenish Warbler, Woodchat Shrike and American Golden Plover, Co Kerry hosted Semipalmated Sandpiper and American Herring Gull, and Glossy Ibises were in Co Clare and Co Dublin. At Cobh (Co Cork) a possible House Crow was reported.

Thirteen Barred Warblers, nine Ortolan Buntings, eight Red-backed Shrikes, six Pectoral Sandpipers, five Icterine Warblers, four Common Rosefinches, three Melodious Warblers, two Buff-breasted Sandpipers, two Spotted Crakes, two Red-necked Phalaropes, Marsh Warbler and Short-toed Lark were all logged in Britain and Ireland, along with the exceptional numbers of Lapland Buntings.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Saturday 4th September 2010  
  Three Arctic Warblers were discovered on Shetland today, with two on the Mainland and one on Out Skerries, one of which (at Scatness) was with a Greenish Warbler. A Booted Warbler was further south, at Grimston, Yorkshire, with a Great Snipe present nearby at Spurn Point. A Semipalmated Sandpiper was discovered on the estuary at Blennerville, County Kerry, where it joined the lingering American Herring Gull. An Aquatic Warbler was trapped at Steart, Somerset and a Whiskered Tern was seen briefly at Annesley, Nottinghamshire.

New American Golden Plovers were in County Cork, Argyll and on the Western Isles, and there was a significant arrival of Ortolan Buntings in the south-west, including at least five together at Nanquidno, Cornwall and singles at Polgigga, Cornwall, on Bryher, Isles of Scilly, on Bardsey Island, Gwynedd and at Galley Head, County Cork.

Lingering rarity highlights included House Finch in Devon, Citrine Wagtails on Scilly and in Cornwall, Snowy Owl in County Mayo, Semipalmated Sandpiper in Lothian and Whiskered Tern in Leicestershire. Scarcity totals included 13 Common Rosefinches, c27 Wrynecks, seven Melodious Warblers, five Icterine Warblers, c25 Barred Warblers, Marsh Warbler, Bluethroat, Woodchat Shrike, six Red-backed Shrikes and a Short-toed Lark.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Friday 3rd September 2010  
  A Citrine Wagtail and at least one Ortolan Bunting were found near Nanquidno in Cornwall this morning. Elsewhere a second Ortolan Bunting was found at Mizen Head in County Cork which joined an impressive list of birds at this site including Woodchat Shrike, Icterine Warbler, Barred Warbler and Wryneck. A drake Ferruginous Duck was at Pitsford Reservoir in Northamptonshire and a new Glossy Ibis was at Lough Atedaun in County Clare in addition to four others present in Ireland: two at Shannon in County Clare, one in County Dublin and one in County Wexford.

In East Yorkshire the Eastern Olivaceous Warbler remained at Flamborough, although it proved very elusive this afternoon. In Leicestershire, the Whiskered Tern was still to be found at Rutland Water, and in County Durham the Bonaparte's Gull moved to Seaham for a while. Two Greenish Warblers were still in the north east this morning but could not be found this afternoon. Other lingering rarities included American Golden Plovers in Orkney and County Clare and the Long-billed Dowitcher in Flintshire.

Scarcities included 15 Wrynecks, 12 Barred Warblers, 6.Icterine Warblers, 3 Spotted Crakes and 3 Red-necked Phalaropes. A movement of Common Buzzards along the east coast included a record 70 over Spurn.
-  Pete Hayman, RBA
Thursday 2nd September 2010  
  An Ortolan Bunting was discovered at Mizen Head, County Cork, where it was present on Three Castles Head with a Woodchat Shrike. New Greenish Warblers were at Spurn Point, Yorkshire and South Shields, County Durham, an Azorean Yellow-legged Gull was at Blennerville, County Kerry and a White-rumped Sandpiper was at Ballycotton, County Cork.

In Yorkshire, the elusive Eastern Olivaceous Warbler occasionally showed well at Flamborough Head. Other lingering rarities included Whiskered Tern at Rutland Water, Leicestershire, Semipalmated Sandpiper at Tyninghame Bay, Lothian, Greenish Warbler on St Mary's Island, Northumberland, American Herring Gull in County Kerry and American Golden Plover in County Clare.

The impressive influx of Lapland Buntings continued, with at least 375 seen, including birds filtering as far south as the Isles of Scilly, County Wexford (5) and Norfolk.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Wednesday 1st September 2010  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of an Eastern Olivaceous Warbler at Flamborough Head, East Yorkshire. Found during the morning and present until late in the evening, this popular rarity represents the eighteenth record of the species in Britain and Ireland and the first ever in Northern England; an earlier record of this species from Flamborough Head (on 22nd October 1976) is no longer accepted. Elsewhere, a Citrine Wagtail was located in the Isles of Scilly on St Agnes, and an Aquatic Warbler was found at Slimbridge, Gloucestershire.

Lingering rarities confirmed as still present comprised the Whiskered Tern in Leicestershire, the Semiplamated Sandpiper in Lothian, Greenish Warbler in Northumberland, Ferruginous Duck in Somerset, Glossy Ibis in County Wexford, single American Golden Plovers in both County Clare and the Orkney Isles, and in East Yorkshire the probable Collared Flycatcher remained at Spurn.

Scarce migrants included a total of 199 Lapland Buntings spread across eleven counties (including 123 on the Western Isles alone), seven Wrynecks, six Barred Warblers, five Icterine Warblers, four Red-backed Shrikes, three Meldoious Warblers and single Woodchat Shrike, Common Rosefinch and Hoopoe.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Tuesday 31st August 2010  
  New discoveries included an Arctic Warbler on Fair Isle (Shetland), Ortolan Bunting at Rainham Marshes RSPB (London) and Greenish Warbler at St Mary's Island (Northumberland).

A Semipalmated Sandpiper in Lothian, Ortolan Bunting on Isles of Scilly, Bonaparte's Gull in Co Durham, American Golden Plover on Orkney, Glossy Ibises in Co Wexford and Co Clare, American Herring Gull in Co Kerry and probable Collared Flycatcher in East Yorkshire all lingered.

The best of the rest included a flyover Black Kite in London, at least 144 Lapland Buntings, fourteen Barred Warblers, seven Wrynecks, four Red-backed Shrikes, three Red-necked Phalaropes, two Pectoral Sandpipers, two White Storks, Spotted Crake, Short-toed Lark, Melodious Warbler, Icterine Warbler, Common Rosefinch and Richard's Pipit.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Monday 30th August 2010  
  The highlight of the day was the confirmation of a Citrine Wagtail at Ogston Reservoir (Derbyshire), present for its third day - a superb inland discovery.

Elsewhere new rarities included Aquatic Warblers in Gwent and Cornwall, Ortolan Buntings in Cornwall and on Isles of Scilly and Glossy Ibis in Co Kildare. The Semipalmated Sandpiper in Lothian, House Finch in Cornwall, Glossy Ibis in Co Wexford, Long-billed Dowitcher in Flintshire and American Golden Plover in Co Clare all lingered.

A Ficedula flycatcher trapped at Spurn was considered by those present to be a probable Collared Flycatcher.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Sunday 29th August 2010  
  The highlight of the day was a Bonaparte's Gull seen briefly at Tynemouth, Northumberland in the evening: it had been found yesterday just to the south at Whitburn, County Durham. Elsewhere, lingering rarities included the Semipalmated Sandpiper still in Lothian, the House Finch in Devon, Ferruginous Duck in Somerset and Glossy Ibises in each of County Clare (2), County Dublin (2) and County Wexford.

Scarcities were headlined by a total of 91 Lapland Buntings across seven counties (including 51 on Fair Isle, Shetland Isles), otherwise, there were seven Pectoral Sandpipers, three each of Common Rosefinch (together on the Shetland Isles) and Wryneck, two each of Kentish Plover, Spotted Crake (together in County Durham), Barred Warbler, Ring-billed Gull and Great White Egret, and single Short-toed Lark (Norfolk), Woodchat Shrike (Isles of Scilly), Red-backed Shrike (Cornwall), Hoopoe (West Sussex), Caspian Gull (Suffolk), Red-necked Phalarope and Cattle Egret (both Essex)

Seawatching highlights comprised a Wilson's Petrel off County Donegal, Cory's Shearwater in Norfolk, Great Shearwater passing Pembrokeshire, 24 Long-tailed Skuas spread across eleven counties, eight Sabine's Gulls, twenty Leach's Petrels, nineteen Pomarine Skuas, five Grey Phalaropes and 83 Balearic Shearwaters.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Saturday 28th August 2010  
  Although the Red-necked Stint could not be located in Dorset, lingering rarities confirmed as still present elsewhere comprised the Semipalmated Sandpiper in Lothian, the House Finch in Devon, American Herring Gull in County Kerry, American Golden Plover in County Clare, Black Kite in Cornwall and Glossy Ibises in both County Clare (2) and County Dublin (2). The Long-billed Dowitcher from Cheshire was relocated in Flintshire and a Red-rumped Swallow was a brief encounter in Perth and Kinross.

Scarcities were headlined by a count of 78 Lapland Buntings across ten counties (including 42 together on the Orkney Isles), six Barred Warblers, five Icterine Warblers, four Pectoral Sandpipers, three Surf Scoters (together in Aberdeenshire), two each of Kentish Plover, Red-backed Shrike and Wryneck, and single Ortolan Bunting (Suffolk), Melodious Warbler (Kent), Marsh Warbler (Lincolnshire), Common Rosefinch (Northumberland), Purple Heron (Dorset), Red-necked Phalarope (Essex), Hoopoe (West Sussex), Spotted Crake (County Durham), Cattle Egret (Devon) and, in Norfolk, Greenish Warbler, Short-toed Lark and Bluethroat.

Seawatching highlights included a Wilson's Petrel and Cory's Shearwater passing County Donegal, Long-tailed Skuas off Conwy, Devon and County Mayo, Sabine's Gulls in Ayrshire and County Clare (2) and 52 Balearic Shearwaters noted across five counties.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Friday 27th August 2010  
  A small wader photographed at Ferrybridge in Dorset at midday was later identified as a Red-necked Stint but unfortunately could not be relocated in the area during the afternoon. In Lothian, a small wader found at Tyninghame Bay was also photographed and this was later identified as a Semi-palmated Sandpiper.

In Norfolk an elusive Booted Warbler was found on Blakeney Point in the afternoon. A Black Kite was at Porthgwarra in Cornwall and a Glossy Ibis was found at Shannon Airport lagoon. The Broad-billed Sandpiper was seen again on Mersea Island in Essex this morning and the two Glossy Ibises remained in County Dublin. The American Golden Plover remained in County Clare as did the American Herring Gull in County Kerry.

Five Barred Warblers, 3 Icterine Warblers a Wryneck and a Red-backed Shrike were along the east coast, while another Wryneck was in Shropshire and another Red-backed Shrike was in Cornwall. Seawatching was productive in the south and east with 4 Sabine's Gulls and a dozen Long-tailed Skuas being logged.
-  Pete Hayman, RBA