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| Wednesday 15th September 2010 | ||
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| Surprise of the day was perhaps the Squacco Heron in Yorkshire, which
spent the day on the patio in a garden on Beacon Lane, Kilnsea, and the earliest
ever Swainson's Thrush for Britain was found on Fair Isle, Shetland this
afternoon. More predictably, an Ortolan Bunting was at The Oa RSPB,
Argyll, a Greenish Warbler was at Higher Moors, Isles of Scilly and a
Fea's Petrel flew past Kilcummin Head, County Mayo.
Seawatching in the North-west was undoubtedly the talking point of the day, however, with estimated totals being 14 Long-tailed Skuas, five Pomarine Skuas, 28 Sabine's Gulls, eight Grey Phalaropes and 75 Balearic Shearwaters. Nearly 1,200 Leach's Petrels were reported along the west coast of Scotland down to the west coast of Wales, although some of these birds will undoubtedly have been counted twice or more. Lingering rarities included the House Crow in County Cork, King Eider in Suffolk, Spotted Sandpiper on Scilly, Wilson's Phalarope in Lincolnshire, Western Bonelli's Warbler on Shetland, Arctic Warbler in Norfolk, American Herring Gull in County Kerry, Semipalmated Sandpiper in Lothian and Whiskered Tern in Leicestershire. 19 Glossy Ibises remained, with 16 at Dungeness, Kent and three in Devon. |
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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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| Tuesday 14th September 2010 | ||
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| Newly discovered rarities today were a Spotted Sandpiper on St Mary's, Isles of Scilly and a brief
Red-footed Falcon in London. over Bow. Elsewhere, lingering rarities were represented by the
House Crow still in County Cork, Great Snipe on the Shetland Isles,
Arctic Warbler in Norfolk, Semipalmated Sandpiper in Lothian, King Eider in Suffolk,
Whiskered Tern in Leicestershire, Citrine Wagtail in County Limerick,
Wilson's Phalaropes in both Lincolnshire and the Isles of Scilly, two Ferruginous Ducks
together in Somerset and Glossy Ibises in both Devon (3) and Kent (16). Seawatching highlights comprised a Little Shearwater passing Meols, Wirral and a Wilson's Petrel off the Bridges of Ross, County Clare, whilst site totals included 37 Sabine's Gulls (Bridges of Ross), two Cory's Shearwaters (County Mayo), two Long-tailed Skuas (Wirral), 180 Leach's Petrels (County Clare), 20 Pomarine Skuas (County Mayo), 13 Balearic Shearwaters (Gwynedd) and 35 Grey Phalaropes (County Clare). Scarcities totalled 133 Lapland Buntings, 20 Pectoral Sandpipers, 11 Buff-breasted Sandpipers, nine Wrynecks, four each of both Common Rosefinch and Red-backed Shrikes, two Barred Warblers and single Woodchat Shrike (County Cork), Rose-coloured Starling (Devon), Icterine Warbler (Orkney Isles), Ring-necked Duck (County Mayo), Red-necked Phalarope (Cumbria), Temminck's Stint (Kent), Cattle Egret (Cambridgeshire), Ring-billed Gull (County Antrim), Corncrake (Isles of Scilly), Caspian Gull (Lincolnshire) Grey-headed Wagtail (Shetland Isles), Hoopoe and Great White Egret (both Kent). |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Monday 13th September 2010 | ||
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| A Wilson's Phalarope was present at Gibraltar Point NNR, Lincolnshire
for a few minutes this evening. The Devon Glossy Ibis flock split up,
with two remaining on the Otter Estuary (with another still at Aveton Gifford)
and the other 18 flying east to Dungeness RSPB, Kent. A Black Kite was
seen in Suffolk, and late news concerned an immature Roller at Easington,
Yorkshire yesterday.
The House Crow remained on show all day at Cobh, County Cork. The Lesser Grey Shrike was still on Scilly this morning, but couldn't be located later, and the King Eider was still off Minsmere, Suffolk. Other lingering rarities included Arctic Warbler in Norfolk, Whiskered Tern in Leicestershire, Blue-winged Teal in County Wexford and single Citrine Wagtails in County Limerick and the Isles of Scilly. Scarcity highlights included two White-winged Black Terns, a Rose-coloured Starling, ten Buff-breasted Sandpipers, 11 Wrynecks, two Red-backed Shrikes, two Common Rosefinches and around 280 Lapland Buntings. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Sunday 12th September 2010 | ||
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| An Eastern Olivaceous Warbler was discovered today at Bigton,
Shetland, with an Arctic Warbler nearby at Lerwick. A Great Snipe
was present on Foula for its second day, and an American Golden Plover
was at Pool of Virkie. Further south, the first King Eider for Suffolk
was on the sea off Dunwich late afternoon, after drifting south from Kessingland
to Minsmere then north again. A Red-footed Falcon flew over Stoke
Newington, London late afternoon, following several sightings of a possible
south along the Suffolk coast during the morning, and another was at Belton,
Norfolk mid morning. A Black Kite was in Hampshire, a Red-rumped
Swallow was in Sussex, a Citrine Wagtail was on the Isles of Scilly
and two Ferruginous Ducks were at Chew Valley Lake, Somerset.
In Ireland, the identity of the House Crow at Cobh, County Cork was confirmed, and it was present for at least its eighth day. A Citrine Wagtail was at Coonagh, County Limerick, single Blue-winged Teals were at Shannon, County Clare and Tacumshin, County Wexford, with a Baird's Sandpiper also at the latter site and two Glossy Ibises nearby at Lady's Island Lake. Lingering rarity highlights included Lesser Grey Shrike and Wilson's Phalarope on the Isles of Scilly, Arctic Warbler in Norfolk, Western Bonelli's Warbler in Yorkshire, Broad-billed Sandpiper in Cleveland, twenty Glossy Ibises in Devon, Semipalmated Sandpiper in Lothian and Whiskered Tern in Leicestershire. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Saturday 11th September 2010 | ||
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| A Western Bonelli's Warbler at Bempton Cliffs RSPB, East Yorkshire
proved very popular this afternoon, with another still on Whalsay, Shetland for
its third day. A Thrush Nightingale was also on Shetland, on Foula, and
an Ortolan Bunting was at Quendale, with another of the latter at Beachy
Head, East Sussex. In Ireland, a Lesser Yellowlegs was on Achill Island,
County Mayo, and two Wilson's Petrels flew past the Bridges of Ross,
County Clare, amongst large numbers of scarce seabirds, which included a
Great Shearwater, 170 Leach's Petrels, 35 Grey Phalaropes and
a Pectoral Sandpiper amongst others.
Lingering rarities included the Daurian Shrike in Hampshire, Lesser Grey Shrike on Scilly, single Wilson's Phalaropes on Scilly and in Kent, Arctic Warbler in Norfolk, single Ortolan Buntings in Northumberland and Shetland, Broad-billed Sandpiper in Cleveland, Bonaparte's Gull in County Durham, Whiskered Tern in Leicestershire and 20 Glossy Ibises in Devon. The first Yellow-browed Warbler of the autumn was on Shetland, with other scarcity highlights including two Spotted Crakes (Oxfordshire and County Durham), two Red-necked Phalaropes (Norfolk and Gloucestershire), Red-breasted Flycatcher (Shetland), Melodious Warbler (Cornwall), two White-winged Black Terns (Leicestershire and Cambridgeshire), Woodchat Shrike (County Cork), two Dotterels (Yorkshire and Cornwall) and twelve Buff-breasted Sandpipers in six counties. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Friday 10th September 2010 | ||
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| An Isabelline Shrike of the form isabellinus, Daurian Shrike,
was discovered at Gosport (Hampshire) this evening, but it was only positively
identified from photographs after dark.
Elsewhere new discoveries included a presumed Western Bonelli's Warbler and Citrine Wagtail on North Ronaldsay (Orkney), Broad-billed Sandpiper at South Gare (Cleveland), Aquatic Warbler at Dungeness RSPB (Kent), Paddyfield Warbler and Ortolan Bunting on Mainland Shetland, White-rumped Sandpiper on Lewis (Western Isles) and Greenish Warbler on Isle of May (Fife). Lingering rarities came in the form of Wilson's Phalaropes (Kent and Isles of Scilly), Lesser Grey Shrike (Isles of Scilly), Black Stork (Highland), Arctic Warbler (Norfolk), House Finch (Devon), Greenish Warbler (Northumberland), Ferruginous Duck (Northamptonshire) and twenty Glossy Ibises were still in Devon. In Ireland a Spotted Sandpiper and White-rumped Sandpiper were both found at Leam Lough, Co Mayo, the American Herring Gull lingered in Co Kerry and flocks of Buff-breasted Sandpipers included groups of eight in Cork and at least five in Wexford. The best of the rest included White-winged Black Terns in Cambridgeshire and Leicestershire, Great White Egrets in Kent and Nottinghamshire, Short-toed Lark on Fair Isle, three Buff-breasted Sandpipers on Isles of Scilly and Melodious Warbler in Cornwall. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Thursday 9th September 2010 | ||
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| A Fan-tailed Warbler was heard at Pegwell Bay, Kent mid morning. A
juvenile Black Stork was discovered in Highland this evening, where it
showed very well in a field by the River Spey at Grantown. A juvenile
Wilson's Phalarope was at Grove Ferry NNR, Kent this evening, a Western
Bonelli's Warbler was on Whalsay, Shetland and new Glossy Ibises were
in Kent (5), Cornwall (4) and County Kildare.
On Scilly, the Lesser Grey Shrike remained on St Mary's and the Wilson's Phalarope did likewise on Tresco. The 20 Glossy Ibises were also still at Budleigh Salterton, Devon, with other lingering rarities including Semipalmated Sandpiper in Lothian, Little Bunting in Fife, Arctic Warbler in Norfolk, Greenish Warbler in Northumberland, single Ortolan Buntings in Yorkshire and Cornwall, single American Golden Plovers in Orkney and the Western Isles and Whiskered Tern in Leicestershire. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Wednesday 8th September 2010 | ||
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| Find of the day was a Frigatebird species observed flying south past
Peterhead (Aberdeenshire) at 3.15pm.
Elsewhere new discoveries included both Lesser Grey Shrike and Wilson's Phalarope on Isles of Scilly, Booted Warbler, Greenish Warbler and Ortolan Bunting in Northumberland, Arctic Warbler on Western Isles, Glossy Ibis in Dorset and Marbled Duck in Bedfordshire. The Whiskered Tern (Leicestershire), American Golden Plovers (Shetland, Argyll and Orkney), Ferruginous Duck (Somerset) and Semipalmated Sandpiper (Lothian) all lingered and a flock of 20 Glossy Ibises remained in Devon. Six Ortolan Buntings and a Little Bunting were also recorded amongst at plethora of scarce migrants. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Tuesday 7th September 2010 | ||
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| The highlight of the day was the arrival of 21 Glossy Ibises in Devon (twenty together at Budleigh Salterton and one at Teignmouth), with another briefly in Dorset, at Burton Bradstock. As with previous influxes of this species, five of the birds were bearing colour-rings showing them to originate from Spain. Elsewhere, an
American Golden Plover was discovered on the Shetland Isles on Yell, whilst brief encounters included, in East Yorkshire a
Red-rumped Swallow at Kilnsea and a Greenish Warbler at Flamborough Head, and in Somerset a
Citrine Wagtail at Chew Valley Lake. Lingering rarities comprised single Arctic Warblers in both County Cork and Norfolk, Citrine Wagtail in Cornwall, Wilson's Phalarope in County Kerry, Whiskered Tern in Leicestershire, single Greenish Warblers in both County Cork and Suffolk, the House Finch in Devon, Ferruginous Duck in Northamptonshire and thirteen Ortolan Buntings (5 in Cornwall, 3 in East Yorkshire, 2 in Northumberland and singles in Dorset, the Isles of Scilly and North Yorkshire). Scarcities included 92 Lapland Buntings (including 44 on Western Isles), 45 Wrynecks, 21 Barred Warblers (including 9 in East Yorkshire), eleven Icterine Warblers, nine Common Rosefinches (including 7 in East Yorkshire), seven each of Pectoral Sandpiper and Red-backed Shrike, four Buff-breasted Sandpipers, three each of Red-breasted Flycatcher, Red-necked Phalarope and Spotted Crake, two each of Melodious Warbler (together in Gwynedd), White-winged Black Tern, Ring-billed Gull and Great White Egret, and single Short-toed Lark (Norfolk), Woodchat Shrike (County Cork), Marsh Warbler (Northumberland) and Temminck's Stint (Essex). |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Monday 6th September 2010 | ||
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| New discoveries today include single Wilson's Phalaropes on the Hayle
Estuary, Cornwall and at Ventry, County Kerry, single Arctic Warblers at
Holme, Norfolk and Dursey Sound, County Cork, Ortolan Bunting at Kelling,
Norfolk, Citrine Wagtail on Unst, Shetland, American Golden Plover
on South Uist, Western Isles and single Greenish Warblers at Thorpeness,
Suffolk and Saltfleet Haven, Lincolnshire.
The Brown Flycatcher was glimpsed at Buckton, Yorkshire early morning, but eluded most observers for the rest of the day. A Red-breasted Flycatcher in the car park was little consolation. Six Ortolan Buntings remain at Nanquidno, Cornwall, as does the Citrine Wagtail, with other lingering rarities including American Herring Gull in County Kerry, single Semipalmated Sandpipers in County Kerry and Lothian, Greenish Warbler and Ortolan Bunting in County Cork, Glossy Ibis in County Clare and single American Golden Plovers on Orkney and the Western Isles. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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