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| Saturday 9th October 2010 | ||
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| A sensational selection of new birds included several Megas - Hermit Thrush
on Barra (Western Isles; only the fourth Scottish record, and the first away
from Shetland or Fair Isle), Yellow-breasted Bunting briefly on Dursey Island
(Co Cork), Black-eared Wheatear on Isles of Scilly and a brief Pallas's
Grasshopper Warbler in Whitburn (Co Durham).
The east coast was riddled with rarities, including three Red-flanked Bluetails (two in Northumberland and one in Norfolk), four Radde's Warblers (two in Norfolk and singles in Aberdeenshire and North Yorkshire), four Little Buntings (three in East Yorkshire and one in Fife) two Dusky Warblers in Northumberland, two Rustic Buntings (in East Yorkshire and Cleveland) and Olive-backed Pipit in Norfolk. Elsewhere a Dusky Warbler, Little Bunting and Penduline Tit were located in Kent and an Olive-backed Pipit was on Western Isles. Shetland hosted Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler, Lanceolated Warbler, Citrine Wagtail, two Dusky Warblers, Sykes's Warbler, Olive-backed Pipit and Ortolan Bunting. In addition to the aforementioned Black-eared Wheatear, Isles of Scilly produced Little Bunting and American Golden Plover. In Ireland the House Crow and Myrtle Warbler lingered in Co Cork, where a Black Kite was also discovered, an American Golden Plover and Lesser Yellowlegs lingered in Co Galway, the Wilson's Phalarope was still in Co Wicklow, Blue-winged Teals were in Co Limerick and Co Clare, Long-billed Dowitcher in Co Waterford and American Golden Plover in Co Kerry. Lingering rarities included Baird's Sandpiper and Semipalmated Sandpiper in Essex, Wilson's Phalarope in Norfolk, Green Heron in Cornwall, House Finch and Spotted Sandpiper in Devon and Long-billed Dowitcher in Flintshire. |
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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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| Friday 8th October 2010 | ||
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| The big news of the day was the discovery of the second Bobolink of
the year, this time in Pembrokeshire on Skomer Island. A third was also possibly
seen at St David's Head, also Pembrokeshire, but was only seen briefly. Other
new arrivals included Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll and Rustic Bunting
in Orkney, on South Ronaldsay and Sanday respectively, Rustic Bunting at
Kilnsea, Yorkshire, Radde's Warbler at Tynemouth, Northumberland, King
Eider at Burghead, Moray and Red-throated Pipit at Prawle Point,
Devon.
Shetland highlights included two Red-flanked Bluetails, Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler, Dusky Warbler and Radde's Warbler, whilst lingering rarities there included Syke's Warbler, Black-headed Bunting and Citrine Wagtail. The Myrtle Warbler remained in County Cork, as did the Green Heron in Cornwall, single Wilson's Phalaropes in Norfolk and County Wicklow, Semipalmated Sandpiper and Baird's Sandpiper in Essex, King Eider in Suffolk, Long-billed Dowitcher in Flintshire and Spotted Sandpiper in Devon. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Thursday 7th October 2010 | ||
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| On Scilly a first winter Black-headed Bunting was found on St. Agnes
this afternoon and a Little Bunting was seen briefly on St.Mary's.
Elsewhere American waders were the main finds of the day, with a White-rumped
Sandpiper at Walmsley in Cornwall, a Baird's Sandpiper at Holland
Haven in Essex and an American Golden Plover at Shannon in County Offaly.
On Orkney there is an Olive-backed Pipit for its second day at Deerness
on Mainland.
In Cornwall the Green Heron was still to be found at the Lost Gardens of Heligan, and in County Cork, both the Myrtle Warbler on Cape Clear and the Red-eyed Vireo at Firkeel, were still present. On Shetland lingering rarities included a confiding Lanceolated Warbler on Unst along with 2 Little Buntings, a Blyth's Reed Warbler on Fetlar and a Sykes's Warbler on Mainland. On Scilly the American Golden Plover was still on St.Mary's along with a Buff-breasted Sandpiper and elsewhere the Semi-palmated Sandpiper and a Pectoral Sandpiper could both still be found at Abberton Reservoir in Essex. Other lingering rarities included Wilson's Phalaropes in Norfolk and in County Wicklow, American Golden Plovers in Yorkshire and County Kerry, Black Duck in County Mayo, King Eider in Suffolk, Lesser Scaup in Warwickshire, Spotted Sandpiper in Devon, House Crow in County Cork and four Glossy Ibises - three in Devon and one in Dorset. There are now three Buff-breasted Sandpipers at Scotney on the Kent/Sussex border with a further three in Shetland, and singles in Argyll and Cornwall. |
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| - Pete Hayman, RBA | ||
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| Wednesday 6th October 2010 | ||
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| The highlight of the day was discovery of a Green Heron in Cornwall at Pentewan. In County Cork a
Red-eyed Vireo was new at Firkeel Glen and in County Galway an American Golden Plover was located at Truska. Around the Shetland Isles, Fetlar hosted both Sykes's Warbler and Blyth's Reed Warbler, Mainland held Sykes's Warbler and American Buff-bellied Pipit, Unst both Lanceolated Warbler and Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll and Out Skerries Black-headed Bunting and Citrine Wagtail, with an around the islands supporting cast of Red-breasted Flycatcher, Bluethroat, Honey Buzzard, two Barred Warblers, three each of Buff-breasted Sandpiper and Greenland Redpoll, 13 Yellow-browed Warblers and 133 Lapland Buntings. On the Isles of Scilly both the Spotted Sandpiper and American Golden Plover remained whilst, on Tresco, a Tundra Peregrine was a new discovery. Elsewhere on the archipelago were Spotted Crake, Wryneck, Spoonbill, two each of Buff-breasted Sandpiper and Pectoral Sandpiper, and 23 Lapland Buntings. Otherwise, lingering rarities comprised both the Myrtle Warbler and House Crow still in County Cork, Semipalmated Sandpiper in Essex, Wilson's Phalaropes in both Norfolk and County Wicklow, American Golden Plover in North Yorkshire, Spotted Sandpiper in Devon, Lesser Yellowlegs on the Western Isles, Lesser Scaup in Warwickshire, Ross's Goose in Cumbria, Glossy Ibises in Devon (3) and Dorset, and single Ferruginous Ducks in Somerset, Suffolk and West Yorkshire. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Tuesday 5th October 2010 | ||
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| The highlight of the day was the discovery of a Myrtle Warbler in County Cork on Cape Clear: only the twenty-ninth record for the British Isles but the tenth for Cape Clear; where the last was present on 30th-31st October 2005. The Myrtle Warbler follows four American Buff-bellied Pipits (Shetland Isles, Orkney Isles and County Galway), a Bobolink (Glamorgan), an Alder or Willow Flycatcher (Norfolk), Northern Parula (Argyll) and Swainson's Thrush (Shetland Isles) as the ninth Nearctic landbird to be found so far this autumn. On the Shetland Isles the Sykes's Warbler and American Buff-bellied Pipit remained on Mainland, as did Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll and two Little Buntings on Unst, Black-headed Bunting and Citrine Wagtail on Out Skerries, Red-breasted Flycatcher, Red-backed Shrike and Great Grey Shrike, two each of both Buff-breasted Sandpiper and Barred Warbler, four Yellow-browed Warblers and 21 Lapland Buntings. On the Scilly Isles an American Golden Plover arrived alongside Spotted Sandpiper, Rustic Bunting, Pectoral Sandpiper, Yellow-browed Warbler, three Wrynecks and six Lapland Buntings. Elsewhere, rarities comprised a brief Red-rumped Swallow in Lincolnshire, Siberian Stonechat in Cornwall, Semipalmated Sandpiper in Essex, Wilson's Phalaropes in both Norfolk and County Wicklow, Spotted Sandpiper in Devon, American Golden Plover in East Yorkshire, King Eider in Suffolk, Lesser Scaup in Warwickshire, Glossy Ibis in Dorset, Ferruginous Ducks in both Somerset and West Yorkshire and single Ross's Geese in both Angus and Cumbria. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Monday 4th October 2010 | ||
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| In Shetland, the Channerwick Booted Warbler was re-identified as a Sykes's
Warbler today. It remained elusive, with most views being of it in flight.
Elsewhere in Shetland the Black-headed Bunting and Citrine Wagtail
remained on Out Skerries (with another of the latter still at Sandwick,
Mainland), Radde's Warbler at Sumburgh, American Buff-bellied Pipit
at Esha Ness, Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll and two Little Buntings
on Unst and another Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll on Fair Isle.
Further south, new discoveries included a Rustic Bunting in Isles of Scilly, a Ross's Goose in Angus and both Red-throated Pipit and Red-footed Falcon on Portland, Dorset. Rare waders recorded included single Wilson's Phalaropes in Norfolk and County Wexford, single Lesser Yellowlegs' in Western Isles and County Wexford, Semipalmated Sandpiper in Essex, single Spotted Sandpipers in Isles of Scilly and Devon and single American Golden Plovers in Yorkshire and County Kerry. Two Blue-winged Teals remained in County Wexford, four Glossy Ibises were in Devon (3) and Dorset and the Siberian Stonechat was still at Nanquidno Valley, Cornwall. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Sunday 3rd October 2010 | ||
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| Once again the Shetland Isles produced an exceptional selection of birds with, on the Mainland,
Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler and Swainson's Thrush at Levenwick,
American Buff-bellied Pipit at Esha Ness, Booted Warbler at Channerwick,
Radde's Warbler at Sumburgh and Citrine Wagtail at Sandwick, whilst off-island reports included
Lanceolated Warbler, Black-headed Bunting and Citrine Wagtail on Out Skerries,
Lanceolated Warbler, Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll and Little Bunting
on Fair Isle, Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll and three Little Buntings on Unst and a
White-billed Diver was in Bluemull Sound. Scarcities around the archipelago comprised
Marsh Warbler, Bluethroat, Great Grey Shrike, two each of Short-toed
Lark, Red-breasted Flycatcher, Barred Warbler and Common
Rosefinch, three Buff-breasted Sandpipers, seven Yellow-browed
Warblers, 27 Greenland Redpolls and 256 Lapland Buntings. On the Isles of Scilly the Spotted Sandpiper remained alongside Barred Warbler, Pectoral Sandpiper, Spotted Crake, Spoonbill and nine Lapland Buntings. Elsewhere, new discoveries included a Semipalmated Sandpiper in Essex at Abberton Reservoir, Baird's Sandpiper in County Kerry at Carrahane Strand, Lesser Yellowlegs on the Western Isles on South Uist, Ferruginous Duck in Suffolk at Lackford Lakes and single American Golden Plovers in both the Orkney Isles in Deerness and in East Yorkshire at Great Heck. Other lingering rarities in Britain were the Rustic Bunting in East Yorkshire, Wilson's Phalarope in Norfolk, King Eider in Suffolk, Siberian Stonechat in Cornwall, Lesser Scaup in Warwickshire, Ross's Goose in Dumfries and Galloway, and Glossy Ibises in both Devon (3) and Dorset. In Ireland both American Buff-bellied Pipit and Blue-winged Teal were in County Galway, Wilson's Phalarope, Lesser Yellowlegs and two Blue-winged Teals together in County Wexford, House Crow in County Cork and Black Duck in County Mayo. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Saturday 2nd October 2010 | ||
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| Stunning news concerned a dead Rufous-tailed Robin picked
up on North Ronaldsay, Orkney Isles - only the second British record. Other new
rarities discovered today included a Baikal Teal in Essex at Maldon, an American
Buff-bellied Pipit in County Galway at Truska, Black-throated Thrush
in Highland at Melvich, Red-breasted Goose between Hampshire and West
Sussex, Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll in County Cork at Three Castles Head, Wilson's
Phalarope in Norfolk at Welney, White-rumped Sandpiper in County
Wexford at Tacumshin and a Siberian Stonechat in Cornwall at Nanquidno. Once again the Shetland Isles stood out today with a Swainson's Thrush, American Buff-bellied Pipit, Blyth's Reed Warbler, two Booted Warblers and Radde's Warbler all on Mainland, Lanceolated Warbler and Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll on Fair Isle, Black-headed Bunting, Olive-backed Pipit and Citrine Wagtail on Out Skerries, Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll on Unst and Red-throated Pipit on Whalsay with a supporting cast of Corncrake, two Short-toed Larks, three each of Buff-breasted Sandpiper and Common Rosefinch, four Little Buntings, five Bluethroats, six Red-breasted Flycatchers, 11 Barred Warblers, 32 Yellow-browed Warblers and 181 Lapland Buntings. Meanwhile on the Scilly Isles the Spotted Sandpiper remains alongside Woodchat Shrike, Red-breasted Flycatcher, Pectoral Sandpiper, two Lapland Buntings and a Spoonbill. Elsewhere, lingering rarities comprised the House Crow in County Cork, Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll in Northumberland, American Herring Gull in County Kerry, Spotted Sandpiper in Devon, King Eider in Suffolk, Lesser Scaup in Warwickshire, Glossy Ibises in County Wexford (3), Devon (3) and Dorset, two Ferruginous Ducks together in Somerset and Ross's Geese in Lothian (2) and Dumfries and Galloway. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Friday 1st October 2010 | ||
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| New rarities discovered today were at Little Shearwater in Cornwall off
Porthgwarra, a Great Snipe in Suffolk at Covehithe, a Blyth's Reed Warbler on the Orkney Isles on North Ronaldsay with a
Little Bunting on South Ronaldsay, a Ferruginous Duck in West Yorkshire at Wintersett Reservoir, and single
Glossy Ibises over-flying both Denbighshire and Hampshire. On the Shetland Isles the American Buff-bellied Pipit remained on Mainland where a Booted Warbler was found, an Olive-backed Pipit and Short-toed Lark were on Out Skerries and elsewhere around the archipelago were Little Bunting, Bluethroat, Lapland Bunting, three each of both Red-breasted Flycatcher and Greenland Redpoll, four Buff-breasted Sandpipers and 13 Yellow-browed Warblers. On the Isles of Scilly the Spotted Sandpiper remained alongside Pectoral Sandpiper, two Yellow-browed Warblers and six Lapland Buntings. Elsewhere, lingering rarities confirmed as still present comprised a Snowy Owl still on the Western Isles, House Crow in County Cork, American Herring Gull in County Kerry, Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll in Northumberland, Spotted Sandpiper in Devon and Glossy Ibises in Devon (3) and County Tyrone. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Thursday 30th September 2010 | ||
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| Today the Shetland Isles stole the show with, on Mainland, River Warbler,
American Buff-bellied Pipit, Arctic Warbler and Rustic Bunting
and, on off-islands, Paddyfield Warbler, Little Bunting and
Ortolan Bunting (Foula), Red-flanked Bluetail (Whalsay), American Buff-bellied
Pipit, Olive-backed Pipit, Red-throated Pipit, Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll and
Little Bunting (Fair Isle), Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll (Unst) and
Little Bunting (Out Skerries), supported by 187 Lapland Buntings, 31
Yellow-browed Warblers, 10 Common Rosefinches, nine Red-breasted
Flycatchers, seven Barred Warblers, five Bluethroats, four Buff-breasted
Sandpipers, three Great Grey Shrike and single Short-toed Lark,
Richard's Pipit, Corncrake and Greenland Redpoll. Meanwhile, on the Scilly Isles the Spotted Sandpiper remained with single Buff-breasted Sandpiper, Pectoral Sandpiper, Wryneck, Yellow-browed Warbler and Spoonbill. Elsewhere, new discoveries included Red-flanked Bluetail in Suffolk at Pakefield, Blyth's Reed Warbler in Aberdeenshire at Foveran, Long-billed Dowitcher in Cornwall at Colliford Lake, Red-footed Falcon in London over Rainham Marshes, Little Bunting in East Yorkshire at Buckton, Red-throated Pipit in County Kerry at Dunquin and, on the Orkney Isles, Blyth's Reed Warbler on North Ronaldsay, Little Bunting on Mainland and Ortolan Bunting on South Ronaldsay. Lingering rarities comprised the Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll in Northumberland, Whiskered Tern in Glamorgan, King Eider in Suffolk, Spotted Sandpiper in Devon, Wilson's Phalarope and Lesser Yellowlegs together in County Wexford, Wilson's Phalarope in Gloucestershire, Lesser Scaup in Warwickshire, White-rumped Sandpipers in both County Kerry and Kent, three Ferruginous Ducks together in Somerset, and Ross's Geese in both Lothian (2) and Dumfries and Galloway. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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