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 15th November 2011  
  A total of twenty new rarities were discovered today, which must prove that autumn migration is still with us. The arrival of five new Hume's Yellow-browed Warblers (Suffolk, Norfolk, Northumberland and two in Shetland) is a record for one day, but we are still not quite halfway to the annual record, set in 2003 when 29 were seen. New Dusky Warblers were seen in Shetland (two), Aberdeenshire, Suffolk and the Isles of Scilly, Desert Wheatears in Kent and Pembrokeshire (with lingering birds in County Wicklow (two) and Norfolk), Olive-backed Pipit in Shetland, Pallid Harriers in Cornwall and County Cork, Glossy Ibis in Anglesey and Ross's Geese in Norfolk and Northumberland (two). Late news for yesterday concerned a Lesser Scaup in County Galway.

Other rarity highlights today included the Eastern Black Redstart in Kent, Greater Yellowlegs in Northumberland, Bufflehead in Cornwall, Red-breasted Geese in Essex and Devon, Glossy Ibises in Kent, Dorset and Devon, Spotted Sandpipers in Somerset and Devon, Long-billed Dowitchers in Dumfries and Galloway and Somerset, Lesser Yellowlegs in the Isles of Scilly and White-billed Diver in the Western Isles.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Monday 14th November 2011  
  In Northumberland the juvenile Greater Yellowlegs remained at Hauxley NR throughout the day.

New discoveries included Red-flanked Bluetail in Suffolk, Dusky Warblers in Norfolk and Cornwall, White-billed Diver off Western Isles, Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler in Co Durham and Red-breasted Goose in Essex, whilst a Desert Wheatear at Titchwell RSPB (Norfolk) was presumably the bird recently seen at Holme.

In Co Cork Power Head continued its purple patch with a flyover Gyr, whilst the Pallid Harrier also remained there. Two Desert Wheatears lingered in Co Wicklow.

Lingering rarities included Hume's Yellow-browed Warblers in Suffolk, Shetland and Aberdeenshire, Dusky Warblers in Norfolk, Isles of Scilly (2) and East Yorkshire (2), Glossy Ibises in Kent, Cheshire and Devon, Wilson's Snipe on Isles of Scilly, Red-breasted Goose in Devon, Bufflehead in Cornwall, King Eider in Moray, possible Thayer's Gull in Argyll, Spotted Sandpipers in Somerset and Devon and Long-billed Dowitchers in Somerset. In Kent the Eastern Black Redstart continued to show well in Margate.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Sunday 13th November 2011  
  Breaking news today concerned two Desert Wheatears together in County Wicklow at Bray Head, Hume's Yellow-browed Warblers in Suffolk at Gunton and on the Shetland Isles on Trondra, Dusky Warblers in East Yorkshire, at both Flamborough head and Spurn Point (2), in Norfolk, at both Blakeney Point and Horsey, and in Suffolk at Orford Ness, a Little Bunting on St Mary's Isles of Scilly, a White-billed Diver in Aberdeenshire at St Combs, and an American Golden Plover at Ardmore Point, County Armagh. In Argyll a candidate juvenile Thayer's Gull was present for its second day at Dunstaffnage Bay, although the possibility of it being a hybrid has not been eliminated.

Lingering rarities confirmed as still present were the Greater Yellowlegs in Northumberland, Eastern Black Redstart in Kent, Northern Waterthrush, Wilson's Snipe and Lesser Yellowlegs on the Isles of Scilly, Bufflehead in Cornwall, American Buff-bellied Pipit and Pallid Harrier in County Cork, Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler in Aberdeenshire, Northern Harrier in County Wexford, Semipalmated Sandpiper in Cleveland, Spotted Sandpipers in both Devon and Somerset, Long-billed Dowitchers in both Somerset (2) and Dumfries and Galloway, Lesser Yellowlegs on Anglesey, American Golden Plover on the Western Isles, White-rumped Sandpiper in County Cork, Red-breasted Goose in Devon, White-billed Diver in Devon, King Eider in Moray, Azorean Yellow-legged Gull in Staffordshire, Lesser Scaup in Northumberland, two Richardson's Canada Geese in Argyll, Ferruginous Duck in Berkshire, two Ross's Geese together in Northumberland, and Glossy Ibis in Cheshire, Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Essex and Kent.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Saturday 12th November 2011  
  The first Greater Yellowlegs for Northumberland was discovered in Whitley Bay late morning, on the north pool at East Chevington NWT. It went missing a couple of times, before reappearing nearby at Hauxley NR shortly before dusk, where it remained until dark. Further south, the identity of the Eastern Black Redstart was confirmed at Margate, Kent, where it was present all day.

More classic late autumn rarities discovered today included single Hume's Yellow-browed Warblers at Newburgh, Aberdeenshire and Winspit, Dorset, Dusky Warbler on Holy Island, Northumberland and single Pallid Swifts in Norfolk and Dorset (the latter being unfortunate enough to be picked up off the ground in Langton Herring and released at Portland Bill, where it was promptly killed by a Sparrowhawk). New, or relocating, Glossy Ibises were present in Derbyshire, Cheshire and County Cork.

Lingering rarity highlights included Northern Waterthrush and Wilson's Snipe on the Isles of Scilly, Bufflehead in Cornwall, Forster's Tern in County Galway, Northern Harrier in County Wexford, American Buff-bellied Pipit in County Cork, Olive-backed Pipit on Fair Isle (where there was also an impressive flock of 59 Tundra Bean Geese), Semipalmated Sandpiper in Cleveland and Desert Wheatear in Norfolk.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Friday 11th November 2011  
  New rarities today included a Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler at South Gare, Cleveland, Dusky Warbler on St Mary's, Isles of Scilly, Olive-backed Pipit at Sumburgh, Shetland, and single Glossy Ibises at Wacker Quay, Cornwall and Tupton, Derbyshire. A Black Redstart in Kent appears to be of the form phoenicuroides, Eastern Black Redstart, from central Asia.

Lingering rarities included Bufflehead in Cornwall, Wilson's Snipe on the Isles of Scilly, Desert Wheatear in Norfolk, Red-breasted Goose in Devon, Semipalmated Sandpiper in Cleveland, Spotted Sandpiper in Devon, Dusky Warbler in Aberdeenshire, single Glossy Ibises in Devon, Dorset, Kent and Essex and Lesser Scaup in Northumberland.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Thursday 10th November 2011  
  New discoveries included a Desert Wheatear at Holme (Norfolk), two Olive-backed Pipits on Fair Isle (Shetland) and a Red-flanked Bluetail at Whitburn (Co Durham).

Lingering rarities included Isabelline Wheatear in Glamorgan, Bufflehead in Cornwall, Desert Wheatears in Cleveland and Cornwall, Glossy Ibises in Essex, Dorset and Devon/Cornwall, Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler in Norfolk, Spotted Sandpipers in Devon and Somerset, Baird's Sandpiper on Orkney, King Eider in Moray, Red-breasted Goose in Devon and Semipalmated Sandpiper and two White-fronted Sandpipers on Western Isles.

In Co Cork a Killdeer was heard on Sherkin Island at 01:10 but the bird could not be relocated in daylight. At Ballycotton an American Buff-bellied Pipit lingered and the House Crow was still at Cobh.

The best of the rest included Melodious Warbler in Norfolk, Richard's Pipit in Cleveland, Pallas's Warblers in Suffolk and Lincolnshire, American Wigeon in West Yorkshire, Red-breasted Flycatcher on Isles of Scilly, Rose-coloured Starling in Fife and Hoopoe in West Sussex.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Wednesday 9th November 2011  
  A Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler was discovered at Trimingham, Norfolk today, together with two Pallas's Warblers and a Yellow-browed Warbler in the same wood, and the Melodious Warbler remained nearby in Happisburgh. Another White-rumped Sandpiper in the Western Isles was the only other new rarity, apart from the belated news of a Yellow-billed Cuckoo in County Wexford, in late October.

Lingering rarity highlights included the Steppe Grey Shrike in Shropshire, Northern Waterthrush in the Isles of Scilly, Bufflehead in Cornwall, Isabelline Wheatear in Glamorgan, Pied Wheatear and Arctic Redpoll in Yorkshire, single Desert Wheatears in Cleveland and Cornwall and single Dusky Warblers in Suffolk and Aberdeenshire.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Tuesday 8th November 2011  
  A Pied Wheatear was discovered at Spurn, Yorkshire mid morning, and an Arctic Redpoll was nearby at Kilnsea late afternoon. A Desert Wheatear was up the coast at Loftus, Cleveland, and Hume's Yellow-browed Warblers were seen in Shetland, at Kergord, and in Suffolk, at Bawdsey. New Glossy Ibises were at Fingringhoe Wick EWT, Essex and Pett Level, Sussex.

Lingering rarities included the Isabelline Wheatear in Glamorgan, Northern Waterthrush, Wilson's Snipe and Great Reed Warbler in the Isles of Scilly, Bufflehead and Desert Wheatear in Cornwall, American Buff-bellied Pipit in County Cork, King Eider in Moray, single Glossy Ibises in Devon and Yorkshire and single Dusky Warblers in Suffolk and Aberdeenshire.

Other Nearctic waders included a Semipalmated Sandpiper (Western Isles), Lesser Yellowlegs (Anglesey), two Spotted Sandpipers (Devon and Somerset), two American Golden Plovers (Western Isles and County Cork), three Long-billed Dowitchers (Dumfries and Galloway and Somerset) and four White-rumped Sandpipers (Western isles, County Cork and Devon).
-  Will Soar, RBA
Monday 7th November 2011  
  New rarities discovered today comprised Dusky Warblers in both Dorset at Portland Bill, and Norfolk at Holme, on the Isles of Scilly American Herring Gull (Tresco) and Olive-backed Pipit (St Agnes), on the Shetland Isles Olive-backed Pipit (Fair Isle) and White-billed Diver (Bluemull Sound), in County Wexford American Golden Plover (South Slob) and White-rumped Sandpiper (Tacumshin), and in Devon a White-rumped Sandpiper (Axe Estuary).

Relocating rare wildfowl were represented by the Bufflehead at Helston, Cornwall, Red-breasted Goose in Devon at Exminster Marshes, and the Marbled Duck in Lancashire, now at Martin Mere.

Lingering rarities confirmed as still present were the Isabelline Wheatear in Glamorgan, Brown Shrike in Argyll, Desert Wheatear in Cornwall, Daurian Shrike in Pembrokeshire, American Buff-bellied Pipit in County Cork, Dusky Warblers in both Aberdeenshire and Suffolk, Wilson's Snipe, Lesser Yellowlegs and White-rumped Sandpiper on the Isles of Scilly, Semipalmated Sandpiper on the Western Isles, Spotted Sandpipers in both Devon and Somerset, two Long-billed Dowitchers together in Somerset, American Golden Plover on the Western Isles, White-rumped Sandpipers in both Gwynedd and the Western Isles, Ferruginous Duck in Lincolnshire and Glossy Ibises in Devon, Dorset and North Yorkshire.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Sunday 6th November 2011  
  An exciting day for new discoveries, although the Rufous Turtle Dove, Pallid Harrier and Desert Wheatear in Cornwall (all between Porthgwarra and Polgigga), Pine Bunting on the Isles of Scilly, Pallid Harrier on the Western Isles, Black Kite in Dorset, Glossy Ibis in Devon and Little Bunting in County Cork were all just brief encounters, whilst a Penduline Tit in West Yorkshire and Wintersett Reservoir, a Dusky Warbler in Suffolk at North Warren, White-rumped Sandpiper on the Western Isles on South Uist, three Richardson's Canada Geese together in County Sligo at Lissadell, and the returning Forster's Tern in County Galway at Doorus, showed to more than just their finders.

Lingering rarities comprised the Isabelline Wheatear still in Glamorgan, Brown Shrike in Argyll, Northern Waterthrush, Wilson's Snipe, Great Reed Warbler, Lesser Yellowlegs and White-rumped Sandpiper all on the Isles of Scilly, American Buff-bellied Pipit and Pallid Harrier in County Cork, Pine Bunting on the Shetland Isles, Steppe Grey Shrike in Shropshire, Daurian Shrike in Pembrokeshire, Northern Harrier in County Wexford, Black Scoter in Northumberland, Squacco Heron in Nottinghamshire, Dusky Warbler in Aberdeenshire, Spotted Sandpipers in both Devon and Somerset, two Long-billed Dowitchers together in Somerset, Lesser Yellowlegs in Lincolnshire, White-rumped Sandpipers in both Gwynedd and Leicestershire, two American Golden Plovers in County Cork, Small Canada Goose in County Donegal, Ferruginous Ducks in both Berkshire and Norfolk, and Glossy Ibis in Dorset, Kent and North Yorkshire.
-  Chris Batty, RBA