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 19th November 2011  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of Kent's first Blackpoll Warbler in Tunbridge Wells. Found mid afternoon, it showed on and off for an hour, and becomes the sixth American passerine species seen in the county.

Other new discoveries included single Hume's Yellow-browed Warblers in Suffolk and Shetland, Long-billed Dowitcher in Essex, Desert Wheatear in County Dublin, single Little Buntings in Sussex and Dorset and another Dusky Warbler in the Isles of Scilly.

The Sharp-tailed Sandpiper in Somerset relocated to Chew Valley Lake, with other lingering rarity highlights including Greater Yellowlegs and Eastern Black Redstart in Northumberland, Veery in Highland, Bufflehead in Cornwall, Wilson's Snipe in the Isles of Scilly, Northern Harrier in County Wexford, Pallid Harrier in County Cork, Forster's Tern in County Galway, Olive-backed Pipit and three Hume's Yellow-browed Warblers in Shetland and Desert Wheatear in Devon.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Friday 18th November 2011  
  The first Sharp-tailed Sandpiper for Somerset was discovered today at Blagdon Lake. It is only the fifth juvenile to be seen in Britain, and is the first ever to be found in November. A male Desert Wheatear was seen in Devon, where it spent the afternoon at Man Sands, whilst, nearby, a Spotted Sandpiper was identified at Lyme Regis, Dorset. Further east, a White-rumped Sandpiper was at West Canvey Marsh RSPB, Essex, a Glossy Ibis was at Dungeness, Kent and a Red-rumped Swallow was at Winterton, Norfolk.

Lingering rarity highlights included the Veery in Highland, Eastern Black Redstart and Greater Yellowlegs in Northumberland, Bufflehead in Cornwall, Hume's Yellow-browed Warblers in Suffolk and Shetland, Wilson's Snipe and two Dusky Warblers on the Isles of Scilly (with another of the latter in Yorkshire), Pallid Harrier in County Cork, Red-breasted Geese in Essex and Devon, Lesser Yellowlegs and Glossy Ibis in Anglesey (with another of the latter in Essex) and two Long-billed Dowitchers and a Spotted Sandpiper in Somerset.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Thursday 17th November 2011  
  The highlight of the day was the continued presence of the Veery in Highland on Muck, where it remained throughout the day. Elsewhere, lingering rarities included the Greater Yellowlegs in Northumberland, Eastern Black Redstarts in both Kent and Northumberland, Bufflehead in County Cork, Wilson's Snipe on the Isles of Scilly, Pallid Harrier in County Cork, Hume's Yellow-browed Warblers in Aberdeenshire, Shetland Isles and Suffolk, Dusky Warbler in Norfolk, Red-breasted Goose in both Devon and Essex, Spotted Sandpipers in both Devon and Somerset, Azorean Yellow-legged Gull in Staffordshire, Ferruginous Duck in Berkshire, two Ross's Geese together in Northumberland, and Glossy Ibis in both Dorset and Kent.

The influx of Tundra Bean Geese continues with 157 logged today across nineteen counties from the Shetland Isles, to Anglesey, Somerset and Essex.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Wednesday 16th November 2011  
  In Scotland, there came news of a Veery on the island of Muck in Highland, which was still present late in the afternoon. This is only the tenth record for this species and most of these have been on islands. Two Olive-backed Pipits were found in Shetland, one on Mainland and one on Unst. There was a Penduline Tit at Oare Marshes KWT in north Kent and another Eastern Black Redstart was found, this one on Holy Island in Northumberland.

Other rarity highlights today included the Eastern Black Redstart in Kent, Greater Yellowlegs in Northumberland, Wilson's Snipe in the Isles of Scilly, Bufflehead in Cornwall, Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler in Suffolk, Semipalmated Sandpiper in Cleveland, Azorean Yellow-legged Gull in Staffordshire, White-billed Diver in the Western Isles, Red-breasted Goose in Essex, four Richardson's Canada Geese in Argyll, single Dusky Warblers in Norfolk, Yorkshire and the Isles of Scilly, single Spotted Sandpipers in Somerset and Devon and single Glossy Ibises in Devon, Dorset, Kent and Anglesey.
-  Will Soar, RBA
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