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 25th August 2012  
  Neither of the top two rarities discovered today lingered for longer than half an hour. Both in Yorkshire briefly this evening: a Broad-billed Sandpiper was at Nosterfield NR and a Gull-billed Tern was at Tophill Low NR. Other new rarities included single Blue-winged Teals at Carbarns Pool, Clyde and Tacumshin, County Wexford, and a Lesser Scaup in Glamorgan.

Lingering rarities included Wilson's Phalarope in County Cork, Baird's Sandpiper in Pembrokeshire, White-rumped Sandpiper in County Wicklow, Long-billed Dowitcher in Gloucestershire, Citrine Wagtail in Shetland and single Glossy Ibises in Cambridgeshire, Pembrokeshire and County Wexford.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Friday 24th August 2012  
  The highlight of the day was a Spanish Sparrow in Suffolk; photographed at Landguard mid morning, it was not relocated later in the day. Elsewhere, a Fea's Petrel passed Porthgwarra, Cornwall, a Wilson's Phalarope arrived in County Cork at Rosscarbery, a Glossy Ibis was found on the Ouse Washes, Cambridgeshire, and a Thrush Nightingale was trapped on Fair Isle, Shetland Isles.

Lingering rarities confirmed as still present were the Baird's Sandpiper in Pembrokeshire, Long-billed Dowitcher in Gloucestershire, Ortolan Bunting on the Orkney Isles, and single White-rumped Sandpipers in both County Kerry and County Wicklow.

Scarcities included eight Barred Warblers, seven Wrynecks, two each of Icterine Warbler, Hoopoe, White-winged Black Tern (together in Hampshire), Spotted Crake and Ring-billed Gull, and single Kentish Plover and Purple Heron (Kent), Rose-coloured Starling (Cornwall), Woodchat Shrike and Cattle Egret (Dorset), Red-necked Phalarope (Lincolnshire), Pectoral Sandpiper (North Yorkshire).
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Thursday 23rd August 2012  
  New discoveries included an Aquatic Warbler trapped in Gunwalloe (Cornwall) and a Black Kite over Rainham Marshes RSPB and Crayford Marshes (London).

Lingering rarities included Long-billed Dowitcher in Gloucestershire, American Golden Plover in Cambridgeshire, White-rumped Sandpiper in Co Wicklow, Snowy Owl in Co Donegal, Ferruginous Duck in Suffolk and Glossy Ibis in Pembrokeshire.

Scarcity totals comprised nine Wrynecks, four Barred Warblers, three Great White Egrets, two Purple Herons, two Spotted Crakes, Woodchat Shrike (Dorset), Red-necked Phalarope (Lincolnshire) and Pectoral Sandpiper (Aberdeenshire).
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Wednesday 22nd August 2012  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of a Lesser Grey Shrike on St Mary's, Isles of Scilly. Elsewhere, a White-rumped Sandpiper was a new arrival in County Wicklow at Kilcoole.

Lingering rarities confirmed as still present comprised the Broad-billed Sandpiper in Cleveland, Baird's Sandpiper and Glossy Ibis both  in Pembrokeshire, Long-billed Dowitcher in Gloucestershire, American Golden Plover in Cambridgeshire, Ortolan Bunting on the Orkney Isles, and Ferruginous Duck in Suffolk.

Scarcities included nine Barred Warblers, five Wrynecks, four White Storks, and Woodchat Shrike (Dorset), Red-backed Shrike (Orkney Isles), Purple Heron (Kent), Spotted Crake (Leicestershire), and Pectoral Sandpiper (North Yorkshire). Seawatching highlights came from the west coast of Ireland where four Sabine's Gulls, three Great Shearwaters and a Long-tailed Skua were noted.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Tuesday 21st August 2012  
  New discoveries came in the form of a Broad-billed Sandpiper at Seaton Snook (Cleveland), Tawny Pipit at Bradwell on Sea (Essex), Aquatic Warbler at Steart (Somerset), American Golden Plover at Earith (Cambridgeshire) and White-rumped Sandpiper at Snettisham RSPB (Norfolk), whilst in Ireland an Alpine Swift was in Co Kerry and a Wilson's Petrel flew past Co Cork.

A Long-billed Dowitcher in Gloucestershire, Arctic Warbler on Shetland, Glossy Ibis in Pembrokeshire and Baird's Sandpiper in Pembrokeshire all lingered.

The best of the rest included Purple Heron in Kent, Red-necked Phalarope in Lincolnshire, Woodchat Shrike in Dorset, two Spotted Crakes, three Great White Egrets, three Dotterel, four Barred Warblers and seven Wrynecks.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Monday 20th August 2012  
  The highlight of the day was the arrival of a Baird's Sandpiper at West Angle Bay, Pembrokeshire. Discoveries elsewhere included an Ortolan Bunting on North Ronaldsay, Orkney Isles, whilst a Least Sandpiper flew over Cape Clear, County Cork, and a Black Kite was seen briefly in Kent.

Lingering rarities confirmed as still present were the Booted Warbler on the Shetland Isles, Aquatic Warbler on the Wirral, Bonaparte's Gull in County Durham, Long-billed Dowitcher in Gloucestershire, White-rumped Sandpiper in County Londonderry and Glossy Ibis in Pembrokeshire.

Scarcities included six Barred Warblers, four White Storks (together in Somerset), three Wrynecks, two each of Melodious Warbler, Woodchat Shrike, Red-backed Shrike, Ring-billed Gull and Sabine's Gull, and single migrant Golden Oriole (Orkney Isles), Common Rosefinch (Shetland Isles), Red-necked Phalarope (Lincolnshire), Purple Heron (Kent), Ring-necked Duck (Perth and Kinross), and Pectoral Sandpiper (Aberdeenshire).

Significant late news from 19th August concerned a Marsh Sandpiper in Cornwall by the Camel Estuary, and a seawatch at Toe Head, County Cork, produced both Barolo Little Shearwater and Wilson's Petrel.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Sunday 19th August 2012  
  A Tawny Pipit at Barking Bay (London), Aquatic Warbler at Red Rocks NR (Wirral), Arctic Warbler on Fair Isle (Shetland) and a Black Kite over Montrose Basin (Angus) were today's headline discoveries.

Lingering rarities included Ferruginous Ducks in Suffolk and Somerset, Booted Warbler on Shetland, Long-billed Dowitcher in Gloucestershire and Glossy Ibis in Pembrokeshire, whilst in Ireland the White-rumped Sandpiper was still in Co Derry and a Fea's Petrel flew past Cape Clear (Co Cork).

The best of the rest included Spotted Crake in Hampshire, Red-necked Phalarope in Lincolnshire, Woodchat Shrike in Dorset, Night Heron in Hampshire, Buff-breasted Sandpiper in Co Clare, Rose-coloured Starling in Norfolk, Golden Oriole on Shetland, in addition to two Melodious Warblers, two Red-backed Shrikes, two Dotterel, two Pectoral Sandpipers, three Icterine Warblers, three Wrynecks and at least eight Barred Warblers.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Saturday 18th August 2012  
  New discoveries included three Aquatic Warblers trapped in Dorset, a Booted Warbler on Mainland Shetland, a Greenish Warbler on Out Skerries (Shetland) and an Ortolan Bunting at Spurn (East Yorkshire).

In Ireland two Fea's Petrels were logged off Carnsore Point (Co Wexford) and a White-rumped Sandpiper arrived on the Bann Estuary (Co Derry). The Snowy Owl lingered in Co Donegal and the long-staying Glossy Ibis remained in Co Wexford.

Elsewhere lingering rarities comprised Alpine Swifts in Lothian and Cornwall, Long-billed Dowitcher in Gloucestershire and Bonaparte's Gull in Co Durham.

The best of the rest included at least five Barred Warblers, four Red-backed Shrikes, three Spotted Crakes, two Icterine Warblers and Wryneck (Orkney), Red-necked Phalarope (Lincolnshire), Buff-breasted Sandpiper (Northumberland), Woodchat Shrike (Dorset) and Pectoral Sandpiper (Lincolnshire).

A warbler sp at Kilminning (Fife) which had initially been identified as a Melodious then Icterine on Thursday, before again being renamed as an Eastern Olivaceous Warbler this morning, was finally reidentified from photographs as a Chiffchaff.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Friday 17th August 2012  
  New rarities discovered today included a Citrine Wagtail on Unst, Shetland, single Alpine Swifts in Cornwall (Newquay) and Lothian (Corstorphine) and Wilson's Petrels in County Clare and County Kerry (3).

Lingering rarities seen today included the Snowy Owl in County Donegal, Bonaparte's Gull in County Durham, Long-billed Dowitcher in Gloucestershire, Baird's Sandpiper in County Kerry, Ferruginous Duck in Somerset, and Glossy Ibis in County Cork.

Scarcity highlights included a Dotterel, a Common Rosefinch, five Barred Warblers, two Icterine Warblers, two Wrynecks, three Red-backed Shrikes, a Red-necked Phalarope and a Night Heron.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Thursday 16th August 2012  
  The second Franklin's Gull for County Meath was seen briefly today, at the same site as the first back in 1999. The first Booted Warbler of the year was found on North Ronaldsay, Orkney, whilst the presumed returning Bonaparte's Gull reappeared at Whitburn Steel, County Durham this evening. A Baird's Sandpiper was in County Kerry at Ballinrannig.

Lingering rarities included just the Long-billed Dowitcher in Gloucestershire and Ferruginous Duck in Somerset.

Scarcity highlights included five Barred Warblers, three Icterine Warblers, three Red-backed Shrikes, two Wrynecks, a Hoopoe, a Spotted Crake, a Pectoral Sandpiper, a Grey Phalarope, a Glaucous Gull, four White Storks, a Night Heron and two Ring-billed Gulls. Seabirds included four Great Shearwaters, 10 Cory's Shearwaters, two Long-tailed Skuas, seven Pomarine Skuas and a Sabine's Gull.
-  Will Soar, RBA