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| Tuesday 4th September 2012 | ||
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| Highlight of the day was the confirmation of the indentification of a Short-billed Dowitcher at Lodmoor RSPB (Dorset) - only the second British record.
Several American waders arrived today, included a Spotted Sandpiper in Co Kerry and American Golden Plover and two Semipalmated Sandpipers on the Western Isles. In Dorset an Ortolan Bunting was discovered at West Bexington. Lingering rarities comprised American Black Tern in Merseyside, Long-billed Dowitcher in Gloucestershire, Semipalmated Sandpiper in Argyll, Citrine Wagtail on Isles of Scilly, Glossy Ibis in Cambridgeshire, Lesser Scaup in Somerset, Wilson's Phalarope in Co Cork and Lesser Yellowlegs in Cornwall At least nine Pectoral Sandpipers, three Buff-breasted Sandpipers, two Spotted Crakes and single Icterine Warbler (Suffolk), Barred Warbler (Lincolnshire) and Red-backed Shrike (Devon) were the headline scarcities. Late news from yesterday concerned a Baird's Sandpiper in Cleveland, a White-rumped Sandpiper in Co Cork and a flyover Red-throated Pipit in Surrey, whilst a probable Semipalmated Plover was heard in Highland. |
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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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| Monday 3rd September 2012 | ||
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| New discoveries included a dowitcher species at Lodmoor RSPB (Dorset),
Semipalmated Sandpiper on Lewis (Western Isles) and Red-rumped Swallow
at Conwy RSPB (Conwy).
Lingering rarities comprised American Black Tern in Merseyside, Spanish Sparrow in Suffolk, Long-billed Dowitcher in Gloucestershire, Semipalmated Sandpiper in Argyll, Lesser Scaup in Somerset, Wilson's Phalarope in Co Cork, Arctic Warbler on Shetland, Citrine Wagtails on Shetland and Isles of Scilly, Glossy Ibises in Cambridgeshire and Pembrokeshire, Bonaparte's Gull in Co Durham and Blue-winged Teal in Clyde |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Sunday 2nd September 2012 | ||
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| The highlight of the day was the discovery of a Semipalmated Sandpiper on Tiree, Argyll. Elsewhere, other Nearctic waders included a Lesser Yellowlegs
in Cornwall at Kingsmill Lake, and a Wilson's Phalarope in County Cork at Kinsale Marsh, although both of these birds may have been present nearby in recent days. Lingering rarities confirmed as still present were the Spanish Sparrow in Suffolk, American Black Tern in Merseyside, Forster's Tern in County Louth, Snowy Owl in County Donegal, Arctic Warblers in both East Yorkshire and the Shetland Isles, Citrine Wagtails in both the Scilly Isles and the Shetland Isles, Bonaparte's Gull in County Durham, Blue-winged Teal in Clyde, Long-billed Dowitcher in Gloucestershire, Lesser Scaup in Somerset, and single Glossy Ibises in both Cambridgeshire and Lancashire. Scarcities included 15 Pectoral Sandpipers, five Buff-breasted Sandpipers, four Barred Warblers, three each of Spotted Crake, Wryneck and Sabine's Gull, two each of Common Rosefinch and Long-tailed Skua, and single Melodious Warbler (Devon), Rose-coloured Starling (Ceredigion) and Purple Heron (Cambridgeshire). |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Saturday 1st September 2012 | ||
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| Highlight of the day was the juvenile American Black Tern in the
north-west. After no sign of the bird at yesterday's site, Eccleston Mere,
Merseyside, it was promptly re-found mid morning 10 miles to the east at
Pennington Flash, Greater Manchester. Here it stayed until late afternoon,
before relocating back to Eccleston Mere during the evening. Other new
discoveries today included Arctic Warblers on Unst, Shetland and at
Flamborough Head, Yorkshire, a Lesser Yellowlegs also at the latter site
and a Citrine Wagtail on St Mary's, Isles of Scilly.
In Suffolk, the male Spanish Sparrow reappeared briefly this evening, back at Landguard NR, Felixstowe. The Forster's Tern also reappeared in County Louth, with other lingering rarities including the Blue-winged Teal in Clyde, Bonaparte's Gull in County Durham, Arctic Warbler and Citrine Wagtail in Shetland and single Glossy Ibises in Cambridgeshire, Pembrokeshire and County Wexford. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Friday 31st August 2012 | ||
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| The highlight of the day was a Yelkouan Shearwater passing Whitburn, County Durham in the evening. Elsewhere, the identification of the
American Black Tern suspected yesterday in Merseyside at Eccleston Mere was confirmed, a
Baird's Sandpiper was a new arrival in Cornwall at Marazion, and on the Shetland Isles a
Citrine Wagtail was discovered on Foula. Lingering rarities confirmed as still present were the Arctic Warbler on the Shetland Isles, Bonaparte's Gull in County Durham, Blue-winged Teal in Clyde, Long-billed Dowitcher in Gloucestershire, Lesser Scaup and Ferruginous Duck together in Somerset, and Glossy Ibis in Pembrokeshire. Scarce migrants included 12 Long-tailed Skuas, seven Barred Warblers, six Pectoral Sandpipers, five Spotted Crakes, four each of both Buff-breasted Sandpiper and Wryneck, two each of Red-backed Shrike, Red-necked Phalarope and Lapland Bunting, and single Melodious Warbler (Isles of Scilly), Woodchat Shrike (Dorset) and Rose-coloured Starling (Ceredigion). |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Thursday 30th August 2012 | ||
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| Mega news came from Co Mayo this morning when a Black Skimmer flew
past Annagh Head - this represents the first Western Palearctic record of this
American species.
Elsewhere rarities comprised Blue-winged Teal in Clyde, Glossy Ibis in Cambridgeshire, Lesser Scaup and Ferruginous Duck in Somerset and Long-billed Dowitcher in Gloucestershire. Scarcity totals included eight Pectoral Sandpipers, four Wrynecks, three Buff-breasted Sandpipers, three Great White Egrets, two Barred Warblers, two Red-necked Phalaropes, two Spotted Crakes, Common Rosefinch (Norfolk) and Cattle Egret (Kent). Multiple Long-tailed Skuas were logged, including a count of 14 past Thorpeness (Suffolk). |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Wednesday 29th August 2012 | ||
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| New discoveries today included a Fea's Petrel past Galley Head, County
Cork, a Forster's Tern off Soldier's Point, County Louth, an Arctic
Warbler on Fair Isle, Shetland, a Red-rumped Swallow at Frodsham
Marsh, Cheshire, and Wales' first mainland Greenish Warbler on Great
Ormes Head.
Lingering rarities seen today included the Long-billed Dowitcher in Gloucestershire, Lesser Scaup in Somerset and single Glossy Ibises in Cambridgeshire, Pembrokeshire and County Wexford. In between the seabird news, the National channel featured a White-winged Black Tern, a Buff-breasted Sandpiper, a Red-necked Phalarope, a Common Rosefinch, three White Storks, four Wrynecks, four Spotted Crakes, seven Pectoral Sandpipers, nine Barred Warblers and 13 Lesser Snow Geese. The aforementioned seabird tally was eight Great Shearwaters, 10 Cory's Shearwaters, 198 Balearic Shearwaters, 21 Sabine's Gulls, 11 Leach's Petrels, ten Long-tailed Skuas and ten Pomarine Skuas. Significant late news concerned a dark morph Eleonora's Falcon in Sussex on 19th August. Found by a visiting Dutch birder familiar with the species, it didn't linger as it flew east over Boreham Street. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Tuesday 28th August 2012 | ||
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| The highlight of the day was the discovery of another Greenish Warbler on the English east coast; at Gibraltar Point, Lincolnshire. Elsewhere,
Greenish Warblers remained in both Norfolk and Northumberland (2), a Lesser Scaup arrived at Chew Valley
Lake, Somerset, the Bonaparte's Gull was still in County Durham, as was
the Blue-winged Teal in Clyde, Long-billed Dowitcher in Gloucestershire, and
single Glossy Ibis in both Cambridgeshire and Carmarthenshire. Scarcities included seven each of both Wryneck and Pectoral Sandpiper, six Spotted Crakes, five Barred Warblers, and single Surf Scoter (Conwy), Ring-billed Gull (Forth), Red-necked Phalarope (Dumfries and Galloway), Woodchat Shrike (Dorset), Icterine Warbler (North Yorkshire), Rose-coloured Starling (Ceredigion), Melodious Warbler and Common Rosefinch (together in Pembrokeshire). Seawatching highlights included three Cory's Shearwaters, two Great Shearwaters and two Sabine's Gulls. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Monday 27th August 2012 | ||
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| A Barolo Little Shearwater flew west past Bridges of Ross, County
Clare mid afternoon, but gave good views to just three of the assembled crowd.
Other rarities seen today included Greenish Warblers in Norfolk and Northumberland (2), Long-billed Dowitcher in Gloucestershire and single Glossy Ibises in Cambridgeshire and Somerset. Seawatching continued to entertain, with good numbers of Long-tailed Skuas and Pomarine Skuas seen, as well as smaller numbers of Sabine's Gulls, Grey Phalaropes and a single Leach's Petrel. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Sunday 26th August 2012 | ||
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| An arrival of Greenish Warblers today resulted in birds in Norfolk
(Blakeney Point), Yorkshire (Kilnsea) and Northumberland (Farne Islands, Holy
Island and Tynemouth).
Lingering rarities included the Thrush Nightingale in Shetland, Snowy Owl in County Donegal, Baird's Sandpiper in Pembrokeshire, Long-billed Dowitcher in Gloucestershire, White-rumped Sandpiper in County Wicklow, Blue-winged Teals in Clyde and County Wexford and Glossy Ibises in Cambridgeshire, Sussex and County Wexford. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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