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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Sunday 13th October 2013  
  Once again a superb day to be out on the east coast, but still without the outstanding mega headline bird. Highlights were single Red-flanked Bluetails at Crail, Fife and Happisburgh, Norfolk and a lovely male Pied Wheatear on Bardsey Island, Gwynedd (which was killed by a Sparrowhawk not long after its discovery). A small influx of Coues's Arctic Redpolls involved birds in Lincolnshire and Norfolk (at Theddlethorpe in the former, and at Morston [two], Warham Greens, Wells Woods and Blakeney Point in the latter), whilst Hornemann's Arctic Redpolls were at Port Nis, Western Isles and Mid Yell and Quendale, Shetland. A male Two-barred Crossbill was in Hemsted Forest, Kent, and the four Parrot Crossbills remained in Gunners Park, Essex.

Radde's Warblers were seen at Andover, Hampshire, Chapel St Leonards, Lincolnshire and Buckton, Yorkshire, and Dusky Warblers were at Kilnsea, Yorkshire (two), Theddlethorpe, Lincolnshire and Fair Isle, Shetland. A Red-throated Pipit was recorded at Flamborough Head and three Little Buntings were at Spurn, both Yorkshire. The Bonaparte's Gull reappeared at Teignmouth, Devon, a Cackling Goose was at Malin Head, County Donegal and an Azorean Yellow-legged Gull was at The Gearagh, County Cork.

Lingering rarity highlights included the Sora and Grey-cheeked Thrush on the Isles of Scilly, Wilson's Phalarope on Shetland, Laughing Gull on Orkney and Sardinian Warbler in Borders.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Saturday 12th October 2013  
  An exceptional autumn day produced the highest number of messages ever, with 721 sent. Despite there being no outstanding mega rarities, good numbers of the regular rarities were found. Bird of the day probably goes to the Paddyfield Warbler on Unst, Shetland, with a Siberian Stonechat nearby on Bressay and an Olive-backed Pipit and Little Bunting on Fair Isle. Further Olive-backed Pipits were at Donna Nook, Lincolnshire and Holland Haven Country Park, Essex, while Red-throated Pipits were recorded at Spurn, Yorkshire, Gibraltar Point, Lincolnshire and Mizen Head, County Cork, and a Tawny Pipit flew over Porthgwarra, Cornwall. A Radde's Warbler was at Brighton, Sussex, and Dusky Warblers were at West Runton, Norfolk, Mablethorpe, Lincolnshire and Flamborough Head, Yorkshire, with single Little Buntings at Grimston and Easington, Yorkshire, Farne Islands, Northumberland and Seaham, County Durham. A male Red-footed Falcon flew north over Bawdsey and Shingle Street, Suffolk, a Glossy Ibis was at Stanwick GPs, Northamptonshire and an Azorean Yellow-legged Gull roosted at Grafham Water, Cambridgeshire.

Lingering rarity highlights included the Sora and Grey-cheeked Thrush on the Isles of Scilly, Pechora Pipit, American Buff-bellied Pipit, Isabelline Shrike, Wilson's Phalarope, Western Bonelli's Warbler and Black-bellied Dipper on Shetland, Sardinian Warbler in Borders, Long-billed Dowitchers in Hampshire and Glamorgan, Lesser Yellowlegs in Kent, Rustic Bunting in Yorkshire, Red-breasted Goose in Hampshire and four Two-barred Crossbills in Norfolk.

Scarcity totals included 34 Great Grey Shrikes, 11 Pallas's Warblers, 88 Yellow-browed Warblers, ten Richard's Pipits, eight Red-breasted Flycatchers, five Short-toed Larks, two Common Rosefinches, a Hoopoe and a Bluethroat. Four Parrot Crossbills were at Gunners Park, Essex.

Triple figure counts of Ring Ouzels today came from the south coast, with 390 at Beachy Head, 205 at Hastings Country Park, 162 at Crowlink and 150 at Seaford Head, all Sussex, and 100 at Dungeness, Kent.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Friday 11th October 2013  
  New arrivals found on Shetland today included a Grey-cheeked Thrush, Blyth's Reed Warbler and Little Bunting on Fair Isle, a Black-bellied Dipper on Unst and a White-rumped Sandpiper, Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll and Blyth's Reed Warbler on Mainland. Lingerers on the archipelago included Pechora Pipit, American Buff-bellied Pipit, Isabelline Shrike and Wilson's Phalarope.

Elsewhere, single Rustic Buntings were brief visitors to Warham Greens, Norfolk and Flamborough Head, Yorkshire, with a Coues's Arctic Redpoll and Two-barred Crossbill further south in Kent. An American Golden Plover was at Swainbost, Lewis, Western Isles and Glossy Ibises were found at Longton Marsh, Lancashire (four), Weymouth and Portland, Dorset and Newport Wetlands, Gwent.

Other lingering rarities seen today included the Sora on the Isles of Scilly, Thrush Nightingale in Dorset, Western Bonelli's Warbler in Orkney, Long-billed Dowitcher in Glamorgan, Baird's Sandpiper in County Kerry, American Golden Plover in County Galway, three Blue-winged Teals in Lincolnshire, Lesser Scaup in Greater Manchester, Richardson's Cackling Goose in Argyll and Glossy Ibises in Shropshire, Somerset (three), Kent and Staffordshire.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Thursday 10th October 2013  
  The rarest bird of the day was the Grey-cheeked Thrush on Barra, Western Isles, which was trapped and ringed at Sgaillairaidh House, Brevig. This is the third American thrush species for the island in the last four years, following the Swainson's Thrush last year and the Hermit Thrush in 2010.

New arrivals on Shetland included a Wilson's Phalarope at Sand Voe and a Pechora Pipit at Toab, both Mainland, and an Isabelline Shrike on Foula, where the American Buff-bellied Pipit remained. A Dusky Warbler was very elusive at Sandy Point,, Hayling Island, Hampshire, while other new discoveries included an Ortolan Bunting at Pegwell Bay and a Black Kite at Dungeness, both Kent, a White-rumped Sandpiper at Salthouse, Norfolk and single Glossy Ibises at Wickford, Essex and Doxey Marshes, Staffordshire.

Lingering rarities included the Sora on the Isles of Scilly, Isabelline Wheatear in Pembrokeshire, Pied-billed Grebe and Black Duck in County Mayo, Laughing Gull in Orkney, Two-barred Crossbill in Surrey, Blyth's Reed Warbler in Shetland, Long-billed Dowitcher in Glamorgan, Black-winged Stilt in Cornwall and single Baird's Sandpipers in County Cork, County Kerry and Gloucestershire.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Wednesday 9th October 2013  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of a Sora on the Isles of Scilly, on Tresco, with Arctic Warbler, Purple Heron, Short-toed Lark, Bluethroat, Rose-coloured Starling, Spotted Crake, Grey Phalarope, three each of Red-breasted Flycatcher and Wryneck, four Balearic Shearwaters and 11 Yellow-browed Warblers all logged around the archipelago.

On the Shetland Isles the Eastern Olivaceous Warbler remained, with American Buff-bellied Pipit, Western Bonelli's Warbler, Rustic Bunting, Red-throated Pipit, Olive-backed Pipit, Little Bunting, Buff-breasted Sandpiper, Red-breasted Flycatcher, Richard's Pipit, Dotterel, two each of Short-toed Lark, Red-backed Shrike and Great Grey Shrike, three Lapland Buntings and 10 Yellow-browed Warblers around the islands.

Elsewhere, new rarities included a Thrush Nightingale in Dorset at Portland Bill, and two Richardson's Cackling Geese together on Islay, Argyll. Meanwhile, lingering rarities included the Isabelline Wheatear still in Pembrokeshire, Pied-billed Grebe and Black Duck in County Mayo, Two-barred Crossbills in Norfolk and Surrey, Western Bonelli's Warbler, Black-winged Stilt and American Golden Plover in Cornwall, Blue-winged Teal in Clyde and Lincolnshire (3), Long-billed Dowitcher in Glamorgan, Baird's Sandpipers in both County Cork and Gloucestershire, and 15 Glossy Ibises spread across eight counties.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Tuesday 8th October 2013  
  New discoveries today included a Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll at Eoropie, Western Isles, a Rustic Bunting on Fetlar and an Olive-backed Pipit on Fair Isle, both Shetland, a Two-barred Crossbill at Leith Hill, Surrey, a Bee-eater over Land's End, Cornwall, a Long-billed Dowitcher on Rhaslas Pond, Glamorgan, a White-rumped Sandpiper on Inishmore, County Galway and Glossy Ibises in Northumberland and Dumfries and Galloway (two).

Lingering rarity highlights included the Isabelline Wheatear in Pembrokeshire, Pied-billed Grebe and Black Duck in County Mayo, American Buff-bellied Pipit in County Galway, Western Bonelli's Warbler and Black-winged Stilt in Cornwall, Sardinian Warbler in Borders, Arctic Warbler on the Isles of Scilly, Siberian Stonechat in Suffolk, Eastern Subalpine Warbler, Red-throated Pipit, Blyth's Reed Warbler and Little Bunting in Shetland, four Two-barred Crossbills in Norfolk, Baird's Sandpiper in Gloucestershire, Lesser Yellowlegs in Kent, Long-billed Dowitcher in Hampshire and three Blue-winged Teals in Lincolnshire.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Monday 7th October 2013  
  On Isles of Scilly a brief sighting of a Grey-cheeked Thrush was the day's headline news. Elsewhere on the archipelago an Arctic Warbler, two each of Common Rosefinch and Little Bunting and single Spotted Crake, Purple Heron, Rose-coloured Starling, Bluethroat and Red-backed Shrike were all recorded.

Elsewhere new discoveries included Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll in Shetland, Baird's Sandpiper in Gloucestershire, Spotted Sandpiper in Co Galway, Western Bonelli's Warbler in East Yorkshire and flyby White-rumped Sandpiper in Lincolnshire.

On Shetland an Eastern Olivaceous Warbler, Eastern Subalpine Warbler, Red-throated Pipit, Arctic Warbler, Blyth's Reed Warbler and Little Bunting all lingered.

A total of 19 Glossy Ibises, four Blue-winged Teals, three Lesser Yellowlegs, two Lesser Scaups, two Two-barred Crossbills, Long-billed Dowitcher (Hampshire), Daurian Shrike (Cornwall), Siberian Stonechat (Suffolk), Isabelline Wheatear (Pembrokeshire), Sardinian Warbler (Borders), Western Bonelli's Warbler (Cornwall), Laughing Gull (Orkney) and Pied-billed Grebe (Co Mayo) were all logged today.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Sunday 6th October 2013  
  Today's highlight was the discovery of an Ovenbird on Papa Westray (Orkney). Elsewhere new discoveries included Red-eyed Vireo and Lanceolated Warbler on Fair Isle, American Buff-bellied Pipit on Yell (Shetland) and Western Bonelli's Warbler in Cornwall.

On Shetland, as well as the aforementioned rarities, an Eastern Olivaceous Warbler, Red-throated Pipit, Blyth's Reed Warbler, Little Bunting, Arctic Warbler and Eastern Subalpine Warbler were also recorded.

On the Mainland a Daurian Shrike and Black-winged Stilt (Cornwall), Isabelline Wheatear (Pembrokeshire), Sardinian Warbler (Borders), Lesser Grey Shrike (Kent), Lesser Scaup (Glamorgan), Long-billed Dowitcher (Hampshire), two Siberian Stonechats, two Two-barred Crossbills, two Lesser Yellowlegs, three American Golden Plovers, three Little Buntings, four Blue-winged Teals and 18 Glossy Ibises were all logged. On Orkney an Olive-backed Pipit remained on North Ronaldsay and on Isles of Scilly an Arctic Warbler was on St Mary's and a Subalpine Warbler lingered on St Agnes.

In Ireland a Spotted Sandpiper and American Golden Plover (Co Donegal), American Buff-bellied Pipit (Co Galway) and American Golden Plovers in Wexford and Derry were all reported.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Saturday 5th October 2013  
  The highlight of the day was the continued presence of the Thick-billed Warbler on the Shetland Isles at Geosetter, where it remained throughout the day. Elsewhere around the archipelago an Eastern Olivaceous Warbler was found at Hoswick, an American Buff-bellied Pipit on Foula, Blyth's Reed Warbler on Unst, Arctic Warbler at Voe, Eastern Subalpine Warbler on Yell, Short-toed Lark, five Little Buntings and a total of 32 Yellow-browed Warblers. Meanwhile, on the Isles of Scilly, an Arctic Warbler was on St Mary's, with - around the islands - Subalpine Warbler, Purple Heron, Short-toed Lark, Bluethroat, Barred Warbler, Spotted Crake, Wryneck, two Red-breasted Flycatchers and four Yellow-browed Warblers.

Elsewhere, new rarities comprised an American Buff-bellied Pipit in County Galway on Inishmore, Lesser Grey Shrike in Kent at Capel Fleet, Radde's Warbler in Devon at Berry Head, Siberian Stonechat in Lincolnshire, Olive-backed Pipit and Subalpine Warbler together in County Durham at Whitburn, Greenish Warbler on the Western Isles, Spotted Sandpiper in County Donegal, Baird's Sandpiper in County Wicklow, and a Baltic Gull in Suffolk.

Lingering rarities confirmed as still present included the Isabelline Wheatear in Pembrokeshire, Sardinian Warbler in Borders, Daurian Shrike in Cornwall, four Two-barred Crossbills together in Norfolk, Western Bonelli's Warbler on the Orkney Isles, Siberian Stonechat in Suffolk, Subalpine Warbler in Northumberland, Black-winged Stilt in Cornwall, Semipalmated Sandpiper in County Donegal, Baird's Sandpiper in County Kerry, Lesser Yellowlegs in Devon, County Galway and Kent, Blue-winged Teal in Clyde and Lincolnshire (3), Lesser Scaup in Greater Manchester, and 18 Glossy Ibises scattered across nine counties.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Friday 4th October 2013  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of a Thick-billed Warbler at Geosetter, Shetland Isles in the mid afternoon; the fifth British record, all of which have been on the Shetland Isles. Elsewhere around the archipelago were at Pechora Pipit at Isleburgh, Western Bonelli's Warbler and Olive-backed Pipit on Whalsay, Arctic Warbler at Voe, Eastern Subalpine Warbler on Yell, along with scattered Little Bunting, Marsh Warbler, Hoopoe, Common Rosefinch, Great Grey Shrike, two Lapland Buntings and 43 Yellow-browed Warblers.

Meanwhile, on the Isles of Scilly Subalpine Warbler remained with Buff-breasted Sandpiper, Purple Heron, Rose-coloured Starling, Short-toed Lark, Bluethroat, Yellow-browed Warbler, two Lapland Buntings and three Wrynecks.

Elsewhere, rare passerines comprised a Daurian Shrike new in Cornwall at Pendeen Watch, Isabelline Wheatear still in Pembrokeshire, Sardinian Warbler in Borders, two Two-barred Crossbills together in Norfolk, Radde's Warbler in Fife, Western Bonelli's Warblers in both County Cork and the Orkney Isles, Siberian Stonechat in Suffolk, Olive-backed Pipit on the Orkney Isles, Subalpine Warbler in Northumberland, Rustic Bunting reported as still pesent in Lincolnshire, and a Blyth's Reed Warbler reported again on the Wirral.

Other rarities compried the Laughing Gull still on the Orkney Isles, Black-winged Stilt in Cornwall, Lesser Yellowlegs in Carmarthenshire, County Galway and Kent, American Golden Plovers in Lincolnshire, County Mayo and South Yorkshire, Blue-winged Teal in Clyde and Lincolnshire (3), Lesser Scaup in Greater Manchester, and 18 Glossy Ibises across six counties.

Significant late news concerns the third Cedar Waxwing for Britain, present on Tiree, Argyll on 21st-29th September, but suppressed.
-  Chris Batty, RBA