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| Monday 21st October 2013 | ||
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| Highlight of the day was the discovery of a male Siberian Rubythroat
on Fair Isle, whilst on Orkney a Paddyfield Warbler was in Kirkwall.
Elsewhere rarity sightings included Western Bonelli's Warbler and Pallid Swift in Cleveland (with probable Pallid Swifts in Kent and Suffolk and reports of unidentified Common or Pallid Swifts in Norfolk and London), Sora on Isles of Scilly, Olive-backed Pipit in Pembrokeshire, Dusky Warbler in East Yorkshire, Siberian Stonechats in Northumberland and North Yorkshire, White-rumped Sandpiper in Norfolk, Red-flanked Bluetails in Orkney and Shetland, Sardinian Warbler in Borders, Baird's Sandpiper in Co Kerry, Two-barred Crossbill and six Parrot Crossbills in Kent, two Richardson's Cackling Geese in Argll, three Blue-winged Teals in Lincolnshire, Little Bunting in Orkney, and Red-breasted Goose in Hampshire. The best of the rest included three Glossy Ibises, two Hoopoes, two Rose-coloured Starlings, two Short-toed Larks, Red-breasted Flycatcher (Co Durham), Spotted Crake (Isles of Scilly) and Pallas's Warbler (Borders) Yesterday a Northern Harrier was photographed at Ouse Washes RSPB, where it was present for its third day. |
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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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| Sunday 20th October 2013 | ||
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| Five new rarities were discovered on Shetland today, the highlight being a
Red-flanked Bluetail at Upper Voe, Mainland. A Lanceolated Warbler
and an Olive-backed Pipit were on Fair Isle, while back on Mainland a
Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll was at Swinister and a Coues's Arctic Redpoll
was at Quendale.
Further south, a Siberian Stonechat was seen at Howick, Northumberland and an Isabelline Shrike was at Donna Nook, Lincolnshire. Other new rarities included a Blue-winged Teal at Ballycotton, County Cork, an Olive-backed Pipit on North Ronaldsay, Orkney and Glossy Ibises were at East Chevington, Northumberland and Abberton Reservoir, Essex. Lingering rarity highlights included the Semipalmated Plover in both Hampshire and West Sussex, a Sora on Tresco, Isles of Scilly, Red-flanked Bluetail on Orkney, Pallid Swift and Western Bonelli's Warbler in Cleveland, Sardinian Warbler and Radde's Warblers in Borders and the Isles of Scilly, Dusky Warblers in Fife, Cleveland and Yorkshire, Siberian Stonechat in Yorkshire, Olive-backed Pipit and White-rumped Sandpiper on Shetland, Long-billed Dowitcher and Red-breasted Goose in Hampshire, Forster's Tern in County Dublin, Northern Harrier in County Wexford and Two-barred Crossbill and six Parrot Crossbills in Kent. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Saturday 19th October 2013 | ||
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| Despite being the best county in Britain to see Sora, with a third of
the accepted records, today is the first time two have been present at the same
time, or even the same year, on the Isles of Scilly. The long staying individual
was present all day on the Great Pool, Tresco, whilst one was retrospectively
identified from photographs taken at the Shooters' Pool, Lower Moors, St Mary's.
The Semipalmated Plover was again present on Hayling Island, Hampshire for just over three hours, and it was also seen nearby on Pilsey Sands, West Sussex briefly, where it was also seen yesterday. Other new discoveries today included a Whiskered Tern at Bamburgh, Northumberland, Radde's Warblers at St Abb's Head, Borders and on St Agnes, Isles of Scilly, Dusky Warblers at Sea Palling, Norfolk, Fife Ness Muir, Fife and Hartlepool Headland, Cleveland, an Olive-backed Pipit at Vidlin, Shetland, a Red-throated Pipit at Church Norton, West Sussex, Little Buntings at Flamborough Head, Yorkshire and on North Ronaldsay, Orkney, a Pacific Golden Plover at Breydon Water, Norfolk, a Blue-winged Teal at Rahasane Turlough, County Galway and Glossy Ibises at Welney WWT, Norfolk and Freshwater, Isle of Wight. Lingering rarity highlights included the Isabelline Shrike on Shetland, Daurian Shrike in Yorkshire, Pallid Swift and Western Bonelli's Warbler in Cleveland, Sardinian Warbler in Borders, Siberian Stonechat in Yorkshire, Northern Harrier in County Wexford and Forster's Tern in County Dublin. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Friday 18th October 2013 | ||
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| The Semipalmated Plover was present again at Hayling Island in
Hampshire between 11.30am and 2.30pm when it flew off, possibly into Sussex.
New rarities found today comprised two more Red-flanked Bluetails, one at Spurn in Yorkshire and one at Westray on the Orkney Islands, a Dusky Warbler, also at Spurn, four Glossy Ibises which flew east along the north Norfolk coast and an American Golden Plover on Fair Isle. Lingering rarities included Isabelline Shrike, Citrine Wagtail, Red-throated Pipit and White-rumped Sandpiper on the Shetland Isles, Sora on the Scilly Isles, Western Bonelli's Warbler and Coue's Arctic Redpoll in Cleveland, Dusky Warblers at Filey and Aldborough in Yorkshire and Weybourne in Norfolk, Olive-backed Pipit and Little Bunting on the Farne Islands in Northumberland, Two-barred Crossbills in Norfolk (2) and Hemsted in Kent (where there were also 5 Parrot Crossbills), Red-breasted Goose and Long-billed Dowitcher in Hampshire, Daurian Shrike and Siberian Stonechat in Yorkshire, Sardinian Warbler in Borders and Blue-winged Teals in Clyde and Lincolnshire (3). Apart from those in north Norfolk a further 11 Glossy Ibises were reported from Kent to Cumbria. |
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| - Pete Hayman, RBA | ||
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| Thursday 17th October 2013 | ||
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| The highlight of today was the discovery of the first Semipalmated Plover
for mainland Britain for fifteen years. The first-winter was seen and heard at
Black Point, Hayling Island, Hampshire as the tide rose mid morning, but flew
east and wasn't seen again.
Other new discoveries today included a Grey-cheeked Thrush at Mizen Head, County Cork, an Isabelline Shrike on Whalsay, a Citrine Wagtail at Fleck and a White-rumped Sandpiper at Boddam, all Shetland, a Pallid Swift at Hartlepool, Cleveland, a Coues's Arctic Redpoll on North Ronaldsay, Orkney, two Olive-backed Pipits at Flamborough, Yorkshire, Dusky Warblers at Hook, County Wexford, Caernarfon, Gwynedd and Filey, Yorkshire and a Bonaparte's Gull at Rush, County Dublin. A new Glossy Ibis was at Pensthorpe, Norfolk. Lingering rarity highlights included the Sora on the Isles of Scilly, Red-flanked Bluetail in Suffolk, Siberian Stonechat and Daurian Shrike in Yorkshire, Western Bonelli's Warblers in Yorkshire and Orkney, Sardinian Warbler in Borders, Coues's Arctic Redpoll in Cleveland, Two-barred Crossbill in Kent and Forster's Tern in County Dublin. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Wednesday 16th October 2013 | ||
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| The highlight of the day was a Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler on the
Isles of Scilly, on Gugh: the first record of this species on the islands. Elsewhere, around the archipelago,
Purple Heron, Short-toed Lark, Spotted Crake, Wryneck,
Lapland Bunting, Balearic Shearwater and 10 Yellow-browed Warblers
were logged. On the Shetland Isles Blyth's Reed Warbler, Western Bonelli's Warbler, Dusky Warbler, Red-throated Pipit, Richard's Pipit, Arctic Redpoll, Purple Heron, four Yellow-browed Warblers and five Lapland Buntings. Along the English east coast a Siberian Stonechat was discovered in North Yorkshire at Scalby Nab, a Radde's Warbler was in County Durham, Red-flanked Bluetail and Radde's Warbler in Suffolk, Daurian Shrike and two Little Buntings in East Yorkshire, Western Bonelli's Warbler and Coues's Arctic Redpoll in Cleveland, Olive-backed Pipit and two Little Buntings together in Northumberland, and the Dusky Warbler still in Norfolk. Otherwise, rarities comprised the Sardinian Warbler still in Borders, Forster's Tern in County Dublin, Blyth's Reed Warbler on the Orkney Isles, Red-breasted Goose in Hampshire, Lesser Scaup in Glamorgan, American Golden Plover in County Galway, Northern Harrier in County Wexford, and Glossy Ibises in Essex, Kent and Somerset (3). |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Tuesday 15th October 2013 | ||
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| A Daurian Shrike at Flamborough Head, Yorkshire was the highlight of
the day, with an Olive-backed Pipit also new in at the same site. Other
Olive-backed Pipits were at Saltholme RSPB, Cleveland, Farne Islands,
Northumberland and North Ronaldsay, Orkney, whilst a Red-throated Pipit
was on St Mary's, Isles of Scilly. A Blyth's Reed Warbler and an
Arctic Redpoll were also found on North Ronaldsay, with two Dusky
Warblers further north on Fair Isle, Shetland. Another Dusky Warbler
was at Filey, Yorkshire, whilst an Arctic Redpoll and three Little
Buntings were also on Shetland, on Foula (two) and at Sullom, Mainland, and
another was at Spurn, Yorkshire. A juvenile Northern Harrier was at
Tacumshin, County Wexford.
A White-rumped Sandpiper was found on the Bann Estuary, County Derry, and Glossy Ibises were in Kent, Hampshire, Isle of Wight and Somerset. The Bonelli's warbler in Cleveland was confirmed as a Western Bonelli's Warbler. Lingering rarities included the Red-flanked Bluetail in Suffolk, Siberian Stonechat in Norfolk, Sardinian Warbler in Borders, American Buff-bellied Pipit, Red-throated Pipit, Western Bonelli's Warbler, Arctic Warbler, Blyth's Reed Warbler and Wilson's Phalarope in Shetland, Radde's Warbler in Hampshire, Dusky Warblers in Norfolk and Yorkshire (two), Rustic Bunting in Yorkshire, Two-barred Crossbills in Kent and Norfolk (two), Long-billed Dowitcher and Red-breasted Goose in Hampshire, Blue-winged Teal in Clyde, Lesser Scaups in Greater Manchester and Glamorgan and Bonaparte's Gull in Devon. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Monday 14th October 2013 | ||
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| Rare and scarce birds continued to arrive on the east coast - Radde's
Warbler and Rustic Bunting (East Yorkshire), Siberian Stonechat
and Coues's Arctic Redpoll (Norfolk), White-rumped Sandpiper
(Lincolnshire), two Olive-backed Pipits, three Little Buntings,
four Red-flanked Bluetails and five Dusky Warblers were all
recorded today.
On Shetland the Wilson's Phalarope (Mainland) and Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll (Yell) both lingered, whilst Fair Isle hosted Red-throated Pipit, two Olive-backed Pipits, Coues's Arctic Redpoll, Arctic Warbler, Blyth's Reed Warbler and two Little Buntings. On Isles of Scilly the Grey-cheeked Thrush and a Little Bunting were logged on St Mary's and the Sora remained on Tresco. In Co Mayo a White-rumped Sandpiper and American Golden Plover were discovered on The Mullet. Elsewhere lingering rarities included Radde's Warbler, Long-billed Dowitcher and Red-breasted Goose in Hampshire, Long-billed Dowitcher and Lesser Scaup in Glamorgan, Bonaparte's Gull in Devon, Lesser Scaup in Greater Manchester, Western Bonelli's Warbler on Orkney, Lesser Yellowlegs in Carmarthenshire, Baird's Sandpiper in Co Kerry, Two-barred Crossbills in Norfolk (2) and Kent, Forster's Tern in Co Dublin, Sardinian Warbler in Borders and at least 15 Glossy Ibises. The best of the rest included two Short-toed Larks, two Bluethroats, at least four Rose-coloured Starlings, at least five Parrot Crossbills and at least 15 Pallas's Warblers. In Cleveland a Bonelli's warbler species present at Hartlepool on Sunday was belatedly identified from photographs - the first record for Co Durham and Cleveland. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Sunday 13th October 2013 | ||
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| 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. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Saturday 12th October 2013 | ||
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| 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. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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