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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Wednesday 22nd October 2014  
  Highlight of the day was the discovery of a Hermit Thrush on North Uist (Western Isles). Elsewhere new discoveries included a flyby Forster's Tern in Cornwall, Pallid Harrier in Somerset, King Eider in Highland, Little Bunting in Dorset, and Olive-backed Pipit in Shetland.

Lingering rarities included Olive-backed Pipit in Co Durham, Booted Warbler in Lothian, Lesser Yellowlegs in Cornwall, Siberian Stonechat in Hampshire, two Little Buntings in Shetland, Spotted Sandpiper in Aberdeenshire and Bonaparte's Gull in Devon.

In addition to the Forster's Tern seawatchers logged Ring-billed Gull (Western Isles), Sabine's Gulls, Long-tailed and Pomarine Skuas, Grey Phalaropes, Leach's Petrels, Balearic Shearwaters and Little Auks, whilst Surf Scoters were logged in Norfolk and East Yorkshire. A Red-backed Shrike (Suffolk), Barred Warbler (Fife), Ortolan Bunting (Devon), White-winged Black Tern (East Sussex), Wryneck (Pembrokeshire), Ring-necked Duck (Cornwall), American Wigeon (Orkney), two Great Grey Shrikes, two American Golden Plovers, two Red-breasted Flycatchers, two Rose-coloured Starlings, two Green-winged Teals, two Cattle Egrets, three Shorelarks and approximately nine Rough-legged Buzzards were also logged.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Tuesday 21st October 2014  
  Hurricane Gonzalo created excellent seawatching conditions on western coastlines; the headline sighting was a Bridled Tern off Pendeen (Cornwall) this morning, whilst a Cory's Shearwater, Long-tailed and Pomarine Skuas, Grey Phalaropes, Leach's Petrels, Balearic Shearwaters and Sabine's Gulls reports also featured heavily in today's news.

A Lesser Yellowlegs was discovered in Cornwall and a Richardson's Cackling Goose was in Argyll, whilst lingering rarities included Olive-backed Pipits in Co Durham and Shetland, Lesser Yellowlegs in Co Dublin, Siberian Stonechat in Hampshire and Booted Warbler in Lothian

The best of the rest included Barred Warbler and Common Rosefinch (Isles of Scilly), Pectoral Sandpiper (Argyll), Red-backed Shrike (Suffolk), American Wigeon (Highland), Ring-necked Duck (Cornwall), White-winged Black Tern (East Sussex), two Rose-coloured Starlings, two American Golden Plovers, two Great Grey Shrikes three Shorelarks and five Rough-legged Buzzards.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Monday 20th October 2014  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of a Black Scoter in Angus at Lunan Bay, whilst in East Yokshire a Pallid Swift flew over Flamborough Head.

Elsewhere, lingering rarities confirmed as still present were the Spotted Sandpiper in Aberdeenshire, Semipalmated Sandpiper in Devon, Booted Warbler in Lothian, Siberian Stonechat in Hampshire, Olive-backed Pipit in County Durham, and both Forster's Tern and Lesser Yellowlegs in County Dublin.

On the Shetland Isles the Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler remained with Red-throated Pipit, Olive-backed Pipit, Little Bunting, Red-breasted Flycatcher and four Lapland Buntings. Meanwhile, on the Isles of Scilly, Short-toed Lark, Rose-coloured Starling, Richard's Pipit, Green-winged Teal and Yellow-browed Warbler were all logged.

Scarcities included Kentish Plover (Glamorgan), White-winged Black Tern (East Sussex), Pallas's Warbler (Norfolk), Rose-coloured Starling (Cornwall), Hoopoe (Dumfries and Galloway), and a total of eight Rough-legged Buzzards.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Sunday 19th October 2014  
  The second Franklin's Gull for Hampshire was seen in flight at Blashford Lakes HWT early afternoon. A Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler was at Voe, Shetland, a Semipalmated Sandpiper was in Plymouth, Devon and a Spotted Sandpiper was identified at Inverallochy, Aberdeenshire, having been present a week.

Lingering rarities included the Penduline Tit at Titchwell, Norfolk, Siberian Stonechat at Titchfield Haven, Hampshire, single Olive-backed Pipits in Sunderland, County Durham and on Fair Isle, Shetland (with a Red-throated Pipit and Little Bunting also on Fair Isle), and a Forster's Tern and Lesser Yellowlegs in County Dublin.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Saturday 18th October 2014  
  New discoveries comprised a Siberian Stonechat in Hampshire and Penduline Tit in Norfolk.

Lingering rarities included Olive-backed Pipits in Co Durham and Fair Isle (3), Lesser Scaup in Glamorgan and Powys, Red-throated Pipit and two Little Buntings on Fair Isle, Blue-winged Teal (or hybrid) in Northumberland, White-rumped Sandpiper on Western Isles and Lesser Yellowlegs in Co Dublin. An Isabelline Shrike was reported at Easington (East Yorkshire).

The best of the rest included White-winged Black Tern in East Sussex, Red-backed Shrike in Suffolk, American Golden Plover and Ring-necked Duck in Cornwall, Cattle Egret in Kent, Short-toed Lark on Isles of Scilly, American Wigeon on the Co Leitrim/ Co Donegal border, Bluethroat on Shetland and Kentish Plover in Glamorgan. At least eight Great Grey Shrikes, 13 Rough-legged Buzzards, three Shorelarks, three Glossy Ibises, four Pallas's Warblers, three Richard's Pipits, three Pectoral Sandpipers, four Barred Warblers, four Rose-coloured Starlings and two Red-breasted Flycatchers were also recorded.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Friday 17th October 2014  
  The only new rarity reported today was an Olive-backed Pipit in Sunderland, County Durham, which showed very well from mid morning until dusk.

Lingering rarities still present today included single Isabelline Shrikes in Yorkshire and Norfolk, Siberian Stonechat in Lothian, Olive-backed Pipit in Northumberland, Olive-backed Pipit, Red-throated Pipit and Little Bunting on Fair Isle, Subalpine Warbler in Cornwall, Snowy Owl in Moray, Lesser Yellowlegs in County Dublin and Blue-winged Teal (or hybrid) in Northumberland.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Thursday 16th October 2014  
  Another Isabelline Shrike was found today, this time in Kent at Sandwich Bay, with the other two remaining at Warham, Norfolk and Kilnsea, Yorkshire. Also at Kilnsea a Pallid Swift was present briefly, whilst a Red-throated Pipit was found at Norby, Shetland.

Lingering rarities still present today included the Steppe Grey Shrike and Olive-backed Pipit in Norfolk, Red-flanked Bluetail in Shetland, Booted Warbler and Siberian Stonechat in Lothian, Olive-backed Pipit in Northumberland and Subalpine Warbler in Cornwall.

There was no sign of the Siberian Thrush in Shetland.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Wednesday 15th October 2014  
  The ninth Siberian Thrush for Britain was found in Shetland this evening, where it was trapped and released at Scousburgh at dusk. Astonishingly, it was found to be bearing a Norwegian ring, and is therefore almost certainly the individual trapped and ringed at Husoy on 24th September.

Two Isabelline Shrikes were found today, first at Kilnsea, Yorkshire then at Warham Greens, Norfolk (which was later found to be present for its second day). Yorkshire also gained a Radde's Warbler at Easington and a Little Bunting at Flamborough, whilst Norfolk produced a Dusky Warbler at Wells. Other new discoveries included a Snowy Owl near Thurso, Highland, a Red-footed Falcon at Northwick Warth, Gloucestershire, an Olive-backed Pipit on Brownsman, Northumberland, an Alpine Swift at Dinton Pastures, Berkshire, a Dusky Warbler at Reculver, Kent, a Little Bunting on St Agnes, Isles of Scilly, a Richardson's Cackling Goose on Barra, Western Isles and a Forster's Tern at Rogerstown, County Dublin.

Lingering rarity highlights included the Steppe Grey Shrike, Olive-backed Pipit and Radde's Warbler in Norfolk, Booted Warbler and Siberian Stonechat in Lothian, Subalpine Warbler in Cornwall, White-rumped Sandpiper in the Western Isles and an Olive-backed Pipit, Red-throated Pipit and two Little Buntings on Fair Isle, Shetland.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Tuesday 14th October 2014  
  On one of the busiest days of the autumn, as is often the case, there was no stand out rarity highlight. New discoveries in Norfolk included a Red-flanked Bluetail at Stiffkey, an Olive-backed Pipit at Wells, single Radde's Warblers at Wells, Burnham Overy, Brancaster and Great Yarmouth and a Little Bunting at Warham. Another Radde's Warbler was at Gibraltar Point, Lincolnshire, whilst the lingering Booted Warbler in Lothian was joined by a Siberian Stonechat, and both a Rustic Bunting and Little Bunting were found in Shetland (on Unst and Mainland respectively). A Penduline Tit was heard on St Mary's, Isles of Scilly.

Lingering rarity highlights included the Solitary Sandpiper in County Wexford, Steppe Grey Shrike in Norfolk, Arctic Warbler in Lincolnshire, Subalpine Warbler in Cornwall, single Radde's Warblers in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire and Olive-backed Pipit in Orkney.

Large numbers of Ring Ouzels were seen, mainly along the SE coast, with at least 550 at Dungeness and at least 410 at St Margaret's at Cliffe.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Monday 13th October 2014  
  A Brunnich's Guillemot observed flying past Flamborough Head (East Yorkshire) was the most significant report of the day. Seawatchers also logged 16 Little Auks, 13 Long-tailed and many Pomarine Skuas.

Elsewhere new discoveries included Red-flanked Bluetails on Fair Isle and in Norfolk, Black Kite in Cornwall and two Olive-backed Pipits on Mainland Shetland. Lingering rarities included Eastern Bonelli's Warbler (Shetland), Subalpine Warbler (Cornwall), Booted Warbler (Lothian), Little Crake (Suffolk), Lesser Yellowlegs (Co Dublin), Steppe Grey Shrike (Norfolk), Bonaparte's Gull (Co Durham), White-rumped Sandpiper (Western Isles), Solitary Sandpiper (Co Wexford) and Radde's Warbler (Lincolnshire).

The best of the rest included Ring-necked Duck (Cornwall),  Rough-legged Buzzard (Co Durham), Short-toed Lark and Richard's Pipit (Isles of Scilly), American Wigeon (Co Donegal), Cattle Egret (Cheshire), Glossy Ibis (Nottinghamshire), Common Rosefinch (Western Isles), Bluethroat (East Yorkshire), six Great Grey Shrikes, five Red-breasted Flycatchers, two Red-backed Shrikes, two Barred Warblers, two Rose-coloured Starlings, two Pallas's Warblers and four Wrynecks.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA