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 10th November 2014  
  A Red-breasted Goose arrived on Orkney, whilst White-billed Diver in Shetland and Ferruginous Duck in Hampshire were both presumably returning birds.

Lingering rarities included Desert Wheatear in Norfolk, Bonaparte's Gull in Devon, Lesser Yellowlegs in Cornwall, Grey-cheeked Thrush and Red-flanked Bluetail in Shetland, Franklin's Gull in Hampshire and American Coot in Co Kerry.

The best of the rest included Yellow-browed Warbler (Suffolk), Ring-necked Duck (Northamptonshire), at least two Richard's Pipits, two American Wigeons, two Surf Scoters and at up to 15 Rough-legged Buzzards.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Sunday 9th November 2014  
  In Cornwall, an Isabelline Shrike was found at Pendeen, with a Red-throated Pipit nearby over Sennen. An Olive-backed Pipit was in neighbouring Devon, near Thurlestone, whilst Dusky Warblers were found at Holkham, Norfolk and at Sandgarth, Shetland. An Azorean Yellow-legged Gull was present in the Wintersett Reservoir roost in Yorkshire.

Lingering rarities in Shetland included the Grey-cheeked Thrush, Pied Wheatear and two Red-flanked Bluetails. Further south was all three Desert Wheatears (Norfolk, Suffolk and Kent), Citrine Wagtail in Yorkshire, Siberian Stonechat on the Isle of Wight, Spotted Sandpiper in Aberdeenshire, Bonaparte's Gull in Devon, Franklin's Gull in Hampshire, Blue-winged Teal (or hybrid) in Northumberland, Lesser Scaups in Glamorgan and Powys, King Eider in Moray and Lesser Yellowlegs' in Cornwall and County Dublin.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Saturday 8th November 2014  
  Another Grey-cheeked Thrush was found in Shetland today, in a garden in Rerwick. This is the third record for the county this autumn, out of a total of five in Britain. Also in Shetland a new Red-flanked Bluetail was at Voe, with the lingering individual still at Geosetter. Further south, a Siberian Stonechat was found at Newbiggin, Northumberland.

Lingering rarities included obliging Desert Wheatears at Reculver, Kent, Lowestoft, Suffolk and Gorleston, Norfolk and a less obliging American Coot in County Kerry, as well as the Siberian Stonechat on the Isle of Wight, Citrine Wagtail in Yorkshire, single Lesser Yellowlegs' in Cornwall and County Dublin, Franklin's Gull in Hampshire, King Eider in Moray and Richardson's Cackling Goose in County Sligo.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Friday 7th November 2014  
  New discoveries included a Penduline Tit in Gloucestershire and Desert Wheatear in Norfolk. Lingering rarities comprised Desert Wheatears in Suffolk and Kent, Pallid Harrier in Somerset, Laughing Gull in Co Cork, Lesser Yellowlegs in Cornwall, Franklin's Gull in Hampshire, Richardson's Canada Goose in Argyll, and Siberian Stonechat on Isle of Wight.

The best of the rest included Lesser Snow Goose (Lancashire), Glossy Ibis (Lincolnshire), Barred Warbler (Co Wexford), two Surf Scoters, two Hoopoes, two Cattle Egrets and seven Rough-legged Buzzards.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Thursday 6th November 2014  
  Desert Wheatears were found in Suffolk (at Lowestoft) and in Kent (at Reculver), with a Red-rumped Swallow also in the latter county (at Dungeness). A Siberian Stonechat was at The Hersey NR on the Isle of Wight.

Lingering rarities included the American Coot in County Kerry, Pied Wheatear in Shetland, Franklin's Gull in Hampshire, Snowy Owl in Highland, Pallid Harrier in Somerset, Citrine Wagtail in Yorkshire, Lesser Yellowlegs in Cornwall and single Lesser Scaups in Berkshire and Glamorgan.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Wednesday 5th November 2014  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of an American Coot in County Kerry at Lough Gill: the fourth Irish record. Otherwise, a Citrine Wagtail was new at Flamborough Head, East Yorkshire, and a Little Bunting arrived at Whitburn, County Durham.

Lingering rarities confirmed as still present were both the Pied Wheatear and Red-flanked Bluetail on the Shetland Isles, Franklin's Gull in Hampshire, Lesser Scaup in Berkshire, Richardson's Cackling Goose in County Sligo, and Lesser Yellowlegs in County Clare, Cornwall and County Dublin.

Scarcities included Short-toed Lark (Orkney Isles), Shorelark (Norfolk), Hoopoe (Somerset), two each of Pallas's Warbler (both in Norfolk), Cattle Egret and Ring-billed Gull, three Lesser Snow Geese, four each of both Surf Scoter and Rough-legged Buzzard, seven Yellow-browed Warblers and 13 Great Grey Shrikes.

However, it was seawatching along the whole length of the east coast of England that dominated the day, with Little Auk county maxima including 2,921 Northumberland, 1,376 Durham and 980 East Yorkshire, and Pomarine Skua county maxima including 166 Norfolk, 37 East Yorkshire and 32 North Yorkshire. Support included 23 Grey Phalaropes, 16 Sooty Shearwaters, five Long-tailed Skuas and two Sabine's Gulls.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Tuesday 4th November 2014  
  The first Red-eyed Vireo for Cumbria and the North-west region was discovered at South Walney NR this morning, where it showed well for most of the day. A Red-flanked Bluetail was seen briefly in Hastings Country Park, with another remaining at Geosetter, Shetland.

Other lingering rarities included the Subalpine Warbler on the Isles of Scilly, Forster's Tern and Lesser Yellowlegs in County Dublin and another of the latter still in Cornwall.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Monday 3rd November 2014  
  In Shetland a Red-flanked Bluetail was trapped and ringed at Geosetter (Mainland), whilst lingering rarities comprised Pallid Harrier in Somerset, Lesser Yellowlegs in Cornwall, Blue-winged Teal (or hybrid) in Northumberland and Franklin's Gull in Hampshire.

The best of the rest included Hoopoe (Somerset), Lesser Snow Goose (Lancashire), Red-breasted Flycatcher (Devon), White-winged Black Tern (Dorset), Red-backed Shrike (Suffolk), Surf Scoter (Norfolk), Glossy Ibis (Lincolnshire), Ring-necked Duck (Argyll), two Rose-coloured Starlings, two American Wigeons, two American Golden Plovers, two Cattle Egrets, seven Great Grey Shrikes and ten Rough-legged Buzzards.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Sunday 2nd November 2014  
  The highlight of the day was a Blackpoll Warbler present in Easington, East Yorkshire for a brief period in the early morning. Elsewhere, new rarities today were a Siberian Stonechat identified on Fair Isle, and a Bonaparte's Gull at Tramore, County Waterford.

Other rarity news comprised the Bufflehead still on the Orkney Isles, Pied Wheatear on the Shetland Isles, Pallid Harrier in Somerset, Franklin's Gull in Hampshire, Forster's Tern in County Dublin, Subalpine Warbler on the Isles of Scilly, Laughing Gull in County Cork, Spotted Sandpiper in Aberdeenshire, Lesser Yellowlegs in Cornwall and County Dublin, Lesser Scaup in Powys, Richardson's Cackling Goose in County Sligo, and Azorean Yellow-legged Gull in Cambridgeshire, but the Eastern Crowned Warbler had gone from Brotton, Cleveland.

Scarcities included Pallas's Warbler (Dorset), Hoopoe (Somerset), Wryneck (Pembrokeshire), American Golden Plover (Ayrshire), Red-necked Phalarope (Isles of Scilly), two each of Red-breasted Flycatcher, Barred Warbler and Red-backed Shrike, three each of Rose-coloured Starling, Richard's Pipit and Lesser Snow Goose, four Surf Scoters, 17 Rough-legged Buzzards and 30 Yellow-browed Warblers.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Saturday 1st November 2014  
  The first Bufflehead for Orkney was identified today, having been found yesterday, and was still present in a small quarry in Holm. A little further north, a Pied Wheatear was at Haroldswick, Unst, Shetland whilst a Subalpine Warbler was at the opposite end of Britain at Pelistry, St Mary's, Isles of Scilly.

The Eastern Crowned Warbler remained at Hunley Hall, Cleveland, and other lingering rarities included the Franklin's Gull in Hampshire, Pallid Harrier in Somerset, Spotted Sandpiper in Aberdeenshire, Forster's Tern and Lesser Yellowlegs in County Dublin (with other Lesser Yellowlegs' in Cornwall and County Clare), Dusky Warbler in Northumberland, Richardson's Cackling Goose in County Sligo and single Lesser Scaups in Powys, Glamorgan and Berkshire.

Scarcity totals included a Red-breasted Flycatcher, a Pallas's Warbler, a Bluethroat, a Wryneck, a Lesser Snow Goose, a White-winged Black Tern, an American Golden Plover, two Hoopoes, two Red-backed Shrikes, two Rose-coloured Starlings, two Shorelarks, three Richard's Pipits, four Barred Warblers, four Surf Scoters, eight Grey Phalaropes, eight Lapland Buntings, 13 Great Grey Shrikes, 20 Rough-legged Buzzards and 34 Yellow-browed Warblers.
-  Will Soar, RBA