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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Thursday 20th August 2015  
  Rarity sightings included Lesser Yellowlegs in Lancashire, Greenish Warbler on Shetland, Arctic Warbler in Aberdeenshire, Spotted Sandpiper in Wiltshire, Red-footed Falcon in Lincolnshire, Black Stork in Aberdeenshire, White-rumped Sandpipers in Kent and Co Dublin, Bee-eaters in Cumbria (2) and Flintshire, Lesser Scaup in Somerset and two Wilson's Petrels off Isles of Scilly.

The best of the rest included Night Heron (West Yorkshire), Dotterel (Northumberland), Sabine's Gull (Shetland), Spotted Crake (East Yorkshire), American Golden Plover (Orkney), two Pectoral Sandpipers, two Melodious Warblers, four Barred Warblers, four Temminck's Stints (Kent), seven Red-backed Shrikes, ten Icterine Warblers and 13 Wrynecks.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Wednesday 19th August 2015  
  New discoveries comprised Booted Warbler and Thrush Nightingale on Shetland, Arctic Warbler in Aberdeenshire, Greenish Warblers in Orkney and Shetland [2] and Citrine Wagtail on Isles of Scilly, whilst Black Storks (Aberdeenshire and East Sussex), Red-footed Falcon (Lincolnshire), Bonaparte's Gull and White-rumped Sandpiper (Kent), Bee-eaters (Cumbria) and Spotted Sandpiper (Wiltshire) all lingered.

A scattering of scarce migrants, mainly on the east coast, included Temminck's Stint (North Yorkshire), Spotted Crake (East Yorkshire), Red-breasted Flycatcher (Fife), Common Rosefinch (Orkney), American Golden Plover (Co Donegal), Woodchat Shrike (Isles of Scilly), two Grey-headed Wagtails, two Dotterel, three Pectoral Sandpipers, five Red-backed Shrikes, ten Barred Warblers, 11 Icterine Warblers and at least 25 Wrynecks.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Tuesday 18th August 2015  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of the first Fan-tailed Warbler for Sussex, and the first in Britain since 2010. Present for just a few minutes at Climping mid evening, there was no further sign of the bird by dusk.

Lingering rarities still present today included the Black Storks in Sussex and Aberdeenshire, Spotted Sandpiper in Wiltshire, Red-footed Falcon in Lincolnshire, White-rumped Sandpiper in Kent, Bee-eater in Cumbria and Lesser Scaup in Somerset.

Scarcity highlights included a Red-backed Shrike, a Spotted Crake, a Night Heron, a Ring-billed Gull, a Honey Buzzard, a Buff-breasted Sandpiper, an American Golden Plover, two Pectoral Sandpipers, two Icterine Warblers, two Barred Warblers, two Wrynecks, three Montagu's Harriers, three Long-tailed Skuas and five Pomarine Skuas.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Monday 17th August 2015  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of a Western Bonelli's Warbler in Cornwall at Porthgwarra, with a Black Stork overflying Wadebridge, Cornwall. Other Black Storks comprised lingering juveniles still in Aberdeenshire, East Sussex and East Yorkshire.

Other rarities today were the Spotted Sandpiper still in Wiltshire, with another briefly in Devon at Bishopsteignton, Red-footed Falcon in Liolnshire, White-rumped Sandpiper in both East Yorkshire and Kent, and three Bee-eaters still at the nest in Cumbria.

Scarcities included Icterine Warbler (Norfolk), Barred Warbler (East Yorkshire), Red-backed Shrike (Essex and East Sussex), Ortolan Bunting and Wryneck (together in Cornwall), White-winged Black Tern (Kent), Night Heron (Lincolnshire), Purple Heron (Suffolk), Spotted Crake (East Yorkshire), and Ring-billed Gull (Cornwall). Seabirds included 12 Great Shearwaters (Isles of Scilly), Cory's Shearwater (County Mayo), and Long-tailed Skua (East Yorkshire).
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Sunday 16th August 2015  
  Today's headline discoveries included a Fea's Petrel seen from a pelagic off the Isles of Scilly and a Spotted Sandpiper in Wiltshire (which was present for its second day). Elsewhere rarities comprised Wilson's Petrels off Co Cork (2) and Isles of Scilly, Black Stork in Aberdeenshire, Bee-eaters in Cumbria, White-rumped Sandpipers in Kent and Aberdeenshire, Bonaparte's Gull in Kent, Red-footed Falcon in Lincolnshire, Aquatic Warbler and Paddyfield Warbler in Shetland and Thrush Nightingale in Northumberland.

The best of the rest included Sabine's Gull (Greater Manchester), Pectoral Sandpiper (Co Meath), Spotted Crake (East Yorkshire), Surf Scoter (Angus), White-winged Black Tern (Devon), two Red-backed Shrikes, two Icterine Warblers, two Purple Herons, two Rose-coloured Starlings, three Wrynecks and four Barred Warblers.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Saturday 15th August 2015  
  New discoveries included Baird's Sandpiper (Devon), two Greenish Warblers (Northumberland), Aquatic Warbler (Shetland), White-rumped Sandpiper (Aberdeenshire), Wilson's Petrels (Co Cork [2] and Isles of Scilly), Bee-eater (Ayrshire) and Thrush Nightingale (Northumberland). A Black Stork and Red-footed Falcon (Lincolnshire), Paddyfield Warbler (Shetland), White-rumped Sandpipers (East Yorkshire and Western Isles) and Bonaparte's Gull (Kent) all lingered.

The best of the rest included White-winged Black Tern (Devon), Rose-coloured Starling (Highland), Bluethroat (Somersert), American Golden Plover (Orkney), White Stork, Purple Heron and Serin (Suffolk), Cattle Egret (Kent), Spotted Crake (East Yorkshire), two Icterine Warblers, two Pectoral Sandpipers, four Red-backed Shrikes and five Wrynecks.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Friday 14th August 2015  
  The highlight of day was an arrival of drift migrants, with a Greenish Warbler in North Yorkshire at Filey, three Wrynecks (East Sussex, Essex and Northumberland), four Barred Warblers (Lincolnshire, East Yorkshire (2) and Northumberland), five Icterine Warblers (East Yorkshire (2) and Norfolk (3), and a scattering of Pied Flycatchers, Redstarts and Whinchats. Associated weather-induced movements included 16 Little Terns inland, and totals of 117 Black Terns, and 44 Wood Sandpipers.

Lingering rarities confirmed as still present were the Paddyfield Warbler on the Shetland Isles, Black Stork in Aberdeenshire, Red-footed Falcon in Lincolnshire, Bonaparte's Gull and White-rumped Sandpiper together in Kent, Lesser Scaup in Somerset, and two Bee-eaters at the nest in Cumbria.

Otherwise, scarcities included White-winged Black Tern (Devon), American Golden Plover (Orkney Isles), Red-backed Shrike (Essex), Spotted Crake (East Yorkshire), Sabine's Gull (County Clare and Greater Manchester), Cory's Shearwater (Cornwall and East Yorkshire), Long-tailed Skua (County Clare), Pectoral Sandpiper (County Durham, Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire), Ring-billed Gull (Cornwall, County Derry and Lancashire).
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Thursday 13th August 2015  
  The highlight of the day was the reappearance of the Little Bittern in South Yorkshire at Old Moor, whilst lingering rarities confirmed as still present were the Paddyfield Warbler on the Shetland Isles, single Black Storks in both Aberdeenshire and Lincolnshire, Red-footed Falcon in Lincolnshire, White-rumped Sandpiper in Kent, Lesser Scaup in Somerset, and two Bee-eaters together at the nest in Cumbria.

Scarcities included Icterine Warbler (Norfolk), Red-backed Shrike (Essex), Purple Heron (Suffolk), Spotted Crake (East Yorkshire), Sabine's Gull (Greater Manchester), Pectoral Sandpiper (Nottinghamshire), Ring-billed Gull (Lancashire), Surf Scoter (Aberdeenshire) and Long-tailed Skua (Lincolnshire).

Significant late news concerned an Aquatic Warbler present yesterday in North Yorkshire at Wheldrake Ings.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Wednesday 12th August 2015  
  Discoveries today included a Red-footed Falcon in Lincolnshire at Willow Tree Fen, a Bee-eater on the Orkney Isles on North Ronaldsay, a Wilson's Petrel off County Cork, and an Alpine Swift briefly in Staffordshire.

Lingering rarities confirmed as still present were the Paddyfield Warbler on the Shetland Isles, Black Stork in Dorset (with it or another overflying East Sussex later in the day), Bonaparte's Gull and White-rumped Sandpiper together in Kent, and three Bee-eaters at the nest in Cumbria.

Scarcities included Red-backed Shrike (Essex), Purple Heron (Suffolk), Surf Scoter (Aberdeenshire), Sabine's Gull (Greater Manchester), Spotted Crake (East Yorkshire), Temminck's Stint (Kent), Pectoral Sandpiper (Lincolnshire), Ring-billed Gull (Cornwall and Lancashire), Cory's Shearwater (Cornwall), and Great Shearwater (County Cork (3) and County Waterford).
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Tuesday 11th August 2015  
  Another great day for Black Storks, with a single still in Aberdeenshire, another in east Dorset - moving from Portland to West Bexington - and two in Lincolnshire: the lingering bird at Croft, and another moving between Covenham Reservoir and South Somercotes; the latter bird being the French-ringed bird previously noted in East Yorkshire at Spurn on 3rd-10th August.

Other rarities comprised new White-rumped Sandpipers in both Norfolk at Titchwell, and Kent at Oare, the Paddyfield Warbler still on the Shetland Isles, Lesser Scaup in Somerset, two Bee-eaters at the nest in Cumbria, with another heard briefly in Staffordshire.

Scarcities included Melodious Warbler (Cornwall and Dorset), Red-backed Shrike (Essex), Hoopoe (Kent and County Waterford), Purple Heron (two in Suffolk), Spotted Crake (East Yorkshire and Norfolk), Pectoral Sandpiper (Lincolnshire and Northumberland), Ring-billed Gull (Lancashire), Sabine's Gull (Greater Manchester), and Long-tailed Skua (County Kerry).
-  Chris Batty, RBA