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 16th September 2015  
  Today's rarities included the Hudsonian Godwit on Inishmore, Go Galway (but only until 9.20am), two Western Bonelli's Warblers on Shetland, Arctic Warbler in Lothian, Red-footed Falcon in Fife and Greenish Warbler on Orkney.

The best of the rest included Woodchat Shrike (North Yorkshire), Bluethroat (Northumberland), Merlodious Warbler (Isles of Scilly), Surf Scoter (Lothian), Richard's Pipit (Co Wexford), Hoopoe (Co Cork), Buff-breasted Sandpiper (Co Wexford), Rose-coloured Starling (Argyll), Common Rosefinch (Shetland), Red-necked Phalarope (Herefordshire), Dotterel (Isle of Wight), two American Wigeons, three Barred Warblers, three American Golden Plovers, four Grey Phalaropes, five Red-backed Shrikes, five Pectoral Sandpipers, eight Yellow-browed Warblers and nine Wrynecks.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Tuesday 15th September 2015  
  The highlight of the day was the reappearance of the male Hudsonian Godwit in County Galway, on Inishmore, Aran Islands where it showed well until dusk. The same bird - and the first Irish record - had previously been seen further northwest in County Galway, at Inishdawros, on 23rd July 2015.

Other rarities comprised a Blyth's Reed Warbler confirmed in County Durham at Marsden Quarry, a Wilson's Petrel off the Isles of Scilly, Arctic Warbler still in Lothian, and the lingering Red-footed Falcon in Fife. On the Shetland Isles a Pallid Harrier remained on Fair Isle, with the Western Bonelli's Warbler still at Sumburgh Head with a further unidentified Bonelli's Warbler species on Unst.

Scarcities included Melodious Warbler, Icterine Warbler, Golden Oriole and Dotterel all on the Isles of Scilly, Buff-breasted Sandpiper and American Wigeon together in County Wexford, Surf Scoter and Ring-billed Gull on the Western Isles, Woodchat Shrike (North Yorkshire), Rose-coloured Starling (Cornwall), Cattle Egret (Kent), two each of both Ortolan Bunting and Red-backed Shrike, three Great Shearwaters, four Yellow-browed Warblers, five Pectoral Sandpipers, six Barred Warblers, nine of both Wryneck and Long-tailed Skua, and 14 Grey Phalaropes.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Monday 14th September 2015  
  The highlight of the day was a flyover Short-toed Eagle in Hampshire, whilst a Red-footed Falcon (Fife) and Western Bonelli's Warbler (Shetland) were also discovered. Lingering rarities included Pallid Harrier (Shetland), Lesser Scaup (Somerset) and Arctic Warbler (Co Galway).

The best of the rest included Woodchat Shrike (North Yorkshire), Spotted Crake (Ceredigion/ Pembrokeshire), Surf Scoter (Aberdeenshire), Red-breasted Flycatcher (Co Mayo), American Wigeon (Argyll), Little Bunting (Fetlar), Glossy Ibis (Somerset), Dotterel (Anglesey), two Common Rosefinches, two Buff-breasted Sandpipers, two Grey Phalaropes,  three Pectoral Sandpipers, three Red-necked Phalaropes, six Red-backed Shrikes, seven Barred Warblers, nine Wrynecks and 12 Yellow-browed Warblers.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Sunday 13th September 2015  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of three Pallid Harriers on the Shetland Isles; two together on Unst at Northdale, and one on Fair Isle. Otherwise, an Arctic Warbler was new in County Galway on Inishbofin, whilst the Arctic Warbler remained in Lothian, as did the Black Stork in East Yorkshire, and the Long-billed Dowitcher on the Shetland Isles.

Scarcities included Woodchat Shrike (North Yorkshire), Red-breasted Flycatcher (Northumberland), Lapland Bunting (East Yorkshire), White-winged Black Tern (Norfolk), Temminck's Stint (Gloucestershire), Purple Heron and Glossy Ibis (together in Somerset), Great Shearwater (Pembrokeshire), Long-tailed Skua (Fife), Dotterel (Anglesey), American Wigeon (County Wexford), two each of Icterine Warbler, Common Rosefinch, Red-necked Phalarope, Sabine's Gull, Ring-billed Gull and Cattle Egret, three Ortolan Buntings, four Honey Buzzards, six Barred Warblers, seven Red-backed Shrikes, eight Pectoral Sandpipers, 10 Wrynecks and 17 Yellow-browed Warblers.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Saturday 12th September 2015  
  An Eastern Olivaceous Warbler was trapped and ringed at Skaw, Whalsay, Shetland this afternoon. Nearby, a new Citrine Wagtail was on Fair Isle, whilst a Greenish Warbler was found further south at Marsden Quarry, County Durham.

The Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler remained at Isbister, as did the Long-billed Dowitcher on Yell, both Shetland. Other lingering rarities included the Arctic Warbler in Lothian, Black Stork in East Yorkshire and Red-footed Falcon in Aberdeenshire.

Scarcity highlights included singles of Ortolan Bunting, Bluethroat, Melodious Warbler, Rose-coloured Starling, Corncrake and White-winged Black Tern, two each of Common Rosefinch and Grey Phalarope, three each of Icterine Warbler and Dotterel, four each of Pectoral Sandpiper and Red-necked Phalarope, five each of Red-breasted Flycatcher and Red-backed Shrike, 10 Barred Warblers and 17 each of Yellow-browed Warbler and Wryneck.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Friday 11th September 2015  
  A Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler at Isbister, Shetland is the second earliest found in Britain, beaten only by the bird trapped on 6th September last year at Titchfield Haven, Hampshire. An Arctic Warbler was at Skateraw, Lothian, whilst late news from yesterday concerned a Short-toed Treecreeper at Dungeness, Kent.

Lingering rarities included the Booted Warbler at Sumburgh, Pallid Harrier at Loch of Hillwell and Citrine Wagtail on Fair Isle, all Shetland, Red-footed Falcon at Girdle Ness, Aberdeenshire and Black Stork at Sunk Island, Yorkshire.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Thursday 10th September 2015  
  Rarity highlights included Booted Warbler (Shetland), Red-footed Falcons (Northumberland and Aberdeenshire), Citrine Wagtail (Norfolk), Wilson's Petrel (Isles of Scilly) and Black Stork (East Yorkshire).

The best of the rest included Spotted Crake (Pembrokeshire), Dotterel (Cornwall), Pectoral Sandpiper (Norfolk), Rose-coloured Starling (Cornwall), Red-breasted Flycatcher (East Yorkshire), two White-winged Black Terns, two Icterine Warblers, two Ortolan Buntings, two Red-necked Phalaropes, three Long-tailed Skuas, three Common Rosefinches, three Red-backed Shrikes, 11 Wrynecks, 12 Barred Warblers and 12 Yellow-browed Warblers.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Wednesday 9th September 2015  
  A Fea's/Zino's Petrel flew past Spurn (East Yorkshire) early this morning. New discoveries included Booted Warbler on Mainland Shetland and Red-footed Falcon in Northumberland, whilst Forster's Tern (Co Dublin), Black Stork (East Yorkshire), Long-billed Dowitcher (Shetland), Bee-eater (Cumbria) and Citrine Wagtail (Orkney) all lingered.

The best of the rest included Little Bunting (Dorset), Icterine Warbler (Northumberland), Red-necked Phalarope (Suffolk), Hoopoe (Dorset), Pectoral Sandpiper (West Sussex), three Rose-coloured Starlings, three Barred Warblers, three White-winged Black Terns, three Common Rosefinches, four Wrynecks, five Ortolan Buntings, nine Red-backed Shrikes and 21 Yellow-browed Warblers.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Tuesday 8th September 2015  
  The highlight of the day was a Fea's/Zino's Petrel that this evening flew north past Flamborough Head, East Yorkshire, then Scarborough, North Yorkshire.

Elsewhere, a Western Bonelli's Warbler was found in County Cork at Galley Head, with an Azorean Yellow-legged Gull new nearby at Blackrock. On the Shetland Isles a Long-billed Dowitcher arrived on Yell, Arctic Warbler and Citrine Wagtail were on Fair Isle, and a Pallid Harrier remained at Hillwell, Mainland. A Wilson's Phalarope was seen briefly in Lincolnshire, with a similarly brief Subalpine Warbler species in Norfolk, the lingering Citrine Wagtail still on the Orkney Isles, Ferruginous Duck in Somerset, and three Bee-eaters together in Cumbria.

Scarcities included four Red-backed Shrikes, three each of Rose-coloured Starling, Barred Warbler and Temminck's Stint, two of White-winged Black Tern, Yellow-browed Warbler and Dotterel, and single Hoopoe (Wirral), Common Rosefinch (Fife), Red-necked Phalarope (Lincolnshire), Pectoral Sandpiper (West Sussex), Long-tailed Skua (East Yorkshire), Ring-billed Gull (County Kerry) and American Wigeon (County Wexford).
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Monday 7th September 2015  
  On Isles of Scilly a Paddyfield Warbler was discovered on St Agnes. Elsewhere lingering rarities included Bee-eaters (Cumbria), Ferruginous Duck (Somerset), Citrine Wagtails (Shetland and Orkney), Pallid Harrier (Shetland) and Forster's Tern (Co Dublin), whilst there was an unconfirmed report of a Red-billed Tropicbird in Mount's Bay (Cornwall).

The best of the rest included White-winged Black Tern (Norfolk), American Wigeon (Dumfries & Galloway), Dotterel (Gwynedd), Temminck's Stint (Cornwall), Ortolan Bunting (Cornwall), Hoopoe (Dorset), two Rose-coloured Starlings, three Pectoral Sandpipers, three Cattle Egrets, five Red-backed Shrikes, six Barred Warblers and eight Wrynecks.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA