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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Saturday 26th September 2015  
  In Shetland, a Lanceolated Warbler was trapped and ringed at Dale of Walls, Mainland, where it continued to show sporadically in the afternoon. A new Blyth's Reed Warbler was at Toab, whilst lingering rarities in the archipelago included the Arctic Warbler and Pallid Harrier on Unst and Subalpine Warbler sp at Mossbank, Mainland.

Further south, a drake Hooded Merganser was at Hawkridge Reservoir, Somerset, and a Subalpine Warbler sp was on St Mary's, Isles of Scilly.

Other lingering rarities seen today included the Red-eyed Vireo in the Isles of Scilly, Greater Yellowlegs on the Isle of Wight, Wilson's Phalarope in Essex, single Long-billed Dowitchers in Hampshire and County Wexford, Northern Harrier in Orkney and Red-footed Falcon in Lincolnshire.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Friday 25th September 2015  
  A Red-eyed Vireo was discovered on St Agnes, Isles of Scilly today, the first for the archipelago since 2011. At the other end of Britain a male Northern Harrier was on North Ronaldsay, Orkney, with a new Blyth's Reed Warbler and Subalpine Warbler species in nearby Shetland, at Virkie and Mossbank respectively. A Long-billed Dowitcher was seen at Rosslare, County Wexford.

Lingering rarities included the Greater Yellowlegs at Whippingham, Isle of Wight, Wilson's Phalarope at Vange, Essex, Long-billed Dowitcher at Keyhaven, Hampshire and Red-footed Falcon at Gibraltar Point, Lincolnshire. An Arctic Warbler, three Blyth's Reed Warblers and a Pallid Harrier all remained in Shetland.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Thursday 24th September 2015  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of a Thick-billed Warbler on Mainland Shetland. The archipelago also hosted Arctic Warbler, three Blyth's Reed Warblers and a Rustic Bunting.

A Pechora Pipit was trapped and ringed on Isles of Scilly, where the Grey-cheeked Thrush and Bonelli's warbler species also lingered.

Elsewhere a Red-footed Falcon was new in Lincolnshire, whilst King Eider (Highland), Long-billed Dowitchers (Highland and Pembrokeshire), Ferruginous Duck (Somerset) and Wilson's Phalarope (Essex) all lingered.

The best of the rest included Red-breasted Flycatcher (Orkney), Wryneck (Cornwall), Buff-breasted Sandpiper (Western Isles), Kentish Plover (Dorset), Corncrake (Isles of Scilly), Glossy Ibis (Isles of Scilly), Black Brant (Co Kerry), two Dotterel, two Melodious Warblers, two Cattle Egrets, three Pectoral Sandpipers and seven Barred Warblers.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Wednesday 23rd September 2015  
  A Blackpoll Warbler and Grey-cheeked Thrush were discovered at St Warna's Cove on St Agnes (Isles of Scilly), whilst White-rumped Sandpiper (Norfolk), Pallid Harrier and Red-footed Falcon (Kent), Long-billed Dowitcher (Hampshire), Arctic Warbler and Blyth's Reed Warbler (Shetland) were also new today.

Lingering rarities comprised Wilson's Phalarope (Essex), Blyth's Reed Warbler, Pallid Harrier and Rustic Bunting (Shetland), Long-billed Dowitcher (Pembrokeshire), Eastern Subalpine Warbler (East Yorkshire) and Lesser Scaup (Somerset).

The best of the rest included Cattle Egret (Kent), Serin (Pembrokeshire), two Barred Warblers, two Dotterel, two Common Rosefinches, two Glossy Ibises, two Buff-breasted Sandpipers, two American Golden Plovers, four Wrynecks and five Pectoral Sandpipers.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Tuesday 22nd September 2015  
  An Empidonax flycatcher species was found at the fishing boats at Dungeness Point, Kent mid morning. It later moved to the garden of South View, where it remained until just before dusk when it flew to nearby broom scrub. It is thought to be most likely an Acadian Flycatcher, a first for Britain and only the second for the Western Palearctic following one found dead in Iceland in 1967.

The Northern Isles produced a Pechora Pipit and Pallid Harrier at Melby, Mainland and a Red-flanked Bluetail at Symbister, Whalsay, both Shetland, and a Blyth's Reed Warbler on North Ronaldsay, Orkney. A Long-billed Dowitcher was found at Tacumshin.

Lingering rarities included the Wilson's Phalarope in Essex, Long-billed Dowitcher in Pembrokeshire and Blyth's Reed Warbler, Rustic Bunting and another Pallid Harrier in Shetland.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Monday 21st September 2015  
  Highlight of the day was the discovery of a Collared Flycatcher on Mainland Shetland. A Blyth's Reed Warbler, Pallid Harrier and two Little Buntings were also present on the archipelago.

Elsewhere new discoveries comprised Spotted Sandpiper on Isles of Scilly, Wilson's Phalarope in Essex and Desert Wheatears in Norfolk and Isles of Scilly, whilst Long-billied Dowitcher (Pembrokeshire) and Lesser Scaup (Somerset) both lingered.

The best of the rest included two Glossy Ibises, two Red-breasted Flycatchers, three Buff-breasted Sandpipers, three Wrynecks, four Common Rosefinches, six Pectoral Sandpipers and at least 136 Yellow-browed Warblers (including 53 on Fair Isle, Shetland, and 31 on North Ronaldsay, Orkney).
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Sunday 20th September 2015  
  The Shetland Isles provided the highlights of the day with Blyth's Reed Warbler and Pallid Harrier on Fair Isle, Rustic Bunting on Foula, and a Pallid Harrier still on Unst, with ala-island totals of Red-breasted Flycatcher, Common Rosefinch, two Barred Warblers, four Lapland Buntings and eight Yellow-browed Warblers.

Elsewhere, new rarities comprised a Long-billed Dowitcher in Pembrokeshire on Skokholm, a Red-footed Falcon in Norfolk at Berney Marshes, and a King Eider passing County Mayo.

Scarcities included nine Wrynecks, five Pectoral Sandpipers, four Buff-breasted Sandpipers, two each of both American Golden Plover and Barred Warbler, and single Golden Oriole (East Yorkshire), Red-breasted Flycatcher (Gwynedd), Common Rosefinch (Orkney Isles), Richard's Pipit (Norfolk), Red-necked Phalarope (Herefordshire), Surf Scoter (Lothian), American Wigeon (County Wexford), Cattle Egret (Kent) and Glossy Ibis (County Waterford).
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Saturday 19th September 2015  
  A Wilson's Phalarope was discovered near Pett, East Sussex mid afternoon, where it remained until dusk. A Western Bonelli's Warbler was on The Garrison, Isles of Scilly, with another Bonelli's Warbler species joining it this evening.

Lingering rarities included the Eastern Subalpine Warbler at Flamborough, East Yorkshire, Red-footed Falcon on the Isle of May, Fife and Citrine Wagtail on Unst and Pallid Harrier on Fair Isle, both Shetland.

Scarcity highlights included a Woodchat Shrike, two Red-backed Shrikes, a Common Rosefinch, an Icterine Warbler, four Barred Warblers, 12 Yellow-browed Warblers, two Ortolan Buntings, five Wrynecks, two Dotterel, a Red-necked Phalarope, two Grey Phalaropes, two American Golden Plovers, two Buff-breasted Sandpipers, four Pectoral Sandpipers, a Leach's Petrel and eight Honey Buzzards.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Friday 18th September 2015  
  A Little Swift was present briefly at Titchfield Haven NNR, Hampshire, and a Black Stork flew over Staines Moor, Surrey.

Lingering rarities in Shetland included two Pallid Harriers (Northdale, Unst and Fair Isle) and two Western Bonelli's Warblers (Sumburgh Head, Mainland and Burrafirth, Unst). Elsewhere the Red-footed Falcon remained on the Isle of May, Fife, the Subalpine Warbler reappeared at Flamborough Head, East Yorkshire and the Bonaparte's Gull was still at Dawlish Warren NNR, Devon.

Scarcity highlights included a Red-breasted Flycatcher, a Serin, a Woodchat Shrike, three Red-backed Shrikes, three Barred Warblers, three Common Rosefinches, 11 Wrynecks, 21 Yellow-browed Warblers, an American Golden Plover, two Red-necked Phalaropes, three Grey Phalaropes, three Pectoral Sandpipers, two Buff-breasted Sandpipers, two Dotterel, two Purple Herons, a White-winged Black Tern and four Honey Buzzards.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Thursday 17th September 2015  
  The highlight of the day was the reappearance of the Hudsonian Godwit on Inishmore (Co Galway), whilst new discoveries included Citrine Wagtail (Shetland), Western Bonelli's Warbler (Co Cork) and Bonaparte's Gull (Devon). The Red-footed Falcon in Fife, Western Bonelli's Warbler and Pallid Harrier on Shetland, Lesser Scaup in Somerset and Forster's Tern in Co Dublin all lingered.

The best of the rest included Woodchat Shrike (North Yorkshire), Glossy Ibis (Essex), Rose-coloured Starling (Isles of Scilly), Red-breasted Flycatcher (Northumberland), Purple Heron (Gloucestershire), American Wigeon (Co Wexford), Cattle Egret (Kent), two American Golden Plovers, two Buff-breasted Sandpipers, two Common Rosefinches, two Red-necked Phalaropes, three Dotterel, three Pectoral Sandpipers, three Lapland Buntings, five Red-backed Shrikes, eight Barred Warblers, 15 Wrynecks and at least 40 Yellow-browed Warblers.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA