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.


Wednesday 7th September 2016

	The highlight of the day was the continued presence of the Cliff Swallow on the Isles of Scilly, whilst the Western Purple Swamphen remained in Lincolnshire, and the Forster's Tern was still in County Louth. In Cornwall a Paddyfield Warbler was trapped and ringed at Nanjizal, and two Bee-eaters flew over near Lostwithiel. Elsewhere, a Black Stork made a brief visit to Portland, Dorset, and in Lancashire a Citrine Wagtail flew over Middleton. Nearctic waders comprised Baird's Sandpiper, Lesser Yellowlegs and American Golden Plover all new on the Western Isles, further Baird's Sandpipers in County Donegal and South Yorkshire, Lesser Yellowlegs on Anglesey, the Hudsonian Whimbrel in Cornwall, three Pectoral Sandpipers and four Buff-breasted Sandpipers. Scarcities included Purple Heron (Oxfordshire), Red-breasted Flycatcher (Shetland Isles), Spotted Crake (East Yorkshire), Red-necked Phalarope (West Sussex), two each of Ortolan Bunting, Icterine Warbler, Red-backed Shrike, White-winged Black Tern and Cattle Egret, three Barred Warblers, five Temminck's Stints, 14 Wrynecks and 58 Lapland Buntings.
- Chris Batty, RBA


Tuesday 6th September 2016

	A Cliff Swallow was found on St.Mary's on the Isles of Scilly today. It spent all morning and late a'noon around the pool at Porth Hellick and is the first record for Britain and Ireland for 15 years, so will undoubtedly attract much attention should it stay any length of time. Porth Hellick Pool also held Lesser Yellowlegs and Temminck's Stint. With a Bonelli's Warbler sp reported at Lower Moors, 2 Buff-breasted Sandpipers on the Golf Course, an Ortolan Bunting on St.Martin's and a Dotterel on St.Agnes, it felt as though autumn was well and truly underway. Elsewhere there was a new Lesser Yellowlegs on the Alaw Estuary on Anglesey and 2 Wilson's Petrels from a pelagic off County Cork. Lingering rarities included the Western Purple Swamphen in Lincolnshire, the Dalmation Pelican and Hudsonian Whimbrel in Cornwall, Baird's Sandpiper in South Yorkshire and a re-appearing White-rumped Sandpiper in Northumberland. The Red-footed Booby remained in captivity in East Sussex. Grey Phalaropes were in Glamorgan, Hampshire and Somerset, with a Red-necked Phalarope in Sussex. A Purple Heron remained in Oxfordshire as did a Woodchat Shrike in Cumbria.
- Pete Hayman, RBA


Monday 5th September 2016

	The only new rarity discovered today was a Semipalmated Sandpiper at Fahamore, County Kerry. An Arctic Warbler was present on Sanday, Orkney yesterday evening. Lingering rarities seen today included the Western Purple Swamphen in Lincolnshire, Dalmatian Pelican and Hudsonian Whimbrel in Cornwall, Forster's Tern in County Louth, Lesser Yellowlegs and Wilson's Petrel in the Isles of Scilly, Citrine Wagtail in Cumbria, Booted Warbler and Greenish Warbler in Shetland and Bonaparte's Gull in Kent. The Red-footed Booby was transferred to Mallydams Wood RSPCA in East Sussex.
- Will Soar, RBA


Sunday 4th September 2016

	The highlight of the day was the first Red-footed Booby for Britain - an adult of the white-tailed brown morph - found in East Sussex at St Leonards on Sea mid afternoon, before being taken into care. Waders included the Western Sandpiper still on the Western Isles, the Hudsonian Whimbrel stilll in Cornwall, a Baird's Sandpiper new in County Londonderry, Lesser Yellowlegs on the Isles of Scilly, Red-necked Phalarope in Kent, two Temminck's Stints, seven Pectoral Sandpipers and 11 Buff-breasted Sandpipers. Notable landbirds comprised the Citrine Wagtail still in Cumbria, Booted Warbler, Arctic Warbler and Greenish Warbler all on the Shetland Isles, Woodchat Shrike (Cumbria), Melodious Warbler (Gwynedd), Red-breasted Flycatcher (Orkney Isles), three Common Rosefinches, four each of both Icterine Warbler and Barred Warbler, six Lapland Buntings, and 11 Wrynecks. Other rarities recorded were the Western Purple Swamphen still in Lincolnshire, the Dalmatian Pelican still in Cornwall, Forster's Tern in County Louth, and King Eider in Highland. Seawatching totals were 66 Great Shearwaters, 21 Cory's Shearwaters, six Long-tailed Skuas, six Sabine's Gulls and four Leach's Petrels.
- Chris Batty, RBA


Saturday 3rd September 2016

	Seawatching provided much of the entertainment today, with totals of three Fea's or Zino's Petrels (Gwennap Head, Cornwall and Cape Clear and Galley Head, both County Cork), nearly 6,000 Great Shearwaters, nearly 4,000 Cory's Shearwaters, seven Pomarine Skuas and two Long-tailed Skuas. Other new discoveries today included a Lesser Yellowlegs at Porth Hellick, Isles of Scilly, a Citrine Wagtail at Longtown, Cumbria and a King Eider off Delnies, Highland. Lingering rarities included the Western Purple Swamphen in Lincolnshire, Hudsonian Whimbrel and Dalmatian Pelican in Cornwall, Booted Warbler in Shetland, Semipalmated Sandpiper in County Kerry and White-rumped Sandpiper in Northumberland. The best of the rest included a Hoopoe, a Red-necked Phalarope, an American Golden Plover, a Montagu's Harrier, two Ortolan Buntings, two Spotted Crakes, three Pectoral Sandpipers, four Honey Buzzards, six Buff-breasted Sandpipers and eight Wrynecks.
- Will Soar, RBA


Friday 2nd September 2016

	The highlight of the day was the continued presence of the Western Purple Swamphen in Lincolnshire, as well at the long-staying Dalmatian Pelican in Cornwall, Black Duck in Highland, Bonaparte's Gull in Kent, and Azorean Yellow-legged Gull in Northamptonshire. Notable waders comprised the Western Sandpiper still on the Western Isles, Hudsonian Whimbrel in Cornwall, Semipalmated Sandpiper in County Kerry, Red-necked Phalarope in Kent, Temminck's Stint on the Isles of Scilly, four migrant Dotterel, six Pectoral Sandpipers, and a total of nine Buff-breasted Sandpipers. Other scarcities included Rose-coloured Starling (Shetland Isles), Melodious Warbler (Gwynedd), Purple Heron (Oxfordshire), Spotted Crake (East Yorkshire), two each of Barred Warbler, Cattle Egret and Lapland Bunting, three Ortolan Buntings, five Glossy Ibises, and six Wrynecks. Seawatching produced 60 Great Shearwaters, 34 Cory's Shearwaters and two Sabine's Gulls.
- Chris Batty, RBA


Thursday 1st September 2016

	The highlight of the day was the reappearance of the Western Purple Swamphen in Lincolnshire at Alkborough Flats. Elsewhere, further mega news concerned a Western Sandpiper present for a second day on North Uist, Western Isles, and in Cornwall a Moltoni's Subalpine Warbler was identified at Nanjizal. Drift rarities and migrants included Booted Warbler and Rose-coloured Starling on the Shetland Isles, Aquatic Warbler in Somerset, Aquatic Warbler, Citrine Wagtail and Ortolan Bunting all in Dorset, Melodious Warbler in Gwynedd, Icterine Warbler in East Yorkshire, Common Rosefinch in County Durham, two each of both Barred Warbler and Red-backed Shrike, seven Lapland Buntings, and 21 Wrynecks. Further notable waders included Pacific Golden Plover (Argyll), Spotted Sandpiper and Semipalmated Sandpiper (both County Kerry), White-rumped Sandpiper (Northumberland), Buff-breasted Sandpiper (Western Isles), Temminck's Stint (Isles of Scilly), and three Pectoral Sandpipers. Seabirds included a Wilson's Petrel off the Isles of Scilly, Long-tailed Skua in Lothian, two Sabine's Gulls passing Pembrokeshire, and totals of 396 Cory's and 473 Great Shearwaters, both predominantly in County Cork.
- Chris Batty, RBA


Wednesday 31st August 2016

	New discoveries today were a brief Aquatic Warbler at Lytchett Bay, Dorset and a Spotted Sandpiper on Great Skellig, County Kerry. Lingering rarities included the Hudsonian Whimbrel and Dalmatian Pelican in Cornwall, Booted Warbler in Shetland, Baird's Sandpiper in Yorkshire, Semipalmated Sandpiper in County Kerry, Pacific Golden Plover in Argyll and White-rumped Sandpiper in Northumberland. Scarcity highlights included a Barred Warbler, a Hoopoe, a Rose-coloured Starling, a Buff-breasted Sandpiper, a Dotterel, a Spotted Crake, a Temminck's Stint, two Ortolan Buntings, three Lapland Buntings, two Honey Buzzards, five Pectoral Sandpipers and eight Wrynecks. Seawatching produced seven Cory's Shearwaters, eight Great Shearwaters, two Sabine's Gulls, four Leach's Petrels, two Long-tailed Skuas, 11 Pomarine Skuas and a Grey Phalarope.
- Will Soar, RBA


Tuesday 30th August 2016

	In Lincolnshire an adult Western Purple Swamphen was discovered at Alkborough Flats. The well-twitched Suffolk bird was last seen at Minsmere RSPB on 5th August - it is likely that today's sightings involves the same individual, having travelled 138 miles to the north west. Elsewhere, rarity sightings included Baird's Sandpiper (South Yorkshire), Dalmatian Pelican, Semiplamated Sandpiper and Hudsonian Whimbrel (Cornwall), Greenish Warbler and Booted Warbler (Shetland), Pacific Golden Plover (Argyll), Black Duck (Highland), Red-footed Falcon (Norfolk) and Fea's/Zino's Petrel (Co Kerry). The best of the rest included White-winged Black Tern (Cleveland), Buff-breasted Sandpiper (Co Galway), Spotted Crake (East Yorkshire), sound-recorded Ortolan Bunting (Dorset), Melodious Warbler (Gwynedd), Temminck's Stint (Isles of Scilly), two Pectoral Sandpipers, three Barred Warblers and at least 15 Wrynecks.
- Stuart Piner, RBA


Monday 29th August 2016

	New discoveries today included a Pacific Golden Plover on Tiree, Argyll, an Arctic Warbler at Geosetter, Shetland and a Greenish Warbler at Marsden, County Durham. Lingering rarities included the American White-winged Scoter in Aberdeenshire, Hudsonian Whimbrel in Cornwall, Semipalmated Sandpiper in County Kerry, Lesser Yellowlegs in Essex, White-rumped Sandpiper in Northumberland, Bonaparte's Gull in Kent, Black Duck in Highland and King Eider in County Donegal. There were no sightings of the Royal Tern today.
- Will Soar, RBA