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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Friday 23rd September 2016  
  New discoveries today included an Olive-backed Pipit on Fair Isle, Shetland, a Greenish Warbler at Walmer, Kent and a Baird's Sandpiper at Belfast Lough RSPB, County Antrim. Tacumshin, County Wexford now plays host to five Semipalmated Sandpipers, which is one short of the previous record high count, which was also at Tacumshin.

Lingering rarities included both the Swainson's Thrushes, in Argyll and the Western Isles, Lesser Grey Shrike in Devon, Western Purple Swamphen in Lincolnshire, Dalmatian Pelican in Cornwall, Arctic Warbler, two Blyth's Reed Warblers and Pallid Harrier in Shetland, single Lesser Yellowlegs' in Essex, Dorset, Devon and the Isles of Scilly, Semipalmated Sandpiper in Aberdeenshire, single Baird's Sandpipers in County Galway and County Derry and White-rumped Sandpiper at Tacumshin, County Wexford.

Scarcity totals included a Melodious Warbler, a Hoopoe, a Spotted Crake, a Buff-breasted Sandpiper, a Surf Scoter, a Taiga Bean Goose, a Long-tailed Skua, two Red-backed Shrikes, two Bluethroats, two Short-toed Larks, two Purple Herons, two Temminck's Stints, two Honey Buzzards, two Sabine's Gulls, two Pomarine Skuas, three Common Rosefinches, three Grey Phalaropes, four Barred Warblers, five Little Buntings, five Rose-coloured Starlings, five Pectoral Sandpipers, six Red-breasted Flycatchers, six Wrynecks and at least 120 Yellow-browed Warblers.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Thursday 22nd September 2016  
  Highlight of the day was the discovery of two Swainson's Thrushes in western Scotland - one on Tiree (Argyll) and another on South Uist (Western Isles).

On Shetland Great Reed Warbler, two Blyth's Reed Warblers, Arctic Warbler, Pallid Harrier and Isabelline Shrike were all logged, whilst elsewhere the Lesser Grey Shrike (Devon), Bonaparte's Gull (Co Clare), King Eider (Co Donegal), Forster's Tern (Co Louth), Dalmatian Pelican (Cornwall), Blyth's Reed Warbler (East Yorkshire), Black Duck (Highland) and Western Purple Swamphen (Lincolnshire) all lingered.

Rare and scarce shorebirds comprised Long-billed Dowitcher (Co Waterford), American Golden Plover (Cornwall), White-rumped Sandpiper (Hampshire), three Buff-breasted Sandpipers, three Baird's Sandpipers, four Lesser Yellowlegs and five Semipalmated Sandpipers.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Wednesday 21st September 2016  
  The highlight of the day was a Lanceolated Warbler on Fair Isle, whilst nearby on the Shetland Isles an Arctic Warbler was new at Hoswick, Mainland, the Pallid Harrier showed again at Hillwell, and the Isabelline Shrike remained on Foula. Elsewhere, a Red-throated Pipit was found in Devon on Lundy, a Tawny Pipit in Cornwall at Nanjizal, the Lesser Grey Shrike remained in Devon, as did the Arctic Warbler in Suffolk, the Dalmatian Pelican in Cornwall, and the Ferruginous Duck in London, and in East Yorkshire the Blyth's Reed Warbler reappeared at Kilnsea.

Nearctic waders comprised the Hudsonian Whimbrel still in Cornwall, single Semipalmated Sandpipers in both Aberdeenshire and County Kerry, Baird's Sandpipers in County Londonderry and County Waterford, Lesser Yellowlegs in Essex and the Isles of Scilly, and a White-rumped Sandpiper in Hampshire.

Scarce landbirds comprised Woodchat Shrike (Isles of Scilly), Short-toed Lark (County Cork), Bluethroat (East Yorkshire), two each of both Red-breasted Flycatcher and Richard's Pipit, three of Rose-coloured Starling, Common Rosefinch and Red-backed Shrike, four of Little Bunting and Barred Warbler, 10 Wrynecks, 35 Lapland Buntings, and a total of 284 Yellow-browed Warblers, of which 205 were on the Yorkshire coast including an unprecedented 96 at Flamborough Head, 34 at Filey and 17 around Scarborough.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Tuesday 20th September 2016  
  New discoveries comprised Arctic Warbler (Suffolk), Tawny Pipit (Devon), Greenish Warblers (Norfolk and Kent), Ferruginous Duck (London), Blyth's Reed Warbler (Shetland), Black Kite (Co Wicklow), Semipalmated Sandpipers (Co Wexford [3]), White-rumped Sandpiper (Co Wexford) and Bonaparte's Gull (Co Clare). The Semipalmated Sandpiper (Aberdeenshire), Hudsonian Whimbrel and Dalmatian Pelican (Cornwall), Baird's Sandpiper and Long-billed Dowitcher (Co Galway), Baird's Sandpiper and Long-billed Dowitcher (Co Waterford), Lesser Grey Shrike and Lesser Yellowlegs (Devon), White-rumped Sandpiper (Hampshire), Lesser Yellowlegs (Isles of Scilly) and Isabelline Shrike (Shetland) all lingered.

Significant late news related to a probable Belted Kingfisher videoed in Co Fermanagh last week.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Monday 19th September 2016  
  In Devon a Lesser Grey Shrike was discovered near Plymouth. Elsewhere the Franklin's Gull (Northumberland) and Western Purple Swamphen (Lincolnshire) lingered, whilst rare and scarce shorebirds comprised Hudsonian Whimbrel (Cornwall), White-rumped Sandpiper (Hampshire), two Baird's Sandpipers, two Buff-breasted Sandpiper, three Semipalmated Sandpipers and four Lesser Yellowlegs.

The best of the rest included Ortolan Bunting and Richard's Pipit (East Yorkshire), Melodious Warbler (Co Donegal), Woodchat Shrike (Isles of Scilly), Icterine Warbler (Pembrokeshire), Bluethroat (Shetland), two Rose-coloured Starlings, two Red-breasted Flycatchers, two Little Buntings, four Common Rosefinches and five Barred Warblers.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Sunday 18th September 2016  
  The highlight of the day was the second Nearctic landbird of the autumn, a Common Yellowthroat at the Bann Estuary, County Londonderry, albeit seen only briefly.

Notable waders comprised a Great Snipe on the Shetland Isles on Fair Isle, the Hudsonian Whimbrel still in Cornwall, Temminck's Stint, two Long-billed Dowitchers, three each of both Semipalmated Sandpiper and Buff-breasted Sandpiper, four Lesser Yellowlegs, five Baird's Sandpipers, and six Pectoral Sandpipers.

Landbirds included an early Red-flanked Bluetail, Arctic Warbler and Greenish Warbler together in Norfolk at East Hills, Thrush Nightingale in Northumberland on Holy Island, Red-throated Pipit on the Shetland Isles, Blyth's Reed Warbler and Greenish Warbler in East Yorkshire around Spurn, and a Citrine Wagtail on Bryher, Isles of Scilly. Scarcities included Serin (Suffolk), Little Bunting (Shetland Isles), Icterine Warbler (Pembrokeshire), Woodchat Shrike (Isles of Scilly), Richard's Pipit and Hoopoe (Norfolk), two Rose-coloured Starlings, two Short-toed Larks, two Ortolan Buntings, four Red-backed Shrikes, five Barred Warblers, five Red-breasted Flycatchers, six Common Rosefinches, 12 Wrynecks, 42 Yellow-browed Warblers and 51 Lapland Buntings.

Otherwise, the Western Purple Swamphen remained in Lincolnshire, as did the Dalmatian Pelican in Cornwall, and the Franklin's Gull showed again in Northumberland, an Azorean Yellow-legged Gull was new in Somerset at Chew Valley Lake, and seawatching reports included a Black-browed Albatross pasing Newton Point, Northumberland.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Saturday 17th September 2016  
  The Shetland Isles hosted a Lanceolated Warbler and Pallid Harrier (Mainland), Black-headed Bunting (Unst) and Isabelline Shrike (Foula). Elsewhere rarity highlights included Arctic Warbler (Norfolk), Pallid Harrier (Kent), Greenish Warblers (Cleveland, Northumberland and Norfolk), Dalmatian Pelican (Cornwall), Black Duck (Highland), Forster's Tern (Co Louth) and Franklin's Gull (Northumberland).

Rare shorebirds included Long-billed Dowitcher (Co Waterford), Hudsonian Whimbrel (Cornwall), two Semipalmated Sandpipers, three Lesser Yellowlegs and four Baird's Sandpipers.

The best of the rest included Woodchat Shrike (Isles of Scilly), Short-toed Larks (Isles of Scilly and Co Cork), Bluethroat (Shetland), Purple Heron (Oxfordshire), Serin (Norfolk), American Wigeon (Leicestershire) and Rose-coloured Starlings (Cornwall and Dorset).
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Friday 16th September 2016  
  The highlight of the day was a Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler trapped and ringed at Kilnsea, East Yorkshire in the early morning, although it was not seen after it was released. Elsewhere, a Franklin's Gull was discovered in Northumberland at Whittle Dene Reservoir, whilst the Pallid Harrier remained on nearby Holy Island. The Western Purple Swamphen lingered in Lincolnshire, both the Dalmatian Pelican and Whiskered Tern continued in Cornwall, as did the Western Bonelli's Warbler in County Cork, and in County Kerry two Wilson's Petrels flew past Brandon Point.

Nearctic waders comprised single Baird's Sandpipers in County Waterford, County Wexford and Worcestershire, Semipalmated Sandpiper in County Kerry, American Golden Plover in Norfolk, Lesser Yellowlegs in County Cork, Devon (2) and the Isles of Scilly, three Buff-breasted Sandpipers and seven Pectoral Sandpipers.

Landbirds included Rose-coloured Starling (County Cork), Melodious Warbler (Gwynedd), Woodchat Shrike (Isles of Scilly), Marsh Warbler (Orkney Isles), Short-toed Lark, Little Bunting and Barred Warbler (all Shetland Isles), two each of both Greenish Warbler and Ortolan Bunting, three Red-breasted Flycatchers, four of Common Rosefinch and Red-backed Shrike, 15 Wrynecks, 18 Yellow-browed Warblers and 57 Lapland Buntings.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Thursday 15th September 2016  
  New rarities discovered today included an Arctic Warbler at Wells, Norfolk, a Western Bonelli's Warbler at Galley Head, County Cork, a Greenish Warbler at Saltburn, Cleveland, single Lesser Yellowlegs' at Fremington, Devon and Tacumshin, County Wexford and a Pallid Harrier on Holy Island, Northumberland.

Lingering rarities included the Western Purple Swamphen in Lincolnshire, Whiskered Tern in Cornwall, Pallid Harrier in Sussex, Lesser Yellowlegs on the Isles of Scilly, Long-billed Dowitcher and Baird's Sandpiper in County Waterford, other Baird's Sandpipers in Worcestershire, County Derry and County Wexford, Semipalmated Sandpiper in County Kerry and Azorean Yellow-legged Gull in County Cork.

Perhaps the most surprising record of the day was a Cory's Shearwater in London, which flew over Regent's Park this morning.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Wednesday 14th September 2016  
  New discoveries today included a Pallid Harrier at Polgigga, Cornwall, a Citrine Wagtail on St Agnes, Isles of Scilly, a Tawny Pipit on Portland, Dorset, a Long-billed Dowitcher at Dungarvan, County Waterford and single Semipalmated Sandpipers at Pilmore, County Cork and Cashen, County Kerry.

Lingering rarities seen today included the Western Purple Swamphen in Lincolnshire, Hudsonian Whimbrel, Dalmatian Pelican and Whiskered Tern in Cornwall, Pallid Harrier in West Sussex, single Lesser Yellowlegs' in the Isles of Scilly and County Cork and single Baird's Sandpipers in Worcestershire, County Waterford and County Wexford.

Scarcity highlights included an American Golden Plover, a White-winged Black Tern, a Red-necked Phalarope, an American Wigeon, a Surf Scoter, a Leach's Petrel, a Sabine's Gull, a Honey Buzzard, two Little Buntings, two Short-toed Larks, two Red-backed Shrikes, two Melodious Warblers, two Yellow-browed Warblers, four Buff-breasted Sandpipers, four Long-tailed Skuas, four Icterine Warblers, four Barred Warblers, five Ortolan Buntings, seven Common Rosefinches, seven Pectoral Sandpipers and 15 Wrynecks.
-  Will Soar, RBA