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.

Choose a starting date
Saturday 1st October 2016  
  New discoveries included Red-eyed Vireo on Isle of Man, Long-billed Dowitcher in Lincolnshire and Semipalmated Sandpiper and Blyth's Reed Warblers in Co Wexford and Gwynedd.

Lingering rarities comprised Rose-breasted Grosbeak (Co Cork), Forster's Tern (Co Louth), Dalmatian Pelican (Devon), Black Duck (Highland), Pallid Harrier (Kent), Western Purple Swamphen (Lincolnshire), Ferruginous Duck (London) and Franklin's Gull (Northumberland).

The Shetland Isles hosted a Blyth's Reed Warbler, Rose-coloured Starling, three Bluethroats, Surf Scoter and Hoopoe, whilst Isles of Scilly produced Bluethroat, American Golden Plover, Buff-breasted Sandpiper and Melodious Warbler.

Rare shorebirds included Hudsonian Whimbrel (Cornwall), Baird's Sandpipers (Co Dublin and Northumberland), Lesser Yellowlegs (Dorset and Exeter) and Semipalmated Sandpipers (Co Wexford [3] and Argyll [2]).
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Friday 30th September 2016  
  Unlike the previous two records in Ireland, Britain's first Eastern Kingbird hung around for more than one day, just, still being present on Barra from early morning until 2.50pm when it flew off high to the north east!

At Anstruther in Fife, the Brunnich's Guillemot came to an untimely end, being found dead early this morning.

Shetland played host to several new rarities, with a Brown Shrike at Aith on Mainland (with another still present on the Out Skerries), a Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll at Norwick on Unst along with a new Blyth's Reed Warbler, with another Blyth's Reed Warbler being found at Sandgarth on Mainland. A new Red-eyed Vireo was found at Mizen Head in County Cork with one bird still remaining on St. Agnes in the Scillies. A Baird's Sandpiper was found at Boulmer in Northumberland and two new Semipalmated Sandpipers were together at Vaul Bay in Tiree.

Lingering rarities included the re-appearance of the Rose-breasted Grosbeak at Garinish in County Cork and also of the Lesser Grey Shrike in Devon. A Booted/Sykes's Warbler remained on Mainland Shetland, as did the Dalmation Pelican (now in Devon), Western Purple Swamphen in Lincolnshire, Pallid Harrier on Sheppey in Kent, Semipalmated Sandpipers in County Kerry and County Wexford (2), Baird's Sandpiper in County Dublin, Lesser Yellowlegs in Dorset, Greenish Warbler on Mainland Shetland, Blyth's Reed Warbler on Unst in Shetland and Western Bonelli's Warbler on Scilly.
-  Pete Hayman, RBA
Thursday 29th September 2016  
  Britain's first Eastern Kingbird was discovered on Barra (Western Isles) this afternoon. There have been two Irish records (both in Co Galway, on 5th October 2012 and 24th September 2013), but both have only been available on the day of disovery.

American landbirds also featured in Ireland, where a Rose-breasted Grosbeak was at Garinish (Co Cork) and a Red-eyed Vireo was on Inishbofin (Co Galway).

Elsewhere rarity highlights included Brunnich's Guillemot (Fife), Lesser Grey Shrike (Devon), Dalmatian Pelican (Cornwall), Greenish Warbler (Dorset), Ferruginous Duck (London), Western Purple Swamphen (Lincolnshire) and Pallid Harrier (Kent), whilst Shetland hosted Brown Shrike, Greenish Warbler, Blyth's Reed Warbler and Paddyfield Warbler. Rare shorebirds comprised White-rumped Sandpiper (Co Kerry), two Baird's Sandpipers, three Lesser Yellowlegs and six Semipalmated Sandpipers.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Wednesday 28th September 2016  
  The highlight of the day was a Yellow-billed Cuckoo discovered on the Western Isles, on Lewis at South Dell. Elsewhere, major rarities included the Brunnich's Guillemot still in Fife, two Red-eyed Vireos together on the Isles of Scilly, the Western Purple Swamphen still in Lincolnshire, and the Dalmatian Pelican remained in Cornwall.

On the Shetland Isles the Brown Shrike remained on Out Skerries, with, nearby, Paddyfield Warbler (Fair Isle), Arctic Warbler (Mainland at Frakkafield), Dusky Warbler (Unst), Short-toed Lark, Rose-coloured Starling, Icterine Warbler, Red-backed Shrike and Corncrake, two each of Blyth's Reed Warbler, Bluethroat and Hoopoe, three Common Rosefinches, four Barred Warblers, five Red-breasted Flycatchers, and six Little Buntings.

Notable waders comprised the Hudsonian Whimbrel still in Cornwall, Semipalmated Sandpiper in County Kerry, two each of Baird's Sandpiper, American Golden Plover and Dotterel, five Lesser Yellowlegs, and six Pectoral Sandpipers.

The best of the rest were Purple Heron (Oxfordshire), Serin (Cornwall), Hoopoe (Norfolk), Spotted Crake (Cheshire), two Melodious Warblers, and a further four Rose-coloured Starlings.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Tuesday 27th September 2016  
  A Brown Shrike was found on Out Skerries, Shetland today, along with a Great Snipe. On Unst, both a Paddyfield Warbler and a Radde's Warbler were discovered, at Skaw and Norwick respectively, whilst a Subalpine warbler species was down south in Nanquidno Valley, Cornwall.

Lingering rarities seen today included the Brunnich's Guillemot in Fife, two Red-eyed Vireos and Lesser Yellowlegs in the Isles of Scilly, Hudsonian Whimbrel, Dalmatian Pelican and Baird's Sandpiper in Cornwall, another Great Snipe, a Pallid Harrier, an Arctic Warbler and a Blyth's Reed Warbler in Shetland, four Semipalmated Sandpipers and a White-rumped Sandpiper in County Wexford, other Lesser Yellowlegs' in Essex, Dorset and Devon and a Ferruginous Duck in London.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Monday 26th September 2016  
  New discoveries today included a second Red-eyed Vireo on St Agnes, Isles of Scilly, Lanceolated Warbler and Great Snipe both on Fair Isle, Shetland, two Arctic Warblers and a Greenish Warbler elsewhere in Shetland and a Citrine Wagtail on Benbecula, Western Isles.

Lingering rarities included the Brunnich's Guillemot in Fife, Hudsonian Whimbrel and Dalmatian Pelican in Cornwall, Western Purple Swamphen in Lincolnshire, three Semipalmated Sandpipers in County Wexford, Baird's Sandpiper in Cornwall, White-rumped Sandpiper in Hampshire, single Lesser Yellowlegs' in Essex and Dorset, two Blyth's Reed Warblers in Shetland and Ferruginous Duck in London.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Sunday 25th September 2016  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of a Brunnich's Guillemot in Fife at Anstruther, where it remained on show into the evening. Otherwise, a Baird's Sandpiper was new in Cornwall on The Gannel, and a Pallid Harrier moved through Kent.

On the Isles of Scilly a Red-eyed Vireo was a notable arrival on St Agnes alongside the Lesser Yellowlegs, as was a Western Bonelli's Warbler on St Mary's, with Grey Phalarope, two Red-breasted Flycatchers, five Wrynecks and five Yellow-browed Warblers around the archipelago.

Meanwhile, on the Shetland Isles Pallid Harrier, Arctic Warbler, Olive-backed Pipit, Rose-coloured Starling, Icterine Warbler, Common Rosefinch, Richard's Pipit, Sabine's Gull, two each of Blyth's Reed Warbler, Little Bunting and Short-toed Lark, three Bluethroats, five Red-breasted Flycatchers, 39 Lapland Buntings and 54 Yellow-browed Warblers all logged.

Lingering rarities confirmed as still present were the Swainson's Thrush on the Western Isles, Lesser Grey Shrike in Devon, Western Purple Swamphen in Lincolnshire, both Dalmatian Pelican and Hudsonian Whimbrel Cornwall, Semipalmated Sandpiper in Aberdeenshire and County Wexford (3), White-rumped Sandpiper in County Wexford, Ferruginous Duck in London, Azorean Yellow-legged Gull in Cambridgeshire, Lesser Yellowlegs in County Cork, Devon, Dorset and Essex.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Saturday 24th September 2016  
  New discoveries today included an Olive-backed Pipit at Hoswick, Shetland and a Pallid Harrier over Pett Level, East Sussex.

Lingering rarities included the Swainson's Thrush in the Western Isles, Western Purple Swamphen in Lincolnshire, Hudsonian Whimbrel and Dalmatian Pelican in Cornwall, Lesser Grey Shrike in Devon, Arctic Warbler and Pallid Harrier in Shetland, single Lesser Yellowlegs' in Essex, Devon and the Isles of Scilly, single Semipalmated Sandpipers in Aberdeenshire and County Wexford, White-rumped Sandpiper in Hampshire, Baird's Sandpiper in County Antrim and Ferruginous Duck in London.
-  Will Soar, RBA
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