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 6th September 2017  
  New discoveries included a Long-billed Dowitcher (Orkney) and Semipalmated Sandpiper (Co Kerry). Baird's Sandpipers lingered in Co Sligo, Co Wexford, Cornwall and East Sussex, a White-rumped Sandpiper remained in Lincolnshire and the long-staying Bonaparte's Gull was still in Kent.

The best of the rest included Icterine Warbler (Isles of Scilly), Red-backed Shrike (Kent), Woodchat Shrike (Gloucestershire), Red-necked Phalarope (Lincolnshire), Purple Heron (Lancashire), Glossy Ibis (Somerset), Hoopoe (Lothian), Dotterel (Suffolk), two each of Buff-breasted Sandpiper, 11 Lapland Buntings, 12 Wrynecks and 19 Pectoral Sandpipers.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Tuesday 5th September 2017  
  Canadian waders remained today with single Baird's Sandpipers still in Cornwall, East Sussex and County Wexford, Semipalmated Sandpiper in County Wexford, Long-billed Dowitcher in Kent, White-rumped Sandpiper in Lincolnshire, seven Buff-breasted Sandpipers and 17 Pectoral Sandpipers.

Seawatching reports included a Barolo Shearwater in Cornwall past Pentire Head, Wilson's Petrel in County Clare and off County Cork, and totals of three Great Shearwaters, six Sabine's Gulls, 12 Leach's Petrels and 311 Balearic Shearwaters.

Other rarities were confined to the Snowy Owl still in County Mayo and a brief Red-rumped Swallow in North Yorkshire, but scarcities included Icterine Warbler (Aberdeenshire), Woodchat Shrike (Gloucestershire), Red-backed Shrike (Shetland Isles), Purple Heron (Lancashire), Red-necked Phalarope (Lincolnshire), Spotted Crake (Isle of Scilly), two each of Common Rosefinch and migrant Dotterel, three Hoopoes, five Barred Warblers, seven Wrynecks, and 10 each of both Lapland Bunting and Cattle Egret.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Monday 4th September 2017  
  Canadian shorebirds again dominated the headlines with a new Hudsonian Whimbrel on the Western Isles on South Uist whilst in County Sligo the Hudsonian Whimbrel remained at Easkey. Single Baird's Sandpipers remained in Cornwall, Dorset, East Sussex and County Wexford with Semipalmated Sandpipers in both County Cork and County Wexford, White-rumped Sandpiper in Lincolnshire, Long-billed Dowitcher still in Kent, four Buff-breasted Sandpipers and a total of 17 Pectoral Sandpipers.

Other rarity reports were limited to a Citrine Wagtail new in East Yorkshire at Kilnsea and four Wilson's Petrels at sea off the Isles of Scilly.

Scarcities included Melodious Warbler (Cornwall), Woodchat Shrike (Gloucestershire), Ortolan Bunting (Dorset), Purple Heron (Lancashire), White-winged Black Tern (Norfolk), Ring-billed Gull (Ceredigion), Long-tailed Skua (East Yorkshire), Lapland Bunting (County Sligo), Night Heron (Shropshire), two each of Hoopoe, Sabine's Gull and Glossy Ibis, three Barred Warblers, four of both Red-necked Phalarope and Wryneck, five Cory's Shearwaters, 20 Cattle Egrets and 42 Great Shearwaters.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Sunday 3rd September 2017  
  Canadian waders dominated the day and were led by a Hudsonian Whimbrel in County Sligo at Easkey. The supporting cast comprised a Lesser Yellowlegs in Glamorgan at Kenfig Pool, Baird's Sandpipers in Cornwall at Marazion, Dorset at Brownsea Island, East Sussex at Cuckmere Haven, County Kerry at Cahersiveen, County Sligo at Long Rock and County Wexford at Tacumshin (2), Semipalmated Sandpipers in County Cork at both Ring Strand and The Gearagh, County Kerry at Carrahane Strand and County Wexford at Tacumshin, Buff-breasted Sandpipers in County Wexford and the Shetland Isles, American Golden Plover in County Londonderry, White-rumped Sandpiper in Lincolnshire, Long-billed Dowitcher in Kent and a total of 21 Pectoral Sandpipers.

Other rarities today were the Forster's Tern still in County Louth, a Wilson's Petrel at sea off County Cork and brief encounters with both Citrine Wagtail and a Black-winged Stilt in Norfolk, and a Greenish Warbler in East Yorkshire.

Scarcities included Melodious Warbler (Cornwall), Woodchat Shrike (Gloucestershire), Rose-coloured Starling (Highland), Golden Oriole (Argyll), Common Rosefinch (Shetland Isles), Purple Heron (Lancashire), American Wigeon (Leicestershire), White-winged Black Tern (Essex), Wryneck (Isles of Scilly), Cory's Shearwater (County Louth), Grey-headed Wagtail (East Sussex), Night Heron (Shropshire), two each of both Barred Warbler and Hoopoe, three of Ortolan Bunting and Red-necked Phalarope, four of Long-tailed Skua and Lapland Bunting, five Sabine's Gulls, 12 Cattle Egrets and 26 Great Shearwaters.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Saturday 2nd September 2017  
  New discoveries today included flyby Fea's/Desertas Petrels at Porthgwarra and Lizard, both Cornwall and past North Ronaldsay, Orkney, a Citrine Wagtail over Hilbre, Wirral and an Azorean Yellow-legged Gull at Rosscarbery, County Cork.

Lingering rarities included the Semipalmated Sandpiper in County Wexford, Baird's Sandpipers in County Wexford (two), Dorset and County Sligo, White-rumped Sandpiper in Lincolnshire, Long-billed Dowitchers in Kent and County Wexford, Bonaparte's Gull in Kent and Black Duck in Highland.

Scarcity highlights included a Woodchat Shrike, a Rose-coloured Starling, a Purple Heron, a Surf Scoter, an American Wigeon, a Spotted Crake, an American Golden Plover, a Buff-breasted Sandpiper, a Grey Phalarope, a Long-tailed Skua, two Ortolan Buntings, two Common Rosefinches, two Lapland Buntings, three Hoopoes, three Red-necked Phalaropes, three Glossy Ibises, four Melodious Warblers, four Pomarine Skuas, six Wrynecks, six Sabine's Gulls, and 22 Pectoral Sandpipers.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Friday 1st September 2017  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of three juvenile Baird's Sandpipers - in Dorset on Brownsea Island, in County Kerry at Cahersiveen and in County Sligo at Long Rock - whilst a Lesser Yellowlegs was new in County Cork at Lissagriffin. Other Nearctic waders comprised the Long-billed Dowitcher still in Kent, White-rumped Sandpiper still in Lincolnshire, American Golden Plover and Buff-breasted Sandpiper together in County Londonderry and a total of 22 Pectoral Sandpipers.

Rarities elsewhere comprised the Pacific Diver still in County Dublin, at least one Greenish Warbler in East Yorkshire, Bonaparte's Gull in Kent and a White-billed Diver on the Shetland Isles off Mousa.

Scarcities included Woodchat Shrike (Gloucestershire), Rose-coloured Starling (Highland), Ortolan Bunting (Gwynedd), Golden Oriole (Cornwall), Common Rosefinch (Shetland Isles), Purple Heron (Lancashire), American Wigeon (Leicestershire), Night Heron (Shropshire), Red-backed Shrike and Spotted Crake (Isles of Scilly), Dotterel and Leach's Petrel (East Yorkshire), two Melodious Warblers, three each of both Red-necked Phalarope and Lapland Bunting, five Wrynecks, eight Sabine's Gulls, 10 Glossy Ibises and 20 Cattle Egrets.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Thursday 31st August 2017  
  New discoveries included a Semipalmated Sandpiper and a couple of Baird's Sandpipers at Tacumshin (Co Wexford), a flyby Fea's/Desertas Petrel at Loop Head (Co Clare) and a flyover Citrine Wagtail at Spurn (East Yorkshire). The Pacific Diver (Co Dublin), Laughing Gull (Co Sligo), Greenish Warbler (East Yorkshire), Long-billed Dowitcher and Bonaparte's Gull (Kent) and White-rumped Sandpiper (Lincolnshire) all lingered whilst Wilson's Petrels were logged off Isles of Scilly (5) and Co Clare (3).

The best of the rest included Common Rosefinch (Shetland), Dotterel (Kent), Purple Heron (Lancashire), American Wigeon (Leicestershire), Barred Warbler (Orkney), Bluethroat (Ceredigion/Pembrokeshire), Woodchat Shrike (Gloucestershire), American Golden Plover (Co Derry), Rose-coloured Starling (Highland), American Night Heron (Shropshire), at least two Honey Buzzards, three Red-necked Phalaropes, four Wrynecks, four Lapland Buntings and at least 22 Pectoral Sandpipers.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Wednesday 30th August 2017  
  Highlight of the day was a Yelkouan Shearwater which lingered off Porthgwarra, Cornwall early morning. Other new discoveries included a Bonelli's Warbler sp on Skomer, Pembrokeshire, a second Greenish Warbler at Bempton, Yorkshire and a White-rumped Sandpiper at Tetney, Lincolnshire.

Lingering rarities included the Pacific Diver in County Dublin and the Long-billed Dowitcher and Bonaparte's Gull in Kent.

Scarcity highlights included a Woodchat Shrike, a Red-backed Shrike, a Wryneck, a Rose-coloured Starling, a Lapland Bunting, an American Wigeon, a Purple Heron, an American Golden Plover, a Dotterel, a Temminck's Stint, three Red-necked Phalaropes, a Buff-breasted Sandpiper and 14 Pectoral Sandpipers.

Seawatching produced seven Great Shearwaters, seven Cory's Shearwaters, 11 Leach's Petrels, 19 Sabine's Gulls, seven Long-tailed Skuas, 22 Pomarine Skuas and a Grey Phalarope.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Tuesday 29th August 2017  
  A Greenish Warbler was at Bempton Cliffs RSPB, Yorkshire, a Spotted Sandpiper was at Kilshannig, County Kerry and a Wilson's Petrel flew past Melmore Point, County Donegal.

Lingering rarities included the Long-billed Dowitcher and Bonaparte's Gull in Kent and two Wilson's Petrels from the Scilly pelagic.

Scarcity highlights included an Icterine Warbler, a Woodchat Shrike, a Rose-coloured Starling, a Purple Heron, a Night Heron, an American Wigeon, a Temminck's Stint, two Glossy Ibises, an American Golden Plover, two Dotterel, two Red-necked Phalaropes, two Buff-breasted Sandpipers, 16 Pectoral Sandpipers, three Common Rosefinches, five Wrynecks, seven Honey Buzzards, a Cory's Shearwater, seven Great Shearwaters, two Grey Phalaropes, 11 Sabine's Gulls, 12 Pomarine Skuas and 16 Leach's Petrels.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Monday 28th August 2017  
  New discoveries today included a White-rumped Sandpiper at Clonakilty, County Cork, seven Bee-eaters over New Romeny, Kent and a Wilson's Petrel off Puffin Island, County Kerry.

Lingering rarities included the Pacific Diver in both County Dublin and County Meath, Long-billed Dowitcher in Kent, Bonaparte's Gull in Dorset and a Wilson's Petrel from the Scillonian III.

Scarcity highlights included a Woodchat Shrike, a Red-backed Shrike, an Ortolan Bunting, a Melodious Warbler, a Barred Warbler, a Purple Heron, a Night Heron, two Red-necked Phalaropes, two Dotterels, two Common Rosefinches, two Rose-coloured Starlings, three Wrynecks, three Buff-breasted Sandpipers, four Glossy Ibises and 12 Pectoral Sandpipers.
-  Will Soar, RBA