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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Tuesday 26th September 2017  
  The highlight of the day was the arrival of an Eastern Stonechat species and a Blyth's Reed Warbler on North Ronaldsay, Orkney Isles, with an Arctic Warbler in County Durham at Whitburn and now two Lesser Yellowlegs on The Mullet, County Mayo. Rarities elsewhere included Stilt Sandpiper, Spotted Sandpiper, Lesser Yellowlegs and Greenish Warbler all still in Dorset, Arctic Warbler in Fife, Spotted Sandpiper in Cornwall, White-rumped Sandpiper in County Kerry, Long-billed Dowitcher in Lincolnshire, Bonaparte's Gull in Devon and Ferruginous Duck in Hampshire.

On the Shetland Isles on Olive-backed Pipit was on Fair Isle with around the archipelago Bluethroat, Icterine Warbler, Marsh Warbler, Richard's Pipit, two Barred Warblers, five Red-breasted Flycatchers, six Lapland Buntings and nine Little Buntings.

On the Isles of Scilly the three Bee-eaters remained alongside American Golden Plover, Dotterel, Lapland Bunting and two Wrynecks.

Scarcities elsewhere included Little and Ortolan Bunting (Orkney Isles), American Golden Plover (Western Isles), Purple Heron and Dotterel (Cornwall), Rose-coloured Starling (East Yorkshire), Hoopoe (North Yorkshire), White-winged Black Tern and Long-tailed Skua (Northumberland), Lesser Snow Goose (Aberdeenshire), two each of Barred Warbler, Bluethroat and Red-necked Phalarope, three of Red-backed Shrike, Richard's Pipit, Wryneck, American Wigeon, Spotted Crake and Sabine's Gull, Pectoral Sandpiper, five Red-breasted Flycatchers, eight Buff-breasted Sandpipers and 16 Lapland Buntings.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Monday 25th September 2017  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of an Arctic Warbler in Fife on the Isle of May. Rarties elsewhere included Red-eyed Vireo and Spotted Sandpiper still in Cornwall, Hudsonian Whimbrel in County Sligo, Stilt Sandpiper, Spotted Sandpiper, Greenish Warbler and Lesser Yellowlegs all in Dorset, Radde's Warbler in East Yorkshire, Long-billed Dowitcher in Lincolnshire, White-rumped Sandpiper in County Kerry, King Eider in Ceredigion and Ferruginous Duck in Hampshire.

On the Isles of Scilly Red-eyed Vireo and three Bee-eaters both remained alongside American Golden Plover, Icterine Warbler, Barred Warbler and two Wrynecks.

On the Shetland Isles a Blyth's Reed Warbler was identified on Fair Isle where Marsh Warbler and Bluethroat, Great Grey Shrike and Wryneck were also present, with around the archipelago Corncrake, American Wigeon, two Red-breasted Flycatchers, three each of Little Bunting, Barred Warbler and Common Rosefinch, and a total of 10 Lapland Buntings.

Scarcities elsewhere comprised Melodious Warbler (County Cork), White-winged Black Tern (Northumberland), Little Bunting (County Durham), Richard's Pipit (East Yorkshire), Surf Scoter (County Kerry), American Wigeon (Leicestershire), Woodchat Shrike and Bluethroat (Orkney Isles), two each of both Purple Heron and Spotted Crake, three of Red-breasted Flycatcher, Red-backed Shrike and Wryneck, four of Common Rosefinch and Red-necked Phalarope, five of Buff-breasted Sandpiper and Barred Warbler, six Pectoral Sandpipers and eight Lapland Buntings.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Sunday 24th September 2017  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of single Red-eyed Vireos in both Cornwall at Porthgwarra and on St Agnes, Isles of Scilly, the latter present alongside two Bee-eaters. Meanwhile, from the east came the first Radde's Warbler of the autumn in East Yorkshire at Spurn, an Olive-backed Pipit on North Ronaldsay, Orkney Isles, and Greenish Warblers in both Dorset at Portland Bill and Pembrokeshire at Martin's Haven, the latter close to a Western Bonelli's Warbler found on Skokholm.

Lingering rarities confirmed as still present were the Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler in Norfolk, Semipalmated Plover, Snowy Owl and Lesser Yellowlegs all in County Mayo, Hudsonian Whimbrel in County Sligo, Western Bonelli's Warbler in Borders, Spotted Sandpipers in both Cornwall and Dorset, Long-billed Dowitchers in Kent and Lincolnshire, Baird's Sandpiper in County Wexford, Lesser Yellowlegs in Dorset and White-rumped Sandpiper in County Kerry. In Hampshire the regular Ferruginous Duck returned to Blashford Lakes.

Scarcities included White-winged Black Tern (Northumberland), Purple Heron (Lancashire), Marsh Warbler (East Yorkshire), Bluethroat (Shetland Isles), Lesser Snow Goose (Aberdeenshire), two each of Melodious Warbler, Little Bunting, Red-breasted Flycatcher, American Golden Plover, Rose-coloured Starling, Common Rosefinch, Spotted Crake and Long-tailed Skua, three of Icterine Warbler, Barred Warbler, American Wigeon and Sabine's Gull, five of Buff-breasted Sandpiper, Pectoral Sandpiper, Red-backed Shrike and Wryneck, and six each of Red-necked Phalarope and Lapland Bunting.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Saturday 23rd September 2017  
  New discoveries today included a Lesser Yellowlegs at Stanpit Marsh, Dorset and a Fea's/Desertas/Zino's Petrel past Toe Head, County Cork.

Lingering rare waders included the Semipalmated Plover in County Mayo, single Spotted Sandpipers in Dorset and Cornwall, single Long-billed Dowitchers in Kent and Lincolnshire and White-rumped Sandpiper in County Kerry. Other lingerers were the Western Bonelli's Warbler in Borders, King Eider in Ceredigion and single Bonaparte's Gulls in Western Isles and Devon.

Scarcity highlights included a Rose-coloured Starling, a Hoopoe, a Common Rosefinch, two Marsh Warblers, five Barred Warblers, three Red-backed Shrikes, four Lapland Buntings, seven Wrynecks, a Corncrake, two Spotted Crakes, two Purple Herons, two Honey Buzzards, a Great Shearwater, three Long-tailed Skuas, four Pomarine Skuas, eight Sabine's Gulls, a Glaucous Gull, two American Golden Plovers, five Buff-breasted Sandpipers, five Pectoral Sandpipers, seven Red-necked Phalaropes and 17 Grey Phalaropes.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Friday 22nd September 2017  
  New discoveries included a Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler on Fair Isle (Shetland) and a Pallid Harrier over Apsley (Hertfordshire), whilst the Yellow-breasted Bunting (Shetland), Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler (Norfolk), Bonaparte's Gull (Western Isles), Long-billed Dowitchers (Co Kerry and Lincolnshire), Black Duck (Highland), Spotted Sandpipers (Dorset and Cornwall), Baird's Sandpiper (Dorset), White-rumped Sandpiper (Co Kerry), King Eider (Ceredigion), Western Bonelli's Warbler (Borders) and Lesser Yellowlegs (Angus) all lingered.

The best of the rest included Serin (Norfolk), Marsh Warbler, Bluethroat and Little Bunting (Shetland), two each of Purple Heron and American Golden Plover, four each of Pectoral Sandpiper and Spotted Crake and five each of Common Rosefinch, Barred Warbler and Buff-breasted Sandpipers.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Thursday 21st September 2017  
  On the Shetland Isles the Yellow-breasted Bunting lingered on Out Skerries for its second day, but the Siberian Thrush could not be located on Unst.

In Dorset a Stilt Sandpiper at Lytchett Bay was presumably the same bird that had been present at Lodmoor RSPB until 15th September. Elsewhere a Bonaparte's Gull (Western Isles) and Greenish Warbler (Co Durham) were discovered, whilst a Western Bonelli's Warbler (Borders), Spotted Sandpipers in Cornwall and Dorset, Baird's Sandpiper in Dorset, Long-billed Dowitchers in Kent and Lincolnshire, Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler in Norfolk and Semipalmated Sandpiper in Isles of Scilly all lingered.

The best of the rest included Common Rosefinch, Little Bunting and Bluethroat on Shetland, Spotted Crake in London, Purple Herons in Cornwall and Lancashire, Barred Warblers in Fife and Cleveland, Red-breasted Flycatcher in East Yorkshire, Wryneck in Gwynedd, Rose-coloured Starling in Cumbria, Lesser Snow Goose in Aberdeenshire and two Dotterels in Cornwall.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Wednesday 20th September 2017  
  Shetland produced two great birds today; a Siberian Thrush on Unst and a Yellow-breasted Bunting on Out Skerries. Siberian Thrush has occurred annually on Shetland for the last four years (but has so far been untwitchable from Mainland UK) but today's bird is the first Yellow-breasted Bunting to be found on the archipelago since 2011.

Elsewhere lingering rarities comprised the elusive Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler in Norfolk, Semipalmated Sandpiper on Isles of Scilly, Spotted and Baird's Sandpipers in Dorset, Long-billed Dowitchers in Kent and Lincolnshire, Snowy Owl in Co Mayo, Forster's Tern in Co Louth and Western Bonelli's Warbler in Borders. New discoveries included a Greenish Warbler in Norfolk, Lesser Yellowlegs in Co Mayo and Carmarthenshire and a report of two Red-rumped Swallows in Devon.

The best of the rest included Red-breasted Flycatcher (East Yorkshire), Purple Heron (Cornwall), Rose-coloured Starling (Cumbria), Marsh Warbler (Shetland), Golden Oriole (Shetland), two each of Hoopoe and Spotted Crakes, three each of American Golden Plover and Red-backed Shrikes, four Barred Warblers, six Common Rosefinches and at least nine Buff-breasted Sandpipers.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Tuesday 19th September 2017  
  Newly discovered rarities today comprised a Western Bonelli's Warbler in Borders at St Abb's Head and a Blyth's Reed Warbler in Kent at Sandwich Bay.

Rarities elsewhere were the elusive Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler still in Norfolk, Least, Baird's and Spotted Sandpipers all still in Dorset, Snowy Owl in County Mayo, Semipalmated Sandpiper on the Isles of Scilly, Long-billed Dowitcher in Lincolnshire and King Eider in Ceredigion.

Scarcities included Little Bunting (Fife), Woodchat Shrike (Gloucestershire), Rose-coloured Starling (Cumbria), Marsh Warbler (Shetland Isles), American Golden Plover (Isles of Scilly), American Wigeon (Leicestershire), Glossy Ibis (Somerset), Ring-billed Gull (County Louth), Buff-breasted Sandpiper, Ortolan Bunting and Purple Heron (all in Cornwall), two each of Bluethroat, Red-necked Phalarope, Hoopoe and Spotted Crake, three of Wryneck and Pectoral Sandpiper, four of Red-breasted Flycatcher, Barred Warbler, Red-backed Shrike and Sabine's Gull, five Common Rosefinches and 15 Lapland Buntings.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Monday 18th September 2017  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of a Black-billed Cuckoo on the Shetland Isles at Dale of Walls, Mainland - only the second record for the archipelago following one on Foula on 11th-12th October 1953. Other rarities from the west were Least, Baird's and Spotted Sandpipers all in Dorset, Forster's Tern still in County Louth, Semipalmated Sandpiper on the Isles of Scilly, Baird's Sandpiper in County Cork, Pectoral Sandpiper in Berkshire, Long-billed Dowitchers in County Kerry, Lincolnshire and the Orkney Isles, two American Golden Plovers and seven Buff-breasted Sandpipers.

Whilst from the east, both the Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler and Arctic Warbler remained in Norfolk, a Dusky Warbler was new in Kent at Reculver, as well as Marsh Warbler (East Yorkshire), Little Bunting (Fife), two each of both Common Rosefinch and Red-backed Shrike, three of Red-breasted Flycatcher and Wryneck, seven Barred Warblers and 29 Yellow-browed Warblers.

Birds from elsewhere included King Eider (again in Ceredigion), Woodchat Shrike (still in Gloucestershire), Red-necked Phalarope (Suffolk), Glossy Ibis (London), two Rose-coloured Starlings, three Spotted Crakes and 14 Lapland Buntings.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Sunday 17th September 2017  
  The highlight of the day was a Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler in Norfolk at Burnham Overy Marshes present from mid afternoon until dusk and showing well at times. Rarities discovered elsewhere included a Baird's Sandpiper in Dorset at Littlsea, a Red-throated Pipit in County Donegal on Tory Island, Arctic Warblers in East Yorkshire at Easington and in Norfolk at Wells Woods, and Greenish Warblers in both East Yorkshire at Spurn Point and Kent at Seabrook.

On Fair Isle Western Bonelli's Warbler, Rustic Bunting, Citrine Wagtail, Melodious Warbler, Little Bunting, Bluethroat and Red-breasted Flycatcher were all located whilst elsewhere around the Shetland Isles Golden Oriole, Lapland Bunting, two Barred Warblers, four Common Rosefinches and a total of 32 Yellow-browed Warblers were all present.

Lingering rarities confirmed as still present were the American Redstart on the Western Isles, Semipalmated Plover in County Mayo, Least Sandpiper in Dorset, Pied-billed Grebe in Argyll, Semipalmated Sandpiper on the Isles of Scilly, Baird's Sandpiper in County Cork, Greenish Warbler in Northumberland, and Long-billed Dowitchers in both Kent and Lincolnshire.

Elsewhere scarcities included Little Bunting (Fife), Marsh Warbler (Orkney Isles), Red-breasted Flycatcher (East Yorkshire), Woodchat Shrike (Gloucestershire), American Golden Plover (Isles of Scilly), White-winged Black Tern (Hertfordshire), American Wigeon (Leicestershire), Snow Goose (Aberdeenshire), Ortolan Bunting and Hoopoe (together in Dorset), two each of Rose-coloured Starling, Barred Warbler, Common Rosefinch, Red-necked Phalarope and Spotted Crake, and three Buff-breasted Sandpipers.
-  Chris Batty, RBA