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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Saturday 28th October 2017  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of a Common Yellowthroat in County Cork at Toe Head; only the second record for Ireland. New rarities elsewhere comprised a Lesser Yellowlegs in County Wexford at Tacumshin and single Red-throated Pipits at both Polgigga, Cornwall and Cape Clear, County Cork.

Lingering rarities confirmed as still present were the Rock Thrush in Gwent, Steppe Grey Shrike on the Shetland Isles, Wilson's Snipe on the Isles of Scilly, Pallid Harrier in County Cork, Spotted Sandpiper and Lesser Yellowlegs in Dorset, White-rumped Sandpiper in Cornwall, Richardson's Cackling Goose in Northumberland, Long-billed Dowitchers in Kent, Lincolnshire, Merseyside and County Wexford (2), and the Lesser Scaup now relocated in Hampshire.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Friday 27th October 2017  
  The best birding today was on the Isles of Scilly where Red-throated Pipit, Olive-backed Pipit, Wilson's Snipe, American Golden Plover, Surf Scoter, Lapland Bunting, two each of both Red-breasted Flycatcher and Richard's Pipit, and three Dusky Warblers were all logged.

Rarities elsewhere comprised the Rock Thrush still in Gwent, Grey-cheeked Thrush in County Cork, Steppe Grey Shrike and Eastern Stonechat species on the Shetland Isles, Red-breasted Goose in Aberdeenshire, Red-throated Pipit in Devon, Olive-backed Pipit in Cornwall, Spotted Sandpiper and Lesser Yellowlegs in Dorset, Richardson's Cackling Goose in Northumberland, Ferruginous Duck in Forth, White-rumped Sandpiper in both Cornwall and County Wexford, and Long-billed Dowitchers in Kent, Merseyside (2) and County Wexford (2).
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Thursday 26th October 2017  
  Two Grey-cheeked Thrushes were discovered today - on St Martin's (Isles of Scilly) and Red Strand (Co Cork). Isles of Scilly also hosted a Dusky Warbler, Surf Scoter, Red-breasted Flycatcher, Bluethroat and at least two Little Buntings. Meanwhile Shetland produced Pied Wheatear, Steppe Grey Shrike, two Olive-backed Pipits, Hume's Warbler, two Dusky Warblers, Red-breasted Flycatcher and three Little Buntings.

Elsewhere new discoveries included Radde's Warblers (Cornwall and Pembrokeshire), Red-throated Pipit (Devon), two Penduline Tits (Suffolk), two White-billed Divers (Orkney), Pallid Harrier (Dorset) and White-rumped Sandpiper (Cornwall), whilst the adult Forster's Tern returned to Co Galway.

Lingering rarities comprised Richardson's Cackling Goose (Northumberland), two Long-billed Dowitchers (Merseyside), Rock Thrush (Gwent), Ferruginous Duck (Forth), Stilt and Spotted Sandpipers, Radde's Warbler and Lesser Scaup (Dorset), White-rumped Sandpiper (Co Kerry) and Pallid Harrier (Co Cork).
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Wednesday 25th October 2017  
  New discoveries included Radde's Warbler (Dorset), Olive-backed Pipit (Lincolnshire), Red-throated Pipit (Gloucestershire) and Dusky Warbler (Shetland). Elsewhere on Shetland the Steppe Grey Shrike, a flock of five Hornemann's Arctic Redpolls and an Eastern stonechat sp were logged, whilst Isles of Scilly produced a couple of Dusky Warblers.

American waders were represented by Stilt and Spotted Sandpipers (Dorset), four American Golden Plovers, three White-rumped Sandpipers, three Pectoral Sandpipers and seven Long-billed Dowitchers. The Rock Thrush (Gwent), Olive-backed Pipit (Pembrokeshire), Lesser Scaup (Dorset) and three Richardson's Cackling Geese all lingered.

The best of the rest included Richard's Pipit (Shetland), Bluethroat and Common Rosefinch (Isles of Scilly), Purple Heron (Lancashire), Rose-coloured Starling (Herefordshire) and three Little Buntings.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Tuesday 24th October 2017  
  The highlight of the day was a flyby Pallid Swift in North Yorkshire at Hunmanby Gap whilst a Red-throated Pipit flew over Berkeley Shore in Gloucestershire. In County Kerry the Black Scoter returned to Rossbeigh for the fourth consecutive winter whilst nearby White-rumped Sandpipers were new at both Carrahane Strand and Black Rock Strand.

On the Shetland Isles seven Arctic Redpolls were logged whilst the Steppe Grey Shrike remained on Whalsay and an Eastern Stonechat species was on Mainland at Sandwick. Around the islands were Surf Scoter, Barred Warbler and two each of Shorelark and Great Grey Shrike all recorded.

Further lingering rarities comprised the Rock Thrush still in Gwent, Olive-backed Pipit in Pembrokeshire, Eastern Stonechat species on the Orkney Isles, Stilt Sandpiper, Spotted Sandpiper, Lesser Yellowlegs and Lesser Scaup in Dorset, Lesser Yellowlegs in County Clare and Richardson's Cackling Goose in Northumberland.

Significant others included Red-breasted Flycatcher (Merseyside), Barred Warbler (Aberdeenshire), Little Bunting (Isles of Scilly), Short-toed Lark, Rose-coloured Starling and Wryneck (all Cornwall), American Wigeon (Argyll and Northumberland), American Golden Plover (County Kerry and Western Isles), Pectoral Sandpiper (County Kerry and South Yorkshire).
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Monday 23rd October 2017  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of a Blackpoll Warbler on the Western Isles at Lochmaddy, North Uist - the twenty seventh Nearctic landbird to be found this autumn between Britain and Ireland. Discoveries elsewhere included a Black-throated Thrush and two Hornemann's Arctic Redpolls on Fair Isle, Shetland Isles, an Olive-backed Pipit off the Isle of Man on the Calf of Man, a Semipalmated Sandpiper in County Cork at Clonakilty, a Lesser Scaup in Dorset at Longham Lakes and a White-billed Diver passing Papa Westray, Orkney Isles.

Lingering rarities confirmed as still present were the Rock Thrush in Gwent, Grey-cheeked Thrush and Rustic Bunting in County Cork, Steppe Grey Shrike on the Shetland Isles, Stilt Sandpiper, Spotted Sandpiper and Lesser Yellowlegs all in Dorset, Olive-backed Pipits in both East Yorkshire and Pembrokeshire, Dusky Warbler on the Isles of Scilly, Long-billed Dowitchers in Kent and Merseyside (2), Lesser Yellowlegs in County Clare, White-rumped Sandpipers in County Donegal and East Yorkshire, Richardson's Cackling Goose in Northumberland and White-billed Diver in Norfolk.

The best of the rest comprised Pallas's Warbler (Shetland Isles), Short-toed Lark (Cornwall), Purple Heron (Lancashire), Pectoral Sandpiper (South Yorkshire), Barred Warbler (Aberdeenshire and County Durham), Little Bunting (Northumberland and the Isles of Scilly (2)) and American Wigeon (Leicestershire and Worcestershire).

Significant late news concerned the reidentification of the Orphean Warbler species present on St Agnes, Isles of Scilly on 12th-17th October - and reported again on 20th October - as the first Eastern Orphean Warbler for Britain.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Sunday 22nd October 2017  
  In Yorkshire, a Cliff Swallow flew south past Spurn mid morning, the second record for the area following a lingering bird in October 1995.

Other new discoveries today included a Hume's Warbler on Foula, Shetland, two Dusky Warblers on St Mary's, Isles of Scilly, an Olive-backed Pipit at St Brides, Pembrokeshire, a Pallid Swift at Flamborough, Yorkshire and a Lesser Yellowlegs at Clarecastle, County Clare.

Lingerers included the Rock Thrush in Gwent, two Grey-cheeked Thrushes and a Rustic Bunting in County Cork, Steppe Grey Shrike and Eastern Stonechat sp in Shetland, Olive-backed Pipit in Yorkshire, Bee-eater in Northumberland, Stilt Sandpiper, Lesser Yellowlegs and Spotted Sandpiper in Dorset, Wilson's Phalarope and Long-billed Dowitcher in Kent, Long-billed Dowitcher in Lincolnshire, Richardson's Cackling Geese in Northumberland and Argyll and Ferruginous Duck in Forth.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Saturday 21st October 2017  
  New discoveries today included an Olive-backed Pipit at Spurn, Yorkshire, a Tawny Pipit at Mousehole, Cornwall, a Red-footed Falcon at Kessingland, Suffolk, a Lesser Scaup at Tittesworth, Staffordshire, a White-billed Diver at Winterton, Norfolk and a White-rumped Sandpiper at Lough Swilly, County Donegal.

Lingering rarities still present today included Rock Thrush in Gwent, Grey-cheeked Thrush and Rustic Bunting in County Cork, Steppe Grey Shrike and White-winged Scoter in Shetland, Bee-eater in Northumberland, Stilt Sandpiper and Spotted Sandpiper in Dorset, Wilson's Phalarope in Kent, single Long-billed Dowitchers in Merseyside and Kent, single White-rumped Sandpipers in Yorkshire and County Wexford, Richardson's Cackling Goose in Argyll, Red-breasted Goose in Aberdeenshire and Ferruginous Duck in Forth.

Scarcity highlights included a Rose-coloured Starling, a Short-toed Lark, a Shorelark, a Wryneck, a Common Rosefinch, two Little Buntings, two Great Grey Shrikes, three Pallas's Warblers, a Rough-legged Buzzard, a Green-winged Teal, two Ring-necked Ducks, three American Wigeon, three Snow Geese, two Glossy Ibises, a Great Shearwater, four Sabine's Gulls, three American Golden Plovers, a Red-necked Phalarope, 17 Grey Phalaropes, 56 Leach's Petrels, six Long-tailed Skuas and 20 Pomarine Skuas.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Friday 20th October 2017  
  A Yellow-billed Cuckoo was found on St Agnes, Isles of Scilly today, but appeared unwell and was presumably moribund. Other new discoveries included a new Grey-cheeked Thrush in County Cork at Rosscarbery, a Radde's Warbler on Skomer, Pembrokeshire, a Dusky Warbler at Bamburgh, Northumberland, a White-rumped Sandpiper at Kilnsea, Yorkshire and two Hornemann's Arctic Redpolls at Melby, Shetland.

Lingering rarities included the Rock Thrush in Gwent, the other Grey-cheeked Thrush and a Rustic Bunting in County Cork, Steppe Grey Shrike in Shetland, White-winged Scoter in Shetland, Bee-eater in Northumberland, Wilson's Phalarope and Long-billed Dowitcher in Kent, two Long-billed Dowitchers in Merseyside, Stilt Sandpiper, Lesser Yellowlegs and Spotted Sandpiper in Dorset, Pacific Golden Plover in County Wexford, two Red-breasted Geese in Aberdeenshire and Ferruginous Duck in Forth.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Thursday 19th October 2017  
  The highlight of the day was confirmation of a White-winged Scoter on the Shetland Isles on Unst at Loch of Belmont where it had first been seen - but not identified - on Monday and having visited the adjacent island of Yell in the interim. Meanwhile in County Cork a Grey-cheeked Thrush new-in at Galley Head represented the twelfth species of Nearctic landbird to be discovered between Britain and Ireland so far this autumn, with 23 individual birds located since the first on the 21st August.

Rarities from the east comprised a Red-flanked Bluetail in Highland at Wick, Steppe Grey Shrike and Eastern Stonechat on the Shetland Isles, Rustic Bunting in County Cork, single Radde's Warblers in Kent, Norfolk and Suffolk, Dusky Warblers in Cleveland, Shetland and Suffolk, Olive-backed Pipits in both East Yorkshire and Shetland, and the Two-barred Greenish Warbler still Dorset at St Aldhelm's Head albeit elusively.

Other lingering rarities confirmed as still present were the Rock Thrush in Gwent, Bee-eater in Northumberland, Stilt Sandpiper, Spotted Sandpiper and Lesser Yellowlegs all in Dorset, Wilson's Phalarope and Long-billed Dowitcher together in Kent, Long-billed Dowitcher in Lancashire, Ferruginous Duck in Forth and Richardson's Cackling Goose in Northumberland.
-  Chris Batty, RBA