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 1st November 2017  
  New discoveries on the first day of November included Radde's Warbler in Co Cork, Long-billed Dowitcher in Pembrokeshire, Lesser Yellowlegs in Warwicksire and King Eider in Highland. The Rock Thrush (Gwent), Radde's Warbler (Isles of Scilly), Long-billed Dowitchers (Merseyside, Lincolnshire and Co Wexford), Red-breasted Goose (Aberdeenshire), White-rumped Sandpipers (Cornwall and Co Wexford [2]), Lesser Yellowlegs (Co Wexford and Dorset) and Lesser Scaup (Hampshire) all lingered.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Tuesday 31st October 2017  
  The best birding today was on the Isles of Scilly where Radde's Warbler, Olive-backed Pipit, Pallas's Warbler, Red-breasted Flycatcher, Little Bunting and the lingering Wilson's Snipe were all noted on St Mary's, an Eastern Stonechat species arrived on St Agnes and a Surf Scoter remained off Tresco.

Rarities elsewhere comprised an Olive-backed Pipit new in Cornwall at Mousehole, the Rock Thrush still in Gwent, Steppe Grey Shrike and three Hornemann's Arctic Redpolls on the Shetland Isles, Pacific Golden Plover still in County Wexford, Lesser Scaup in Hampshire, Lesser Yellowlegs in Dorset, Long-billed Dowitchers in Kent, Lincolnshire and Merseyside, and White-rumped Sandpipers in Cornwall, East Yorkshire and County Londonderry (2).

Further scarcities included Pallas's Warbler (Norfolk), Red-breasted Flycatcher and Rose-coloured Starling (both Cornwall), Hoopoe (Pembrokeshire), Pectoral Sandpiper (West Sussex), Glossy Ibis (Isle of Wight), two each of both Surf Scoter and Ring-necked Duck, three of Richard's Pipit and Snow Goose and a total of four American Golden Plovers.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Monday 30th October 2017  
  Orkney provided the highlights today with a juvenile Ivory Gull and four White-billed Divers recorded at Mull Head, Papa Westray, and two unidentified Fea's/Desertas/Zino's Petrels passing North Ronaldsay. Discoveries elsewhere included a Radde's Warbler in County Clare at Loop Head and a Bee-eater at Whitburn, County Durham.

Other rarities comprised the Rock Thrush still in Gwent, Pallid Harrier still in County Cork, Olive-backed Pipit on the Isles of Scilly, Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll on the Shetland Isles, Lesser Scaup in Hampshire, Lesser Yellowlegs in both Dorset and County Wexford, Long-billed Dowitcher in Lincolnshire and County Wexford (2), and single White-rumped Sandpipers in East Yorkshire, County Cork, Cornwall and County Wexford.

Scarcities included Pallas's Warbler (Norfolk), Serin and Rose-coloured Starling (Cornwall), Short-toed Lark and Wryneck (County Cork), American Wigeon (Worcestershire), Black-bellied Dipper (East Yorkshire), two each of Red-breasted Flycatcher, Richard's Pipit and Lesser Snow Goose, three of both Surf Scoter and Ring-necked Duck and a total of five American Golden Plovers.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Sunday 29th October 2017  
  The highlight of the day was a Ross's Gull briefly in Northumberland at Fenham Flats.

Elsewhere rarities comprised the Rock Thrush still in Gwent, Pacific Golden Plover, Red-throated Pipit, Lesser Yellowlegs, two Long-billed Dowitchers and two White-rumped Sandpipers in County Wexford, Pallid Harrier in County Cork, Spotted Sandpiper and Lesser Yellowlegs in Dorset, Lesser Scaup in Hampshire, Bonaparte's Gull in Devon, two Hornemann's Arctic Redpolls and a Dusky Warbler in Shetland, Long-billed Dowitchers in both Kent and Lancashire, and White-rumped Sandpipers in Cornwall and County Londonderry.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
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