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 7th November 2017  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of a Red-flanked Bluetail in Suffolk at Lowestfoft although it later proved elusive. In Hampshire a Stilt Sandpiper reported as present at Farlington Marshes was presumably the individual earlier present in Dorset for much of the autumn.

Other rarities comprised both Pied-billed Grebe and White-billed Diver on the Shetland Isles, Pacific Diver still in Cornwall, single White-rumped Sandpipers in both Angus and County Kerry, Richardson's Cackling Goose in Argyll and two Ferruginous Ducks together in Berkshire at Dinton Pastures.

Scarcities included American Golden Plover (Dumfries and Galloway), Shorelark (inland in Cambridgeshire), Dotterel (Kent and Norfolk), American Wigeon (Highland and Leicestershire), Ring-necked Duck (Cornwall, Essex and County Kerry) and Surf Scoter (Cornwall (2), Lothian and the Shetland Isles).
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Monday 6th November 2017  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of a Pied Wheatear in Cleveland at Skinningrove - albeit only realised after dark - whilst in Leicestershire a Ferruginous Duck was new at Rutland Water. In Cornwall a returning Pacific Diver was confirmed in Mount's Bay at Newlyn, having earlier been suspected at Marazion on Saturday, and is presumably the same individual present most winters in Kernow since February 2007.

Other rarities comprised a Wilson's Snipe on the Isles of Scilly, King Eider in the Shetland Isles, single White-billed Divers in Fife, Norfolk and the Orkney Isles, Lesser Yellowlegs in Dorset, White-rumped Sandpiper in County Kerry, and Long-billed Dowitchers in both Kent and Lincolnshire.

Scarcities included Barred Warbler (Suffolk), Serin (Cornwall), Richard's Pipit (East Yorkshire), Sabine's Gull (Norfolk), Shorelark (Cambridgeshire), American Wigeon (Worcestershire), Ring-necked Duck (Cornwall and Essex), Surf Scoter (two together in Cornwall) and Dotterel (Kent, Norfolk and Northamptonshire).
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Sunday 5th November 2017  
  Lingering rarities included Pied-billed Grebe and King Eider (Shetland), White-billed Diver (Norfolk), Long-billed Dowitcher (Merseyside [2], Kent, Co Wexford and Lincolnshire), Lesser Yellowlegs (Dorset and Co Wexford), Dusky Warbler (Kent), Ferruginous Duck (Hampshire) and Red-breasted Goose (Aberdeenshire), whilst a Bee-eater flew over Northumberland.

The best of the rest included Richard's Pipit (Devon and East Yorkshire), three Pallas's Warblers in Suffolk, American Golden Plover (Western Isles), Dotterel (Norfolk), three Glossy Ibises, three American Wigeons and seven Ring-necked Ducks.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Saturday 4th November 2017  
  New discoveries included a Pied-billed Grebe at Spiggie and a King Eider at Wester Quarff, both Shetland (the former a county first), a Semipalmated Sandpiper on Whitton Sands, Lincolnshire and a White-billed Diver off Newton Point, Northumberland.

Lingering rarities included the Dusky Warbler in Kent, single Lesser Yellowlegs' in Dorset and County Wexford, single Long-billed Dowitchers in Kent, Lincolnshire, Merseyside and County Wexford, two White-rumped Sandpipers in County Wexford and Lesser Scaup in Hampshire.

The best of the rest was a Cory's Shearwater in Northamptonshire, along with a Barred Warbler, a Richard's Pipit, a Rose-coloured Starling, a Pectoral Sandpiper, a Little Auk, a Surf Scoter, a Todd's Canada Goose, a Pomarine Skua, a Glaucous Gull, two Iceland Gulls, two Pallas's Warblers, two Little Buntings, two Grey Phalaropes, two Dotterels, two Lesser Snow Geese, three Great Grey Shrikes, four American Wigeon, four Lapland Buntings, five Shorelarks, five Ring-necked Ducks and 20 Waxwings.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Friday 3rd November 2017  
  New discoveries today included a Dusky Warbler at Sandwich Bay, Kent and an Olive-backed Pipit at Trevose Head, Cornwall.

Lingering rarities included the Rock Thrush in Gwent, Lesser Yellowlegs in Warwickshire, single Long-billed Dowitchers in Kent, Lincolnshire, Merseyside and County Wexford, White-rumped Sandpipers in County Derry and County Wexford (two), White-billed Diver in Norfolk, Lesser Scaup in Hampshire and King Eider in Highland.

The best of the rest included a Red-breasted Flycatcher, a Barred Warbler, a Wryneck, a Common Rosefinch, a Pectoral Sandpiper, a Dotterel, a Glossy Ibis, a Long-tailed Skua, a Pomarine Skua, a Glaucous Gull, a Todd's Canada Goose, two Pallas's Warblers, two Rose-coloured Starlings, two Little Buntings, two Shorelarks, two American Golden Plovers, two Ring-necked Ducks, two Black Brants, two Iceland Gulls, three American Wigeon, four Richard's Pipits, four Great Grey Shrikes, five Lapland Buntings and seven Little Auks.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Thursday 2nd November 2017  
  An Eastern Stonechat sp on Skomer Island (Pembrokeshire) was today's most significant new discovery, but Rock Thrush (Gwent), Bee-eater (Co Durham), Lesser Yellowlegs (Co Wexford and Warwickshire), Long-billed Dowitchers (Kent, Merseyside and Co Wexford), White-rumped Sandpipers (Cornwall and Co Wexford), Stilt Sandpiper (Dorset), Lesser Scaup (Hampshire) and Radde's Warbler (Isles of Scilly) were all logged, whilst White-billed Divers were noted on Orkney and Lothian and reported from Norfolk.

Scarcities were headlined by a Cory's Shearwater at inland Rutland Water (Leicestershire). A Red-breasted Flycatcher and Little Bunting (Shetland), Richard's Pipits (Pembrokeshire, South Yorkshire and East Yorkshire), Wryneck and Barred Warbler in Dorset (Dorset) and Rose-coloured Starling Cornwall were also recorded today.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
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