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.

Choose a starting date
Thursday 20th September 2018  
  Seawatching was the go-to activity today - a Barolo Shearwater off Heysham and Fleetwood (Lancashire) and a probable Madeiran Petrel off Porthgwarra (Cornwall) were the rarest sightings, but the excellent counts of Great Shearwaters off southwest England were also notable, which included a minimum of 2,506 off Porthgwarra (Cornwall), 2,400 off St Agnes (Isles of Scilly) and 658 off Lizard Point (Cornwall).

England's first American landbird of the autumn arrived in the form of a Red-eyed Vireo in Cornwall, whilst a Pacific Golden Plover in Suffolk appears to be the same bird reported as an American Golden Plover at the same site back in August. White-rumped Sandpipers were discovered in Co Mayo and Co Galway. Lingering rarities comprised Pallid Harriers (Hertfordshire and Norfolk), Lesser Yellowlegs (Cornwall), Bonaparte's Gull (Co Sligo), Long-billed Dowitcher (Lincolnshire), American White-winged Scoter (Lothian), Citrine Wagtail (Isles of Scilly) and subalpine warbler species (Shetland).
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Wednesday 19th September 2018  
  A subalpine warbler species was discovered on Unst (Shetland), whilst White-throated Sparrow and two Blyth's Reed Warblers (Shetland), Citrine Wagtail and Baird's Sandpiper (Isles of Scilly), Pallid Harriers (Norfolk and Hertfordshire), American White-winged Scoter (Lothian), Long-billed Dowitcher (Lincolnshire), Lesser Yellowlegs (Cornwall) and Forster's Tern (Co Louth) all lingered.

The best of the rest included Little Bunting and Buff-breasted Sandpiper (Shetland), Rose-coloured Starling and Melodious Warbler (Isles of Scilly), American Golden Plover (Orkney), Woodchat Shrike (Lothian), Red-backed Shrike (Hampshire), Spotted Crake (Hertfordshire), two Ring-necked Ducks and Temminck's Stints, three Barred Warblers, four Wrynecks, six Pectoral Sandpipers and 11 Common Rosefinches.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Tuesday 18th September 2018  
  Strong winds in the southwest saw a Fea's/Desertas/Zino's Petrel passing Toe Head, County Cork with 58 Great Shearwaters logged between County Cork and Cornwall and around island totals of eight Leach's Petrels, five Sabine's Gulls and four Long-tailed Skuas.

Other rarities comprised a Lesser Yellowlegs new in Cornwall at Devoran Quay, a White-rumped Sandpiper on the Western Isles on South Uist, White-throated Sparrow, Arctic Warbler and two Blyth's Reed Warblers on the Shetland Isles, American White-winged Scoter still in Lothian, Citrine Wagtail on the Isles of Scilly, Semipalmated Sandpiper in Lancashire, Long-billed Dowitcher in Lincolnshire, American Black Tern in County Londonderry, King Eider in Highland and single juvenile Pallid Harriers in each of Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire, Lancashire and Norfolk.

Scarcities included Woodchat Shrike (Lothian), Hoopoe (Highland), Temminck's Stint (Cambridgeshire), American Wigeon (Leicestershire), two Glossy Ibises, four Spotted Crakes, five each of Buff-breasted Sandpiper, Barred Warbler, Wryneck and Yellow-browed Warblers, nine Pectoral Sandpipers, 18 Common Rosefinches, 56 Lapland Buntings and a total of 93 Cattle Egrets.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Monday 17th September 2018  
  Seawatching proved to be the highlight of the day with an unprecedented five Fea's/Desertas/Zino's Petrels passing Galley Head, County Cork in a period of 75 minutes. In addition, 562 Great Shearwaters were logged between County Cork and Devon as well as 20 Cory's Shearwaters (all off County Cork), three Sabine's Gulls and a single Long-tailed Skua (Fife).

Terrestrial rarities comprised Pallid Harriers in Cambridgeshire, Cheshire, Lancashire and Norfolk, both Blyth's Reed Warbler and Arctic Warbler on the Shetland Isles, a Tawny Pipit briefly in East Sussex, Citrine Wagtail still on the Isles of Scilly, Baird's Sandpipers in both Moray and the Isles of Scilly, Semipalmated Sandpiper in Lancashire, Long-billed Dowitcher in Lincolnshire, American White-winged Scoter still in Lothian and King Eider still in Highland.

Other scarcities included Little Bunting (Shetland Isles), American Golden Plover (Argyll), American Wigeon (Leicestershire), Ring-necked Duck (Forth), Woodchat Shrike (Lothian), two each of Bluethroat, Barred Warbler and Glossy Ibis, three each of both Buff-breasted Sandpiper and Yellow-browed Warblers, four Spotted Crakes, five Lapland Buntings, six Wrynecks, eight Pectoral Sandpipers and nine Common Rosefinches.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Sunday 16th September 2018  
  A Barolo Shearwater flew past Ardvule Point, Western Isles today, with other new discoveries including a Bonelli's Warbler species on Skomer, Pembrokeshire, a Pallid Harrier at Cockersand, Lancashire, a Red-footed Falcon at Nosterfield, Yorkshire and a Red-rumped Swallow at Lowestoft, Suffolk.

Lingering rarities included the American White-winged Scoter in Lothian, King Eider in Highland, two Baird's Sandpipers in Pembrokes and at least one in Scilly and one in County Wexford, Semipalmated Sandpiper in Lancashire, Long-billed Dowitcher in Lincolnshire, American Black Tern in County Derry, Arctic Warbler and Blyth's Reed Warbler in Shetland, Citrine Wagtail in Scilly and Pallid Harrier in Cheshire.

Scarcty highlights included a Woodchat Shrike, a Hoopoe, a Yellow-browed Warbler, three Barred Warblers, five Wrynecks, nine Common Rosefinches, a Corncrake, four Spotted Crakes, a Ring-necked Duck, three Grey Phalaropes, a Dotterel, four American Golden Plovers, two Buff-breasted Sandpipers, 13 Pectoral Sandpipers and a Ring-billed Gull. Seawatching produced 667 Great Shearwaters, four Cory's Shearwaters, a Long-tailed Skua, 17 Pomarine Skuas, 24 Leach's Petrels and two Grey Phalaropes.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Saturday 15th September 2018  
  Nearctic waders today included Baird's Sandpipers in County Mayo, Pembrokeshire (2), Isles of Scilly and County Wexford, Semipalmated Sandpiper again in Lancashire, Long-billed Dowitcher still in Lincolnshire, two American Golden Plovers (Argyll and County Wexford), three Buff-breasted Sandpipers and a total of 13 Pectoral Sandpipers.

Other rarities comprised the American White-winged Scoter still in Lothian, Snowy Owl on the Western Isles, Pallid Harrier in Cheshire, Bonaparte's Gull in County Sligo, American Black Tern in County Londonderry, Arctic Warbler on the Shetland Isles, Citrine Wagtail on the Isles of Scilly, a Savi's Warbler reported in Gloucestershire and a Red-footed Falcon briefly in Hertfordshire.

The best of the rest were Melodious Warbler and Red-backed Shrike (Cornwall), Ortolan Bunting and Richard's Pipit (Hampshire), Common Rosefinch and Hoopoe (Highland), Glossy Ibis (west Yorkshire), two Rose-coloured Starlings, four Yellow-browed Warblers, five Spotted Crakes, six each of Barred Warbler, Wryneck and Lapland Bunting, and a total of 25 Great Shearwaters.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Friday 14th September 2018  
  New discoveries today included another Arctic Warbler on Fair Isle and a Baird's Sandpiper at Baltasound, both Shetland, and anther Baird's Sandpiper on Bryher and a Citrine Wagtail at Porth Hellick, both Scilly.

Lingering rarities included the American White-winged Scoter in Lothian, Red-footed Falcon in Lincolnshire, single Pallid Harriers in Devon and Cheshire, two Baird's Sandpipers in Pembrokeshire and another in Scilly.

Scarcity highlights included an Icterine Warbler, a Hoopoe, a Rose-coloured Starling, two Richard's Pipits, two Red-backed Shrikes, four Barred Warblers, four Yellow-browed Warblers, four Wrynecks, five Common Rosefinches, eight Ortolan Buntings, three Spotted Crakes, a Ring-billed Gull, a Honey Buzzard, a Glossy Ibis, a White Stork, three American Golden Plovers, four Buff-breasted Sandpipers, nine Pectoral Sandpipers, two Grey Phalaropes, two Sabine's Gulls, two Long-tailed Skuas, nine Pomarine Skuas, 12 Great Shearwaters and 75 Leach's Petrels.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Thursday 13th September 2018  
  New discoveries today included a Marsh Sandpiper at Vange, Essex, two Baird's Sandpipers at Gann, Pembrokeshire, single Arctic Warblers at Lowestoft, Suffolk and Cunningsburgh, Shetland and a Pallid Harrier at Colaton Raleigh, Devon.

Lingering rarities included the American White-winged Scoter at Musselburgh, Lothian, Forster's Tern at Dundalk, County Louth, Red-footed Falcon at Gibraltar Point, Lincolnshire and Ferruginous Duck at Loch Leven, Perth and Kinross.

Scarcity highlights included a Woodchat Shrike, a Red-backed Shrike, a Rose-coloured Starling, a Hoopoe, a Melodious Warbler, a Icterine Warbler, two Barred Warblers, three Yellow-browed Warblers, five Ortolan Buntings, five Wrynecks, six Common Rosefinches, eight Lapland Buntings, a Montagu's Harrier, two Spotted Crakes, two American Golden Plovers, a Buff-breasted Sandpiper, seven Pectoral Sandpipers, a Glossy Ibis, a Great Shearwater, a Sabine's Gull, two Grey Phalaropes, a Long-tailed Skua, five Pomarine Skuas and 50 Leach's Petrels.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Wednesday 12th September 2018  
  Rarity highlights comprised American Black Tern present for its third day in Co Derry, Red-footed Falcon and Long-billed Dowitcher in Lincolnshire, Pallid Harrier on Shetland, Baird's Sandpiper on Isles of Scilly, Ferruginous Duck in Perth & Kinross, Greenish Warbler on Orkney and American White-winged Scoter in Lothian.

The best of the rest included Woodchat Shrike and Rose-coloured Starling (Devon), Hoopoe (Highland), Dotterel (Hampshire), three Red-backed Shrikes, Common Rosefinches and Lapland Buntings, four American Golden Plovers and Spotted Crakes, five Barred Warblers, seven Wrynecks, eight Pectoral Sandpipers and at least eight Buff-breasted Sandpipers.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Tuesday 11th September 2018  
  The highlight of the day was a new Lanceolated Warbler on Fair Isle, Shetland Isles, where the Pallid Harrier remained alongside Richard's Pipit, Common Rosefinch, Yellow-browed Warbler and three Barred Warblers.

Rarities elsewhere comprised a Lesser Scaup joining the Ferruginous Duck at Loch Leven, Perth and Kinross, both Red-footed Falcon and Long-billed Dowitcher still in Lincolnshire, Baird's Sandpiper on the Isles of Scilly and Greenish Warbler on the Orkney Isles.

Other scarcities included American Golden Plover (County Wexford), Rose-coloured Starling and Lapland Bunting (Western Isles), Common Rosefinch (East Yorkshire), Hoopoe (Highland), Ring-necked Duck (Essex), Long-tailed Skua (Suffolk) and Ring-billed Gull (County Sligo), three Spotted Crakes, four Sabine's Gulls, six each of both Wryneck and Pectoral Sandpiper, seven Buff-breasted Sandpipers, 11 Great Shearwaters and 27 Cattle Egrets.
-  Chris Batty, RBA