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 25th September 2018  
  New rarities today were all ducks with a Hooded Merganser found in Streamstown Bay, County Galway, a King Eider in Findhorn Bay, Moray and a Ferruginous Duck in Suffolk at Minsmere.

On the Shetland Isles the White-throated Sparrow remained on Foula whilst other scarcities around the islands today comprised Golden Oriole, Bluethroat, Red-backed Shrike, Lapland Bunting and five Common Rosefinches. Meanwhile on the Isles of Scilly Ortolan Bunting, Common Rosefinch, Wryneck, Pectoral Sandpiper and two Yellow-browed Warblers were all logged.

Lingering rarities elsewhere comprised the American White-winged Scoter still in Lothian, Pallid Harriers in both Hertfordshire and Norfolk, Long-billed Dowitcher in Lincolnshire, Lesser Yellowlegs in Dorset and King Eider in Gwynedd. Whilst scarcities included Richard's Pipit (East Sussex), Common Rosefinch (East Yorkshire), Temminck's Stint (Hampshire), Yellow-browed Warbler (Kent), Cory's Shearwater (Aberdeenshire), two each of Woodchat Shrike, Rose-coloured Starling, Wryneck, American Golden Plover and Glossy Ibis, three of Buff-breasted Sandpiper and Spotted Crake, and a total of ten Pectoral Sandpipers.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Monday 24th September 2018  
  The highlight of the day was the continued presence of the White-throated Sparrow on Foula whilst around the Shetland Isles totals comprised a Booted Warbler new on Mainland at Quendale, single Bluethroat, Buff-breasted Sandpiper and Richard's Pipit, two each of both Barred Warbler and Yellow-browed Warbler, three Lapland Buntings and four Common Rosefinches. Meanwhile on the Isles of Scilly two Common Rosefinches, Wryneck, Pectoral Sandpiper and six Great Shearwaters were logged.

Rarities elsewhere were the American White-winged Scoter in Lothian, Snowy Owl on the Western Isles, Pallid Harriers in both Hertfordshire and Norfolk, Lesser Yellowlegs in Dorset, Long-billed Dowitcher in Lincolnshire, White-rumped Sandpiper in County Londonderry, King Eider in Ceredigion, and in Cornwall Tawny Pipit and Red-rumped Swallow were both seen briefly.

Other scarcities included Barred Warbler (Norfolk), Red-backed Shrike (Argyll), Great Shearwater (County Durham) and Temminck's Stint (Hampshire), two eack of Woodchat Shrike, Rose-coloured Starling, Wryneck, Long-tailed Skua and Ring-billed Gull, three of Yellow-browed Warbler, Spotted Crake and Glossy Ibis, four of Ortolan Bunting and Sabine's Gull, five of American Golden Plover and Common Rosefinch, seven of Buff-breasted Sandpiper and Lapland Bunting, and a total of 11 Pectoral Sandpipers.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Sunday 23rd September 2018  
  A Sooty or Bridled Tern flew past Whitburn Coastal Park early morning.

On the Shetland Isles the Yellow-breasted Bunting remained on Whalsay, whilst the White-throated Sparrow lingered on Foula.

New discoveries included Lesser Yellowlegs in Dorset and Citrine Wagtail in Co Donegal. The Pallid Harriers (Hertfordshire and Norfolk), Citrine Wagtail (Isles of Scilly), American White-winged Scoter (Lothian), Long-billed Dowitcher (Lincolnshire), Bonaparte's Gull (Co Sligo), Forster's Tern (Co Louth), White-rumped Sandpiper (Co Derry) and a Wilson's Petrel flew past Cley (Norfolk).

The best of the rest included Ortolan Bunting and Bluethroat (Shetland), White-winged Black Tern (Lothian), Rose-coloured Starling and Woodchat Shrike (Lothian), two Yellow-browed Warblers, three Spotted Crakes, four American Golden Plovers and Barred Warblers, seven Wrynecks and Common Rosefinches, eight Buff-breasted Sandpiper and 18 Pectoral Sandpipers.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Saturday 22nd September 2018  
  Highlight of the day was the discovery of a Yellow-breasted Bunting on Whalsay, Shetland, which spent from late morning in ditches at Vatshoull. The only other new rarities discovered today were two White-rumped Sandpipers in County Derry, at Myroe Levels and Barmouth.

Lingering rarities included the White-throated Sparrow and Citrine Wagtail in Shetland, American White-winged Scoter in Lothian, single Pallid Harriers in Hertfordshire, Norfolk and Cheshire, Snowy Owl in Western Isles, Citrine Wagtail in Scilly, Long-billed Dowitcher in Lincolnshire and Ferruginous Duck in Essex.

An inland influx of Grey Phalaropes produced 39 in 21 counties, with a further 28 seen at coastal locations. Other scarities included a Richard's Pipit, a Woodchat Shrike, a Red-backed Shrike, two Wrynecks, three Lapland Buntings, six Common Rosefinches, four Spotted Crakes, two Glossy Ibises, an American Golden Plover, 13 Buff-breasted Sandpipers, 13 Pectoral Sandpipers, a Ring-necked Duck, a White-winged Black Tern, 11 Roseate Terns, a Ring-billed Gull, an Iceland Gull, two Long-tailed Skuas, ten Pomarine Skuas, six Sabine's Gulls, 19 Leach's Petrels, two Cory's Shearwaters and 120 Great Shearwaters.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Friday 21st September 2018  
  New discoveries included a Laughing Gull (Isles of Scilly), subalpine warbler species (Co Cork), two Baird's Sandpipers (Co Wexford), Citrine Wagtail (Shetland) and a Fea's Petrel off Pendeen Watch (Cornwall).

The Pallid Harriers (Hertfordshire and Norfolk), Long-billed Dowitcher (Lincolnshire), Citrine Wagtail (Isles of Scilly) and White-throated Sparrow (Shetland) all lingered.

The best of the rest included Woodchat Shrike (Lothian), Wryneck (Surrey), Hoopoe (Highland), Little Bunting and Icterine Warbler (Shetland), American Golden Plover (Co Wexford), two Red-backed Shrikes, Barred Warblers and Ring-necked Ducks, three Spotted Crakes and Rose-coloured Starlings, six Common Rosefinches and Buff-breasted Sandpipers, 13 Pectoral Sandpipers and a widespread arrival of Grey Phalaropes at inshore and inland waters.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
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