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 21st August 2019  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of a Bonelli's Warbler in East Yorkshire at Kilnsea although it remained silent and so could not be identified to species.

Rarities elsewhere comprised a Tawny Pipit new in Cornwall at Nanjizal, a Two-barred Crossbill still on the Shetland Isles, Bonaparte's Gull in Kent and Long-billed Dowitchers in County Antrim, Lancashire and Lincolnshire.

Scarcities included Buff-breasted Sandpiper (Lincolnshire), Ortolan Bunting (Dorset), two Barred Warblers (Orkney Isles and Shetland), Purple Heron (Norfolk), Pectoral Sandpiper (Lothian), Dotterel (Isle of Wight), Long-tailed Skua (East Yorkshire), Ring-necked Duck (Essex), two Marsh Warblers and three Cory's Shearwaters.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Tuesday 20th August 2019  
  In Gwynedd a Fea's or Desertas Petrel flew past Bardsey Island, and another was seen from a pelagic off Baltimore in County Cork, along with two Wilson's Petrels, a further two of which were seen from the evening pelagic off the Isles of Scilly. A Blyth's Reed Warbler was found on Fair Isle, Shetland, a Bee-eater was on St Mary's, Scilly, a Long-billed Dowitcher was at Martin Mere WWT, Lancashire and a Ferruginous Duck was at Minsmere RSPB, Suffolk.

Lingering rarities included the Long-billed Dowitcher in Lincolnshire, Blue-winged Teal in Clyde and Bonaparte's Gull in Kent.

Scarcity highlights included a Melodious Warbler, a Barred Warbler, a Red-backed Shrike, three Marsh Warblers, a Buff-breasted Sandpiper, a Pectoral Sandpiper, a Grey Phalarope, two Great Shearwaters, two Sabine's Gulls, two Pomarine Skuas, a Ring-necked Duck, a Glossy Ibis, two Purple Herons, three Surf Scoters and four Honey Buzzards.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Monday 19th August 2019  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of an Aquatic Warbler in Dorset at Abbotsbury Swannery. Rarities elsewhere comprised the Snowy Owl still on the Western Isles, a Two-barred Crossbill on the Shetland Isles, the Blue-winged Teal still in Clyde, and Long-billed Dowitchers in both County Antrim and Lincolnshire.

Scarcities included Purple Heron (Norfolk), Red-backed Shrike (Shetland Isles), Pectoral Sandpiper (Lothian), Dotterel (Isle of Wight), Montagu's Harrier (Hampshire), Long-tailed Skua (Wirral), Ring-necked Duck (Denbighshire), Glossy Ibis (Devon), two each of Buff-breasted Sandpiper, Marsh Warbler, Great Shearwater and Sabine's Gull.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Sunday 18th August 2019  
  Seawatching brought the highlights of the day with a Barolo Shearwater passing Corsewall Point, Dumfries and Galloway, Fea's/Desertas Petrels seen from both County Clare and County Kerry, Wilson's Petrels watched from County Clare and County Kerry (4) and off the Isles of Scilly (3), whilst two Long-tailed Skuas, five Sabine's Gulls, six Cory's and 24 Great Shearwaters were all logged.

Rarities elsewhere comprised two Blyth's Reed Warblers and six Two-barred Crossbills on the Shetland Isles, Forster's Tern still in County Louth, Blue-winged Teal still in Clyde, Bonaparte's Gull in Kent, Long-billed Dowitchers in both County Antrim and Lincolnshire, White-rumped Sandpiper in County Wexford and a Bee-eater briefly in Cornwall.

Scarcities included Buff-breasted Sandpiper (Lincolnshire), Rose-coloured Starling (Western Isles), Barred Warbler and Red-backed Shrike (Shetland Isles), Pectoral Sandpiper (Lothian), Spotted Crake (Lincolnshire), Ring-necked Duck (Essex), Glossy Ibis (Devon) and three each of both Marsh Warbler and Surf Scoter.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Saturday 17th August 2019  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of a Great Snipe on the Shetland Isles at Boddam, Mainland, whilst elsewhere around Shetland a Blyth's Reed Warbler was on Unst, five Two-barred Crossbills remained together near Lerwick and on Fair Isle both Barred Warbler and Red-backed Shrike were located.

Seawatching produced a Fea's or Desertas Petrel passing the Bridges of Ross, County Clare, Wilson's Petrels from County Kerry (2), County Mayo and at sea off the Isles of Scilly (4), and totals of 84 Great Shearwaters, 10 Cory's Shearwaters and a Long-tailed Skua.

Rarities elsewhere comprised the Forster's Tern still in County Louth, Long-billed Dowitchers in County Antrim and Lincolnshire, Bonaparte's Gulls in County Clare and Kent, Blue-winged Teal in Clyde and White-rumped Sandpiper in County Wexford.

Scarcities included Buff-breasted Sandpiper (Lincolnshire), Surf Scoter (Lothian) and Ring-necked Duck (Essex).
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Friday 16th August 2019  
  Rarity highlights comprised remaining Blue-winged Teal (Clyde), Bonaparte's Gull (Co Clare), Long-billed Dowitcher and White-rumped Sandpiper (Co Wexford) and Long-billed Dowitcher (Lincolnshire), whilst four Wilson's Petrels were logged from an Isles of Scilly pelagic.

The best of the rest included Glossy Ibis (Devon), Ring-necked Duck (Essex), Buff-breasted Sandpiper (Lincolnshire), Icterine Warbler and two Red-necked Phalaropes (Shetland) and two Surf Scoters (Angus and Lothian).
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Thursday 15th August 2019  
  Rarities today comprised the Squacco Heron still in West Sussex, Forster's Tern in County Louth, Long-billed Dowitchers in both County Antrim and Lincolnshire, Bonaparte's Gulls in County Clare and Kent, the Snowy Owl reappeared on St Kilda, Western Isles, and 10 Wilson's Petrels were logged at sea off the Isles of Scilly.

Scarcties included Buff-breasted Sandpiper (Lincolnshire), Barred Warbler and Icterine Warbler (Shetland Isles), two Glossy Ibises and three Sabine's Gulls.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Wednesday 14th August 2019  
  New discoveries included a Long-billed Dowitcher in Co Down and Wilson's Petrel off the Cornish coast, whilst the Squacco Heron (West Sussex), Snowy Owl (Shetland), Long-billed Dowitcher (Co Wexford) and Blue-winged Teal (Clyde) all lingered.

The best of the rest included American Golden Plover (Aberdeenshire), Ring-necked Duck (Essex), Pectoral Sandpiper (Highland), Surf Scoter (Lothian), Serin (Isles of Scilly), Common Rosefinch and Red-necked Phalarope (Shetland).
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Tuesday 13th August 2019  
  A Black Kite was seen near Crowborough, Sussex, and a Wilson's Petrel was seen from a pelagic off Baltimore, County Cork (with another two off the Scilly pelagic as well).

Lingering rarities included the Snowy Owl and six Two-barred Crossbills in Shetland, Squacco Heron in Sussex, Long-billed Dowitchers in Lincolnshire, County Antrim and County Wexford, White-rumped Sandpiper in County Wexford, Bonaparte's Gulls in Kent and County Clare and Blue-winged Teal in Clyde.

Scarcity highlights included a Serin, a Shorelark, a Grey-headed Wagtail, four Marsh Warblers, a Grey Phalarope (until mid evening when it appeared to be taken by a Kestrel), an American Golden Plover, a Dotterel, a Buff-breasted Sandpiper, a Glossy Ibis, a Long-tailed Skua, two Pomarine Skuas, a Glaucous Gull and two Honey Buzzards.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Monday 12th August 2019  
  A new group of six Two-barred Crossbills was discovered at Catfirth, Shetland.

Lingering rarities included the Squacco Heron in Sussex, 16 Two-barred Crossbills in Shetland, Long-billed Dowitchers in Lincolnshire and County Antrim, Lesser Yellowlegs in County Cork, White-rumped Sandpiper in Northumberland, Bonaparte's Gulls in Kent and County Clare, a Wilson's Petrel off Scilly and Blue-winged Teal in Clyde, but there were no reports of the Little Bustard in Yorkshire.

Scarcity highlights included a Rose-coloured Starling, a Grey-headed Wagtail, two Marsh Warblers, a Honey Buzzard, a Grey Phalarope, a Cory's Shearwater, 247 Balearic Shearwaters, a Long-tailed Skua, two Pomarine Skuas, a Surf Scoter and five Glossy Ibises.
-  Will Soar, RBA