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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Monday 26th August 2019  
 

Following the distantly photographed potential Brown Booby on Monday last week, there was a report this afternoon of what looked like this species - viewed without optics - off St.Ives in Cornwall (this was confirmed when the bird was photographed there the next day).

It was a busy day for new rarities, with Western Bonelli's Warbler at Trevescan in Cornwall, Citrine Wagtail on Fair Isle, Aquatic Warblers in Cornwall and Somerset, a Black-headed Bunting on Lundy in Devon, Greenish Warblers in Orkney and Shetland, a White-rumped Sandpiper at Greatham Creek in Cleveland and a Wilson's Petrel from a County Cork pelagic.

The Blue-winged Teal in Clyde, Bonaparte's Gulls in Kent and Co.Clare and the Long-billed Dowitcher in Lincolnshire were still present.

A good arrival of drift migrants involved 19 Wrynecks, two Red-backed Shrikes, three Barred Warblers, two Melodious Warblers, two Ortolan Buntings (Glamorgan and Surrey [a 'noc-mig' record] and three Common Rosefinches. Woodchat Shrike (Co.Cork), two Rose-coloured Starlings (Northumberland and Western Isles), Icterine Warbler (Devon) and Marsh Warbler (East Yorkshire) stayed on from previous days. Other scarcities today included Hoopoe (Anglesey), Buff-breasted Sandpiper (Lincolnshire), American Golden Plover (Cornwall), Pectoral Sandpiper (Lothian), Temminck's Stint (Lincolnshire), Surf Scoter (Lothian), two Purple Herons (together in East Sussex), two Montagu's Harriers (Essex and East Yorkshire), four Dotterel, Spotted Crake (Cornwall), Glossy Ibis (Gwent), four Long-tailed Skuas (Highland), two Pomarine Skuas (Anglesey), Great Shearwater (Cornwall), Iceland Gull (Western Isles), Glaucous Gull (North Yorkshire) and four migrant Honey Buzzards.
David Campbell, RBA
Sunday 25th August 2019  
  Three Tawny Pipit sightings came from Hartland Moor (Dorset), Orcombe Point (Devon) and Cuckmere (East Sussex) and a Wilson's Petrel was logged from the Mallaig to Lochboisdale ferry in Western Isles waters.

The Blue-winged Teal (Clyde), Snowy Owl in Western Isles, Long-billed Dowitchers (Lancashire and Lincolnshire) and Baird's Sandpiper (Co Wexford) all lingered.

Scarcity highlights included Woodchat Shrike (Co Cork), Melodious Warbler (Orkney), Ortolan Bunting (Surrey), Buff-breasted Sandpiper (Lincolnshire), Pectoral Sandpiper (Lothian), Marsh Warbler (East Yorkshire), Corncrake (Shetland), American Golden Plover (Cornwall), Grey-headed Wagtail (Orkney), Red-backed Shrike (Shetland), Surf Scoter (Lothian), Ring-billed Gull (Co Sligo), two Icterine Warblers, Rose-coloured Starlings, and Montagu's Harriers, six Dotterels, six Barred Warblers, seven Honey Buzzards and 11 Wrynecks.
Stuart Piner, RBA
Saturday 24th August 2019  
  New discoveries comprised an Alpine Swift on Isles of Scilly and a subalpine warbler species on North Ronaldsay (Orkney), whilst Blue-winged Teal (Clyde), Long-billed Dowitchers (Co Antrim and Lincolnshire), Tawny Pipit (Cornwall) and Baird's Sandpiper (Co Wexford) all lingered.

The best of the rest included Buff-breasted Sandpiper and Dotterel (Lincolnshire), Hoopoe (Northumberland), Marsh Warbler and Montagu's Harrier (East Yorkshire), two each of Rose-coloured Starling, Ortolan Bunting, Pectoral Sandpiper and Wryneck and at least 13 Honey Buzzards.
Stuart Piner, RBA
Friday 23rd August 2019  
  The highlight of the day was a Fea's/Desertas Petrel at sea off the Isles of Scilly whilst seabirds elsewhere included two Wilson's Petrels and a Great Shearwater at sea off County Cork, Cory's Shearwater at sea off North Yorkshire, and a Sabine's Gull in Norfolk.

Other rarities comprised a Baird's Sandpiper new in County Wexford at Tacumshin, the Snowy Owl still on the Western Isles, Tawny Pipit in Cornwall, Blue-winged Teal still in Clyde, Ferruginous Duck in Suffolk, and Long-billed Dowitchers in both Lancashire and Lincolnshire

Scarcities included Rose-coloured Starling (Northumberland), Icterine Warbler (Devon), Ortolan Bunting (East Yorkshire), Hoopoe (Essex), Wryneck (Buckinghamshire), Red-backed Shrike (Shetland Isles), Buff-breasted Sandpiper and Dotterel (Lincolnshire), Pectoral Sandpiper and Surf Scoter (Lothian) and two Barred Warblers (together on Shetland).
Chris Batty, RBA
Thursday 22nd August 2019  
 

The day's continuing rarities were the Blue-winged Teal in Clyde, Ferruginous Duck in Suffolk, Bonaparte's Gull in Kent, and Long-billed Dowitchers in Lincolnshire, Lancashire and Co.Antrim.

Scarcities included Ortolan Bunting (London), Wryneck (Staffordshire), Red-backed Shrike (Shetland), Common Rosefinch (Shetland), two American Golden Plovers (Cornwall and Orkney), Buff-breasted Sandpiper (Lincolnshire), Pectoral Sandpiper (Lothian), Dotterel (Lincolnshire), three Surf Scoters, two Cory's Shearwaters (Cornwall), Long-tailed Skua (East Yorkshire), four Pomarine Skuas and Glaucous Gull (Western Isles).
David Campbell, RBA
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