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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Saturday 31st August 2019  
  In Cornwall, the Brown Booby reappeared off Gwithian mid morning, and lingered in St Ives Bay for an hour or so, before being relocated on rocks off St Ives Island late morning where it showed very well for another hour. It was later seen heading west past Pendeen Watch, nine miles to the south-west.

New discoveries today included a Western Bonelli's Warbler at Uchmynydd, Gwynedd, a Semipalmated Sandpiper at Tacumshin, County Wexford, a Ferruginous Duck near Orford, Suffolk and the roaming Black-winged Stilt appeared in Northumberland, where it toured coastal sites between Hadston and Cresswell.

Other lingering rarities still present included the Black-headed Bunting in Devon, Western Bonelli's Warbler in Cornwall, Snowy Owl in Western Isles, Baird's Sandpiper in County Wexford, White-rumped Sandpiper in Yorkshire, Blue-winged Teal in Clyde and Bonaparte's Gull in Kent.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Friday 30th August 2019  
  New discoveries today included an Aquatic Warbler trapped and ringed at Llangorse Lake, Powys, a Bee-eater on Whalsay, Shetland, a Fea's /Desertas Petrel off Annagh Head, County Mayo and a Black Kite over Hayle, Cornwall.

Lingering rarities still present today included the Black-headed Bunting in Devon, Western Bonelli's Warbler in Cornwall, Snowy Owl in Western Isles, Blue-winged Teal in Clyde, White-rumped Sandpiper in Yorkshire and Bonaparte's Gull in Kent.

Scarcity highlights included a Red-backed Shrike, a Rose-coloured Starling, a Common Rosefinch, a Lapland Bunting, a Marsh Warbler, two Barred Warblers, seven Wrynecks, a Pectoral Sandpiper, a Dotterel, a Glossy Ibis, three Surf Scoters, five Honey Buzzards, three Cory's Shearwaters, four Great Shearwaters and four Pomarine Skuas.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Thursday 29th August 2019  
  In Cornwall the Brown Booby reappeared off Gwithian early morning, where it was present on and off for a short while.

New discoveries today included a Black-winged Stilt at Chirnside, Borders, a Citrine Wagtail at Balta Isle and two Two-barred Crossbills at Quendale, both Shetland, a Snowy Owl on Eday, Orkney and single White-rumped Sandpipers at Kilnsea, Yorkshire and Saltholme, Cleveland.

Lingering rarities included the Long-billed Dowitcher in Lincolnshire, Blue-winged Teal in Clyde and Bonaparte's Gull in Kent, whilst two Wilson's Petrels were seen from the Scilly pelagic.

Scarcity highlights included an Ortoland Bunting, a Lapland Bunting, a Melodious Warbler, an Icterine Warbler, a Rose-coloured Starling, three Common Rosefinches, 12 Wrynecks, a Spotted Crake, a Surf Scoter, a Ring-necked Duck, a Temminck's Stint, a Pectoral Sandpiper, two Honey Buzzards, two Sabine's Gulls, two Leach's Petrels, two Grey Phalaropes, a Cory's Shearwater, a Long-tailed Skua, 12 Pomarine Skuas and an Iceland Gull.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Wednesday 28th August 2019  
 

The Brown Booby was reported again at distance off in Carbis Bay off St.Ives early in the morning but, save for a possible sighting mid-afternoon, the rest of the day drew a blank.

New rarities included a Tawny Pipit at Pendeen in Cornwall and a Black-winged Stilt which spent the day in North Yorkshire at East Lea, Filey.

Still with us were the Western Bonelli's Warbler in Cornwall, Greenish Warbler in Shetland, Baird's Sandpiper in Co.Wexford, Long-billed Dowitcher in Lincolnshire and Blue-winged Teal in Clyde.

Scarcities included 15 Wrynecks, two Icterine Warblers (both Shetland), five Barred Warblers (all Shetland), a Melodious Warbler (Cornwall), Rose-coloured Starling (Northumberland), two Montagu's Harriers, three Dotterel, Buff-breasted Sandpiper (Lincolnshire), Ring-necked Duck (Denbighshire), Surf Scoter (Lothian), Long-tailed Skua (Co.Clare), Pomarine Skua (Gwynedd) and three migrant Honey Buzzards.
-  David Campbell, RBA
Tuesday 27th August 2019  
 

In the evening, a Cliff Swallow was encountered flying around the pier at Milovaig on the Isle of Skye in Highland. The Brown Booby spent a short while fishing off St.Ives Island in Cornwall this morning, where it was photographed and confirmed. It was reported again mid-afternoon, but the vast majority of hopeful observers failed to connect. Mainland Shetland hosted the first Pallid Harrier of the autumn, along with a Citrine Wagtail. A Tawny Pipit flew over Rhossili in Glamorgan. Ringing in west Cornwall produced the county's fifth Blyth's Reed Warbler, which was released at Polgigga duck pond. A Greenish Warbler was found on Fair Isle, and the evening's Scilly pelagic produced their third Fea's or Desertas Petrel in as many weeks.

The day's continuing rarities were the Western Bonelli's Warbler in Cornwall, Citrine Wagtail on Fair Isle, Greenish Warblers in Orkney and Shetland, Blue-winged Teal in Clyde, Bonaparte's Gull in Co.Clare and Long-billed Dowitcher in Lincolnshire.

The supporting cast included Grey-headed Wagtail (Sussex), Red-backed Shrike (Scilly), 23 Wrynecks, two Icterine Warblers (East Yorkshire and Devon), two Barred Warblers (Shetland), two Rose-coloured Starlings (Northumberland and Co.Durham), two Marsh Warblers, Lapland Bunting (Western Isles), Ortolan Bunting (Kent and Dorset ['nocmig' records]), Montagu's Harrier (East Yorkshire), Spotted Crake (Cornwall), Buff-breasted Sandpiper and Temminck's Stint (Lincolnshire), Pectoral Sandpiper (Lothian), two Sabine's Gulls (Co.Durham and Co.Kerry), Dotterel (Lincolnshire), Ring-necked Duck (Herefordshire), two Surf Scoters (Lothian and Conwy), Cory's Shearwater (Norfolk), two Great Shearwaters (Cornwall), two Pomarine Skuas (Co.Kerry and Co.Clare), Iceland Gull (Western Isles), and three migrant Honey Buzzards.
-  David Campbell, RBA
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