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 25th September 2019  
  Discoveries today included a Rustic Bunting in County Durham at South Shields, a Long-billed Dowitcher in Devon at Bowling Green Marsh, a Black Kite on Anglesey at Talwrn and in Gwynedd a Red-rumped Swallow flew over both Bardsey and Aberdaron.

On the Isles of Scilly the Blue Rock Thrush remained on St Mary's along with Hoopoe and Honey Buzzard there, the Lesser Yellowlegs was still on Tresco, with three Wrynecks around the islands. On the Shetland Isles the Red-flanked Bluetail remained on Foula, Olive-backed Pipit and American Golden Plover were on Yell, Citrine Wagtail on Mainland at Norby, Melodious Warbler on Out Skerries, Short-toed Lark on Unst, Red-backed Shrike on Fair Isle, and around islands totals included six each of both Little Bunting and Red-breasted Flycatcher.

Elsewhere, Blyth's Reed Warbler and Subalpine Warbler species remained on the Western Isles, Long-billed Dowitcher in West Yorkshire, Blue-winged Teal in County Wexford, White-rumped Sandpiper in Cornwall, Black-winged Stilts in Berkshire and Somerset, American Golden Plover in Lincolnshire, Rose-coloured Starling in West Sussex and Hoopoe in Buckinghamshire.
Chris Batty, RBA
Tuesday 24th September 2019  
  Discoveries today included a Red-flanked Bluetail on North Ronaldsay, Orkney Isles, a Blyth's Reed Warbler on Barra, Western Isles, Semipalmated Sandpiper in County Kerry at Beale and on Anglesey an Alpine Swift reported at Plas Newydd.

Around the Shetland Isles Foula recorded Baird's Sandpiper, Red-flanked Bluetail, Rustic Bunting, Olive-backed Pipit and Citrine Wagtail, a Blyth's Reed Warbler was on Mainland at Hillswick, both Short-toed Lark and American Golden Plover were on Unst, and Melodious Warbler on Yell, with around island totals of single Richard's Pipit, Common Rosefinch, Wryneck, two each of both Little Bunting and Red-backed Shrike, three Red-breasted Flycatchers and 19 Lapland Buntings.

Elsewhere lingering rarities confirmed as still present were the Blue Rock Thrush on the Isles of Scilly, Long-billed Dowitcher in West Yorkshire, Lesser Yellowlegs in Pembrokeshire, White-rumped Sandpipers in both Cornwall and East Yorkshire, and Black-winged Stilts in Berkshire and Somerset.

Significant late news concerned an Isabelline Wheatear present - but not identified - in Lincolnshire at Gibraltar Point both yesterday and on Sunday.
Chris Batty, RBA
Monday 23rd September 2019  
  Discoveries today included both Arctic Warbler and an Eastern Stonechat species on the Isle of May, Fife, a Red-flanked Bluetail on the Shetland Isles on Fair Isle, and in the evening an Alpine Swift at Aberystwyth, Ceredigion.

Lingering rarities confirmed as still present were the Blue Rock Thrush and Lesser Yellowlegs on the Isles of Scilly, Forster's Tern in County Louth, Citrine Wagtail on the Shetland Isles, Long-billed Dowitchers in Dorset and West Yorkshire, Semipalmated Sandpiper in County Wexford, Blue-winged Teals in Clyde and County Wexford, White-rumped Sandpipers in Cornwall and East Yorkshire, and Black-winged Stilts in Berkshire and Somerset.

Scarcities included Buff-breasted Sandpiper (Cornwall), Short-toed Lark (Shetland Isles), Richard's Pipit (County Durham), Ring-billed Gull (County Louth), Red-necked Phalarope (Merseyside), Sabine's Gull (East Yorkshire), Dotterel (Cambridgeshire), Ring-necked Duck (Essex), two each of Rose-coloured Starling, Common Rosefinch and Glossy Ibis, three of Spotted Crake and Long-tailed Skua, four of Barred Warbler and Pectoral Sandpiper, five of Little Bunting and Wryneck, six Red-breasted Flycatchers, seven American Golden Plovers and a total of 35 Lapland Buntings.
Chris Batty, RBA
Sunday 22nd September 2019  
  The highlight of the day was a Blue Rock Thrush discovered on St Mary's, Isles of Scilly. Discoveries elsewhere included an Arctic Warbler in East Yorkshire at Grimston, a White-rumped Sandpiper in Cornwall at Davidstow and unidentified albatross species passing both St Abb's Head, Borders and Winterton, Norfolk.

Other rarities today comprised the Eastern Olivaceous Warbler still in Hampshire, Subalpine Warbler species on the Western Isles, Baird's Sandpiper and Citrine Wagtail together on the Shetland Isles, Lesser Yellowlegs in Pembrokeshire and the Isles of Scilly, White-rumped Sandpiper in East Yorkshire, Black-winged Stilts in both Berkshire and Somerset, and Long-billed Dowitchers in Dorset, West Yorkshire and the Western Isles.

Scarcities included Melodious Warbler and Buff-breasted Sandpiper (Cornwall), Short-toed Lark and American Wigeon (Isles of Scilly), Rose-coloured Starling (Anglesey), Barred Warbler (Orkney Isles), Common Rosefinch (Shetland Isles), Richard's Pipit (East Yorkshire), Red-necked Phalarope (Merseyside), Dotterel (Pembrokeshire) andtwo each of Bluethroat, Spotted Crake and Sabine's Gull, three of Little Bunting, Ortolan Bunting, Pectoral Sandpiper and Long-tailed Skua, seven Red-breasted Flycatchers, eight American Golden Plovers, 11 Wrynecks and a total of 43 Lapland Buntings.
Chris Batty, RBA
Saturday 21st September 2019  
  A brief Short-toed Treecreeper at Langdon Cliffs NT (Kent) was today's best new discovery.

Most of the birdnews related to shorebirds, with new discoveries comprising White-rumped Sandpipers (Co Clare and Western Isles) and Black-winged Stilt (Somerset), and lingering birds including Semipalmated Sandpiper (Co Wexford), Lesser Yellowlegs (Isles of Scilly and Pembrokeshire), Long-billed Dowitchers (Dorset and West Yorkshire), White-rumped Sandpiper (East Yorkshire), Baird's Sandpiper (Shetland), Red-necked Phalarope (Merseyside), Buff-breasted Sandpipers (Cornwall and Shetland), American Golden Plovers (Aberdeenshire, Co Donegal, Kent, Merseyside, Orkney and Western Isles), Dotterels (Cumbria, Fife, Pembrokeshire and Isles of Scilly) and Pectoral Sandpipers (Co Kerry, Cumbria, Lancashire and Suffolk).

Landbird highlights comprised Red-breasted Flycatcher (East Yorkshire), two Rose-coloured Starlings, Common Rosefinches, Richard's Pipits and Bluethroats, three Wrynecks, eleven Yellow-browed Warblers,

The best of the rest included Rough-legged Buzzard (Norfolk), Spotted Crake (Essex) and Ring-necked Duck (Essex).
Stuart Piner, RBA
Friday 20th September 2019  
 

A Subalpine Warbler sp at Pennington Marshes in Hampshire and White-rumped Sandpiper at Tophill Low in East Yorkshire were today's finds.

Meanwhile, existing rarities still with us were the Blue-winged Teal in Co.Wexford, Black-winged Stilt in Berkshire, Lesser Yellowlegs in Devon, Pembrokeshire and Scilly, Long-billed Dowitchers in Dorset, West Yorkshire and Western Isles, and Semipalmated Sandpipers in Western Isles, Co.Kerry and Co.Wexford.

There was also a Bluethroat (Hampshire), two Red-backed Shrikes, Rose-coloured Starling (Anglesey), three Barred Warblers, four Yellow-browed Warblers, four Wrynecks, two Common Rosefinches, 45 Lapland Buntings, Spotted Crake (Essex), 10 American Golden Plovers, five Pectoral Sandpipers, three Buff-breasted Sandpipers, Red-necked Phalarope (Merseyside), three Grey Phalaropes, two Sabine's Gulls, three Long-tailed Skuas and seven Pomarine Skuas.
David Campbell, RBA
Thursday 19th September 2019  
  Discoveries today included a Lesser Yellowlegs in Devon at South Efford Marsh and a Laughing Gull briefly at Greystones, County Wicklow. A Hooded Merganser located in Worcestershire at Upper Bittell Reservoir was perhaps the same individual that flew past Titchwell, Norfolk yesterday.

Lingering rarities confirmed as still present today were the Eastern Olivaceous Warbler in Hampshire, Western Bonelli's Warbler, Subalpine Warbler species and Semipalmated Sandpiper on the Western Isles, Long-billed Dowitchers in both Dorset and West Yorkshire, Blue-winged Teal in County Wexford, Lesser Yellowlegs on the Isles of Scilly, Black-winged Stilt in Berkshire and Bonaparte's Gull in County Clare.

Scarcities included Golden Oriole (Anglesey), Bluethroat (Hampshire), Barred Warbler and Yellow-browed Warbler (Highland), Common Rosefinch (Shetland Isles), Cory's Shearwater (East Yorkshire), Purple Heron (Kent), Glossy Ibis (Gwent), two each of Red-backed Shrike, Wryneck, Spotted Crake and Snow Goose, three of Buff-breasted Sandpiper, Rose-coloured Starling and Long-tailed Skua, four of Sabine's Gull and Dotterel, six Pectoral Sandpipers, seven Lapland Buntings and a total of 10 American Golden Plovers.

Significant late news for yesterday concerned a Baird's Sandpiper and Citrine Wagtail together on Foula, Shetland Isles.
Chris Batty, RBA
Wednesday 18th September 2019  
  Breaking rarities today comprised a Great Reed Warbler in Dorset at Portland Bill, a Pallid Harrier in East Sussex at Beachy Head (that had earlier been ringed as a chick in a nest in Finland in June 2018), an American Black Tern in County Wexford at Tacumshin, a Fea's/Desertas Petrel passing The Mullet, County Mayo and in West Yorkshire a Roller briefly at Oxenhope; just four miles from where one was present on 2nd June.

Lingering rarities confirmed as still present were the Eastern Olivaceous Warbler in Hampshire, Forster's Tern in County Louth, Western Bonelli's Warbler on the Western Isles, Semipalmated Sandpipers in both County Kerry and the Western Isles, Long-billed Dowitchers in Dorset and West Yorkshire, Black-winged Stilt in Berkshire, Lesser Yellowlegs on the Isles of Scilly, Bonaparte's Gull in County Clare and Black Duck in Highland.

Scarcities included Purple Heron and Honey Buzzard (Dorset), Ortolan Bunting (County Cork), Marsh Warbler and Great Shearwater (Orkney Isles), Common Rosefinch (County Galway), Wryneck (Isles of Scilly), Yellow-browed Warbler (Norfolk), Cory's Shearwater (County Durham then later passing Northumberland and Lothian), Snow Goose (Kinross) and Corncrake (Cornwall), two Rose-coloured Starlings, three each of Buff-breasted Sandpiper, Sabine's Gull and Spotted Crake, five of both American Golden Plover and Pectoral Sandpiper, 12 Long-tailed Skuas and a total of 26 Lapland Buntings.
Chris Batty, RBA
Tuesday 17th September 2019  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of a Little Crake in East Yorkshire at Blacktoft Sands where it showed throughout the rest of the day. Rarities elsewhere included the Eastern Olivaceous Warbler still in Hampshire, a Citrine Wagtail new in County Galway on Inishbofin, Blue-winged Teal still in County Wexford and Black-winged Stilt in Berkshire.

Nearctic waders comprised Long-billed Dowitchers in Dorset, County Louth and West Yorkshire, Lesser Yellowlegs in both Pembrokeshire and the Isles of Scilly, Semipalmated Sandpipers in County Kerry, County Wexford and Western Isles, two White-rumped Sandpipers, three Buff-breasted Sandpipers, six Pectoral Sandpipers and 10 American Golden Plovers.

Scarcities included Melodious Warbler and Common Rosefinch (County Galway), Barred Warbler (Cornwall), Richard's Pipit (Glamorgan), Red-necked Phalarope (West Sussex), Ring-necked Duck (Perth and Kinross), Montagu's Harrier (East Sussex), two each of Red-backed Shrike, Rose-coloured Starling and Dotterel, four Spotted Crakes, five Sabine's Gulls, eight Wrynecks, 15 Long-tailed Skuas and a total of 81 Lapland Buntings.
Chris Batty, RBA
Monday 16th September 2019  
 

The day's finds included a Blue-winged Teal at Tacumshin in Co.Wexford, Semipalmated Sandpipers at Rossbeigh in Co.Kerry and on South Uist in Western Isles, and White-rumped Sandpipers on Lewis in Western Isles and at Esha Ness in Shetland.

Still with us were the Eastern Olivaceous Warbler in Hampshire, Isabelline Wheatear in Gwynedd, Eastern Black-eared Wheatear in Lancashire, Western Bonelli's Warbler in Western Isles, Semipalmated Sandpipers in Co.Wexford and Co.Kerry, Lesser Yellowlegs in Pembrokeshire, Long-billed Dowitchers in Dorset and West Yorkshire and Black-winged Stilt in Berkshire.

Supporting the proceedings were two Buff-breasted Sandpipers, seven American Golden Plovers, two Dotterel (Sussex and Scilly), Red-necked Phalarope (Sussex), two Grey Phalaropes, six Pectoral Sandpipers, Ring-necked Duck (Perth & Kinross), four Barred Warblers, Bluethroat (Shetland), Ortolan Bunting (Conwy), 13 Wrynecks, two Red-backed Shrikes, Rose-coloured Starling (Cornwall), three Spotted Crakes, Glossy Ibis (Devon), Cory's Shearwater (North Yorkshire), four Leach's Petrels, four Sabine's Gulls, three Long-tailed Skuas, 10 Pomarine Skuas, three Balearic Shearwaters, four Iceland Gulls and eight Lapland Buntings.
David Campbell, RBA