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| Tuesday 25th August 2020 | ||
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| Seawatching provided the highlights today with a Fea's/Desertas Petrel passing Berry Head, Devon in the morning and then Porthgwarra, Cornwall late in the afternoon,
Wilson's Petrels were recorded from land in County Clare (3), County Kerry and Cornwall (2), with around island totals of six
Cory's Shearwaters, 12 Leach's Petrels, 25 Sabine's Gulls, 37 Great
Shearwaters, and 41 Long-tailed Skuas. A Citrine Wagtail was seen briefly in Norfolk at Cley, the Gull-billed Tern remained in County Cork, as did the Bonaparte's Gull in Argyll, whilst two Greenish Warblers were located on the Shetland Isles. Scarcities included Icterine Warbler (Shetland), Hoopoe (Dorset), Wryneck (Warwickshire), Purple Heron (Norfolk), Spotted Crake (North Yorkshire), Pectoral Sandpiper (Hampshire), Temminck's Stint (Kent), and three Barred Warblers. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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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 24th August 2020 | ||
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A male Two-barred Crossbill was on feeders on Mull in Argyll and two Kentish Plovers arrived at Pegwell Bay in Kent. Today's Scilly pelagic had nine Wilson's Petrels, and others were seen off Bridges of Ross in Co.Clare, and Lizard Point and Mount's Bay in Cornwall. A Greenish Warbler was found on Yell in Shetland. Ongoing rarities included the Turkestan Shrike on North Ronaldsay, Western Bonelli's Warbler on Fair Isle, Citrine Wagtail in Gwynedd, Black Duck in Highland, Greenish Warbler in Lothian, the family of five Black-winged Stilts in Somerset, Bonaparte's Gulls in Argyll and Kent and the Lammergeier in Derbyshire. Among other highlights were Red-breasted Flycatcher (Western Isles), Night Heron (Berkshire), two Purple Herons, Hoopoe (Isle of Wight), three Wrynecks, six Red-backed Shrikes, Icterine Warbler (Shetland), six Barred Warblers, Rose-coloured Starling (Gloucestershire), Temminck's Stint (Lincolnshire), Pectoral Sandpiper (Shetland), five Sabine's Gulls, two Spotted Crakes, four Dotterel (Hampshire), five Long-tailed Skuas and two Glossy Ibises. |
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| - David Campbell, RBA | ||
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| Sunday 23rd August 2020 | ||
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An adult female Turkestan Shrike was found on North Ronaldsay, where it was then trapped and ringed, and a Western Bonelli's Warbler appeared on Fair Isle. Foula in Shetland turned up an Arctic Warbler. New Greenish Warblers were found at Chasewater in Staffordshire and on Shetland (two). 14 Wilson's Petrels were seen from the day's Scilly pelagic, while two were reported off Pendeen in Cornwall. Other rarities included the Gull-billed Tern in Co.Cork, Bonaparte's Gull in Kent, Greenish Warblers in Lothian and Shetland (two), one of the Black-winged Stilts in Somerset and the Lammergeier in Derbyshire. Today's supporting cast included Red-breasted Flycatcher (Lincolnshire), Hoopoe (Isle of Wight), two Rose-coloured Starlings, two Barred Warblers, Melodious Warbler (Devon), two Icterine Warblers, four Wrynecks, nine Red-backed Shrikes, Temminck's Stint (Lincolnshire), Pectoral Sandpiper (East Yorkshire), Surf Scoter (Aberdeenshire), 15 Sabine's Gulls, 10 Long-tailed Skuas, two Grey Phalaropes (Cornwall), two Purple Herons, three Spotted Crakes (still together in Cheshire), two Glossy Ibises, Iceland Gull (Cornwall) and Dotterel (Gwynedd). |
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| - David Campbell, RBA | ||
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| Saturday 22nd August 2020 | ||
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| Seawatching dominated the day with the standout bird being a Band-rumped Petrel
species that passed Pendeen Watch, Cornwall in the evening. Other seabirds today included
Wilson's Petrels logged from Cornwall (3), County Kerry, and at sea off the Isles of Scilly (12), two
Cory's Shearwaters, four Leach's Petrels, 10 Long-tailed
Skuas, 62 Sabine's Gulls, and a total of 73 Great Shearwaters. Rarities elsewhere were a Greenish Warbler new in Lothian at Barns Ness with others still in Fife and on the Shetland Isles, the Lammergeier still in Derbyshire, Black Duck in Highland, Pacific Golden Plover in Northumberland, Gull-billed Tern in County Cork, Citrine Wagtail in Gwynedd, Bonaparte's Gull in Kent, and Spotted Sandpipers still in both Cornwall and County Down. Scarcities included White-winged Black Tern (Northumberland), Icterine Warbler (Shetland), Common Rosefinch (Orkney Isles), Temminck's Stint (Lincolnshire), two each of Melodious Warbler, Purple Heron, Hoopoe, Spotted Crake, Pectoral Sandpiper and Glossy Ibis, three Wrynecks, four Barred Warblers, and 10 each of both Red-backed Shrike and Dotterel. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Friday 21st August 2020 | ||
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| The Eleonora's Falcon failed to reappear at Winterton
(Norfolk), but new discoveries included a Greenish Warbler on
Unst (Shetland) and Gull-billed Tern at The Gearagh (Co Cork). Lingering rarities comprised Pacific Golden Plover (Northumberland), two Greenish Warblers (Shetland), Bonaparte's Gull (Kent), King Eider (Highland), Citrine Wagtail (Gwynedd), Lammergeier (Derbyshire) and Spotted Sandpiper (Cornwall). Scarcity highlights included Melodious Warbler (Devon), Rose-coloured Starling (Co Donegal), Temminck's Stint (East Yorkshire), Hoopoe (Isle of Wight), Purple Heron (Somerset), White-winged Black Tern (Northumberland), Night Heron (Berkshire), two Wrynecks, two Pectoral Sandpipers, three Spotted Crakes and three Barred Warblers. Excellent South West England and Irish seawatching was headlined by Wilson's Petrels off Co Kerry and an Isles of Scilly pelagic (2). |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Thursday 20th August 2020 | ||
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| A first summer Eleonora's Falcon was photographed with a Hobby at Winterton, Norfolk mid morning today, but unfortunately it wasn't identified until after dark.
Other new discoveries included single Fea's /Desertas Petrels past Galley Head, County Cork and Pendeen, Cornwall (with a Wilson's Petrel also off the former location), a Caspian Tern at Gwithian, Cornwall, single Citrine Wagtails at Titchwell, Norfolk, Bardsey Island, Gwynedd and Loch of Strathbeg, Aberdeenshire and single Greenish Warblers at Boddam, Mainland and Isbister, Whalsay, both Shetland. Lingering rarities included the Pacific Golden Plover in Northumberland, Long-billed Dowitcher in Cumbria, Spotted Sandpiper in Cornwall, Bonaparte's Gull in Kent, Blyth's Reed Warbler in Shetland, two Black-winged Stilts in Somerset and one in Kent and Lammergeier in Derbyshire. Scarcity highlights included a Melodious Warbler, a Hoopoe, two Wrynecks, five Icterine Warblers, five Barred Warblers, nine Red-backed Shrikes, two Pectoral Sandpipers, three Spotted Crakes, three Honey Buzzards, a Night Heron, a Purple Heron, a Glossy Ibis, a White-winged Black Tern, nine Roseate Terns, a Sabine's Gull, three Grey Phalaropes, 353 Great Shearwaters, 567 Cory's Shearwaters, 99 Balearic Shearwaters, six Long-tailed Skuas and nine Pomarine Skuas. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Wednesday 19th August 2020 | ||
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| A Black-browed Albatross was reported from Pendeen Watch, Cornwall, whilst nearby a Fea's or Desertas Petrel went past Porthgwarra, with another off Killigerran Head. Single Greenish Warblers were on Holy Island, Northumberland and at Halligarth, Unst, Shetland.
Lingering rarities included the Gull-billed Tern in Lincolnshire, Long-billed Dowitcher in Cumbria, Pacific Golden Plover in Northumberland, Spotted Sandpiper in Cornwall, Black-winged Stilt in Kent, Greenish Warblers in Fife, Yorkshire and Norfolk, Blyth's Reed Warbler in Shetland, Bonaparte's Gull in Argyll and Lammergeier in Derbyshire. Scarcity highlights included a Melodious Warbler, a Common Rosefinch, two Rose-coloured Starlings, three Wrynecks, six Icterine Warblers, eight Red-backed Shrikes, ten Barred Warblers, three Spotted Crakes, a White-winged Black Tern, a Pectoral Sandpiper, a Night Heron, a Glossy Ibis, a Sabine's Gull, seven Long-tailed Skuas, 11 Pomarine Skuas, 307 Great Shearwaters and 178 Cory's Shearwaters. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Tuesday 18th August 2020 | ||
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| A Gull-billed Tern was discovered at Gibraltar Point NNR, Lincolnshire and a Citrine Wagtail and Blyth's Reed Warbler were on Unst, Shetland.
Lingering rarities included the Citrine Wagtail in Gloucestershire, Greenish Warblers in Fife, Yorkshire and Norfolk (two), Pacific Golden Plover in Northumberland, Spotted Sandpiper in Cornwall, two Black-winged Stilts in Somerset, Lammergeier in Derbyshire, Black Duck in Highland, Bonaparte's Gull in Kent and five Wilson's Petrels were seen from the Scilly pelagic. Scarcity highlights included a Melodious Warbler, a Common Rosefinch, three Wrynecks, five Red-backed Shrikes, five Icterine Warblers, six Barred Warblers, a White-winged Black Tern, a Dotterel, four Spotted Crakes, a Honey Buzzard, a Glossy Ibis, seven Roseate Terns, nine Cory's Shearwaters, 344 Great Shearwaters, five Balearic Shearwaters, two Long-tailed Skuas and three Pomarine Skuas. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Monday 17th August 2020 | ||
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A Citrine Wagtail flew over Voy on Mainland Orkney. Nine Greenish Warblers included two new birds in Norfolk, with four others still in the county, as well as a new bird in Fife and two still in East Yorkshire. Today's Scilly pelagic encountered six Wilson's Petrels. Other rarities reported today included Pacific Golden Plover in Northumberland, Spotted Sandpipers in Cornwall and Co.Down, Black Duck in Highland, Long-billed Dowitcher in Cumbria and the Lammergeier in the Peak District. Among other highlights were an Ortolan Bunting (Suffolk), three Common Rosefinches, Melodious Warbler (Cornwall), eight Icterine Warblers, 10 Barred Warblers, six Wrynecks, 11 Red-backed Shrikes, Ring-billed Gull (Co.Louth), White-winged Black Tern (Northumberland), four Spotted Crakes (including three together in Cheshire), Purple Heron (Somerset), Rose-coloured Starling (Co.Donegal), Pectoral Sandpiper (Greater Manchester), two Glossy Ibises and continued noteworthy passage of juvenile Long-tailed Skuas on the east coast. |
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| - David Campbell, RBA | ||
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| Sunday 16th August 2020 | ||
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A Red-rumped Swallow flew over Hook Head in Co.Wexford. Greenish Warblers were found in Norfolk (at foursites), Suffolk and East Yorkshire (two). Continuing rarities included the Pacific Golden Plover in Northumberland, Citrine Wagtail in Gloucestershire, Spotted Sandpiper in Cornwall, Bonaparte's Gull in Kent, Greenish Warblers in Norfolk and Fife, Gull-billed Terns in Suffolk and Co.Wexford, the Black-winged Stilt family in Somerset and the Lammergeier in Derbyshire. The best of the rest were Night Heron (Berkshire), six Icterine Warblers, six Barred Warblers, eight Wrynecks, eight Red-backed Shrikes, Purple Heron (Somerset), Spotted Crake (Cheshire), Rose-coloured Starling (Dorset), White-winged Black Tern (Northumberland), Common Rosefinch (Shetland), Ortolan Bunting (nocmig in Kent), Sabine's Gull (Highland), four Temminck's Stints, Pectoral Sandpiper (Greater Manchester) and three Glossy Ibises. There was a continued good movement of Long-tailed Skuas on the east coast. |
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| - David Campbell, RBA | ||
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