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| Monday 31st August 2020 | ||
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| New discoveries today included a Pallid Harrier on Thorney Island, Sussex, two Black Kites and a Spotted Sandpiper on St Mary's, Scilly, Black Kite over Porthgwarra, Cornwall, Snowy Owl on St Kilda, Western Isles, Gull-billed Tern at Lady's Island Lake, County Wexford, Citrine Wagtail at Sumburgh and Arctic Warbler on Fair Isle, both Shetland, single Greenish Warblers at Thornham and Horsey, both Norfolk and at Flamborough Head, Yorkshire and a White-billed Diver off Newbiggin, Northumberland.
Lingering rarities included the Long-billed Dowitcher in Cumbria, two Black-winged Stilts in Somerset, Greenish Warbler in Northumberland, Black Duck in Highland, a Wilson's Petrel off Scilly and Lammergeier in Derbyshire. Scarcity highlights included a Melodious Warbler, a Yellow-browed Warbler, a Bluethroat, a Lapland Bunting, a Rose-coloured Starling, two Marsh Warblers, three Icterine Warblers, five Barred Warblers, five Red-backed Shrikes, five Common Rosefinches, 16 Wrynecks, a White-winged Black Tern, two Spotted Crakes, a Purple Heron, three Glossy Ibises, an American Golden Plover, two Temminck's Stints, four Dotterel, a Tundra Bean Goose, a Honey Buzzard, a Sabine's Gull, an Iceland Gull, six Roseate Terns, two Pomarine Skuas, six Long-tailed Skuas and 27 Great Shearwaters. |
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| - Will Soar, 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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| Sunday 30th August 2020 | ||
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| New discoveries today included an Isabelline Wheatear at Carmel Head, Anglesey, a Caspian Tern at Huttoft Bank, Lincolnshire, a Fea's or Desertas Petrel and a Subalpine Warbler species on North Ronaldsay, Orkney, a Blyth's Reed Warbler at Rerwick and a Greenish Warbler at Spiggie, both Shetland (with others of the latter at East Hills, Norfolk and Newbiggin, Northumberland), a Citrine Wagtail and Black Kite at Nanjizal, Cornwall, a Lesser Yellowlegs at Cahore, County Wexford and a White-billed Diver off Islay, Argyll.
Lingering rarities included the Booted Warbler in County Durham, Citrine Wagtail in Scilly, two Black-winged Stilts in Somerset, Bonaparte's Gull in Argyll and Lammergeier in Derbyshire. Scarcity highlights included a Woodchat Shrike, an Ortolan Bunting, a Hoopoe, a Marsh Warbler, two Icterine Warblers, three Rose-coloured Starlings, four Red-backed Shrikes, six Common Rosefinches, eight Barred Warblers, ten Wrynecks, two Purple Herons, three Spotted Crakes, three Honey Buzzards, an American Golden Plover, a Buff-breasted Sandpiper, two Dotterel, three Glossy Ibises, two Great Shearwaters, four Balearic Shearwaters, two Grey Phalaropes, four Leach's Petrels, up to ten Sabine's Gulls, 93 Long-tailed Skuas, 25 Pomarine Skuas and ten Roseate Terns. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Saturday 29th August 2020 | ||
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| A Booted Warbler was discovered at Whitburn, County Durham early afternoon, but wasn't seen again.
Lingering rarities included single Citrine Wagtails on Tresco, Scilly and Sanday, Orkney, Lesser Yellowlegs at Tacumshin, County Wexford, two Black-winged Stilts in Somerset, Bonaparte's Gull in Argyll and Lammergeier in Derbyshire. Three Wilson's Petrels were seen from the Scilly pelagic. Scarcity highlights included an Ortolan Bunting, a Melodious Warbler, an Icterine Warbler, a Woodchat Shrike, a Rose-coloured Starling, two Barred Warblers, three Red-backed Shrikes, three Wrynecks, three Common Rosefinches, two Spotted Crakes, a Purple Heron, two Dotterel, two American Golden Plovers, four Buff-breasted Sandpipers, two Glossy Ibises, up to seven Great Shearwaters, nine Sabine's Gulls, 22 Pomarine Skuas and 180 Long-tailed Skuas. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Friday 28th August 2020 | ||
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| New discoveries comprised a Thrush Nightingale on Fair Isle
(Shetland), Lesser Yellowlegs at Tacumshin (Co Wexford) and
Bonaparte's Gull on Islay (Argyll). The Two-barred Crossbill (Argyll), Citrine Wagtails (Gwynedd and Isles of Scilly), Bonaparte's Gull (Kent) and four Black-winged Stilts (Somerset) all lingered. The best of the rest included Melodious Warbler (Cornwall), Marsh Warbler (Shetland), Purple Heron (Somerset), Woodchat Shrike (Isles of Scilly), Icterine Warbler and Pectoral Sandpiper (East Yorkshire), two Red-backed Shrikes and Buff-breasted Sandpipers, three Common Rosefinches, Barred Warblers, Rose-coloured Starlings, Spotted Crakes and seven Wrynecks. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Thursday 27th August 2020 | ||
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A Brown Booby flew past Pendeen Watch in Cornwall in the evening. There was a late report for yesterday of a juvenile Bridled Tern off Lundy in Devon in the evening, though there was no sign of it today. A new Citrine Wagtail was on Skokholm in Pembrokeshire. Other rarities included the Two-barred Crossbill in Argyll, Citrine Wagtails in Gwynedd and on Scilly, Long-billed Dowitcher in Cumbria, Bonaparte's Gull in Kent, three Black-winged Stilts in Somerset and three Wilson's Petrels in Scilly waters, and the Peak District Lammergeier. Otherwise, the pick of national news included Night Heron (Devon), Purple Heron (Somerset), Buff-breasted Sandpiper on Scilly, Hoopoe (Lothian; killed by a car in the evening), four Common Rosefinches, two Wrynecks, seven Barred Warblers, two Red-backed Shrikes, Rose-coloured Starling (Shetland), three Sabine's Gulls, Temminck's Stint (Lincolnshire), two Spotted Crakes, Dotterel (Kent), Corncrake (Staffordshire) and Glossy Ibis (Kent). |
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| - David Campbell, RBA | ||
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| Wednesday 26th August 2020 | ||
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A juvenile Two-barred Crossbill arrived on Fair Isle. Citrine Wagtails were found on Tresco, Scilly, and on Sanday, Orkney. Two Wilson's Petrels were from today's Scilly pelagic, with three past Pendeen in Cornwall and other off Bridges of Ross in Co.Clare. Greenish Warblers were found in Highland and Borders. Continuing rarities included Citrine Wagtail in Gwynedd and reported in Norfolk, Two-barred Crossbill in Argyll, Bonaparte's Gull in Kent, four Black-winged Stilts in Somerset and the Lammergeier in Derbyshire. The best of the rest were Night Heron (Berkshire), two Purple Herons, three Spotted Crakes, three Hoopoes, two Barred Warblers, Icterine Warbler (Shetland), Wryneck (Aberdeenshire), two Rose-coloured Starlings, three Red-backed Shrikes, Dotterel (Dorset), two Temminck's Stints, four Grey Phalaropes, 29 Sabine's Gulls and two Glossy Ibises. |
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| - David Campbell, RBA | ||
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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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| 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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