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 9th September 2020  
  Seawatching produced the highlights of the day with Black-browed Albatross passing Bloody Foreland, County Donegal in the morning and Copeland Islands, County Down in evening, a Fea's/Desertas Petrel recorded from Corsewall Point, Dumfries and Galloway, Cory's Shearwater off East Yorkshire, two Long-tailed Skuas, three Great Shearwaters, and five Sabine's Gulls.

Nearctic waders again provided interest with the Semipalmated Plover still on the Orkney Isles, Spotted Sandpiper on the Isles of Scilly, Long-billed Dowitcher in Cumbria, American Golden Plover in Kent, Semipalmated Sandpipers in both County Cork and County Kerry, Baird's Sandpipers in County Cork, County Donegal and on Orkney, and totals of 10 Buff-breasted and 15 Pectoral Sandpipers.

Other rarities included a Western Bonelli's Warbler new on the Isles of Scilly on Bryher, the Lammergeier still in Derbyshire, Greenish Warbler and two Citrine Wagtails on the Shetland Isles, and the Black Duck still in Highland.

Scarcities included Woodchat Shrike (Shetland), Icterine Warbler and Ortolan Bunting (Cornwall), Hoopoe (Lancashire), Temminck's Stint (South Yorkshire), Dotterel (Dorset), two each of both Common Rosefinch and Purple Heron, three of Rose-coloured Starling, Barred Warbler and Glossy Ibis, six Red-backed Shrikes, nine Wrynecks, and a total of 48 Lapland Buntings.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Tuesday 8th September 2020  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of five Blue-winged Teals together on the Western Isles on Barra. Associated with this arrival were more Nearctic waders with a Semipalmated Sandpiper new-in nearby on Lewis, Semipalmated Plover and Baird's Sandpiper still together on the Orkney Isles, Semipalmated Sandpiper in Cornwall, Spotted Sandpiper on the Isles of Scilly, White-rumped Sandpiper in County Donegal, two American Golden Plovers, five Buff-breasted Sandpipers, and a total of eight Pectoral Sandpipers.

Otherwise, rarities included the Lammergeier still in Derbyshire, Greenish Warbler and two Citrine Wagtails on the Shetland Isles, and the Bonaparte's Gull still in Kent.

Scarcities included Woodchat Shrike (Shetland), Purple Heron (Somerset), Barred Warbler (East Yorkshire), Hoopoe (Surrey), Temminck's Stint (South Yorkshire), Spotted Crake (Ayrshire), two of both Rose-coloured Starling and Glossy Ibis, three of Common Rosefinch and Sabine's Gull, seven Red-backed Shrikes, 10 Wrynecks, and 17 Lapland Buntings.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Monday 7th September 2020  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of a Semipalmated Plover on North Ronaldsay, Orkney Isles, where a Baird's Sandpiper remains.

Rarities elsewhere comprised the Lammergeier still in Derbyshire, Semipalmated Sandpiper in Cornwall, both Spotted Sandpiper and Black Kite on the Isles of Scilly, Arctic Warbler and Greenish Warbler on the Shetland Isles, Citrine Wagtails in both Cornwall and Shetland, both Bonaparte's Gull and Bee-eater in Kent, and in County Donegal a White-rumped Sandpiper.

Scarcities included Icterine Warbler and Hoopoe (Cornwall), Purple Heron (Somerset), American Golden Plover (Kent), Temminck's Stint (South Yorkshire), Corncrake (Staffordshire), Long-tailed Skua (Ceredigion), two each of Barred Warbler, Common Rosefinch, Glossy Ibis and Spotted Crake, three of Buff-breasted Sandpiper and Sabine's Gull, seven Pectoral Sandpipers, eight Red-backed Shrikes, 12 Wrynecks, and a total of 24 Lapland Buntings.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Sunday 6th September 2020  
  New discoveries today included single White-rumped Sandpipers at Inverin, County Galway and Blanket Nook, County Donegal, a Greenish Warbler on Great Saltee Island, County Wexford and an Alpine Swift on St Mary's, Scilly.

Lingering rarities included Semipalmated Sandpipers in Cornwall and County Galway, Baird's Sandpiper in Orkney, Spotted Sandpiper in Scilly, Long-billed Dowitcher in Cumbria, Pallid Harrier in Isle of Wight, Black Kite in Scilly, Snowy Owl, Arctic Warbler, Greenish Warbler and two Citrine Wagtails in Shetland, Bonaparte's Gulls in Argyll and Kent, Black Duck in Highland and Lammergeier in Derbyshire.

Scarcity highlights included a Marsh Warbler, two Melodious Warblers, two Barred Warblers, three Rose-coloured Starlings, four Common Rosefinches, six Red-backed Shrike, 18 Wrynecks, 56 Lapland Buntings, a Grey Phalarope, a Temminck's Stint, two American Golden Plovers, three Dotterel, four Buff-breasted Sandpipers, 11 Pectoral Sandpipers, two Purple Herons, five Tundra Bean Geese, two Glossy Ibises, two Spotted Crakes, five Honey Buzzards, a White-winged Black Tern, nine Roseate Terns, a Ring-billed Gull, five Sabine's Gulls, 35 Leach's Petrels, two Long-tailed Skuas and three Pomarine Skuas.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Saturday 5th September 2020  
  A Semipalmated Sandpiper was discovered at Loughaunbeg, County Galway, and a Wilson's Petrel flew past Annagh Head, County Mayo.

Lingering rarities included the Wilson's Phalarope and Baird's Sandpiper in Orkney, Semipalmated Sandpiper in Cornwall, Spotted Sandpiper in Scilly, two Black-winged Stilts in Somerset, Arctic Warbler, two Greenish Warblers and a Citrine Wagtail in Shetland, Pallid Harrier in Isle of Wight, single Bonaparte's Gulls in Kent and County Cork, Black Duck and King Eider in Highland and Lammergeier in Derbyshire.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Friday 4th September 2020  
  Rarities today included a Fea's/Desertas Petrel passing Fanad Head, County Donegal, the Lammergeier still in Derbyshire, Pallid Harrier on the Isle of Wight, Semipalmated Sandpiper in Cornwall, both Wilson's Phalarope and Baird's Sandpiper on the Orkney Isles, Spotted Sandpiper on the Isles of Scilly, Bonaparte's Gulls in both County Cork and Kent, Black Duck still in Highland, and a King Eider again in Highland.

Meanwhile, on the Shetland Isles Two-barred Crossbill, Snowy Owl, Arctic Warbler and three Citrine Wagtails were located around Mainland, two Arctic Warblers, Citrine Wagtail and Common Rosefinch on Fair Isle, Greenish Warbler, Barred Warbler and Lapland Bunting on Unst, American Golden Plover on Yell, and on Out Skerries a Common Rosefinch.

Elsewhere, scarcities included Ortolan Bunting (Dorset), Hoopoe (Surrey), Barred Warbler and Corncrake (East Yorkshire), two each of White-winged Black Tern, Purple Heron and Spotted Crake, three of Red-backed Shrike and Dotterel, four of Buff-breasted Sandpiper, Pectoral Sandpiper and Long-tailed Skua, six Glossy Ibises, nine Sabine's Gulls, 11 each of Wryneck and Lapland Bunting, and a total of 38 Great Shearwaters.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Thursday 3rd September 2020  
 

Orkney delivered two quality waders, with a Wilson's Phalarope on Burray and a Baird's Sandpiper on North Ronaldsay. A Fea's/Desertas Petrel passed Bridges of Ross in Co.Clare. A male Snowy Owl turned up at Ronas Hill on Mainland Shetland, a favourite spot of a female last seen in March. Shetland also had new Arctic Warblers on Yell and on Mainland at Maywick.

Continuing rarities included the Pallid Harrier on the Isle of Wight, Eastern Subalpine Warbler on North Ronaldsay, Semipalmated Sandpiper in Cornwall, Spotted Sandpiper on Scilly, Long-billed Dowitcher in Cumbria, Citrine Wagtail in Shetland, Greenish Warblers in Norfolk and Shetland, two Arctic Warblers in Shetland, Black Kite on Scilly, Bonaparte's Gull in Kent and the Lammergeier in Derbyshire.

Among the best of the rest were Purple Heron (Somerset), two White-winged Black Terns (Orkney and Norfolk), two Buff-breasted Sandpipers, Temminck's Stint (Norfolk), five Pectoral Sandpipers, two American Golden Plovers, 11 Wrynecks, Icterine Warbler (Shetland), Melodious Warbler (Scilly), seven Common Rosefinches, two Barred Warblers, Rose-coloured Starling (Dorset), 12 Lapland Buntings, four Red-backed Shrikes, six Sabine's Gulls, two Grey Phalaropes (Western Isles), two Spotted Crakes, five Glossy Ibises, 26 Great Shearwaters, four Long-tailed Skuas, six Pomarine Skuas and the injured Tundra Bean Goose (Lancashire).
-  David Campbell, RBA
Wednesday 2nd September 2020  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of a Pallid Harrier on the Isle of Wight at Brading Marsh, whilst a Semipalmated Sandpiper was identified in Cornwall at Hayle Estuary, a Citrine Wagtail was new on the Shetland Isles at Swinister, and a Black Kite was seen at two localities in Kent.

Lingering rarities confirmed as still present were the Lammergeier in Derbyshire, Snowy Owl on the Western Isles, Black Duck in Highland, both Spotted Sandpiper and Black Kite on the Isles of Scilly, Bonaparte's Gull in Kent, two Arctic Warblers on Shetland, and Greenish Warblers in both Norfolk and Shetland.

Scarcities included Melodious Warbler (Pembrokeshire), Icterine Warbler (Hampshire), White-winged Black Tern (Orkney Isles), Red-necked Phalarope (Dumfries and Galloway), Spotted Crake (Cheshire), Pectoral Sandpiper (County Mayo), Great Shearwater (Scilly), two each of Purple Heron, American Golden Plover, Rose-coloured Starling, Long-tailed Skua and Glossy Ibis, three Common Rosefinches, four of both Barred Warbler and Dotterel, five Red-backed Shrikes, and a total of 10 Wrynecks.

Significant late news concerned an Eleonora's Falcon photographed on 25th August in Dorset at Lytchett Bay.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Tuesday 1st September 2020  
  New rarities dicovered today were a Bonaparte's Gull in Cheshire at Hale, a Subalpine Warbler species in Essex at Holland Haven, single Greenish Warblers in Norfolk at Holme and on the Shetland Isles on Unst, with now four Arctic Warblers present on Shetland.

Lingering rarities confirmed as still present were the Lammergeier in Derbyshire, Pallid Harrier in West Sussex, both Spotted Sandpiper and Black Kite on the Isles of Scilly, Long-billed Dowitcher in Cumbria, and two Black-winged Stilts together in Somerset.

Scarcities included Melodious Warbler (Gloucestershire), White-winged Black Tern (Orkney Isles), Rose-coloured Starling (Shetland), Pectoral Sandpiper (County Kerry), Glossy Ibis (Devon), Temminck's Stint, Cory's and Great Shearwater (Scilly), two each of American Golden Plover, Purple Heron and Spotted Crake, three of Icterine Warbler and Common Rosefinch, four Dotterel, five of Barred Warbler and Red-backed Shrike, and a total of 11 Wrynecks.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Monday 31st August 2020  
  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.
-  Will Soar, RBA