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| Thursday 8th October 2020 | ||
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| Highlight of the day was the discovery of a Black-and-white Warbler
on Tresco, Isles of Scilly. The archipelago also hosted
Swainson's Thrush, Red-eyed Vireo, Spotted
Crake, Serin, Pectoral Sandpiper,
Little Bunting, Common Rosefinch and
American Golden Plover. Back on the Mainland a Common Nighthawk was discovered at Church Norton (West Sussex), whilst a Pallid Swift at Southwold (Suffolk), Richardson's Cackling Goose (Dumfries & Galloway), Red-throated Pipit and Blyth's Reed Warbler (Fife), Cackling Goose (Aberdeenshire), Lesser Yellowlegs (Lincolnshire), Arctic Warbler (Northumberland) and Red-eyed Vireo (Cornwall) were all new. On Orkney the Eyebrowed Thrush and Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler both remained on North Ronaldsay, whilst a Red-flanked Bluetail was still on Mainland. A White's Thrush was on Barra (Western Isles). New discoveries on Shetland included four Olive-backed Pipits, Eastern Stonechat and Blyth's Reed Warbler, whilst Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll and two Eastern Stonechats lingered. In Ireland a Blackpoll Warbler on Mizen Head and the overnight trapping of a Least Sandpiper at Timoleague (Co Cork) were the highlights. Other lingering rarities included Lammergeier (Lincolnshire), Pallid Harrier (Warwickshire/Staffordshire), Radde's Warblers (Cambridgeshire, Cleveland, Highland, Kent and Suffolk), Kentish Plover (Somerset), Long-billed Dowitcher (Cumbria), Arctic Warbler (Fife), King Eider (Moray) and Blyth's Reed Warbler (Norfolk). |
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| - Stuart Piner, 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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| Wednesday 7th October 2020 | ||
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| Nearctic landbirds today comprised both Swainson's Thrush and Red-eyed Vireo new on the Isles of
Scilly on St Mary's and St Martin's respectively, an American Buff-bellied Pipit
was found on the Western Isles on North Uist, and both the Tennessee Warblers remained
on the Shetland Isles and in County Galway. From the east came two Eyebrowed Thrushes on Shetland, at Brae, Mainland and on Fetlar, a White's Thrush in Devon on Lundy, Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler and two Red-flanked Bluetails new on the Orkney Isles, the Steppe Grey Shrike still in Suffolk, a Pallid Harrier on the Staffordshire/Warwickshire border, Radde's Warblers in Cambridgeshire, Highland (2), Kent, and Suffolk, Arctic Warbler on Scilly, Rustic Bunting and Citrine Wagtail on Shetland, Red-throated Pipits in both Cornwall and Orkney, Olive-backed Pipits in East Yorkshire and Shetland (3), and Eastern Stonechats in Norfolk, Orkney and Shetland (3). Other rarities today were Lesser Yellowlegs in Somerset, Long-billed Dowitchers in both Cumbria and Dorset, Kentish Plovers in Somerset and West Sussex, an Arctic Redpoll on Shetland, a Red-rumped Swallow briefly in Kent, the Black Duck still in Highland, and the King Eider still in Moray. Sadly, the Short-toed Eagle taken into care in Dorset on Monday has died. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Tuesday 6th October 2020 | ||
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| The highlight of the day was a Short-toed Eagle in Dorset at Hengistbury Head
although it was picked up there and taken into care. Meanwhile, the Tennessee Warbler
reappeared on the Shetland Isles on Yell with another Tennessee Warbler
discovered in County Galway on Inishbofin constituting the first Irish record. Rarities from the east comprised the Eyebrowed Thrush still on the Orkney Isles, Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler still on the Shetland, Steppe Grey Shrike in Suffolk, Red-flanked Bluetail on Shetland, Eastern Yellow Wagtails in County Galway (2), Gwynedd and Hampshire, Citrine Wagtail in Aberdeenshire, Red-throated Pipits on Orkney (2), Shetland (2) and in Suffolk, Radde's Warblers in Cambridgeshire, Cleveland, Fife, Highland, Norfolk, and Suffolk (2), Arctic Warblers in Fife, Northumberland and Shetland, Blyth's Reed Warblers on Norfolk and Shetland, Rustic Buntings in Aberdeenshire, Orkney (3) and Shetland, Eastern Stonechats in East Yorkshire, Norfolk, and Shetland, and a total of four Olive-backed Pipits were located on Shetland. From elsewhere a Little Bittern was glimpsed on the Isles of Scilly, a Snowy Owl and two Hornemann's Arctic Redpolls on Shetland, Kentish Plover still in West Sussex, King Eider in Moray, Long-billed Dowitchers in Cumbria, County Londonderry, and County Wexford, and Lesser Yellowlegs in County Galway, North Yorkshire, and Somerset. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Monday 5th October 2020 | ||
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| Another incredible day for rare eastern passerines with the Siberian Thrush
still in Fife, Eyebrowed Thrush still on the Orkney Isles, Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler and
Citrine Wagtail on the Shetland Isles, Steppe Grey Shrike in Suffolk,
Eastern Yellow Wagtails in County Galway, Gwynedd and Shetland, Lesser Grey Shrike and
Red-flanked Bluetail together in Northumberland, two Eastern Stonechats in Norfolk,
Rustic Buntings in Aberdeenshire (2), Orkney (2) and Shetland, Red-throated Pipits on Orkney, Shetland, and in Suffolk,
Olive-backed Pipits in Aberdeenshire and Shetland (3), Radde's Warblers
in Cambridgeshire, Cleveland, and Suffolk (2), Dusky Warblers in Essex and Shetland (2),
Arctic Warblers in Norfolk, Northumberland, and Shetland, and Blyth's Reed Warblers
on both Orkney and Shetland. Other highlightd today were the first Pallid Swift of the autumn in Kent at North Foreland, Pallid Harriers new in both Norfolk and Suffolk, Blue-winged Teal in County Mayo, two Hornemann's Arctic Redpolls on Shetland, Kentish Plover still in West Sussex, Long-billed Dowitcher in Dorset, King Eider in Moray, and Lesser Yellowlegs in both North Yorkshire and Somerset. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Sunday 4th October 2020 | ||
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A litany of finds today included a Steppe Grey Shrike at Benacre in Suffolk, Western Bonelli's Warbler in Easington in East Yorkshire, Lesser Grey Shrike on Holy Island in Northumberland; Red-flanked Bluetails at Holy Island in Northumberland, Flamborough Head in East Yorkshire and Duncansby Head in Highland; two Citrine Wagtails on Mainland Shetland, Eastern Stonechat sp on Foula in Shetland, two Rustic Buntings at Collieston in Aberdeenshire, Lesser Yellowlegs at Blacktoft Sands RSPB in East Yorkshire, Blyth's Reed Warbler at Druridge Pools in Northumberland, Subalpine Warbler sp at Mizen Head in Co.Cork, Red-throated Pipit at Gulberwick in Shetland; Olive-backed Pipits in Shetland (four), Aberdeenshire (two) and East Yorkshire; and Radde's Warblers in Cambridgeshire, Suffolk, Co.Durha (two), Norfolk (two), Lincolnshire (two), Shetland (two) Ongoing rarities were the Tennessee Warbler in Shetland, Siberian Thrush in Fife, Eyebrowed Thrush on North Ronaldsay, Masked Shrike in Cleveland, Upland Sandpiper in Co.Galway, Northern Harrier in Co.Cork, Pallas's Grasshopper Warblers in Shetland on Whalsay and Foula, Eastern Yellow Wagtail in Gwynedd, Red-flanked Bluetail in East Yorkshire, six Blue-winged Teal in Western Isles, King Eider in Moray, Booted Warbler in Suffolk, Radde's Warbler in Co.Durham, Dusky Warbler in Essex, Blyth's Reed Warbler in Norfolk; Arctic Warblers in Northumberland, Shetland and Norfolk; Rustic Buntings in Suffolk and on North Ronaldsay (two) and Fair Isle; and Olive-backed Pipits in East Yorkshire and Shetland (three). Scarcity highlights included White-winged Black Tern (Suffolk), six Wrynecks, three Great Grey Shrikes, five Red-backed Shrikes, Shorelark (Norfolk), six Common Rosefinches, three Richard's Pipits, eight Bluethroats, 26 Little Buntings, 23 Red-breasted Flycatchers, 12 Barred Warblers, Icterine Warbler (East Yorkshire), two Rose-coloured Starlings, three Hoopoes, Red-necked Phalarope (Norfolk), three American Golden Plovers, four Pectoral Sandpipers, Surf Scoter (Shetland), two Spotted Crakes, three Sabine's Gulls, Long-tailed Skua (Fife), Honey Buzzard (Lincolnshire) and three Glossy Ibises. |
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| - David Campbell, RBA | ||
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| Saturday 3rd October 2020 | ||
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| The highlight of the day was the discovery of a Masked Shrike in Cleveland at Hartlepool Headland. In Ireland a Northern Harrier in County Cork at Barry's Head had first been seen there yesterday, whilst Black-browed Albatrosses were seen off The Mullet, County Mayo, and Brandon Point, County Kerry. However, it was an incredible array of Siberian vagrants that dominated the day with the Siberian Thrush still in Fife, Eyebrowed Thrush, Red-flanked Bluetail, Rustic Bunting, Olive-backed Pipit, and two Red-throated Pipits in Orkney, Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler, Lanceolated Warbler, Red-throated Pipit, Rustic Bunting, Citrine Wagtail, Eastern Stonechat species, two Blyth's Reed Warblers, three Radde's Warblers, and three Olive-backed Pipits in Shetland, Eastern Yellow Wagtail in Gwynedd, Great Snipe, Booted Warbler, Radde's Warbler and two Rustic Buntings in Suffolk, Red-throated Pipit, two Red-flanked Bluetails, and two Olive-backed Pipits in East Yorkshire, Red-throated Pipit in Kent, Red-flanked Bluetail in Northumberland, Arctic Warbler, Blyth's Reed Warbler, three Radde's Warblers, and four Olive-backed Pipits in Norfolk, Radde's Warbler in County Durham, Rustic Bunting in Aberdeenshire , and Dusky Warbler in Essex. Otherwise, the Tennessee Warbler and Hornemann's Redpoll remined in Shetland, Upland Sandpiper in County Galway, Snowy Owl and four Blue-winged Teals in the Western Isles, Kentish Plover in West Sussex, Lesser Yellowlegs in County Wexford and North Yorkshire, two Cackling Geese together in Argyll. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Friday 2nd October 2020 | ||
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| The third Eyebrowed Thrush for North Ronaldsay and Orkney was discovered this morning, and lingered until late afternoon at least. Great Snipes were flushed at Sandilands, Lincolnshire and Spurn Point, Yorkshire.
New discoveries in Shetland today included a Lanceolated Warbler at Sumburgh Head, a Booted Warbler on Fair Isle, Olive-backed Pipits at Spiggie and West Burrafirth, a Blyth's Reed Warbler at Ellister, a Radde's Warbler at Rerwick and a White-billed Diver at Hestingott, with Tennessee Warbler, White's Thrush, two Pallas's Grasshopper Warblers, another Radde's Warbler and Rusting Bunting all lingering in the archipelago. Elsewhere, other new arrivals included another Blyth's Reed Warbler at St Margaret's Hope, Orkney, a Kentish Plover at Ferrybridge, Dorset and a Red-throated Pipit heard at Land's End, Cornwall. Other lingering rarities included the Siberian Thrush in Fife, White's Thrush in Orkney, Two-barred Greenish Warbler in Northumberland, Upland Sandpiper in County Galway, Lesser Yellowlegs in Somerset and Yorkshire, Long-billed Dowitcher in Dorset and four Blue-winged Teals in Western Isles. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Thursday 1st October 2020 | ||
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Shetland delivered two Pallas's Grasshopper Warblers (on Unst and Foula), a Lanceoloated Warbler (Foula), two White's Thrushes (Quendale and Fair Isle), two Radde's Warblers (Foula and Whalsay), two Blyth's Reed Warblers (Mainland) and new arrivals of both Hornemann's and Coues's Arctic Redpoll (Foula and Unst respectively). Another White's Thrush was trapped and ringed on North Ronaldsay, Orkney, where a Red-throated Pipit was also found. A new Rustic Bunting was on Fair Isle with the continuing bird. Lesser Yellowlegs were fresh in at Chew Valley Lake in Somerset and mobile at sites in North Yorkshire. The Tennessee Warbler showed again on Yell in Shetland, while the Siberian Thrush in Fife and Two-barred Greenish Warbler in Northumberland also gave themselves up. Other rarity updates today involved the Booted Warbler in Western Isles, Arctic Warbler in Co.Wexford, Blyth's Reed Warbler in Norfolk, Wilson's Phalarope in Lancashire, Citrine Wagtail and Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll on Fair Isle, Kentish Plover in Sussex, Semipalmated Sandpiper in Cornwall, Lesser Yellowlegs in Co.Wexford, Long-billed Dowitchers in Dorset and Co.Wexford. The pick of the rest of the day's news included Bluethroat (Shetland), five Red-breasted Flycatchers, Hoopoe (West Yorkshire), two Rose-coloured Starlings, Little Bunting (Shetland), nine Common Rosefinches, six Wrynecks, four Red-backed Shrikes, six Barred Warblers, two American Golden Plovers, 10 Pectoral Sandpipers, three Buff-breasted Sandpipers, three Dotterel, two Spotted Crakes, two Surf Scoters, Ring-necked Duck (Lancashire), two Glossy Ibises, three Honey Buzzards, Sabine's Gull (Gwynedd) and two Parrot Crossbills (Aberdeenshire). |
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| - David Campbell, RBA | ||
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| Wednesday 30th September 2020 | ||
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The highlight of the day was the discovery of a Siberian Thrush in Fife at Kilminning. Elsewhere discoveries included an Upland Sandpiper in County Galway on Inishbofin, Booted Warbler on the Western Isles on North Uist, and a Red-flanked Bluetail in East Yorkshire at Easington. On the Shetland Isles the Tennessee Warbler remained on Yell, Shetland albeit only seen briefly, Hornemmann's Arctic Redpoll on Unst, Rustic Bunting on Fair Isle, Olive-backed Pipit on Mainland, and two Citrine Wagtails. Elsewhere, lingering rarities confirmed as still present were the Two-barred Greenish Warbler in Northumberland, Swainson's Thrush on the Orkney Isles, Wilson's Phalarope in Lancashire, Long-billed Dowitchers in both Cumbria and Dorset, Black Duck in Highland, King Eider in Moray, and in County Wexford Arctic Warbler, Red-throated Pipit and Long-billed Dowitcher. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Tuesday 29th September 2020 | ||
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Britain's fifth Tennessee Warbler - the first since one on St.Kilda in 1995 - was discovered at Burravoe on Yell in Shetland in the morning and went on to show well for the rest of the day. In the evening, identification of a Two-barred Greenish Warbler at Budle Point in Northumberland was secured. The third headline bird of the day was a Black-browed Albatross past Hurlestone Point in Somerset. Other top finds included Wilson's Phalarope at Martin Mere WWT in Lancashire, Red-flanked Bluetail on the Isle of Man, Citrine Wagtail on Fair Isle, Red-throated Pipits at Chobham Common in Surrey and over both Bardsey Island in Gwynedd and Tacumshin in Co.Wexford, Arctic Warbler in Shetland on Yell and Long-billed Dowitcher at Lytchett Fields RSPB in Dorset The day's other rarity reports involved the Kentish Plover in Sussex, Eastern Stonechat sp in Cleveland, Blyth's Reed Warbler in Norfolk, Olive-backed Pipit in Shetland, Arctic Warbler in Co.Wexford, Greenish Warbler in Norfolk, three Hornemann's Arctic Redpolls in Shetland (two on Fair Isle and one on Foula), Rustic Bunting in Shetland, Lesser Yellowlegs in Western Isles and Co.Wexford, Long-billed Dowitchers in Cumbria and Co.Wexford, King Eider in Moray and four Blue-winged Teal in Western Isles. The best of the rest was made up of Woodchat Shrike (Shetland), four Common Rosefinches, Richard's Pipit (Gloucestershire), Rose-coloured Starling (Pembrokeshire), two Red-breasted Flycatchers, five Barred Warblers, seven Red-backed Shrikes, Hoopoe (Yorkshire), 12 Wrynecks, two Little Buntings, two American Golden Plovers, Buff-breasted Sandpiper (Co.Derry), nine Pectoral Sandpipers, two Dotterel, three Spotted Crakes, two Surf Scoters, American Wigeon, Ring-necked Duck, Honey Buzzard (Kent), six Glossy Ibises, two Sabine's Gulls, four Grey Phalaropes and Long-tailed Skua (Suffolk). |
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| - David Campbell, RBA | ||
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