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| Tuesday 3rd November 2020 | ||
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| The highlight of the day was the discovery of a Hermit Thrush on Mizen Head, County
Cork that brings the autumn tally of Nearctic landbirds across Britain and Ireland to 26 individuals of 14 species. Rarities elsewhere comprised a Hume's Warbler identified on Tiree, Argyll (where it was first seen four days ago), a Semipalmated Sandpiper new in County Clare at Islandavanna, Lesser Scaup still in Somerset, Dusky Warblers still in both Norfolk and West Sussex, and Lesser Yellowlegs in Norfolk, County Waterford and North Yorkshire. Scarcities included Rose-coloured Starling (Dorset), Night Heron (Herefordshire), Red-backed Shrike (Orkney Isles), Great Grey Shrike (Shetland Isles), Shorelark (Norfolk), Long-tailed Skua (Cornwall), two each of Richard's Pipit, Surf Scoter and Ring-necked Duck, three Waxwings, 13 Glossy Ibises, and a total of 15 Lapland Buntings. |
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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 2nd November 2020 | ||
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Positive news came through on the White-winged Scoter in Lothian, two Penduline Tits in Hampshire and Long-billed Dowitchers in Cumbria and North Yorkshire. Lesser Yellowlegs were still in Norfolk, Somerset, Co.Waterford and North Yorkshire. Meanwhile, Dusky Warblers continued their stays in West Sussex, Norfolk and Scilly. Five White-billed Divers flew past Papa Westray in Orkney. Other highlights today included Night Heron (Herefordshire), Little Bunting (Surrey), two Richard's Pipits, Red-breasted Flycatcher (Dorset), Rose-coloured Starling (Dorset), two Great Grey Shrikes, two American Golden Plovers (together in Co.Derry), two Surf Scoters, American Wigeon (Devon), four Green-winged Teal, three Ring-necked Ducks and five Glossy Ibises. |
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| - David Campbell, RBA | ||
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| Sunday 1st November 2020 | ||
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| Rarity highlights comprised White-winged Scoter (Lothian),
Bonaparte's Gull (Pembrokeshire), White-billed Diver
(Orkney), Lesser Yellowlegs (Devon, Norfolk and Somerset),
Long-billed Dowitcher (North Yorkshire), Dusky Warblers
(Norfolk, Isles of Scilly and West Sussex) and Lesser Scaup
(Somerset). The best of the rest included Little Bunting (Surrey), Richard's Pipit (Aberdeenshire), Short-toed Lark (Isles of Scilly), Rose-coloured Starlings (Dorset and Highland), Night Heron (Herefordshire) and American Wigeon (Devon). |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Saturday 31st October 2020 | ||
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| An Upland Sandpiper visited Skokholm Island, Pembrokeshire briefly this morning, but couldn't be relocated.
Other new discoveries included a Fea's or Desertas Petrel past Mousehole and a Dusky Warbler at Nanquidno, both Cornwall and single Bonaparte's Gulls at Kildavin, County Carlow and on the Gann Estuary, Pembrokeshire. Lingering rarities included two Penduline Tits in Hampshire, Dusky Warblers in Norfolk, Sussex and Northumberland, Lesser Yellowlegs in Yorkshire, Norfolk, Scilly and Somerset, Long-billed Dowitcher in Yorkshire and Lesser Scaup in Somerset. Scarcity highlights included a Pallas's Warbler, a Short-toed Lark, a Rose-coloured Starling, a Waxwing, a Little Bunting, three Lapland Buntings, three Great Grey Shrikes, five Glossy Ibises, two American Wigeon, three Green-winged Teals, four Ring-necked Ducks, 35 Tundra Bean Geese, five Leach's Petrels, 24 Grey Phalaropes, eight Little Auks, 12 Pomarine Skuas, a Balearic Shearwater, two Sabine's Gulls, two Iceland Gulls and three Glaucous Gulls. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Friday 30th October 2020 | ||
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| Today's most significant new rarity was an Eastern Yellow Wagtail
at Eigg (Highland), present for its fourth day. Lingering rarities comprised Eastern Stonechat (Cleveland), Penduline Tit (Hampshire), Brown Shrike (Northumberland), Dusky Warblers (Isles of Scilly [2], Kent, Norfolk, Northumberland and West Sussex), Long-billed Dowitcher (North Yorkshire), Lesser Yellowlegs (Isles of Scilly, Norfolk and North Yorkshire), Hume's Warbler (Orkney), Radde's Warbler (Shetland) and Red-flanked Bluetail (Worcestershire). The best of the rest included Red-breasted Flycatcher (Dorset), Shorelark (North Yorkshire), Richard's Pipit (Aberdeenshire), Rose-coloured Starlings (Dorset, Gwynedd and Shropshire) and Little Bunting and Red-backed Shrike (Isles of Scilly). |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Thursday 29th October 2020 | ||
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| New discoveries today included at least four Hornemann's Arctic Redpolls at Norwick, Unst and a Radde's Warbler at Loch of Clickimin, Mainland, Shetland, a second Dusky Warbler with the long staying bird at Porthloo, Scilly and a White-billed Diver off Filey, Yorkshire.
Lingering rarities included the Blackpoll Warbler, Olive-backed Pipit, Eastern Stonechat and two further Hornemann's Arctic Redpolls in Shetland, Hume's Warbler in Orkney, Red-flanked Bluetail in Worcestershire, Dusky Warblers in Sussex and Norfolk, five Penduline Tits in Hampshire, Pacific Golden Plover in Moray, Lesser Yellowlegs in Devon, Norfolk, Scilly, Somerset and Yorkshire, White-winged Scoter in Lothian, Black Duck in Highland and Lesser Scaup in Somerset. Scarcity highlights included a Serin, a Bluethroat, a Rose-coloured Starling, a Shorelark, two Red-backed Shrikes, two Great Grey Shrikes, four Little Buntings, four Lapland Buntings, a Black-bellied Dipper, a Surf Scoter, a Green-winged Teal, two American Wigeon, three Ring-necked Ducks, 22 Tundra Bean Geese, four Glossy Ibises, a Little Auk, a Great Shearwater, a Balearic Shearwater, three Pomarine Skuas, an American Golden Plover, four Grey Phalaropes, a Sabine's Gull, three Iceland Gulls and five Glaucous Gulls. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Wednesday 28th October 2020 | ||
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A Mourning Dove at an undisclosed location in Co.Kerry was the rarest find of the day but an inland Red-flanked Bluetail - the first for the West Midlands region - trapped and ringed near Redditch in Worcestershire was notable, as was a gathering of five Penduline Tits at Titchfield Haven NNR in Hampshire. In Argyll, a Black-headed Bunting was seen briefly on Islay. Fair Isle hosted an American Buff-bellied Pipit and a new Olive-backed Pipit. Elsewhere in Shetland, another 'OBP' was on Foula, while three Hornemann's Arctic Redpolls were seen on Unst and a Coues's Arctic Redpoll was on Yell. A new Lesser Yellowlegs at Cley NWT in Norfolk turned out to be very showy, where another four Penduline Tits were seen. The Blackpoll Warbler and Eastern Stonechat sp in Shetland, White-winged Scoter in Lothian, Brown Shrike in Northumberland, Long-billed Dowitchers in Cumbria and North Yorkshire, Eastern Stonechat sp in Cleveland, Lesser Scaup in Somerset, Red-eyed Vireo on Scilly, Richardson's Cackling Goose in Forth, Dusky Warblers were still in Norfolk, North Yorkshire, West Sussex and Scilly (two). Lesser Yellowlegs remained in North Yorkshire, Scilly. Other national news included Pectoral Sandpiper (Western Isles), Buff-breasted Sandpiper (Argyll), American Golden Plover (Co.Derry), Short-toed Lark (Scilly), three Rose-coloured Starlings, Red-breasted Flycatcher (Dorset), Red-backed Shrike (Fife), Parrot Crossbill (Lincolnshire), Little Bunting (Scilly), Rough-legged Buzzard (North Yorkshire, Hoopoe (Northumberland), five Great Grey Shrikes, Waxwing (Shetland), seven Glossy Ibises, two Surf Scoters, eight Ring-necked Ducks, three Green-winged Teal, two American Wigeon and Lesser Snow Goose (Highland). |
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| - David Campbell, RBA | ||
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| Tuesday 27th October 2020 | ||
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The regular adult drake White-winged Scoter returned to the Firth of Forth, being seen off Fisherrow mid-morning. Two White-billed Divers were in South Nesting Bay in Shetland, a Baird's Sandpiper was found at Dawlish Warren in Devon and a new Dusky Warbler arrived on Fair Isle. Positive news was received on the Blackpoll Warbler in Shetland, Brown Shrike in Northumberland, Pacific Golden Plover in Moray, Hume's Warbler in Orkney, both the Red-eyed Vireos on Scilly and the Eastern Stonechat sp in Shetland. Lesser Yellowlegs remained in Devon, Co.Waterford, Somerset, Scilly and North Yorkshire. Meanwhile, Dusky Warblers were still in West Sussex, Norfolk (two), Scilly and East Yorkshire. Other news included Black-bellied Dipper (Shetland), Wryneck (Scilly), three American Golden Plovers, four Richard's Pipits, two Red-backed Shrikes, Barred Warbler (Shetland), Hoopoe (Northumberland), two Rose-coloured Starlings, two Great Grey Shrikes, five Glossy Ibises, three Green-winged Teal, six Ring-necked Ducks, two American Wigeon, two Grey Phalaropes, Little Auk (Orkney) and Lesser Snow Goose (Highland). |
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| - David Campbell, RBA | ||
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| Monday 26th October 2020 | ||
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A Fea's/Desertas Petrel was the clear highlight of a seawatch at Pendeen in Cornwall. The plantation at East Denwick in Deerness, Orkney, produced a Hume's Warbler which was trapped and ringed. New Lesser Yellowlegs appeared on Tresco, Scilly, and North Uist, Western Isles. The Indigo Bunting showed until lunchtime on St.Agnes, Scilly, before flying off and not returning by the end of the day. The White's Thrush continued its stay in Devon, while the Blackpoll Warbler in Shetland and Brown Shrike in Northumberland also stayed put. Other positive updates on rarities involved the Red-eyed Vireo on Scilly, Red-flanked Bluetail in Western Isles, Semipalmated Sandpiper in Co.Kerry, Long-billed Dowitcher in Co.Derry, Lesser Scaup in Somerset, two Richardson's Cackling Geese in Western Isles and Eastern Stonechat sp in Cleveland and Shetland. Lesser Yellowlegs lingered in Devon, Somerset and North Yorkshire. Dusky Warblers were still in Anglesey, West Sussex, East Yorkshire, Norfolk (two) and Kent. Scarcity news included eight Parrot Crossbills (a flock over Stiffkey, Norfolk), Rough-legged Buzzard (Norfolk), Little Bunting (Shetland), Common Rosefinch (Western Isles), two Richard's Pipits, two Bluethroats, two Rose-coloured Starlings, two Barred Warblers, Pallas's Warbler (Sussex), Short-toed Lark (East Yorkshire), Shorelark (Kent), two Red-backed Shrikes, five Great Grey Shrikes, Hoopoe (Northumberland), seven Ring-necked Ducks, Surf Scoter (Highland), four Green-winged Teal, Black Brant (Dorset), Todd's Canada Goose (Argyll) and a total of eight Glossy Ibises. |
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| - David Campbell, RBA | ||
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| Sunday 25th October 2020 | ||
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The big news of the day was the discovery of an Indigo Bunting on St.Agnes, Scilly, in the afternoon, which went on to show for birders arriving on boats from other islands. It represents the fourth record for Britain and Ireland and overshadowed the Red-eyed Vireo found on the same island today. Scilly also had a second Red-eyed Vireo on Bryher. A White's Thrush was at Gulberwick in Shetland.An East Siberian White Wagtail and a new Eastern Stonechat sp turned up on Unst, Shetland. Dusky Warblers were found near Crawley in West Sussex and at Wylfa Head, Anglesey. The Brown Shrike stayed put in Northumberland, as did the White's Thrush in Devon and the Lesser Scaup in Somerset, Eastern Stonechat sp in Cleveland and Norfolk, Red-flanked Bluetails in Norfolk and Western Isles, Long-billed Dowitcher in Cumbria and Lesser Yellowlegs in Somerset, Norfolk, Devon, North Yorkshire and Co.Waterford. Dusky Warblers were still in Norfolk, Scilly and East Yorkshire. Other highlights today included Rough-legged Buzzard (Norfolk), two Little Buntings, Richard's Pipit (Norfolk), Bluethroat (Orkney), Barred Warbler (Northumberland), Red-breasted Flycatcher (Shetland), Red-backed Shrike (Kent), four Great Grey Shrikes, Pallas's Warbler (Conwy), Shorelark (Kent), four Rose-coloured Starlings, three Hoopoes, Red-necked Phalarope (Northumberland), Buff-breasted Sandpiper (Orkney), two Surf Scoters, two Green-winged Teal, five Ring-necked Ducks, two Todd's Canada Geese and 14 Glossy Ibises. |
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| - David Campbell, RBA | ||
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