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 4th October 2021  
 

Mainland Shetland had three Red-eyed Vireos and two Western Bonelli's Warblers. Other Shetland finds included Citrine Wagtail on Fetlar and Coues's Arctic Redpoll on Unst, plus four new Olive-backed Pipits on Mainland. Orkney had a Lanceolated Warbler on North Ronaldsay, while a Rustic Bunting in Cornwall, Red-eyed Vireo in Co.Mayo and Long-billed Dowitcher and Lesser Yellowlegs in Co.Derry were new in, too. In Hampshire, a Semipalmated or Western Sandpiper was found at Normandy Marsh.

Still present were the Baikal Teal and Daurian Shrike on Fair Isle, the Greater Yellowlegs in Aberdeenshire, Solitary Sandpiper in Co.Mayo, White-tailed Lapwing in East Yorkshire, Semipalmated Plover in Co.Cork, Baird's Sandpiper in Co.Kerry, Long-billed Dowitcher in Norfolk, American Buff-bellied Pipits on Scilly and St.Kilda, Balearic Woodchat Shrike on Scilly, Red-eyed Vireo on Bardsey; Semipalmated Sandpiper, King Eider and two Olive-backed Pipits in Shetland; and Lesser Yellowlegs in the Western Isles.

Other news included Black Brant (Norfolk), American Wigeon (Highland), eight Ring-necked Ducks, two Surf Scoters, two American Golden Plovers, Dotterel (Scilly), nine Pectoral Sandpipers, Red-necked Phalarope (Shetland), six Grey Phalaropes, Glossy Ibis (Co.Dublin), Honey Buzzard (Essex), Hoopoe (Glamorgan), Wryneck (Pembrokeshire), five Red-backed Shrikes, two Woodchat Shrikes, two Short-toed Larks, eight Shorelarks, six Barred Warblers, six Bluethroats, three Rose-coloured Starlings, eight Red-breasted Flycatchers, three Richard's Pipits, five Common Rosefinches and 11 Little Buntings.
David Campbell, RBA
Sunday 3rd October 2021  
 

The pick of the day's finds included Horned Lark on Inishmore in Co.Galway, American Buff-bellied Pipit on St.Agnes on Scilly, Radde's Warbler on Sanday in Orkney and a Bonelli's warbler sp at Easter Quarff on Mainland Shetland. New Olive-backed Pipits were found in Shetland on Out Skerries and Mainland.

Still present were the Baikal Teal on Fair Isle, Greater Yellowlegs in Aberdeenshire, Solitary Sandpiper in Co.Mayo, Semipalmated Plover in Co.Cork, White-tailed Lapwing in East Yorkshire, Red-eyed Vireo on Bardsey Island, the two American Buff-bellied Pipits on St.Kilda, Bonaparte's Gull in Co.Down, Long-billed Dowitcher in Norfolk, Balearic Woodchat Shrike on Scilly, Richardson's Cackling Goose in Moray; Semipalmated Sandpiper, three Olive-backed Pipits and King Eider in Shetland; and Lesser Yellowlegs in Aberdeenshire, Western Isles, Co.Wexford and Co.Wicklow.

Scarcities included Black Brant (Norfolk), American Wigeon (Cambridgeshire), four Ring-necked Ducks (Western Isles), two Surf Scoters, three American Golden Plovers, Dotterel (Scilly), Buff-breasted Sandpiper (Scilly), 12 Pectoral Sandpipers, six Sabine's Gulls, seven Glossy Ibises, two Honey Buzzards (Sussex), Wryneck (Pembrokeshire), four Red-backed Shrikes, two Woodchat Shrikes, Short-toed Lark (Western Isles), four Shorelarks, Bluethroat (Shetland), six Red-breasted Flycatchers, two Rose-coloured Starlings, Common Rosefinch (Scilly) and four Little Buntings.
David Campbell, RBA
Saturday 2nd October 2021  
 

A new American Buff-bellied Pipit was found alongside the continuing bird on St.Kilda. Bardsey Island hosted a Red-eyed Vireo in the evening. Olive-backed Pipits on Unst increased to four, while elsewhere on Shetland an Arctic Redpoll was new on East Burra, a Red-eyed Vireo was at Brae and a Semipalmated Sandpiper appeared at Virkie on Mainland. In Highland, a Blue-winged Teal flew south over Fort William.

Still present were the Baikal Teal and Daurian Shrike on Fair Isle, Greater Yellowlegs in Aberdeenshire, Semipalmated Plover in Co.Cork, Baird's Sandpiper in Co.Kerry; Solitary Sandpiper, Red-eyed Vireo and Black Duck in Co.Mayo; White-tailed Lapwing in East Yorkshire, Lesser Yellowlegs in Aberdeenshire and Co.Wexford, Arctic Warbler in Orkney, Balearic Woodchat Shrike on Scilly; and Eastern Yellow Wagtail, Citrine Wagtail and King Eider in Shetland.

Among the rest of the day's news, highlights included Black Brant (Norfolk), two American Wigeon, Surf Scoter and Ring-necked Duck (Orkney); two Spotted Crakes, American Golden Plover and Dotterel (all Scilly); two Buff-breasted Sandpipers, 10 Pectoral Sandpipers, five Grey Phalaropes, three Sabine's Gulls, four Glossy Ibises, Wryneck (Scilly), two Woodchat Shrikes, two Red-backed Shrikes, two Short-toed Larks, Marsh Warbler (Shetland), two Barred Warblers, two Bluethroats, four Red-breasted Flycatchers, five Common Rosefinches and six Little Buntings.
David Campbell, RBA
Friday 1st October 2021  
  In County Cork, a Semipalmated Plover was located at Crookhaven this afternoon, presumably the individual sound recorded over nearby Lissagriffin on nights in July and August.

Two Lanceolated Warblers were discovered in Shetland, on Foula and at Baltasound, Unst, with the archipelago also hosting a Daurian Shrike, Baikal Teal, White's Thrush and Blyth's Reed Warbler on Fair Isle, an Eastern Yellow Wagtail at Loch of Spiggie, Mainland, a Citrine Wagtail at Norwick, Unst, a Rustic Bunting at Symbister, Whalsay, a Blyth's Reed Warbler on Bressay, a Lesser Yellowlegs at Melby, Mainland, two Olive-backed Pipits also at Baltasound and another at Northdale, both Unst and the King Eider at Wadbister, along with a Bluethroat, a Short-toed Lark, a Hoopoe, a Ring-necked Duck, two Woodchat Shrikes, two Red-backed Shrikes, two Marsh Warblers, three Red-breasted Flycatchers, five Little Buntings, five Barred Warblers and at least 35 Yellow-browed Warblers.

Other new discoveries elsewhere included a Red-eyed Vireo and a Solitary Sandpiper on The Mullet, County Mayo and a Richardson's Cackling Goose at Findhorn Bay, Moray.

Lingering rarities elsewhere included the White-tailed Lapwing in Yorkshire, Greater Yellowlegs and Lesser Yellowlegs in Aberdeenshire (with others of the latter species in County Wicklow, County Wexford and Western Isles), Baird's Sandpiper in County Cork and Balearic Woodchat Shrike in Scilly.

Other scarcity highlights away from Shetland totalled a Richard's Pipit, a Barred Warbler, a Lapland Bunting, two Red-backed Shrikes, three Common Rosefinches, five Rose-coloured Starlings, an American Wigeon, six Ring-necked Ducks, a Black Brant, seven Glossy Ibises, 22 Pectoral Sandpipers, a Buff-breasted Sandpiper, a Dotterel, three American Golden Plovers, four Grey Phalaropes, six Long-tailed Skuas, seven Pomarine Skuas, seven Sabine's Gulls, 23 Leach's Petrels, a Great Shearwater and a Glaucous Gull.
Will Soar, RBA
Thursday 30th September 2021  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of a Rose-breasted Grosbeak on Tiree, Argyll; the third Nearctic landbird of the autumn in Britain. Rarities elsewhere included White-tailed Lapwing still in East Yorkshire at Blacktoft Sands, Greater Yellowlegs still in Aberdeenshire at Loch of Strathbeg where uniquely it was joined by a Lesser Yellowlegs, an Arctic Warbler still on the Orkney Isles, Baird's Sandpiper in County Kerry, Lesser Yellowlegs in both County Wexford and County Wicklow, and a White-billed Diver in Northumberland at Druridge Bay.

On the Shetland Isles both the Baikal Teal and White's Thrush remained on Fair Isle, Rustic Bunting, Greenish Warbler, Eastern Yellow Wagtail, and King Eider were all on Mainland, Citrine Wagtail, Bluethroat, and Common Rosefinch on Unst, Blyth's Reed Warbler on Bressay, Marsh Warbler on Fetlar, with around the archipelago two each of Woodchat Shrike and Barred Warbler, three of Red-breasted Flycatcher, Red-backed Shrike, and Lapland Bunting, four Little Buntings, and a total of 17 Yellow-browed Warblers.

On the Isles of Scilly the Balearic Woodchat Shrike remained on St Mary's with a Glossy Ibis, American Golden Plover and Buff-breasted Sandpiper were on Bryher, Red-backed Shrike on St Martin's, Spotted Crake on Tresco, three Grey Phalaropes off St Agnes, and a total of four Pectoral Sandpipers.
Chris Batty, RBA
Wednesday 29th September 2021  
  The Shetland Isles dominated the day with a Baikal Teal, White's Thrush, and Woodchat Shrike all on Fair Isle, a Great Snipe briefly on Fetlar, two Olive-backed Pipits together, Citrine Wagtail, Marsh Warbler, and a probable Eastern Yellow Wagtail all on Unst, Great Reed Warbler, Eastern Yellow Wagtail, Rose-coloured Starling, Wryneck, and two King Eiders on Mainland, Red-flanked Bluetail on Foula, Rustic Bunting on both Out Skerries and Whalsay, two each of Red-breasted Flycatcher and Red-backed Shrike, three of Bluethroat, Little Bunting and Common Rosefinch, five Barred Warblers, six Lapland Buntings, and a total of 44 Yellow-browed Warblers.

On the Isles of Scilly Western Bonelli's Warbler and Red-backed Shrike remained on St Martin's, Balearic Woodchat Shrike, Pectoral Sandpiper, Spotted Crake, and Glossy Ibis on St Mary's, both American Golden Plover and Buff-breasted Sandpiper on Bryher, Common Rosefinch on St Agnes, and Yellow-browed Warbler on Tresco.

Rarities elsewhere comprised the White-tailed Lapwing still in East Yorkshire, Greater Yellowlegs still in Aberdeenshire, American Buff-bellied Pipit, Snowy Owl, and Lesser Yellowlegs all on the Western Isles, Black Kite and Lesser Yellowlegs still in County Wexford, and on the Orkney Isles an Arctic Warbler new on North Ronaldsay.
Chris Batty, RBA
Tuesday 28th September 2021  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of a Greater Yellowlegs in Aberdeenshire at Loch of Strathbeg, with other Nearctic waders comprising a Long-billed Dowitcher in Norfolk, Lesser Yellowlegs in County Wexford, Buff-breasted Sandpiper and American Golden Plover on the Isles of Scilly, and 26 Pectoral Sandpipers.

On the Isles of Scilly other bird included Balearic Woodchat Shrike still on St Mary's, Common Rosefinch on St Agnes, Dotterel and Spotted Crake on Tresco, and Glossy Ibis and Red-backed Shrike on St Martin's. On the Shetland Isles both Pechora Pipit and Woodchat Shrike were on Fair Isle, Booted Warbler, Citrine Wagtail, Marsh Warbler, and Richard's Pipit all on Unst, Blyth's Reed Warbler on Bressay, King Eider and Rose-coloured Starling on Mainland, and Bluethroat on Foula, along with around island totals of two of both Red-backed Shrike and Common Rosefinch, three Lapland Buntings, and four each of Barred Warbler and Yellow-browed Warbler.

Other rarities today comprised a Rustic Bunting new in East Yorkshire at Kilnsea whilst the White-tailed Lapwing remained at Blacktoft Sands, a Bonaparte's Gull discovered in Denbighshire at Rhyl, and in Ireland the Black Duck remained in County Mayo, and a Black Kite flew over Tacumshin, County Wexford.
Chris Batty, RBA
Monday 27th September 2021  
 

A Red-eyed Vireo was duly found on Barra on the back of a promising weather system across the Atlantic. The Black-browed Albatross flew past Spurn in the afternoon before apparently returning to the cliffs at Flamborough Head for the evening.

On Scilly, Western Bonelli's Warbler, Baird's Sandpiper and Balearic Woodchat Shrike all lingered. The White-tailed Lapwing in East Yorkshire, Black Duck in Co.Mayo and Lesser Yellowlegs in Co.Wexford also remained, along with the potential Red-necked Stint on the Nottinghamshire/South Yorkshire border.

Additional highlights included 31 Pectoral Sandpipers, six Ring-necked Ducks, three American Wigeon, 12 Glossy Ibises, three Buff-breasted Sandpipers, two Sabine's Gulls, three Red-backed Shrikes, Wryneck (Co.Waterford), four Rose-coloured Starlings, two Spotted Crakes, two Grey Phalaropes, five Common Rosefinches, two Yellow-browed Warblers, Little Bunting (Shetland), two Barred Warblers, two Dotterel, Surf Scoter (Lothian), Bluethroat (Shetland) and Todd's Canada Goose (Western Isles).
David Campbell, RBA
Sunday 26th September 2021  
  Around the Shetland Isles today a Paddyfield Warbler was new on Foula, with a Red-flanked Bluetail found on Whalsay, Bluethroat and Marsh Warbler on Fetlar, Golden Oriole on Fair Isle, Little Bunting on Unst, King Eider, Rose-coloured Starling, and Pectoral Sandpiper all on Mainland, three each of both Barred Warbler and Glaucous Gull, four Common Rosefinches, and six Yellow-browed Warblers. Meanwhile on the Isles of Scilly Western Bonelli's Warbler and Common Rosefinch were located on St Martin's, Baird's Sandpiper, Buff-breasted Sandpiper, and Rose-coloured Starling all remained on Bryher, Balearic Woodchat Shrike on St Mary's, and two each of Pectoral Sandpiper, Red-backed Shrike, and Wryneck around the islands.

Rarities elsewhere comprised the White-tailed Lapwing still in East Yorkshire, Forster's Tern in County Louth, American Buff-bellied Pipit and Snowy Owl on the Western Isles, Squacco Heron in Flintshire, Semipalmated Sandpiper in Argyll, Long-billed Dowitcher in Norfolk, Lesser Yellowlegs in County Wexford, and Bonaparte's Gulls in both Devon and Kent.

In Nottinghamshire the stint identified yesterday as a Red-necked Stint remained at Misson but was considered to be a Little Stint by many observers.
Chris Batty, RBA
Saturday 25th September 2021  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of a Red-necked Stint in Nottinghamshire at Misson. The first Nearctic landbird of the autumn was a Rose-breasted Grosbeak on the Shetland Isles on Unst at Norwick, with elsewhere around the archipelago a Blyth's Reed Warbler on Fetlar, and on the Mainland a Pallid Harrier briefly at Toft, and a King Eider still at Wadbister Voe.

Lingering rarities confirmed as still present were the White-tailed Lapwing in East Yorkshire, American Buff-bellied Pipit on the Western Isles, Red-breasted Goose in Lincolnshire, Balearic Woodchat Shrike in Isles of Scilly, and Bonaparte's Gulls in both County Down and Kent.

Nearctic waders comprised Semipalmated Sandpiper still in Argyll, Baird's Sandpipers in both County Cork and the Isles of Scilly, Long-billed Dowitcher in Norfolk, Lesser Yellowlegs in County Wexford, four Buff-breasted Sandpipers, and a total of 34 Pectoral Sandpipers.

Other scarcities included Purple Heron (West Sussex), American Wigeon (Cambridgeshire), Hoopoe (Lothian), Spotted Crake (Lincolnshire), two each of Ring-necked Duck and Dotterel, three of Red-backed Shrike, Rose-coloured Starling, and Surf Scoter, four Lapland Buntings, five Yellow-browed Warblers, seven Common Rosefinches, eight Glossy Ibises, and nine Long-tailed Skuas.
Chris Batty, RBA