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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Saturday 9th October 2021  
  The highlight of the day was the continued presence of the Long-toed Stint in West Yorkshire at St Aidan's where it showed all day. Lingering rarities elsewhere included the White-tailed Lapwing still in East Yorkshire, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Semipalmated Plover, and Bonaparte's Gull all in County Cork, Western Sandpiper in Hampshire, Greater Yellowlegs in Aberdeenshire, Red-eyed Vireos in both Gwynedd and Northumberland, Red-breasted Goose in Argyll, Blue-winged Teal in Cheshire, Long-billed Dowitcher in Norfolk, and Lesser Yellowlegs in Aberdeenshire, County Wexford, and County Wicklow.

Discoveries today included in Kent a Desert Wheatear at North Foreland and an Arctic Warbler at Reculver, Radde's Warblers in both County Cork and Suffolk, Western Bonelli's Warbler in County Galway on Inishmore, Red-throated Pipit in East Yorkshire at Flamborough Head, Blyth's Reed Warbler on Skokholm, Pembrokeshire, and in Norfolk a Bonaparte's Gull at Cley.

On the Isles of Scilly Radde's Warbler and Common Rosefinch were located on St Martin's, Blyth's Reed Warbler on St Mary's, Rose-coloured Starling on Bryher, two each of both Red-breasted Flycatcher and Yellow-browed Warbler, and at least three Dotterel. On the Shetland Isles Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll, Woodchat Shrike, Yellow-browed Warbler, two each of King Eider, White-billed Diver, Bluethroat, and Common Rosefinch were all on Mainland, Ring-necked Duck on Yell, Little Bunting on Fair Isle, two Lapland Buntings, and nine Shorelarks.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Friday 8th October 2021  
  An adult Long-toed Stint was discovered at St Aidan's RSPB, West Yorkshire this evening. Unfortunately, it was identified as a Temminck's Stint then a Least Sandpiper in the field, with the correct identification not being realised until after dark. This will be just the third record for Britain, following individuals in Cleveland (1982) and Cornwall (1970), along with a bird in County Cork in 1996.

Significant news elsewhere involved a probable Yelkouan Shearwater lingering on the sea off Flamborough Head, Yorkshire mid morning, a report of an Eyebrowed Thrush on rocks at Sea Palling, Norfolk late morning, a Red-eyed Vireo on Holy Island, Northumberland, single American Buff-bellied Pipits at Kilkee, County Clare and Achill Island, County Mayo, a Red-flanked Bluetail at Flamborough, Yorkshire, a Penduline Tit at The Naze, Essex, a Radde's Warbler on the Isle of May, Fife, a Blue-winged Teal at Neumann's Flash, Cheshire and a Kentish Plover at Berrow, Somerset.

Lingering rarities still present included the Western Sandpiper in Hampshire, White-tailed Lapwing in Yorkshire, Solitary Sandpiper and Black Duck in County Mayo, Semipalmated Plover and Rose-breasted Grosbeak in County Cork, Red-eyed Vireo in Gwynedd, American Buff-bellied Pipit and Snowy Owl in Western Isles, Western Bonelli's Warbler in Orkney, Greater Yellowlegs and Lesser Yellowlegs in Aberdeenshire, further Lesser Yellowlegs' in County Wicklow and County Wexford, Olive-backed Pipit, two King Eiders and White-billed Diver in Shetland and Forster's Tern in County Louth.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Thursday 7th October 2021  
  Today brought more Nearctic landbirds with a Rose-breasted Grosbeak new in County Cork on Cape Clear, a Red-eyed Vireo (the tenth of the autumn) in Devon at East Soar, whilst the Red-eyed Vireo remained in Gwynedd at Porth Meudwy.

Nearctic waders comprised an Upland Sandpiper new in County Cork on Dursey Island where the Semipalmated Plover remained at Crookhaven, Western Sandpiper confirmed in Hampshire at Normandy, Solitary Sandpiper still in County Mayo, Greater Yellowlegs and Lesser Yellowlegs still together in Aberdeenshire, two American Golden Plovers, and a total of six Pectoral Sandpipers.

On the Shetland Isles Western Bonelli's Warbler, Dusky Warbler, White-billed Diver, Woodchat Shrike, and Common Rosefinch were on Mainland, Hoopoe on Whalsay, Bluethroat on Unst, Marsh Warbler and Corncrake on Foula, Ring-necked Duck on Yell, with Lapland Bunting, two Yellow-browed Warblers, and eight Shorelarks around the islands. On the Isles of Scilly an American Golden Plover was on Tresco, Red-breasted Flycatcher on St Martin's, and two each of Pectoral Sandpiper, Dotterel, Common Rosefinch, and Yellow-browed Warbler.

Other rarities were the White-tailed Lapwing still in East Yorkshire, a Radde's Warbler off Fife on the Isle of May, a Western Bonelli's Warbler still on the Orkney Isles, and a Bonaparte's Gull at Long Strand, County Cork.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Wednesday 6th October 2021  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of two more Red-eyed Vireos; in Gwynedd at Porth Meudwy, and on Inishbofin, County Galway. There has now been 12 Nearctic landbirds located since 25th September comprising nine Red-eyed Vireos, two Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, and a Horned Lark.

Other discoveries included an Arctic Warbler in Cleveland at Hartlepool, Red-throated Pipit in Northumberland on Holy Island, and Olive-backed Pipits at both Whitburn, County Durham and Spurn, East Yorkshire.

Around the Shetland Isles Greenish Warbler, Olive-backed Pipit, Citrine Wagtail, King Eider, White-billed Diver, Red-backed Shrike, and two Rustic Buntings were on Mainland, Olive-backed Pipit and Arctic Redpoll on Unst, Ring-necked Duck on Yell, with around island totals of two each of both Barred Warbler and Common Rosefinch, four Little Buntings, five Yellow-browed Warblers, and eight Shorelarks. On the Isles of Scilly the Balearic Woodchat Shrike remained on St Mary's, Red-breasted Flycatcher on St Martin's, Common Rosefinch on St Agnes, two Pectoral Sandpipers on Tresco, and up to four Dotterel.

Lingering rarities elsewhere comprised the White-tailed Lapwing still in East Yorkshire, Semipalmated Plover in County Cork, Solitary Sandpiper in County Mayo, Greater Yellowlegs in Aberdeenshire, unidentified Semipalmated/Western Sandpiper in Hampshire, American Buff-bellied Pipit on the Western Isles, Long-billed Dowitcher in County Antrim, and Lesser Yellowlegs in Aberdeenshire, County Wexford, and County Wicklow.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Tuesday 5th October 2021  
 

Seawatching at Pendeen Watch in Cornwall produced a Barolo Shearwater at midday. Mainland Shetland enjoyed new arrivals in the form of a Rustic Bunting, a White-billed Diver, two Radde's Warblers and two Olive-backed Pipits. A Western Bonelli's Warbler was found on Papa Westray in Orkney. Other finds included a Red-breasted Goose on Islay and a Long-billed Dowitcher at Portmore Lough in Co.Antrim.

Continuing rarities comprised Solitary Sandpiper in Co.Mayo, American Buff-bellied Pipits on Scilly and St.Kilda, Greater Yellowlegs in Aberdeenshire, Semipalmated Plover in Co.Cork, White-tailed Lapwing in East Yorkshire, Red-eyed Vireo in Co.Mayo, Balearic Woodchat Shrike on Scilly, Long-billed Dowitchers in Norfolk and Co.Derry, Semipalmated Sandpipers in Shetland and Western Isles, King Eider in Shetland, Radde's Warbler in Orkney; Lesser Yellowlegs in Aberdeenshire, Western Isles and Co.Wicklow; Bonaparte's Gull in Co.Down and the Semipalmated or Western Sandpiper in Hampshire.

The best of the rest included six Barred Warblers, five Glossy Ibises, 20 Grey Phalaropes, 18 Sabine's Gulls, 56 Leach's Petrels, four Red-breasted Flycatchers, Honey Buzzard (Sussex), 10 Long-tailed Skuas, seven Lapland Buntings, 12 Little Buntings, three Common Rosefinches, three Tundra Bean Geese, two Dotterel, four Red-backed Shrikes, Woodchat Shrike (Shetland), Bluethroat (Shetland), three Ring-necked Ducks, American Wigeon (Cambridgeshire), Marsh Warbler (Shetland), Surf Scoter (Shetland), Iceland Gull and Glaucous Gull (both Shetland), Rose-coloured Starling (Norfolk), 12 Pectoral Sandpipers, eight Shorelarks, Black Brant (Norfolk), Red-necked Phalarope (Shetland) and American Golden Plover (Western Isles).
-  David Campbell, RBA
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