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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Sunday 24th October 2021  
 

A Blyth's Pipit and an Olive-backed Pipit were found on St.Mary's, Scilly, while a Lesser Scaup appeared off Gugh briefly. Another Lesser Scaup, presumably the regular Somerset drake returning, was identified at Chew Valley Lake. Northumberland had a Lesser Yellowlegs at Monks House Pool and a White-billed Diver past Ross Back Sands. Another White-billed Diver flew past St.Andrews in Fife.

Continuing rarities comprised the Brown Shrike in Cornwall, White-tailed Lapwing in East Yorkshire, Arctic Warbler in Cleveland, Pacific Golden Plover in Co.Kerry, Forster's Tern in Co.Louth, King Eider in Moray, Richardson's Cackling Goose on Islay, Spotted Sandpiper on Scilly, Hume's Warbler and Red-flanked Bluetail in Shetland, and Ferruginous Duck in Staffordshire.

Other notable reports included Black Brant (Dorset), Todd's Canada Goose (Angus), four Snow Geese, three Green-winged Teal, 11 Ring-necked Ducks, Surf Scoter (Lothian), two American Golden Plovers, three Pectoral Sandpipers, 12 Glossy Ibises, four Hoopoes, Wryneck (Ceredigion), two Shorelarks, Short-toed Lark (Scilly), Pallas's Warbler (Suffolk), three Rose-coloured Starlings, Bluethroat (Shetland), five Red-breasted Flycatchers, three Richard's Pipits, Serin (Scilly), three Little Buntings.
David Campbell, RBA
Saturday 23rd October 2021  
  New rarities today comprised in Cornwall a Brown Shrike at Pendeen and a Radde's Warbler at Cadgwith, a Pallid Harrier in Kent at Abbot's Cliff, a Radde's Warbler in Suffolk at Shingle Street, a King Eider in Lothian at Ravesheugh Bay, a Ferruginous Duck briefly in Cambridgeshire at Needingworth Quarry, and White-billed Divers in both County Durham and Fife (2).

Lingering rarities confirmed as still present were the White-tailed Lapwing in East Yorkshire, Semipalmated Plover in County Cork, Forster's Tern in County Louth, both Hume's Warbler and Red-flanked Bluetail on the Shetland Isles, Arctic Warbler in Cleveland, King Eider in Moray, Lesser Yellowlegs in Cornwall, Ross's Goose in Angus, and Ferruginous Duck in Staffordshire.

Scarcities included Little Bunting (Shetland), Common Rosefinch and Black Brant (Dorset), Surf Scoter (Lothian), two each of Red-breasted Flycatcher, Rose-coloured Starling, Hoopoe, and Green-winged Teal, three of Pectoral Sandpiper and Sabine's Gull, four of American Golden Plover and Long-tailed Skua, eight Ring-necked Ducks, 11 Glossy Ibises, and 13 Lapland Buntings.

Significant late news from Shetland yesterday concerned a Black-throated Thrush at Compass Head, Mainland.
Chris Batty, RBA
Friday 22nd October 2021  
  Discoveries today included a Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll on the Orkney Isles on North Ronaldsay, a Ferruginous Duck in Staffordshire at Belvide Reservoir, a Dusky Warbler in Cornwall at Cagdwith, and and at least five White-billed Divers between Norfolk and the Orkney Isles.

On the Shetland Isles Red-flanked Bluetail, Hume's Warbler, Western Bonelli's Warbler, and two Yellow-browed Warblers were all on Mainland, Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll on Unst, Little Bunting on Fair Isle, and Lapland Bunting on Out Skerries. On the Isles of Scilly Spotted Sandpiper and Lapland Bunting were both on St Mary's, Hoopoe on St Agnes, Red-breasted Flycatcher on Tresco, and Red-backed Shrike on Bryher, with two Richard's Pipits and eight Yellow-browed Warblers around the islands.

Elsewhere lingering rarities confirmed as still present were the White-tailed Lapwing in East Yorkshire, Semipalmated Plover in County Cork, Pacific Golden Plover in County Kerry, Arctic Warbler in Cleveland, Blue-winged Teal in Cheshire, Long-billed Dowitcher in County Londonderry, Ross's Goose in Angus, and Dusky Warblers in both Fife and Lothian. Whilst scarcities included Little Bunting (East Yorkshire), Common Rosefinch (County Cork), Rough-legged Buzzard (Essex), Surf Scoter (Western Isles), Sabine's Gull (Cornwall), two American Golden Plover, Rose-coloured Starling, Great Shearwater and Green-winged Teal, three Shorelarks, four Pectoral Sandpipers, seven Ring-necked Ducks, and a total of 21 Glossy Ibises.
Chris Batty, RBA
Thursday 21st October 2021  
  White-billed Divers were seen off Newbiggin, Northumberland, Hartlepool Headland, Cleveland and Winterton, Norfolk. A Ross's Goose was present for a 2nd day at Montrose Basin, Angus.

Lingering rarities still present today included the White-tailed Lapwing in Yorkshire, Semipalmated Plover in County Cork, Hume's Warbler, Blyth's Reed Warbler and Hornesmann's Arctic Redpoll in Shetland, Arctic Warbler in Cleveland, Dusky Warblers in Lothian and Fife, Spotted Sandpiper in Scilly, Lesser Yellowlegs in Cornwall and County Wicklow and Blue-winged Teal in Cheshire.

Scarcity highlights included a Red-backed Shrike, a Hoopoe, a Wryneck, a Waxwing, two Shorelarks, two Rose-coloured Starlings, two Lapland Buntings, eight Yellow-browed Warblers, a Surf Scoter, two American Wigeon, eight Ring-necked Ducks, two Todd's Canada Geese, three Snow Geese, a Rough-legged Buzzard, 19 Glossy Ibises, a Ring-billed Gull, two Iceland Gulls, eight Glaucous Gulls, ten Sabine's Gulls, an American Golden Plover, three Pectoral Sandpipers, ten Grey Phalaropes, two Long-tailed Skuas, c49 Pomarine Skuas, two Great Shearwaters, four Balearic Shearwaters, four Leach's Petrels and 33 Little Auks.
Will Soar, RBA
Wednesday 20th October 2021  
  Rarities today included Two-barred Greenish Warbler and White-tailed Lapwing both still in East Yorkshire, Greater Yellowlegs still in Aberdeenshire, American Buff-bellied Pipit on the Western Isles, Semipalmated Sandpiper in Cornwall, Spotted Sandpiper on the Isles of Scilly, Arctic Warbler in Cleveland, Cackling Goose in Argyll, and Dusky Warblers in both Fife and Lothian.

On the Shetland Isles Hume's Warbler, Greenish Warbler, and Yellow-browed Warbler were all on Mainland, Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll and Yellow-browed Warbler on Unst, Surf Scoter on Fair Isle, and Ring-necked Duck on Yell.

In Ireland Semipalmated Plover and Red-breasted Flycatcher were both in County Cork, Long-billed Dowitcher remained in County Londonderry, Lesser Yellowlegs in County Wicklow, Glossy Ibis in County Waterford, and three American Golden Plovers.
Chris Batty, RBA
Tuesday 19th October 2021  
  The Shetland Isles provided the highlights today with a White's Thrush on Out Skerries, a Hume's Warbler on Mainland (at Boddam) along with Radde's Warbler, Red-breasted Flycatcher, Great Grey Shrike, three Blyth's Reed Warblers, and three Little Buntings, on Fair Isle Red-flanked Bluetail, Olive-backed Pipit, Blyth's Reed Warbler, Little Bunting, Red-breasted Flycatcher, Surf Scoter, and Spotted Crake, and on Unst a Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll.

Discoveries elsewhere included an Eastern Stonechat species on the Orkney Isles on Eday, a Dusky Warbler in Fife at Kilminning, and in County Waterford a Lesser Yellowlegs at Tramore.

Lingering rarities confirmed as still present were both the Two-barred Greenish Warbler and White-tailed Lapwing in East Yorkshire, Semipalmated Plover in County Cork, American Buff-bellied Pipit and two Cackling Geese on the Western Isles, Baird's Sandpipers in both Nottinghamshire and Somerset, Wilson's Phalarope in County Wexford, Semipalmated Sandpiper and Lesser Yellowlegs in Cornwall, Dusky Warbler in Lothian, and Lesser Yellowlegs in both Couty Clare and County Wicklow.
Chris Batty, RBA
Monday 18th October 2021  
 

An American Buff-bellied Pipit on St.Kilda, a Blyth's Reed Warbler on St.Agnes in Scilly, a Dusky Warbler at Barns Ness in Lothian and a Lesser Yellowlegs in Co.Clare were the best finds of the day.

Still present were the Two-barred Greenish Warbler in East Yorkshire, White-tailed Lapwing in East Yorkshire, Semipalmated Plover in Co.Cork, Blue-winged Teal in Cheshire, Red-breasted Goose and Cackling Goose in Argyll, two Semipalmated Sandpipers in Cornwall, Pacific Golden Plover in Co.Kerry, Baird's Sandpiper in Nottinghamshire, Forster's Tern in Co.Louth, Snowy Owl on St.Kilda, and Lesser Yellowlegs in Cornwall and Co.Wicklow.

Further highlights included two Black Brants, two Tundra Bean Geese, 19 Taiga Bean Geese, American Wigeon (Cambridgeshire), two Surf Scoters, four American Golden Plovers, three Pectoral Sandpipers, two Grey Phalaropes, Sabine's Gull (Aberdeenshire), two Glaucous Gulls, Iceland Gull (Highland), five Pomarine Skuas, Little Auk (Highland), 10 Glossy Ibises, Purple Heron (Sussex), Rough-legged Buzzard (Suffolk), Red-backed Shrike (Scilly), Great Grey Shrike (Orkney), three Shorelarks, two Pallas's Warblers, Barred Warbler (Co.Cork), Rose-coloured Starling (Lothian), Bluethroat (Scilly), four Red-breasted Flycatchers, Richard's Pipit (Norfolk), Common Rosefinch (Shetland) and Little Bunting (Shetland).

 
David Campbell, RBA
Sunday 17th October 2021  
 

The best finds of the day were a Red-flanked Bluetail at Hestingott in Shetland, a Fea's/Desertas Petrel past North Ronaldsay, a Semipalmated Sandpiper at Walmsley Sanctuary in Cornwall, a White-billed Diver past Cley in Norfolk and a Dusky Warbler on St.Marys, Scilly.

Still present were the Two-barred Greenish Warbler in East Yorkshire, White-tailed Lapwing in East Yorkshire, Western Sandpiper in Hampshire, Semipalmated Sandpiper at Hayle in Cornwall, Semipalmated Plover in Co.Cork, Greater Yellowlegs in Aberdeenshire, Blue-winged Teal in Cheshire, Wilson's Phalarope in Co.Wexford, Baird's Sandpipers in Somerset and on the South Yorkshire/Nottinghamshire border, Penduline Tit in London; Lesser Yellowlegs in Cornwall, Co.Wexford and Co.Wicklow; Long-billed Dowitcher in Co.Wexford, Dusky Warbler and Red-throated Pipit on Scilly, Radde's Warbler in Kent, and two Hornemann's Arctic Redpolls in Shetland.

Other highlights included Black Brant in Kent, three Tundra Bean Geese, seven Ring-necked Ducks, two Surf Scoters, American Golden Plover (Isle of Wight), Dotterel (Argyll), eight Pectoral Sandpipers, three Grey Phalaropes, Sabine's Gull (Aberdeenshire), two Glaucous Gulls, White-winged Black Tern (Aberdeenshire), six Pomarine Skuas, Long-tailed Skua, six Little Auks (Orkney), 17 Glossy Ibises, Purple Heron (Sussex), two Hoopoes, two Wrynecks, two Red-backed Shrikes, Short-toed Lark (Hampshire), Shorelark (Northumberland), two Barred Warblers, Rose-coloured Starling (Lothian), two Bluethroats, three Red-breasted Flycatchers, four Richard's Pipits and two Common Rosefinches.

 

 
David Campbell, RBA
Saturday 16th October 2021  
  Yorkshire's superb run of Mega rarities continued today. First up, a Taiga Flycatcher was on the cliff below the foghorn station at Flamborough Head this afternoon, where it showed very well. This evening, a Two-barred Greenish Warbler was identified at Spurn. Both birds remained until dusk, and both represent the second records for Yorkshire. The White-tailed Lapwing remained at Blacktoft Sands RSPB and an Olive-backed Pipit flew over Kilnsea, but the Long-toed Stint departed overnight after an eight day stay.

New discoveries elsewhere included a Red-eyed Vireo on Lundy, Devon, Red-flanked Bluetail at Calf of Man, Isle of Man, a Penduline Tit at Beddington Farmlands, London, single Radde's Warblers at Sandwich Bay and Bockhill Farm, both Kent, a Dusky Warbler at Newford Duckpond, Scilly, a Baird's Sandpiper at Steart, Somerset and two Cackling Geese at Loch Paible, Western Isles.

Other lingering rarities included the Semipalmated Plover in County Cork, Semipalmated Sandpiper and Lesser Yellowlegs in Cornwall, Greater Yellowlegs in Aberdeenshire, Wilson's Phalarope, Long-billed Dowitcher and Lesser Yellowlegs in County Wexford, another Long-billed Dowitcher in County Derry, Baird's Sandpiper on the Yorkshire/Nottinghamshire border, Spotted Sandpiper and Red-throated Pipit in Scilly, Cackling Goose in Argyll and two Hornemann's Arctic Redpolls, King Eider and White-billed Diver in Shetland.

Scarcity highlights included a Richard's Pipit, a Barred Warbler, a Common Rosefinch, two Little Buntings, two Red-backed Shrikes, three Wrynecks, four Red-breasted Flycatchers, ten Lapland Buntings, 21 Yellow-browed Warblers, a Honey Buzzard, five Grey Phalaropes, five American Golden Plovers, six Pectoral Sandpipers, an American Wigeon, three Surf Scoters, six Ring-necked Ducks, a Snow Goose, a Black Brant, a Tundra Bean Goose, two Taiga Bean Geese, five unidentified Bean Geese, a Purple Heron, 16 Glossy Ibises, two Great Shearwaters, two Little Auks, four Pomarine Skuas, two Sabine's Gulls, a Ring-billed Gull and three Glaucous Gulls.
Will Soar, RBA
Friday 15th October 2021  
  Rarities in Britain today included the Long-toed Stint still in West Yorkshire, White-tailed Lapwing still in East Yorkshire where a Western Bonelli's Warbler was new at Flamborough Head, Greater Yellowlegs still in Aberdeenshire, Baird's Sandpiper in South Yorkshire, Semipalmated Sandpiper in Cornwall, Lesser Yellowlegs on the Orkney Isles, and at least one White-billed Diver between County Durham and Northumberland.

On the Isles of Scilly St Mary's produced Spotted Sandpiper, Red-throated Pipit, Red-rumped Swallow, and Dusky Warbler, Bryher held Bluethroat and Wryneck, and around the islands three Yellow-browed Warblers were logged. On the Shetland Isles two Hornemann's Arctic Redpolls were on Unst, Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll, American Golden Plover, White-blled Diver, Ring-necked Duck, Red-breasted Flycatcher, and two King Eiders were all on Mainland, Surf Scoter on Fair Isle, Ring-necked Duck on Yell, and Common Rosefinch on Fetlar.

In Ireland Semipalmated Plover, Serin, Common Rosefinch were in County Cork, American Buff-bellied Pipit still in County Clare, Pacific Golden Plover in County Kerry, Wilson's Phalarope, Long-billed Dowitcher, Lesser Yellowlegs, two Glossy Ibises all together in County Wexford, Long-billed Dowitcher in County Londonderry, Lesser Yellowlegs in County Wicklow, Hoopoe in County Galway, Red-backed Shrike in County Waterford, and a total of three American Golden Plovers.
Chris Batty, RBA