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| Thursday 19th October 2006 | ||
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| Ireland proved the place to be yet again today when news of Britain and
Ireland's 9th Hermit Thrush on Cape Clear broke mid-afternoon. The
last occurred as long ago as 1998 when one was on Galley Head. The bird joins the Baltimore Oriole,
2 Red-backed Shrikes and 2 Ring-billed Gulls on the island, making
something of an all-star cast. Elsewhere in Ireland the Mizen Head and
Crookhaven area scored well with an impressive 4 Red-breasted Flycatchers
and 5 Yellow-browed Warblers and the Daurian Shrike was rediscovered at
the Old Head of Kinsale.
Elsewhere the theme of the day appeared to be a fairly large clear out. However, the Roller, Red-breasted Geese, Whiskered Tern, and Red-flanked Bluetail remained, but the Two-barred Greenish Warbler and most of the scarce migrants seemed to have moved on. New birds in general seemed thin on the ground with only two Pallas's Warblers (in Scilly and Kent), a Green-winged Teal in Northumberland and an Arctic Redpoll on Shetland discovered along with a handful of Yellow-browed Warblers. Scilly continues a reasonable run of form with an Aquatic Warbler and Siberian Stonechat discovered today and the Red-eyed Vireo, American Robin and Radde's Warbler remained, whilst the Booted or Sykes Warbler continued cause headaches. |
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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 18th October 2006 | ||
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| The Isles of Scilly stole the show, producing an excellent selection of
rarities, chief of which was a fantastic Blyth's Pipit on St Mary's. For the
second consecutive year on Isles of Scilly a Blyth's Pipit has been identified,
after initially being misidentified as a Tawny Pipit. Elsewhere the archipelago
offered Red-eyed Vireo and Radde's Warbler on St Mary's,
Western Bonelli's Warbler on St Martin's (with a Bonelli's warbler
species remaining on on St Mary's) and American Robin on Tresco.
Identification debate continued over a difficult Booted or Syke's
Warbler on St Mary's.
In North Yorkshire a White-rumped Sandpiper at Filey Dams YWT continued Filey's current run of form. A Red-throated Pipit was an excellent find South Stack RSPB, Anglesey. Other new birds included an Olive backed Pipit on Shetland, Long-billed Dowitcher, Lesser Yellowlegs, Red-throated Pipit, Black Kite in Ireland and a Cattle Egret in Kent. Star birds from previous days continued to delight the crowds, but while the Roller in Northumberland continued show consistently well the Two-barred Greenish Warbler and the Red-flanked Bluetail required more patience. Newly arrived scarcities were represented with at least 2 Little Buntings, 3 Pallas's Warbler, a Great Grey Shrike, 3 Richard's Pipits and over 20 Yellow-browed Warblers. A highly prized inland find was a Leach's Petrel which spent the afternoon at Blithfield Reservoir, Staffordshire. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Tuesday 17th October 2006 | ||
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| The main news was the continued presence of the double wing-barred Phylloscopus warbler at Filey, North Yorkshire which was soon confirmed as Britain's fourth record of
Two-barred Greenish Warbler. Although elusive at times this bird delighted the crowd throughout the day, as did a
Radde's Warbler at the same site. Lingering rarities included the Red-flanked Bluetail in Suffolk, Baltimore Oriole in Co Cork, Roller in Northumberland, Whiskered Tern in Norfolk and pair of Red-breasted Geese in Lincolnshire. American waders included the Spotted Sandpiper in Cornwall, eight White-rumped Sandpipers, two Long-billed Dowitchers and four American Golden Plovers (including one newly discovered in Carmarthenshire). The Isles of Scilly produced two Red-eyed Vireos (on St Mary's and Bryher) along with the long-staying American Robin on Tresco and Booted (or perhaps Sykes's) Warbler. In Ireland a Daurian Shrike (accompanying a Woodchat Shrike) at Old Head of Kinsale was only the second national record whilst a Red-throated Pipit was seen again on Cape Clear. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Monday 16th October 2006 | ||
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| The undoubted highlight of a busy autumn day was a Red-flanked Bluetail at Thorpeness, Suffolk. Found early in the morning the bird showed until late afternoon although proved to be very elusive. The other major talking point was provided by a wing-barred
Phylloscopus at Filey, North Yorkshire; initially identified as an Arctic Warbler general opinion swayed towards
Two-barred Greenish Warbler as the afternoon progressed. New passerine rarities included a Subalpine Warbler at Chapel Porth, Cornwall, Radde's Warblers at both South Gare, Cleveland and Filey, North Yorkshire - the latter with a Pallas's Warbler - and brief Red-throated Pipits at Landguard, Suffolk, Dursey Island, Co Cork and Cape Clear, Co Cork. New waders included White-rumped Sandpipers in Co Down and Co Mayo and American Golden Plovers in Cambridgeshire, Dumfries and Galloway and Lincolnshire. Lingering rarities were headlined by Baltimore Oriole on Cape Clear, Co Cork, American Robin and Booted Warbler (or perhaps Sykes's Warbler) on the Isles of Scilly, Roller in Northumberland, Whiskered Tern in Norfolk and the pair of Red-breasted Geese in Lincolnshire. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Sunday 15th October 2006 | ||
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| Sunday produced an excellent spread of new rarities. The most popular find
was probably a first-winter Daurian Shrike at Dungeness Kent, which
showed well throughout the day. On Isles of Scilly a Roller caused both
excitement and disappointment in equal measure as it only showed briefly after
discovery. In Angus a Radde's Warbler was at Castlesea Bay, whilst
another was on Mainland Shetland. Two Olive-backed Pipits were on North
Ronaldsay, with another on Fair Isle and American Golden Plovers were
found near Welney WWT, Norfolk, Lewis, Western Isles, Holy Island,
Northumberland and Rosscarbery, County Cork.
In County Cork a Subalpine Warbler was discovered near Old Head of Kinsale and the Baltimore Oriole continued it's stay on Cape Clear Island. Amazingly, at least five, and possibly as many as seven White-rumped Sandpipers were at Tacumshin, County Wexford. On Isles of Scilly a Booted Warbler was discovered on St.Mary's and a Cattle Egret was at Fairburn Ings RSPB, West Yorkshire, with two more at Lodmoor RSPB, Dorset; the latter site also boasted a flyover Bee-eater. In Lancashire the Pine Lake Lesser Scaup was relocated at nearby Leighton Moss RSPB, and the Glossy Ibis made another brief appearance at Martin Mere WWT; it certainly doesn't seem to like hanging around at this site! Tantalising news of a possible Eyebrowed Thrush on Spurn Point was released early evening, but despite extensive searching there was no further sign of the bird in question. Late news concerned an Isabelline Wheatear at Filey, North Yorkshire yesterday evening and on Lundy an Eastern Subalpine Warbler was present on Friday. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Saturday 14th October 2006 | ||
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| The East Coast extravaganza that many had predicted failed to materialise,
but it was still a relatively bird-filled day. The best fresh discoveries were a
Radde's Warbler at Start Point, Devon, and a Great Reed Warbler
trapped and ringed at Dingle Marshes, Suffolk. Olive-backed Pipits were
found at Spurn, East Yorkshire and on North Ronaldsay, Orkney, where a
White-rumped Sandpiper was also discovered. A Pechora Pipit was also
located in the Virkie Willows, Mainland Shetland.
In Ireland the Baltimore Oriole remained elusive on Cape Clear Island and in County Clare the Red-eyed Vireo reappeared at Kilbaha, but the Canada Warbler escaped before the weekend twitchers arrived. The Isles of Scilly continued to host American Robin, American Golden Plover and Booted Warbler and other popular rarities around the country included the Whiskered Tern in Norfolk, Red-breasted Geese in Lincolnshire and Roller in Northumberland. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Friday 13th October 2006 | ||
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| Another busy autumn day produced a fine selection of rarities. Fresh birds
included a Red-flanked Bluetail on Unst, where a Bonelli's warbler
species was also found, but unfortunately not heard. A Booted Warbler was
located on Bryher, Isles of Scilly, and nearby an Arctic Warbler was on
St Mary's. In Norfolk a juvenile Whiskered Tern showed exceptionally well
at Titchwell RSPB, after initially being located yesterday at nearby Brancaster.
A Subalpine Warbler on Lundy, Thrush Nightingale on South
Ronaldsay and Red-rumped Swallow at Porthgwarra, Cornwall were also new
discoveries.
Yesterday a pair of adult Red-breasted Geese were briefly at Covenham Reservoir, Lincolnshire, and today they were relocated with Dark-bellied Brent Geese at Donna Nook, before heading south along the coast. Surely these birds have got to be considered genuine vagrants. Interestingly, a pair of adult Red-breasted Geese recently arrived together in The Netherlands. The Canada Warbler remained at Kilbaha and the Baltimore Oriole was on Cape Clear Island, but extremely elusive. Popular rarities included the Least and Spotted Sandpiper partnership on the Hayle Estuary, Cornwall, American Robin on Scilly, Roller in Northumberland and Glossy Ibis in Lancashire. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Thursday 12th October 2006 | ||
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| Ireland's second Baltimore Oriole was found on Cape Clear Island,
County Cork this evening, continuing a superb week for American vagrants in the
country. On Shetland, the third Blyth's Pipit for the archipelago was
identified on Mainland and other new rarities found today included a Radde's
Warbler at Horse Shoe Point, Lincolnshire, Great White Egret and
Ferruginous Duck in Kent and in County Derry a Long-billed Dowitcher
was on the Bann Estuary.
The Canada Warbler continued to attract the crowds in Kilbaha, County Clare whilst on the Scilly Isles the American Robin remained on Tresco. Other rarities still creating the headlines included a Radde's Warbler in Suffolk, Least and Spotted Sandpipers in Cornwall and another Spotted Sandpiper was still in Devon. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Wednesday 11th October 2006 | ||
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| The Canada Warbler remained at Kilbaha, Co Clare with the Red-eyed Vireo still there as supporting cast. No new rarities were discovered on the Isles of Scilly but
American Robin, Western Bonelli's Warbler, Greenish Warbler and
American Golden Plover all remained. In Northumberland the Roller was still present at Beal during the morning. Other lingering attractions were headlined by Least Sandpiper and Spotted Sandpiper in Cornwall, Radde's Warbler Suffolk, Spotted Sandpiper Devon, Long-billed Dowitcher Kent, Subalpine Warbler Co Cork, Lesser Yellowlegs Somerset and three White-rumped Sandpipers in Norfolk. Fresh finds included a Great White Egret in West Yorkshire, White-rumped Sandpiper in Co Kerry and American Golden Plovers in Co Clare and South Yorkshire whilst in Lancashire the Glossy Ibis was relocated at Pilling. Late news received from the previous week included a Snowy Owl in Co Donegal, Greenish Warbler in Co Kerry, White-rumped Sandpiper in Argyll and an Olive-backed Pipit on the Shetland Isles. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Tuesday 10th October 2006 | ||
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| Nearctic landbirds once again created the headlines today. A Blackpoll Warbler
was found on Dursey Island, County Cork and an American Robin on Tresco no doubt pleased those who had chosen to stay on Scilly rather than head
to County Clare. Those who did cross the Irish Sea however, were rewarded
with the continuing presence of the
first-winter Canada Warbler at Kilbaha, along with the Red-eyed Vireo.
In Cornwall a juvenile Least Sandpiper was located at the Hayle Estuary RSPB, possibly the same individual that was present in late September. At Kenidjack Valley, yet another Spotted Sandpiper was found. Other new rarities included the first Radde's Warbler of the autumn at Landguard NR, Suffolk, a Subalpine Warbler on Cape Clear Island, County Cork, Olive-backed Pipit on Fair Isle, Ferruginous Duck at Brandon Marsh, Warwickshire and Greenish Warbler on St.Agnes, Scilly. The adult Roller continued the dazzle the crowds in Northumberland and a total of three Spotted Sandpipers were around the country (including the new Kenidjack bird). Two juvenile White-rumped Sandpipers were mobile in the Cley/Salthouse area, Norfolk. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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