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 18th October 2008  
  The hot news this evening related to the reidentification of the Red-footed Falcon present since 14th September at Tophill Low NR, East Yorkshire as an Amur Falcon. The last confirmed sighting of the bird was on Wednesday.

New discoveries today included a Red-eyed Vireo on Isle of Wight, Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll on Unst, Shetland, two American Golden Plovers on South Uist and Cattle Egrets in Dorset and Cumbria. A White's Thrush on Shetland headlined the long stayers and the Grey-cheeked Thrush, Sociable Plover and Blyth's Reed Warbler on Isles of Scilly, White-throated Sparrow in Co Cork and King Eider in Devon were all notable.

Six Richard's Pipits, five Great Grey Shrikes, two Little Buntings, two Rose-coloured Starlings, two Green-winged Teals and single Red-backed Shrike, Serin, Spotted Crake and Golden Oriole were logged today.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Friday 17th October 2008  
  Having kept a low profile since Tuesday, the Grey-cheeked Thrush on St Agnes, Isles of Scilly finally gave itself up today and showed well throughout the afternoon. The Blyth's Reed Warbler was also still present on the same island and a Red-throated Pipit flew over. On St Mary's the Sociable Plover was still in situ.

American Golden Plovers were discovered on South Uist and Lewis, Western Isles, Great White Egrets visited Dale, Pembrokeshire and Abberton Reservoir, Essex and a Red-rumped Swallow flew over Titchwell RSPB, Norfolk. A Cattle Egret was observed in Sandy Haven, Pembrokeshire.

Lingering rarities came in the form of White's Thrush on Shetland, Little Blue Heron in Co Galway, White-throated Sparrow in Co Cork, Red-eyed Vireo in Cornwall, Wilson's Phalarope in Norfolk and King Eider in Devon.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Thursday 16th October 2008  
  A Blyth's Reed Warbler on Isles of Scilly, Radde's Warbler at Start Point, Devon and a White-winged Black Tern at Skipwith Common, North Yorkshire were today's main new discoveries. Elsewhere available rarities included the Little Blue Heron in Co Galway, White-throated Sparrow in Co Cork, White's Thrush on Mainland Shetland, Sociable Plover on Isles of Scilly, Wilson's Phalarope in Norfolk, King Eider in Devon and Red-eyed Vireo in Cornwall.

Ferruginous Ducks remained in Somerset and Buckinghamshire, the Ross's Goose was still in Lancashire, a Rough-legged Buzzard visited Holkham Freshmarsh, a Little Bunting was seen on Shetland, a Rose-coloured Starling remained in Cornwall and a showy Red-necked Phalarope was once again in Glamorgan. Yellow-browed Warblers, Richard's Pipits and Red-breasted Flycatchers graced several locations.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Wednesday 15th October 2008  
  New discoveries today included a Lanceolated Warbler on Foula, Shetland, Olive-backed Pipit at Spurn, East Yorkshire, American Golden Plovers at Port Meadow, Oxfordshire and at Doonbeg, Co Clare and a Ferruginous Duck at Weston sewage works, Somerset.

The Sociable Plover in Cornwall headlined the lingering rarities - the Isles of Scilly also continued to host Blackpoll Warbler, White-rumped Sandpiper and a Red-eyed Vireo. Elsewhere lingerers came in the form of King Eider in Devon, White-billed Diver in Orkney, Glossy Ibis in West Yorkshire, Lesser Scaup in Berkshire, Wilson's Phalarope in Norfolk, Red-footed Falcon in East Yorkshire and Red-eyed Vireo in Cornwall.

In Ireland the Little Blue Heron remained in Co Galway and the White-throated Sparrow was still on Cape Clear, Co Cork but the Co Clare Philadelphia Vireo had departed.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Tuesday 14th October 2008  
  Those who are now becoming regular commuters across the Irish Sea were rewarded again today as the Philadelphia Vireo remained at Loop Head in County Clare all day and showed well at times. Also remaining in Ireland were the White-throated Sparrow on Cape Clear in County Cork and an American Golden Plover on The Mullet in County Mayo. A Great White Egret was a new find at Lough Corrib in County Galway, although there was no news on the Little Blue Heron.

Not to be outdone, the Shetland Islands played host to a Pechora Pipit which was found at the north end of Mainland with the White's Thrush also remaining on Mainland at Kergord. On Scilly, a Grey-cheeked Thrush was seen briefly on St.Agnes in the morning and lingering rarities on these islands included the Sociable Plover on St.Mary's, a Red-eyed Vireo on Gugh and a Blackpoll Warbler on St.Agnes.

Elsewhere, an American Golden Plover was found on Anglesey, and also in Wales, there came belated news of a Blackpoll Warbler photographed at Marloes Mere in Pembrokeshire on 7th October. Both Red-eyed Vireo and American Golden Plover were still to be found near Land's End in Cornwall and the Wilson's Phalarope remained at Cley in Norfolk. In Cleveland, the Lesser Yellowlegs was seen at Saltholme Pools early in the morning but not subsequently. In Berkshire the Lesser Scaup was still at Queen Mother Reservoir and in Hertfordshire the Ferruginous Duck was still at Amwell Gravel Pits.
-  Pete Hayman, RBA
Monday 13th October 2008  
  This autumn is becoming more like 1985 by the day - Irish headlands have already produced the first American Redstart and Scarlet Tanager since '85 and today a Philadelphia Vireo was discovered on Loop Head, Co Clare. The two previous records of Philidelphia Vireo relate to birds on Galley Head, Co Cork in 1985 and on Tresco, Isles of Scilly in October 1987.

Elsewhere new discoveries included a Red-eyed Vireo in Wembury, Devon (other Red-eyed Vireos included three on Isles of Scilly and one in Cornwall), White's Thrush on Mainland Shetland, Lesser Yellowlegs at Port Clarence, Cleveland and Penduline Tit at Sandwich Bay, Kent. Other new rarities consisted of a flyover Olive-backed Pipit in Dorset, White-rumped Sandpiper on Isles of Scilly and Semipalmated Sandpiper in Co Galway.

The Isles of Scilly hosted the Sociable Plover for its second day, as well as Blackpoll Warbler and the aforementioned Vireos. Lingering rarities elsewhere in the country included the Red-footed Falcon in East Yorkshire, Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll on North Uist, King Eider in Devon, Wilson's Phalarope in Norfolk and on Orkney the American Buff-bellied Pipit reappeared on North Ronaldsay.

Across the Irish Sea, both the Little Blue Heron in Co Galway and White-throated Sparrow in Co Cork were still on show and the Radde's Warbler was retrapped on Copeland Island, Co Down.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Sunday 12th October 2008  
  A Sociable Plover found on St Mary's, Isles of Scilly this evening was a new bird for the archipelago. An Olive-backed Pipit, three Red-eyed Vireos and a Blackpoll Warbler were also seen on the islands today. Elsewhere new discoveries included a White-throated Sparrow and Red-throated Pipit on Cape Clear, Co Cork, Desert Wheatear at Crosby, Merseyside, Blyth's Reed Warbler on Unst, Shetland and Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll on North Uist and American Golden Plover on Lewis, Western Isles. Radde's Warblers were at East Soar and Prawle, Devon, Bishopstone  Glen, Kent and Copeland Island, Co Down, the latter the first record for Northern Ireland.

Lingering rarities came in the form of the Little Blue Heron in Co Galway, King Eider in Devon, Ferruginous Ducks in Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire, Wilson's Phalarope in Norfolk, Red-footed Falcon in East Yorkshire, Red-eyed Vireo in Cornwall and Glossy Ibises in West Yorkshire and Cambridgeshire. In Cornwall the female or first-winter Black-headed or Red-headed Bunting was again seen briefly in Nanquidno Valley.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Saturday 11th October 2008  
  Two more Mega Nearctic landbirds were added to the October haul today - a brief Bobolink in Cornwall and a Swainson's Thrush in Co Cork, the latter bird showing well on Galley Head throughout the afternoon. Two Red-eyed Vireos were also found as supporting cast, in Co Mayo and Cornwall.

Elsewhere new rarities included a Paddyfield Warbler on Bardsey Island, Gwynedd, a couple of Lesser Scaups at Appledore, Devon and two Radde's Warblers on St Mary's, Isles of Scilly. A Ferruginous Duck arrived at Amwell NR, Hertfordshire and a Great White Egret graced Maer Lake, Cornwall.

Ireland hosted the pick of the long-stayers with both the Scarlet Tanager and Little Blue Heron remaining in situ. On Isles of Scilly a Blackpoll Warbler and two Red-eyed Vireos were still present whilst the Lesser Grey Shrike was still in Essex and Red-footed Falcon in East Yorkshire, Glossy Ibises in Cambridgeshire and West Yorkshire, King Eider in Devon and Snowy Owl in Co Mayo all remained on show.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Friday 10th October 2008  
  Newly discovered rarities were headlined by a Lesser Grey Shrike in Essex at Rettendon, a brief Blue-winged Teal in County Galway on Inishmore and a Cattle Egret at Stithians Reservoir, Cornwall.

On the Isles of Scilly the Blackpoll Warbler and two Red-eyed Vireos remained alongside American Golden Plover, Short-toed Lark, Richard's Pipit, Wryneck and six Yellow-browed Warblers.

Elsewhere, disappointingly the Alder Flycatcher had gone from Nanjizal, Cornwall but the Little Blue Heron and Long-billed Dowitcher were still in County Galway as was the Scarlet Tanager in County Cork, King Eider in Devon, single Glossy Ibises in both Cambridgeshire and West Yorkshire, American Golden Plover on the Western Isles, Lesser Scaup in Berkshire, Red-footed Falcon in East Yorkshire, Great White Egret in Suffolk and Hooded Merganser in Dorset. Scarce migrant landbirds comprised single Tawny Pipit, Little Bunting, Red-breasted Flycatcher, Marsh Warbler, Great Grey Shrike, Wryneck, Lapland Bunting, two each of Rose-coloured Starling and Richard's Pipit and 18 Yellow-browed Warblers.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Thursday 9th October 2008  
  The confirmation of Britain's first Alder Flycatcher is the main news for today, with the continued presence of the bird in Nanjizal Valley, Cornwall. It was trapped mid afternoon, and biometrics showed it to be at the extreme large end of Alder Flycatcher, and is therefore probably a male.

In Ireland, both the Little Blue Heron and the Scarlet Tanager remained in County Galway and County Cork respectively, although poor weather probably hampered further discoveries being made. The impressive flock of fifteen Ring-necked Ducks were still on Inishmore, County Galway, together with Long-billed Dowitcher and Yellow-browed Warbler.

Two new Red-eyed Vireos were found today, one on Tiree, Argyll and one on Gugh, Scilly, joining the two already present on St Mary's, on The Garrison, and St Agnes in The Parsonage, where the Blackpoll Warbler remained. Elsewhere on the archipelago, a Radde's Warbler was on St Martin's and an American Golden Plover was on St Mary's.

Away from the south-west, the star bird was the Wilson's Phalarope in Norfolk, which was relocated at Salthouse. Single Glossy Ibises remained in Cambridgeshire and Yorkshire, the Ferruginous Duck was still in Buckinghamshire and the Red-footed Falcon was still present at Tophill Low, Yorkshire. A Richardson's Canada Goose was seen for half an hour at Covenham Reservoir, Lincolnshire.
-  Will Soar, RBA