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| Tuesday 28th October 2008 | ||
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| A Red-flanked Bluetail on Isles of Scilly showed well intermittently
on St Mary's this afternoon - presumably this is the bird first seen on 21st
October. The Grey-cheeked Thrush, Blyth's Reed Warbler and
White-rumped Sandpiper also remained on the archipelago.
In Kent the Green Heron continued to show well in West Hythe and other lingering rarities included King Eider in Devon, Ross's Goose in Lancashire, Lesser Scaups in Nottinghamshire and Clyde (2), Black Duck in Co Kerry and Glossy Ibis in West Yorkshire. A juvenile American Golden Plover was located on East Harling Heath, Norfolk, the showy Bluethroat remained at Land's End, Cornwall, the Northern Isles Grey Phalarope wreck continued and the odd Waxwing trickled into the country via the east coast. |
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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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| Monday 27th October 2008 | ||
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| In Kent the showy first-winter Green Heron remained in West Hythe on
the Royal Military Canal. In Argyll a Black-browed Albatross flew past
Uisaed Point and a drake Lesser Scaup was at Holme Pierrepont GPs,
Nottinghamshire, for its second day. Other highlights included the Bluethroat
in Cornwall, at least three Serins at Rainham Marshes in London, a
Red-breasted Flycatcher in Kent and the Northern Isles Grey Phalarope
wreck continued unabated.
The Isles of Scilly continued to host at least one White-rumped Sandpiper, a Grey-cheeked Thrush, Blyth's Reed Warbler and a couple of Red-breasted Flycatchers. The bad news from Scilly concerned the reported Brown Shrike - it is in fact a Red-backed Shrike. In Ireland a juvenile Baird's Sandpiper was at Black Rock Strand, Co Kerry and an American Golden Plover was in Co Cork at Ballymacoda. Late news included a Pine Bunting in an Essex garden on Friday and a Hooded Merganser yesterday in Fife. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Sunday 26th October 2008 | ||
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| Another exciting day was headlined by the identification of a first-winter
Brown Shrike on St Mary's, Isles of Scilly this evening. The bird was found
earlier in the day but just like the 2001 Scilly Brown Shrike, it was
initially identified as a Red-backed Shrike. A Grey-cheeked Thrush
and American Golden Plover were also discovered on St Mary's and the
Blyth's Reed Warbler was still on St Agnes.
In Kent the first-winter Green Heron showed well at West Hythe - the bird has probably been present since Thursday. Continuing the recent run of 'unconfirmed reports', a Northern Flicker was reported in New Milton, Hampshire today, but a vigil in the area throughout the afternoon failed to locate anything of interest. Other new discoveries included a White-rumped Sandpiper (and Pectoral Sandpiper) at Goldcliff Lagoons, Gwent, Great White Egret at Astley Green, Greater Manchester and Cattle Egret at Drift Reservoir, Cornwall. In Argyll an Islay goose-fest consisted of a Taverner's, Todd's and two Richardson's Canada Geese all with the Barnacle Geese. Lingering rarities included the adult Ross's Goose in Lancashire, two Lesser Scaups in Clyde, King Eider in Devon, Glossy Ibis in West Yorkshire and Great White Egrets in Suffolk and Hampshire. The best of the rest came in the form of four Serins at Rainham Marshes RSPB, London, Bluethroat at Land's End Cornwall and a wreck of Grey Phalaropes in northern Scotland. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Saturday 25th October 2008 | ||
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| A Green Heron was reported at West Hythe, Kent today - the bird was
seen at midday but the news was only released as the sun was setting this
evening. The other major heron news was negative - the Little Blue Heron
failed to make an appearance on the Gwendraeth Estuary, Carmarthenshire.
In Powys there were further unconfirmed reports of the probable 1st-winter male Siberian Thrush - a bird was reported on a couple of occasions in flight at Creation Gardens near Rhayader. Less controversial sightings today included White-rumped Sandpipers on Mainland Shetland, and Tresco, Isles of Scilly, Blyth's Reed Warbler on St Agnes, Isles of Scilly, a couple of drake Lesser Scaups in Clyde, Ferruginous Ducks in Hertfordshire and Leicestershire, Cattle Egret in Dorset and Great White Egrets in Suffolk and Hampshire. A Bluethroat was discovered at Land's End, Cornwall, a Red-backed Shrike remained in Kent, a Richard's Pipit was on St Agnes, Isles of Scilly, a Serin remained at Rainham Marshes RSPB, London and another flew over Barton-on-Sea, Hampshire. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Friday 24th October 2008 | ||
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| Following the first record of Little Blue Heron for Britain and
Ireland in County Galway earlier in the month, came surprising news today of
another (or possibly the same bird) at Kidwelly in South Wales. The bird was
seen on the Gwendraeth Estuary and later on the Coed Bach marshes, and it may
have been present in the area for up to two weeks. In Scilly a Wilson's Snipe
showed well at Porth Hellick Pool on St.Mary's.
A new White-rumped Sandpiper was found at the Mullet in County Mayo, with one to two birds remaining on Scilly. Also on Scilly were a Blyth's Reed Warbler along with various of the usual scarce migrants such as Yellow-browed Warblers, Common Rosefinches, Barred Warblers and Red-breasted Flycatchers. In Scotland, the two Lesser Scaups remained at Hogganfield Loch in Clyde and Ferruginous Ducks were still to be found in Hertfordshire and Somerset. A Great White Egret flew over the M60 in Greater Manchester and there was an unconfirmed report of a Siberian Thrush near Rhayader in Powys. |
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| - Pete Hayman, RBA | ||
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| Thursday 23rd October 2008 | ||
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| A Rose-breasted Grosbeak was present for its second day on Loop Head,
Co Clare. However, like yesterday it was elusive, only showing for five minutes
in poor weather conditions.
New rarities discovered today included a Red-rumped Swallow that flew east at Warham Greens, Norfolk, a King Eider in Spey Bay, Moray and a brief White-rumped Sandpiper at Bogside Flats, Ayrshire. White-rumped Sandpipers lingered on both South Uist, Western Isles and Tresco, Isles of Scilly. The Olive-backed Pipit and Blyth's Reed Warbler both remained on show on St Agnes, Isles of Scilly, Ferruginous Ducks were still in Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire, at least one Lesser Scaup lingered in Clyde and a Great White Egret was still at Minsmere RSPB, Suffolk. Seven Yellow-browed Warblers, a Red-breasted Flycatcher and a Red-backed Shrike were also logged today. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Wednesday 22nd October 2008 | ||
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| The highlight of the day was a brief Rose-breasted Grosbeak at Kilbaha, County Clare. Other discoveries included a Long-billed Dowitcher in County Clare at Liscannor,
Red-throated Pipit in Devon on Lundy, Lesser Scaup in Perth and Kinross at Loch Leven,
Cattle Egret in County Cork at Bantry and a White-rumped Sandpiper on South Uist, Western Isles. On the Isles of Scilly the Grey-cheeked Thrush, Blyth's Reed Warbler and Olive-backed Pipit all remained on St Agnes with two White-rumped Sandpipers, Red-breasted Flycatcher, Spoonbill and ten each of both Yellow-browed Warbler and Grey Phalarope scattered around the archipelago. Elsewhere, lingering rarities comprised the Glossy Ibis in County Cork, King Eider in Devon, two Lesser Scaups in Clyde, Cattle Egrets in Pembrokeshire and East Sussex (4), Great White Egret in Suffolk, two Small Canada Geese in Dumfries and Galloway, Hooded Merganser in Dorset and single Ferruginous Ducks in Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Somerset. Significant news from yesterday concerned the reappearance of the Little Blue Heron in Barnaderg Bag, County Galway - but it could not be located there today. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Tuesday 21st October 2008 | ||
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| Today's highlights came from the Isles of Scilly where the first Red-flanked Bluetail
for the archipelago was discovered on St Mary's, a Bobolink was found on St Agnes and two
White-rumped Sandpipers arrived on Tresco. Other birds recorded around the islands today included single
Grey-cheeked Thrush, Blyth's Reed Warbler and Olive-backed Pipit
- all on St Agnes - along with totals of ten Yellow-browed Warblers, five
Grey Phalaropes, two each of Little Bunting and Red-breasted Flycatcher and single Richard's Pipit
and Pectoral Sandpiper. In County Cork a Black-browed Albatross flew past Mizen Head, an American Golden Plover was recorded at Clonakilty and a Glossy Ibis was found at Pilmore. Other single Glossy Ibises were seen briefly in London at Rainham Marshes and Staffordshire at Belvide Reservoir. Elsewhere, lingering rarities comprised the Baird's Sandpiper in Somerset, Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll on the Shetland Isles, White-billed Diver on the Orkney Isles, Lesser Scaup in Clyde, King Eider in Devon, Cattle Egret in Pembrokeshire, Great White Egret in Suffolk, Hooded Merganser in Dorset and single Ferruginous Ducks in each of Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Somerset. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Monday 20th October 2008 | ||
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| An Olive-backed Pipit spent a couple of hours on St Agnes, Isles of
Scilly, this afternoon, before flying south-east. On the same island, the
Grey-cheeked Thrush remained, still showing well, although the Sociable
Plover appears to have departed from St Mary's.
A Baird's Sandpiper was seen briefly in Somerset, at Burnham-on-Sea, and a Lesser Scaup was at Hogganfield Loch, Clyde, present for its second day. Both the Cackling Canada Goose and the Taverner's Canada Goose were at Caerlaverock WWT, Dumfries and Galloway, whilst both Siberian Stonechat and Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll were still on Shetland. The Forster's Tern was seen again in County Louth, and the King Eider remained in Devon. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Sunday 19th October 2008 | ||
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| A White's Thrush in Aberdeenshire, present for its second day, was
bird of the day. It remained very elusive, but was seen a few times this
afternoon, after access was arranged for the Parkhill Estate, Dyce. There will,
however, be no further access to this site.
Negative news from both Yorkshire and Wirral, where there was no sign of either the Amur Falcon or the probable Snowy Egret. New rarities included another Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll on Shetland, at Isbister, a Siberian Stonechat nearby at Collafirth, and a Great White Egret and four Cattle Egrets in County Cork and Sussex respectively. On Scilly, both the Sociable Plover and the Grey-cheeked Thrush remained in-situ, and the King Eider continued to show well in Devon, at Appledore. Ferruginous Ducks remained in Somerset and Hertfordshire, the Glossy Ibis was seen at Swillington Ings, Yorkshire with American Golden Plover again in Cornwall and White-billed Diver on Orkney. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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