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 23rd September 2009  
  The main news of the day was the continued presence of the Sandhill Crane on South Ronaldsay in the Orkney Islands, much to the delight of all those that made the long journey north.

In Somerset a Long-billed Dowitcher was found at Chew Valley Lake, whilst in Cleveland a drake Blue-winged Teal was found at Haverton but unfortunately it was in an area with no general access. Eleven Glossy Ibises were seen in southern England today, with a new sighting in Lincolnshire, plus birds remaining in Kent, Sussex, Norfolk and Suffolk. New Great White Egrets were found in Flintshire, Northamptonshire and Lancashire, with others remaining in Somerset and Cumbria. A new American Golden Plover was in County Mayo, whilst birds remained on Mainland Orkney and in County Waterford.

Other remaining rarities included the Long-billed Dowitcher on Tresco, Scilly, the Lesser Yellowlegs at Aberlady Bay in Lothian, White-rumped Sandpipers at Abberton Reservoir in Essex and Black Rock Strand in County Kerry and the Blue-winged Teal in County Dublin

Ortolan Buntings were on St.Martin's in the Scillies, at Corton in Suffolk and briefly at Christchurch in Dorset. A Tawny Pipit was seen briefly at Durlston Head in Dorset. Seven Pectoral Sandpipers were reported.
-  Pete Hayman, RBA
Tuesday 22nd September 2009  
  Paul Higson hit the jackpot this afternoon when he found a Sandhill Crane on South Ronaldsay (Orkney). There have been only two previous records in Britain (both on Shetland, in 1981 and 1991, and only one record in Ireland, in Co Cork, way back in 1905. A local farmer has suggested that this bird has been present for around ten days; fingers (and toes) will be crossed by those travelling north overnight.

In Kent a large raptor, believed by some to possibly be a dark morph Booted Eagle, was seen several times in the Dungeness area between 11.10am and 2pm, with a final possible sighting around 5pm.

Elsewhere new rarities included Solitary Sandpiper on Annagh Head (Co Mayo), where a Black-browed Albatross was also observed flying past, Long-billed Dowitcher on Tresco (Isles of Scilly) and Arctic Warbler on Mainland Shetland.

Lingering rarities comprised Arctic Warbler on Unst (Shetland), Ferruginous Duck in Somerset, American Golden Plovers in Orkney and Argyll and White-rumped Sandpiper in Essex. At least twelve Glossy Ibises were logged and in Ireland the Spotted, Baird's and White-rumped Sandpipers all remained at Black Rock Strand (Co Kerry) and an American Golden Plover lingered in Co Waterford.

Late news from yesterday of the reappearance of the Fan-tailed Warbler at Pegwell Bay Country Park, Kent.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Monday 21st September 2009  
  Bird of the day was a Black-browed Albatross which lingered off St Mary's (Isles of Scilly) this evening. After initially being reported from a boat it was later seen from the end of Peninnis Head, where it remained on view until dusk.

Other new discoveries included Citrine Wagtail on Mainland Shetland, White-rumped Sandpiper in Co Kerry and American Golden Plover in Orkney.

Lingering rarities comprised Baird's Sandpipers in Cornwall and Co Kerry, Spotted Sandpiper in Co Kerry, American Golden Plovers in Co Waterford, Argyll and Western Isles, Lesser Yellowlegs in Lothian, Ferruginous Duck in Somerset and Citrine Wagtail and Arctic Warbler on Shetland. At least thirteen Glossy Ibises were reported (including five in Kent).
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Sunday 20th September 2009  
  Two Mega-rarities were reported this afternoon - an Eleonora's Falcon over Rainham Marshes RSPB, London and Yellow-breasted Bunting on St Mary's, Isles of Scilly, but neither were on view for very long.

Elsewhere new rarities comprised Arctic Warbler on Unst (Shetland), American Golden Plovers on St Agnes (Isles of Scilly), Mainland Shetland, Lewis (Western Isles) and Tiree (Argyll) and Ferruginous Duck at Belvide Reservoir (Staffordshire). Lingering rarities included King Eider in Lincolnshire, Baird's Sandpipers in Cornwall and Co Kerry, Blyth's Reed Warbler in Norfolk, American Golden Plovers in Co Dublin and Co Waterford, Lesser Yellowlegs in Lothian, Snowy Owls in Co Donegal and Co Mayo, White-rumped Sandpiper in Co Wexford, Blue-winged Teal in Co Dublin and Arctic Warbler and Citrine Wagtail on Shetland. Glossy Ibis reports involved six in Cambridgeshire, two in Suffolk and one in Norfolk and four Great White Egrets and three Cattle Egrets were logged.

The best of the rest included fifteen Pectoral Sandpipers, twelve Buff-breasted Sandpipers, four Common Rosefinches, Red-backed Shrikes and Richard's Pipits, three Ortolan Buntings and Barred Warblers, two Woodchat Shrikes, two Rose-coloured Starlings and single Red-breasted Flycatcher, Tawny Pipit, Great Grey Shrike, Marsh Warbler and Red-necked Phalarope.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Saturday 19th September 2009  
  New arrivals today included a Thrush Nightingale trapped at Gibraltar Point NNR, Lincolnshire, a Long-billed Dowitcher near Fleetwood, Lancashire, a Citrine Wagtail on Unst, Shetland, a Red-throated Pipit at Northam Burrows, Devon, an American Golden Plover in County Waterford, a White-rumped Sandpiper in County Wexford, a Baird's Sandpiper in Argyll and a Ferruginous Duck in Perth and Kinross.

Glossy Ibises continued to attract attention, with at least one very mobile group of six in Devon, Dorset and Hampshire, a further six in Cambridgeshire, one in Essex, two in Suffolk, three in Norfolk, one in County Wexford and one in Kent. Other lingerers included Arctic Warbler, Greenish Warbler, Blyth's Reed Warbler, Snowy Owl and Spotted Sandpiper.

Good numbers of scarce drift migrants continued to arrive on the east coast, with multiple Barred Warblers, Yellow-browed Warblers, Wrynecks, Red-backed Shrikes and Red-breasted Flycatchers.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Friday 18th September 2009  
  New eastern vagrants today included another Arctic Warbler on Shetland, on Whalsay, and a Rustic Bunting at Spurn, Yorkshire. Other new arrivals included a Bee-eater over Tolleshunt D'Arcy, Essex, at least one Glossy Ibis in Norfolk (with a roaming flock of nine or ten in South Wales, six in Cambridgeshire and one in each of Suffolk and County Wexford) and single Great White Egrets in Dorset and Kent.

Lingering rarities included Long-billed Dowitcher in Fife, Spotted Sandpiper in County Kerry, Blue-winged Teal in County Dublin, Snowy Owl in County Mayo, Greenish Warbler in Suffolk, Lesser Yellowlegs' in Aberdeenshire and Lothian, White-rumped Sandpiper in Essex and King Eider in Lincolnshire.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Thursday 17th September 2009  
  A Blyth's Reed Warbler on Blakeney Point (Norfolk) and Paddyfield Warbler on Bardsey Island (Gwynedd) were today's star discoveries. Elsewhere new rarities comprised twelve Glossy Ibises on the Alaw Estuary (Anglesey), Greenish Warblers in Suffolk, North Yorkshire and Co Cork, Spotted Sandpiper in Co Kerry and Terek Sandpiper in Co Limerick.

Lingering rarities included Lesser Yellowlegs in Lothian and Aberdeenshire, Baird's Sandpipers in Cornwall (2) and Anglesey, Long-billed Dowitcher in Fife, White-rumped Sandpiper in Essex, Arctic Warbler on Shetland, Greenish Warblers in North Yorkshire and Lincolnshire and King Eider in Lincolnshire. Great White Egrets were noted in Lancashire and Suffolk.

Scarcities came in the form of nine Pectoral Sandpipers, seven Yellow-browed Warblers, four Wrynecks and Barred Warblers, two each of Spotted Crake, Red-breasted Flycatcher, Rose-coloured Starling, Richard's Pipit, Tawny Pipit, Red-backed Shrike, Woodchat Shrike, Buff-breasted Sandpiper and single Red-necked Phalarope, Melodious Warbler and Common Rosefinch.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Wednesday 16th September 2009  
  An astounding reward for a dedicated patch worker came in the form of a first for Britain, and second for the Western Palearctic, today. An adult summer Tufted Puffin was found off Oare Marshes KWT, Kent, as it swam west along The Swale at 10.55am. It stayed on the water for fifteen minutes, allowing just six other birders to connect, before it flew west upriver, not to be seen again.

The best of the rest was the Arctic Warbler on Fair Isle, Shetland, whilst other new arrivals included a drake Black Duck at Walmsley Sanctuary CBWPS, Cornwall, Red-throated Pipit at Spurn, Yorkshire, Lesser Yellowlegs at the Loch of Strathbeg RSPB, Aberdeenshire and a Blue-winged Teal at Titchfield Haven NNR, Hampshire.

Lingering rarities included Long-billed Dowitcher in Fife, Glossy Ibises in Suffolk and Cambridgeshire, Citrine Wagtail and American Golden Plover on the Western Isles, White-rumped Sandpiper in Essex, Baird's Sandpipers in Cornwall and on Anglesey, Blue-winged Teal in County Dublin, Lesser Scaup on Shetland and King Eider in Lincolnshire.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Tuesday 15th September 2009  
  Rarities reported today comprised the Snowy Owl still in County Mayo, probable Black-headed Bunting in County Cork, Caspian Tern in County Louth, Long-billed Dowitcher in Fife, American Golden Plover in County Londonderry, Greenish Warbler and King Eider in Lincolnshire, Glossy Ibises in Cambridgeshire (7), Kent, Pembrokeshire, Suffolk, County Wexford (4), Baird's Sandpipers in Anglesey, Cornwall (2) and County Kerry, White-rumped Sandpipers in both County Dublin and Essex, Ferruginous Duck in Somerset, Hooded Merganser in Cleveland, Cattle Egret in Gloucestershire and single Great White Egrets in Lancashire, Oxfordshire and Somerset.

Scarcities included 10 Buff-breasted Sandpipers, five Red-breasted Flycatchers, four each of Barred Warbler and Spotted Crake, three each of Pectoral Sandpiper and Lapland Bunting, two of Melodious Warbler, Rose-coloured Starling, Red-necked Phalarope and Yellow-browed Warbler and single Woodchat Shrike (Cornwall), Ortolan Bunting (Cornwall), American Wigeon (Oxfordshire), Ring-necked Duck (County Mayo), Common Rosefinch (Northumberland), Icterine Warbler (County Cork), Richard's Pipit (Cornwall), Golden Oriole (Shetland Isles) and Wryneck (London).

Seawatchers in the North Sea logged four Great, three Cory's and five Balearic Shearwaters, seven Long-tailed and 31 Pomarine Skuas and five Leach's Petrels.

Significant late news concerned the female Blackburnian Warbler still present on St Kilda, Western Isles yesterday, and a Red-billed Tropicbird seen from a boat fifteen miles off Old Head of Kinsale, County Cork on 8th September.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Monday 14th September 2009  
  The highlights of a busy day were the arrival of a Black-headed Bunting in Northumberland on the Farne Islands, a Lesser Grey Shrike in Suffolk at Trimley Marshes and a party of three Blue-winged Teals on South Uist, Western Isles. Other discoveries included a Long-billed Dowitcher in County Londonderry at Lough Beg, an American Golden Plover in Argyll on Tiree, a White-rumped Sandpiper in County Dublin at Merrion Gates and single Great White Egrets in Cambridgeshire, Hampshire and Oxfordshire.

Lingering rarities comprised the Booted Warbler still in East Yorkshire, Terek Sandpiper in County Kerry, Snowy Owl on the Western Isles, Citrine Wagtail on the Isles of Scilly, probable Black-headed Bunting in County Cork, Long-billed Dowitcher in Fife, Baird's Sandpipers in Cornwall (2) and County Kerry, Glossy Ibises in Cambridgeshire (7), County Wexford (5) and Suffolk, Ferruginous Duck in Somerset, Hooded Merganser in Cleveland, Cattle Egret in Hampshire and Great White Egrets in both Lancashire and Somerset.

Scarcities were represented by 13 Pectoral Sandpipers, 12 Barred Warblers, 10 Buff-breasted Sandpipers, five Spotted Crakes, three each of Bluethroat and Icterine Warbler, two each of Red-breasted Flycatcher, Common Rosefinch, Red-necked Phalarope, Red-backed Shrike and Yellow-browed Warbler and single Little Bunting (Shetland Isles), Melodious Warbler (Cornwall), Ortolan Bunting (Cornwall), American Wigeon (Oxfordshire), Ring-necked Duck (Staffordshire) Rose-coloured Starling (Staffordshire), Golden Oriole (County Cork) and Wryneck (Cornwall).

North Sea seawatchers logged 14 Sabine's Gulls, 10 Long-tailed Skuas, 10 Balearic Shearwaters, eight Leach's Petrels, four each of both Great Shearwater and Cory's Shearwater and a Little Auk.

Significant late news concerned a female Blackburnian Warbler - the third British record - present in the Western Isles on Hirta, St Kilda from Saturday until early Sunday morning but not since, although a Citrine Wagtail and what was probably a Northern Harrier were also present on the island.
-  Chris Batty, RBA