Daily News Summaries
This page gives you access to all of RBA's daily news summaries (since April 13, 2006), 10 days at a time. The most recent are shown, or you can select a specific date to show (along with the previous 10 days). Prior to April 13, 2006 you can find weekly reviews, located in articles.
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Monday 12th October 2009  
  The highlight of the day was the identification of a Brown Shrike at Staines Moor, Surrey. First found yesterday and believed to be a Red-backed Shrike, the true identity was not confirmed until well into the afternoon today, but the bird remained on site until dusk.

On the Shetland Isles a Red-flanked Bluetail and two Lanceolated Warblers were discovered whilst the Taiga Flycatcher remained along with the River Warbler, Western Bonelli's Warbler, Olive-backed Pipit, Arctic Warbler, Spotted Sandpiper, American Golden Plover, two Hornemann's Arctic Redpolls, four Bluethroats, two each of Little Bunting and Lapland Bunting, a Barred Warbler, Sabine's Gull and Ring-necked Duck and eight Yellow-browed Warblers.

Two Red-throated Pipits headlined on the Isles of Scilly with a supporting cast of nine Yellow-browed Warblers, three Wrynecks, two each of both Red-breasted Flycatcher and Rose-coloured Starling, a Lapland Bunting and a brief Ring-billed Gull.

Elsewhere, a Lanceolated Warbler was found on the Orkney Isles whilst the Blackpoll Warbler and Arctic Warbler remained in County Cork, and likewise the American Buff-bellied Pipit in County Clare, Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll on the Western Isles, Radde's Warbler in East Yorkshire, two Long-billed Dowitchers together in Lancashire, Lesser Yellowlegs in Lothian, White-rumped Sandpiper in Essex, American Golden Plovers in each of Argyll, County Cork and Fife, Blue-winged Teal in County Dublin, Hooded Merganser in Cleveland, Glossy Ibises in Aberdeenshire, County Wexford, Gwynedd, Kent (3) and Northumberland, Cattle Egrets in Gloucestershire (2) and Kent and single Great White Egrets in Hampshire, Somerset and Suffolk.
Chris Batty, RBA
Saturday 10th October 2009  
  A White's Thrush was present on Fair Isle, Shetland briefly, and a Western Bonelli's Warbler was at Bigton, Mainland. Further south, a Subalpine Warbler was on Bardsey Island, Gwynedd, a Red-throated Pipit on the Isles of Scilly, two Arctic Redpolls and an American Golden Plover on the Western Isles and a Glossy Ibis in Suffolk. A Bonelli's warbler species was seen, and heard, briefly on St Mary's, Isles of Scilly.

Late news from yesterday concerned a Little Shearwater in Highland, Paddyfield Warbler on the Isles of Scilly and an Olive-backed Pipit on the Western Isles.

The floodgates were well and truly opened on the east coast today, headlined by five Radde's Warblers from Northumberland to Kent, along with four Red-breasted Flycatchers, Short-toed Lark, Corncrake, Red-backed Shrike, two Barred Warblers and two Shorelarks. At least 92 Yellow-browed Warblers were seen around the country, with the vast majority on the east and south coasts.

Lingering rarities included single Long-billed Dowitchers in Cheshire and on the Isles of Scilly, River Warbler, Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll, Olive-backed Pipit and Arctic Warbler on Shetland (with another of the latter in County Cork), Azorean Yellow-legged Gull in Oxfordshire, White-rumped Sandpiper in Essex, Lesser Scaup in Warwickshire, Snowy Owl in County Mayo, Blue-winged Teal in Cleveland and at least eleven Glossy Ibises at seven sites.
Will Soar, RBA
Friday 9th October 2009  
  On Shetland, a first-winter Taiga Flycatcher was on Yell, at Gloup. Two Olive-backed Pipits were nearby at Kergord, Mainland, with a juvenile American Golden Plover at Boddam. Two Hornemann's Arctic Redpolls remain on Out Skerries, and the two Arctic Warblers were still at Wester Quarff, Mainland. Another Arctic Warbler was a new arrival on Cape Clear, County Cork, with two American Golden Plovers also on the island.

The tenth Glossy Ibis for Aberdeenshire was at the Loch of Strathbeg RSPB reserve today, and single new Great White Egrets were in Essex and Gwynedd. On Scilly, the Long-billed Dowitcher was still on Tresco, with small numbers of scarcities starting to trickle through the archipelago. Other lingering rarities included Azorean Yellow-legged Gull in Oxfordshire, King Eider in Lincolnshire, Glossy Ibises in Cambridgeshire, Northumberland and Somerset (4), White-rumped Sandpipers in Aberdeenshire and Essex, Lesser Yellowlegs in Lothian, Long-billed Dowitcher in Cheshire and Lesser Scaup in Warwickshire.
Will Soar, RBA
Wednesday 7th October 2009  
  The highlight of the day was the juvenile Baillon's Crake at Kilnsea, East Yorkshire. Found late afternoon, it was still present at dusk, although it proved very elusive. This is the first record of the species since two birds in 2001, and will therefore prove popular if it lingers.

Shetland continued to attract eastern rarities, with Lanceolated Warbler, Blyth's Reed Warbler, Olive-backed Pipit and Arctic Warbler, together with three new Hornemann's Arctic Redpolls, all being found today. Another Olive-backed Pipit was seen briefly at Newbiggin, Northumberland, and other discoveries consisted of single Long-billed Dowitchers in County Wicklow and on the Western Isles, Glossy Ibis in Essex and a Great White Egret in County Cork.

In Nottinghamshire, the Steppe Grey Shrike was still at Lound, whilst other lingering rarities included Veery, River Warbler, Arctic Warbler, two Pechora Pipits and two Hornemann's Arctic Redpolls on Shetland, American Buff-bellied Pipit in County Clare, single Snowy Owls in County Donegal and on the Western Isles, Long-billed Dowitcher on the Isles of Scilly (with two others in Cheshire), Lesser Yellowlegs in Lothian, White-rumped Sandpiper in Essex, two American Golden Plovers in Argyll, Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll on the Western Isles and single Glossy Ibises in Cambridgeshire and Northumberland.
Will Soar, RBA
Tuesday 6th October 2009  
  The Eyebrowed Thrush was again on North Ronaldsay but it proved mobile and, for those that travelled to see it, somewhat difficult to connect with. There was also a Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll on the island. On the Shetlands, there was a new Arctic Warbler on the Out Skerries and an Olive-backed Pipit was found at Quendale on Mainland, although there was no sign today of the Taiga Flycatcher on Fetlar nor of the Veery on Whalsay. Elsewhere on the Shetlands Pechora Pipits remained on the Out Skerries and north Mainland, there were Hornemann's Arctic Redpolls on Out Skerries and Mainland, an Arctic Warbler on Mainland, with other notable birds around the islands including Common Rosefinches, Little Buntings, Bluethroats, Yellow-browed Warblers and a drake Surf Scoter.

The Steppe Grey Shrike remained at Lound in Nottinghamshire and the American Buff-bellied Pipit was still to be found at Clahane Strand in County Clare. Glossy Ibises were in Suffolk, Somerset, Cambridgeshire and County Wexford. The Lesser Scaup remained at Draycote Water in Warwickshire and White-rumped Sandpipers were again in Aberdeenshire and Essex.

There was a possible Red-rumped Swallow on St.Mary's in The Scillies, and despite it being 'quiet' at present, the islands still offered visitors a Long-billed Dowitcher, a Rose-coloured Starling, a Common Rosefinch, a Dotterel, a Pectoral Sandpiper, a Wryneck and two Red-breasted Flycatchers.
Pete Hayman, RBA
Monday 5th October 2009  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of an Eyebrowed Thrush on North Ronaldsay, Orkney Isles. Elsewhere around the archipelago both Spotted Sandpiper and White-billed Diver were found alongside American Golden Plover, Little Bunting, Rose-coloured Starling and two Yellow-browed Warblers.

On the Shetland Isles River Warbler, Great Snipe, Citrine Wagtail and Red-throated Pipit were all new arrivals, joining Taiga Flycatcher, Veery and two each of Pechora Pipit, Blyth's Reed Warbler, Arctic Warbler and Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll, all supported by six Yellow-browed Warblers, three Common Rosefinches, two Barred Warblers, a Short-toed Lark, Bluethroat and Surf Scoter.

Meanwhile, on the Isles of Scilly the Long-billed Dowitcher, Common Rosefinch and Pectoral Sandpiper all remained on Tresco.

Elsewhere, brief encounters included an Eleonora's Falcon over Great Warley, Essex and a Fea's Petrel passing both Spurn, East Yorkshire and Farne Islands, Northumberland whilst other rarities included a showy Steppe Grey Shrike in Nottinghamshire, American Buff-bellied Pipit in County Clare, Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll on the Western Isles, Snowy Owl in County Mayo, Long-billed Dowitchers in both Cheshire (2) and Lancashire (2), Amercian Golden Plovers in County Cork and County Kerry, Lesser Yellowlegs in Lothian, Blue-winged Teal in Cleveland, Lesser Scaup in Warwickshire and single Glossy Ibises in Cambridgeshire, Lancashire, Northumberland, Nottinghamshire and Somerset.

Belated concerns the eighth Nearctic landbird of the autumn; a dead Yellow-billed Cuckoo found yesterday at Almondbank in Perth and Kinross.
Chris Batty, RBA
Saturday 3rd October 2009  
  Once again birders on the Shetland Isles enjoyed the best birding with Taiga Flycatcher, 2 Veerys, American Buff-bellied Pipit, four Pechora Pipits, Blyth's Reed Warbler, five Hornemann's Arctic Redpolls, three each of Yellow-browed Warbler and Lapland Buntings, two Barred Warblers, Buff-breasted Sandpiper and Common Rosefinch all recorded around the archipelago.

Meanwhile, on the Isles of Scilly the Long-billed Dowitcher remained along with a Common Rosefinch, Dotterel, and Pectoral Sandpiper.

Elsewhere, rarities included American Buff-bellied Pipit in County Clare, two Hornemann's Arctic Redpolls on the Orkney Isles, Snowy Owl in County Mayo, Lesser Yellowlegs in Lothian, White-rumped Sandpiper in Essex, Long-billed Dowitchers in Cheshire (2), County Cork and County Galway, King Eider in Lincolnshire, Lesser Scaup in Warwickshire, Ferruginous Duck in Somerset, Hooded Merganser in Cleveland, Glossy Ibises in Cambridgeshire, County Wexford, East Yorkshire, Kent (5), Northumberland and Somerset (5), Cattle Egrets in Hampshire (2) and Gloucestershire (4) and Great White Egrets in Lancashire (2) and Worcestershire.

West coast seawatching produced two Fea's Petrels passing County Cork, Great Shearwaters (including 100 passing County Kerry), Sabine's Gulls (including three passing County Mayo), five Long-tailed Skuas, Pomarine Skuas (including 306 passing County Mayo), Leach's Petrels (including 40 passing Lancashire), Grey Phalaropes (including 12 passing County Mayo), Balearic Shearwaters (including seven passing Cornwall), Sooty Shearwaters (including 556 passing County Mayo) and Blue Fulmars (including 12 passing County Galway).
Chris Batty, RBA
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