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| Friday 23rd October 2009 | ||
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| To the delight of the assembled masses in South Shields (Co Durham) the
Eastern Crowned Warbler was still in Trow Quarry for its second day, where
it showed well intermittently until dusk.
The English East Coast also produced Red-flanked Bluetail at Bempton Cliffs RSPB and Dusky Warbler at Flamborough Head (East Yorkshire). Elsewhere new rarities comprised Olive-backed Pipits on St Agnes (Isles of Scilly) and Lundy (Devon), Red-throated Pipits on Skomer (Pembrokeshire) and in Exmouth (Devon), Dusky Warbler at Dungeness (Kent), Radde's Warblers at Fife Ness (Fife) and Girdle Ness (Aberdeenshire) and a Lesser Yellowlegs was reported at Pagham Harbour LNR (West Sussex). In Surrey the Brown Shrike lingered at Staines Moor, the Radde's Warbler remained at Thorpeness (Suffolk), the Western Bonelli's Warbler was re-trapped on Calf of Man (Isle of Man), two Long-billed Dowitchers were still at Connah's Quay NR (Flintshire) and Lesser Scaups lingered in Glamorgan and Warwickshire. In Ireland a Dusky Warbler was still in Co Cork, the long-staying Blue-winged Teal lingered in Co Dublin and an American Golden Plover was seen again in Co Kerry. Four Pallas's Warblers were located along 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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| Thursday 22nd October 2009 | ||
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| Britain's first Eastern Crowned Warbler was discovered at Trow Quarry
in South Shields (Co Durham) this afternoon. The bird was initially
misidentified as a Yellow-browed Warbler and its true identity only came to
light after Whitburn birder
Mark Newsome noticed photos that had been posted on the
internet. Eastern Crowned Warbler has long been predicted to make an
autumn appearance in Britain - there have been four previous Western Palearctic
records, most recently in The Netherlands in 2007.
Elsewhere new rarities included Radde's Warblers in Suffolk, Angus and Northumberland, Dusky Warbler in Co Cork and Penduline Tit in Norfolk. Lingering rarities comprised Brown Shrike in Surrey, Lesser Scaup in Warwickshire, two Long-billed Dowitchers in Lancashire and four Glossy Ibises, four Cattle Egrets and eight Great White Egrets were logged. Five Pallas's Warblers arrived were located along the east coast. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Wednesday 21st October 2009 | ||
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| The best new discovery concerned a Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler found
on Foula, Shetland.
Lingering rarities comprised Brown Shrike in Surrey, Red-flanked Bluetail in Suffolk, five Long-billed Dowitchers (two in Cheshire, two in Merseyside and a lone bird in Lancashire), American Buff-bellied Pipit in Co Clare, Lesser Yellowlegs in Co Mayo, Lesser Scaup in Warwickshire and Azorean Yellow-legged Gull in Oxfordshire. Eight Great White Egrets, five Cattle Egrets and four Glossy Ibises were logged and scarcity highlights came in the form of Pallas's Warbler in Aberdeenshire, Snow Goose in Norfolk and Rose-coloured Starling in Cornwall. The best Isles of Scilly could offer included Red-breasted Flycatcher, Rose-coloured Starling and Common Rosefinch. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Tuesday 20th October 2009 | ||
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| The fourth Fea's Petrel this month flew past Budleigh Salterton, Devon
mid morning. Surprisingly, despite being close inshore, it was not seen anywhere
else along the coast, despite good observer coverage. New pipit discoveries
today included an Olive-backed Pipit at Geosetter, Shetland, and single
Red-throated Pipits at Marshside RSPB, Merseyside and over the airfield
on St Mary's, Isles of Scilly. A second juvenile American Golden Plover
joined the flock at Deerness, Orkney, making a total of four in the same field
in the last few weeks (two adults and two juveniles).
The Brown Shrike remained for its 10th day in Surrey, as did the Red-flanked Bluetail in Suffolk. Other lingering rarities included Glossy Ibises in Warwickshire (2), Northumberland, Kent (3) and Aberdeenshire, Great White Egrets in Kent, Suffolk, Norfolk and Hampshire, with a new bird at Boddington Reservoir, Northamptonshire, Ferruginous Duck in Somerset, Cattle Egret in Kent and Azorean Yellow-legged Gull in Oxfordshire. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Monday 19th October 2009 | ||
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| A female Pied Wheatear was discovered at Shingle Street, Suffolk,
early this morning, and remained present all day, showing well. A Little
Bittern was an excellent find at Cossington Meadows LRWT, Leicestershire
late afternoon. It was seen to go to roost on the Reedbed Pool. The wandering
two Long-billed Dowitchers were seen at Connah's Quay NR, Flintshire mid
afternoon, with another remaining at Cockersand, Lancashire. A Glossy Ibis
was seen to fly south at Gibraltar Point NNR, whilst on the Staffordshire
/Warwickshire border another was found at Fisher's Mill Pit, remarkably the
third different individual at this site in three days. New Cattle Egrets
were in County Kerry, Pembrokeshire and Somerset.
The Brown Shrike was still in Surrey, as were the Red-flanked Bluetails in Suffolk and East Yorkshire, American Buff-bellied Pipit in County Clare, Azorean Yellow-legged Gull in Oxfordshire and Lesser Yellowlegs in Lothian. Belated news from France concerned a sighting of a Sandhill Crane near Landes on 12th October. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Sunday 18th October 2009 | ||
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| Confirmation that the Red-flanked Bluetail at Spurn Point, East
Yorkshire, yesterday was a 2nd bird in the area came today when it was trapped
and ringed this evening, after being present all day, although it continued to
be very elusive. Another Red-flanked Bluetail remained at Minsmere RSPB,
Suffolk, where a Glossy Ibis and a Great White Egret were also
present. Other Glossy Ibises were in Warwickshire, Derbyshire, Kent (3),
Aberdeenshire and County Wexford.
In Kent, the Fan-tailed Warbler made another of its very erratic appearances at Pegwell Bay. Other lingering rarities included the Brown Shrike in Surrey, Western Bonelli's Warbler and Spotted Sandpiper on Shetland, King Eider in Lincolnshire, American Buff-bellied Pipit in County Clare and Blackpoll Warbler and Arctic Warbler in County Cork. A presumed Fea's Petrel flew past St John's Point, County Down (the third record for both county and site), a Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll was at Brae, Shetland, a Citrine Wagtail was on North Ronaldsay, Orkney and two American Golden Plovers were at Rahasane Turlough, County Galway. Late news concerned a Bee-eater yesterday in Suffolk, and the Booted Warbler in Cornwall on the 13th and 14th October has reportedly been reindentified as a Sykes's Warbler, which would be the 11th record for Britain. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Saturday 17th October 2009 | ||
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| New rarities included both Red-flanked Bluetail and Radde's Warbler
on the Spurn peninsula and a Black-browed Albatross that flew past
the Fife coastline. On Fair Isle a Desert Lesser Whitethroat was trapped,
having initially been seen yesterday.
Shetland hosted Taiga Flycatcher, Western Bonelli's Warbler, two Hornemann's Arctic Redpolls, Spotted Sandpiper and American Golden Plover whilst Isles of Scilly held a lingering Radde's Warbler. Away from the extremities of Britain lingering rarities included Brown Shrike in Surrey, Western Bonelli's Warbler on Isle of Man, Lesser Scaup in Glamorgan, four Long-billed Dowitchers (two in Lancashire and two in Cheshire), Red-flanked Bluetail in Suffolk, Azorean Yellow-legged Gull in Oxfordshire, Blue-winged Teal in Cleveland, Lesser Yellowlegs in Lothian and White-rumped Sandpiper in Essex. Ireland produced Forster's Tern in Co Louth, Blackpoll and Arctic Warblers in Co Cork and American Golden Plover in Co Kerry. Seven Glossy Ibises, up to seven Great White Egrets and five Cattle Egrets were also recorded. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Friday 16th October 2009 | ||
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| Shetland continued to host Blackpoll Warbler, Western Bonelli's
Warbler, Taiga Flycatcher, two Hornemann's Arctic Redpolls,
Spotted Sandpiper and Rustic Bunting.
On Isles of Scilly Radde's Warblers were observed on St Mary's and St Martin's and a Red-throated Pipit flew over the former island. Elsewhere a Black Stork spent the afternoon at Bishop Middleham (Co Durham) and on Orkney the adult Franklin's Gull reappeared. Lingering rarities included Brown Shrike in Surrey, Red-flanked Bluetail in Suffolk, King Eider in Lincolnshire, Long-billed Dowitchers in Cheshire (2) and Lancashire, Azorean Yellow-legged Gull in Oxfordshire, Lesser Scaup in Warwickshire, Lesser Yellowlegs in Lothian and American Golden Plover in Fife. Eleven Glossy Ibises were recorded, including five in Somerset. In Ireland Blackpoll Warbler and Arctic Warbler both remained in Co Cork, the America Buff-bellied Pipit lingered in Co Clare and an American Golden Plover was discovered in Co Kerry. Late news from yesterday related to a Western Bonelli's Warbler on Calf of Man (Isle of Man). |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Thursday 15th October 2009 | ||
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| On the Shetland Isles a Blackpoll Warbler and a Siberian Stonechat both arrived on Fair Isle with other rarities around the archipelago comprising the
Taiga Flycatcher, two Red-flanked Bluetails, Lanceolated
Warbler, Western Bonelli's Warbler, Arctic Warbler, Spotted
Sandpiper, Siberian Stonechat, Rustic Bunting, two Bluethroats,
Barred Warbler, Richard's Pipit, Pectoral Sandpiper, Lapland Bunting, and three
Yellow-browed Warblers. Meanwhile, on the Isles of Scilly two Radde's Warblers and a Red-throated Pipit proved elusive, but were supported by a cast of a Little Bunting, Red-breasted Flycatcher, Common Rosefinch, Lapland Bunting, Balearic Shearwater, two each of both Rose-coloured Starling and Wryneck, four Spoonbills and five Yellow-browed Warblers. Elsewhere, new discoveries comprised an Eastern Olivaceous Warbler in County Mayo on Achill Island, a Paddyfield Warbler in Norfolk at Snettisham, a Red-flanked Bluetail in County Durham at Whitburn, an Arctic Warbler in Staffordshire at Newcastle-uner-Lyme, a Dusky Warbler in Lothian at Skateraw, a Lesser Yellowlegs in County Mayo on The Mullet and a Black Kite in Essex at Ramsey Marsh. Disappointingly, all of these birds were seen only briefly, and could not be relocated. More accommodating were the many lingering rarities: the Brown Shrike in Surrey, Blackpoll Warbler and Arctic Warbler in County Cork, Red-flanked Bluetail in Suffolk, Pied Wheatear in Norfolk, Long-billed Dowitchers in Cheshire (2), Lancashire (3) and the Western Isles, American Golden Plovers in both Fife and the Western Isles, White-rumped Sandpiper in Essex, King Eider in Lincolnshire, Lesser Scaup in Glamorgan, Azorean Yellow-legged Gull in Oxfordshire, Glossy Ibises in Aberdeenshire, County Kerry (9), Kent, Gloucestershire, Somerset (2) and County Wexford, Cattle Egrets in Hampshire (2) and Kent and Great White Egrets in both Kent and Suffolk. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Wednesday 14th October 2009 | ||
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| Highlights of another busy day were led by a Cedar
Waxwing on Inishbofin Island, County Galway, Black-throated Thrush
on Shetland at Sumburgh Head, Pied Wheatear in Norfolk at Horsey Gap,
Red-flanked Bluetail in Suffolk at Minsmere and a belated report of a
Ross's Gull in Gwynedd at Bangor yesterday. Also Baird's Sandpiper
in Nottinghamshire, another Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll in the Western
Isles on North Uist, and a Radde's Warbler on St.Martin's, Isles of
Scilly. Other notable birds included two fly over Red-throated Pipits
(Yorkshire and Surrey), Rustic Bunting on Fair Isle, Shetland and a
Cattle Egret in Cornwall.
Plenty of rare birds were still present from previous days,
including the Brown Shrike in Surrey, Western Bonelli's Warbler
on Shetland and both Blackpoll and Arctic Warblers Co.Cork. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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