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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Friday 7th September 2012  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of a Semipalmated Plover on the Western Isles at Glendale, South Uist: only the third British record. A Spotted Sandpiper and an American Golden Plover were also present on South Uist, whilst Nearctic waders elsewhere comprised the Short-billed Dowitcher still in Dorset, single Semipalmated Sandpipers in both Argyll and Highland, Baird's Sandpiper in Cleveland, Wilson's Phalarope in County Cork, Long-billed Dowitcher in Gloucestershire, American Golden Plover on the Orkney Isles, and totals of eight Buff-breasted Sandpipers and 23 Pectoral Sandpipers.

Another mega was a Baillon's Crake present this evening at Rainham Marshes, London. Other rarities comprised the Spanish Sparrow still in Suffolk, Black Duck in County Mayo, two Citrine Wagtails on the Isles of Scilly, Blue-winged Teal in Clyde, Lesser Scaup in Somerset, Red-footed Falcon in West Sussex and Glossy Ibis in County Wexford.

Scarce migrants included nine Lapland Buntings, five Common Rosefinches, three Sabine's Gulls, two each of Barred Warbler and Wryneck, and single Melodious Warbler (Gwynedd), Richard's Pipit (London), Cory's Shearwater (County Durham) and Spotted Crake (Cornwall).
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Thursday 6th September 2012  
  Another two American Golden Plovers were discovered today - a new juvenile on North Ronaldsay in the Orkneys and an adult at Cley in Norfolk. There was also possibly another at Kilnsea in Yorkshire, but the only lingering bird reported today was in Lancashire. A first summer male Red-footed Falcon was found at Chichester in West Sussex and two Glossy Ibises were reported at Tacumshin in County Wexford today.

The Short-billed Dowitcher was still attracting much attention at Lodmoor in Dorset and the Spanish Sparrow was seen again at Landguard in Suffolk. Other lingering rarities were mostly American waders: Baird's Sandpiper in Cleveland, Semipalmated Sandpiper on South Uist, Lesser Yellowlegs in Cornwall, Wilson's Phalarope in County Cork and Long-billed Dowitcher in Gloucestershire; with other lingerers including Citrine Wagtail on Scilly, Blue-winged Teal in Clyde, Forster's Tern in County Louth and Glossy Ibis in Pembrokeshire.

Eleven Pectoral Sandpipers were logged, the Spotted Crake remained at Marazion in Cornwall and there were two Barred Warblers in north Norfolk.
-  Pete Hayman, RBA
Wednesday 5th September 2012  
  The highlight of the day was the continued presence of the Short-billed Dowitcher in Dorset at Lodmoor, where it remained throughout the day.

Elsewhere, four new American Golden Plovers were discovered; on Anglesey at Malltraeth, Lancashire at Cockersand, Orkney Isles on North Ronaldsay, and on St Mary's, Isles of Scilly. In Dorset an Ortolan Bunting at Hengistbury Head was but a brief encounter.

Lingering rarities confirmed as still present the Baird's Sandpiper in Cleveland, Semipalmated Sandpipers in both Argyll and the Western Isles, Wilson's Phalarope in County Cork, Long-billed Dowitcher in Gloucestershire, Lesser Yellowlegs in Cornwall, American Golden Plover on the Western Isles, Arctic Warbler on the Shetland Isles, Citrine Wagtail on the Isles of Scilly, Lesser Scaup in Somerset, and single Glossy Ibises in both Pembrokeshire and County Wexford.

Scarcities included 16 Pectoral Sandpipers, 10 Lapland Buntings, six each of both Buff-breasted Sandpiper and Wryneck, four Barred Warblers, three Sabine's Gulls, two Common Rosefinches, and single Red-backed Shrike (Devon), Red-necked Phalarope (Lincolnshire), Spotted Crake (Cornwall), Long-tailed Skua (Kent), Great Shearwater (County Clare) and Ring-billed Gull (County Down).
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Tuesday 4th September 2012  
  Highlight of the day was the confirmation of the indentification of a Short-billed Dowitcher at Lodmoor RSPB (Dorset) - only the second British record.

Several American waders arrived today, included a Spotted Sandpiper in Co Kerry and American Golden Plover and two Semipalmated Sandpipers on the Western Isles.

In Dorset an Ortolan Bunting was discovered at West Bexington. Lingering rarities comprised American Black Tern in Merseyside, Long-billed Dowitcher in Gloucestershire, Semipalmated Sandpiper in Argyll, Citrine Wagtail on Isles of Scilly, Glossy Ibis in Cambridgeshire, Lesser Scaup in Somerset, Wilson's Phalarope in Co Cork and Lesser Yellowlegs in Cornwall

At least nine Pectoral Sandpipers, three Buff-breasted Sandpipers, two Spotted Crakes and single Icterine Warbler (Suffolk), Barred Warbler (Lincolnshire) and Red-backed Shrike (Devon) were the headline scarcities.

Late news from yesterday concerned a Baird's Sandpiper in Cleveland, a White-rumped Sandpiper in Co Cork and a flyover Red-throated Pipit in Surrey, whilst a probable Semipalmated Plover was heard in Highland.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Monday 3rd September 2012  
  New discoveries included a dowitcher species at Lodmoor RSPB (Dorset), Semipalmated Sandpiper on Lewis (Western Isles) and Red-rumped Swallow at Conwy RSPB (Conwy).

Lingering rarities comprised American Black Tern in Merseyside, Spanish Sparrow in Suffolk, Long-billed Dowitcher in Gloucestershire, Semipalmated Sandpiper in Argyll, Lesser Scaup in Somerset, Wilson's Phalarope in Co Cork, Arctic Warbler on Shetland, Citrine Wagtails on Shetland and Isles of Scilly, Glossy Ibises in Cambridgeshire and Pembrokeshire, Bonaparte's Gull in Co Durham and Blue-winged Teal in Clyde
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Sunday 2nd September 2012  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of a Semipalmated Sandpiper on Tiree, Argyll. Elsewhere, other Nearctic waders included a Lesser Yellowlegs in Cornwall at Kingsmill Lake, and a Wilson's Phalarope in County Cork at Kinsale Marsh, although both of these birds may have been present nearby in recent days.

Lingering rarities confirmed as still present were the Spanish Sparrow in Suffolk, American Black Tern in Merseyside, Forster's Tern in County Louth, Snowy Owl in County Donegal, Arctic Warblers in both East Yorkshire and the Shetland Isles, Citrine Wagtails in both the Scilly Isles and the Shetland Isles, Bonaparte's Gull in County Durham, Blue-winged Teal in Clyde, Long-billed Dowitcher in Gloucestershire, Lesser Scaup in Somerset, and single Glossy Ibises in both Cambridgeshire and Lancashire.

Scarcities included 15 Pectoral Sandpipers, five Buff-breasted Sandpipers, four Barred Warblers, three each of Spotted Crake, Wryneck and Sabine's Gull, two each of Common Rosefinch and Long-tailed Skua, and single Melodious Warbler (Devon), Rose-coloured Starling (Ceredigion) and Purple Heron (Cambridgeshire).
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Saturday 1st September 2012  
  Highlight of the day was the juvenile American Black Tern in the north-west. After no sign of the bird at yesterday's site, Eccleston Mere, Merseyside, it was promptly re-found mid morning 10 miles to the east at Pennington Flash, Greater Manchester. Here it stayed until late afternoon, before relocating back to Eccleston Mere during the evening. Other new discoveries today included Arctic Warblers on Unst, Shetland and at Flamborough Head, Yorkshire, a Lesser Yellowlegs also at the latter site and a Citrine Wagtail on St Mary's, Isles of Scilly.

In Suffolk, the male Spanish Sparrow reappeared briefly this evening, back at Landguard NR, Felixstowe. The Forster's Tern also reappeared in County Louth, with other lingering rarities including the Blue-winged Teal in Clyde, Bonaparte's Gull in County Durham, Arctic Warbler and Citrine Wagtail in Shetland and single Glossy Ibises in Cambridgeshire, Pembrokeshire and County Wexford.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Friday 31st August 2012  
  The highlight of the day was a Yelkouan Shearwater passing Whitburn, County Durham in the evening. Elsewhere, the identification of the American Black Tern suspected yesterday in Merseyside at Eccleston Mere was confirmed, a Baird's Sandpiper was a new arrival in Cornwall at Marazion, and on the Shetland Isles a Citrine Wagtail was discovered on Foula.

Lingering rarities confirmed as still present were the Arctic Warbler on the Shetland Isles, Bonaparte's Gull in County Durham, Blue-winged Teal in Clyde, Long-billed Dowitcher in Gloucestershire, Lesser Scaup and Ferruginous Duck together in Somerset, and Glossy Ibis in Pembrokeshire.

Scarce migrants included 12 Long-tailed Skuas, seven Barred Warblers, six Pectoral Sandpipers, five Spotted Crakes, four each of both Buff-breasted Sandpiper and Wryneck, two each of Red-backed Shrike, Red-necked Phalarope and Lapland Bunting, and single Melodious Warbler (Isles of Scilly), Woodchat Shrike (Dorset) and Rose-coloured Starling (Ceredigion).
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Thursday 30th August 2012  
  Mega news came from Co Mayo this morning when a Black Skimmer flew past Annagh Head - this represents the first Western Palearctic record of this American species.

Elsewhere rarities comprised Blue-winged Teal in Clyde, Glossy Ibis in Cambridgeshire, Lesser Scaup and Ferruginous Duck in Somerset and Long-billed Dowitcher in Gloucestershire.

Scarcity totals included eight Pectoral Sandpipers, four Wrynecks, three Buff-breasted Sandpipers, three Great White Egrets, two Barred Warblers, two Red-necked Phalaropes, two Spotted Crakes, Common Rosefinch (Norfolk) and Cattle Egret (Kent). Multiple Long-tailed Skuas were logged, including a count of 14 past Thorpeness (Suffolk).
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Wednesday 29th August 2012  
  New discoveries today included a Fea's Petrel past Galley Head, County Cork, a Forster's Tern off Soldier's Point, County Louth, an Arctic Warbler on Fair Isle, Shetland, a Red-rumped Swallow at Frodsham Marsh, Cheshire, and Wales' first mainland Greenish Warbler on Great Ormes Head.

Lingering rarities seen today included the Long-billed Dowitcher in Gloucestershire, Lesser Scaup in Somerset and single Glossy Ibises in Cambridgeshire, Pembrokeshire and County Wexford.

In between the seabird news, the National channel featured a White-winged Black Tern, a Buff-breasted Sandpiper, a Red-necked Phalarope, a Common Rosefinch, three White Storks, four Wrynecks, four Spotted Crakes, seven Pectoral Sandpipers, nine Barred Warblers and 13 Lesser Snow Geese. The aforementioned seabird tally was eight Great Shearwaters, 10 Cory's Shearwaters, 198 Balearic Shearwaters, 21 Sabine's Gulls, 11 Leach's Petrels, ten Long-tailed Skuas and ten Pomarine Skuas.

Significant late news concerned a dark morph Eleonora's Falcon in Sussex on 19th August. Found by a visiting Dutch birder familiar with the species, it didn't linger as it flew east over Boreham Street.
-  Will Soar, RBA