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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Sunday 7th September 2014  
  On the busiest day of the autumn so far, with over 500 messages sent, it is perhaps surprising that there were only three new rarities discovered today. First up was a Western Bonelli's Warbler at Kelling, Norfolk, which maintains the county's recent good run of records of this species. A Citrine Wagtail was in the Western Isles, at Borve Point on Benbecula, and a Black Kite flew over Abberton Reservoir, Essex.

Lingering rarities included the Lesser Grey Shrike and Ferruginous Duck in Suffolk, Stilt Sandpiper in County Dublin, single Lesser Yellowlegs' in County Donegal and Hampshire, Bonaparte's Gull in Kent and the other Citrine Wagtail in the Western Isles on South Uist.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Saturday 6th September 2014  
  The highlight of the day was a Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler trapped and ringed at Titchfield Haven, Hampshire, although it was not seen after release.

Elsewhere, rarities comprised a Lesser Grey Shrike new in Suffolk at Hollesley Marshes, Lesser Yellowlegs in both County Donegal and Hampshire, and a Blue-winged Teal (or hybrid) in Northumberland at Castle Island. The Stilt Sandpiper remained in County Dublin, as did the Laughing Gull in County Cork.

Scarcities included 35 Wrynecks, 22 Barred Warblers, 16 Pectoral Sandpipers, nine Red-backed Shrikes, seven Common Rosefinches, four Dotterel, two each of Ortolan Bunting, Rose-coloured Starling, Temminck's Stint and Cattle Egret, and single Buff-breasted Sandpiper (County Wexford), Red-necked Phalarope (Cheshire), Marsh Warbler (Dorset), Red-breasted Flycatcher (Lincolnshire), Lapland Bunting (Western Isles), Short-toed Lark and Icterine Warbler (Shetland Isles).

Significant late news concerned confirmation that the Snowy Owl was still present on 3rd September on the Moray/Aberdeenshire border at Ben Macdui, where it has been present - but suppressed - since 19th May.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Friday 5th September 2014  
  An Aquatic Warbler at Mizen Head, County Cork is the first Irish record of the species in over 30 years. A Paddyfield Warbler was on Fair Isle, Shetland, with another lingering nearby on North Ronaldsay, Orkney and late news of another at Nanjizal, Cornwall on Sunday. Other late news concerned a Fea's Petrel yesterday from a boat off Baltimore, County Cork.

Lingering rarities included the Little Crake in Devon, Stilt Sandpiper in County Dublin and Citrine Wagtail in Fife.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Thursday 4th September 2014  
  In Devon a Little Crake was found at Black Hole Marsh, Seaton. Further north, a Paddyfield Warbler was on North Ronaldsay, Orkney, a Black-headed Bunting was at Sumburgh Head and a King Eider was in Basta Voe, Shetland and a Citrine Wagtail was on the Isle of May, Fife. A Stilt Sandpiper was on Broadmeadows Estuary, County Dublin , a Greenish Warbler was on Bardsey Island, Gwynedd, and a Lesser Scaup was at Cardiff Bay Wetlands, Glamorgan.

Lingering rarities included the Eastern Subalpine Warbler and Ferruginous Duck in Suffolk, Citrine Wagtail and Greenish Warbler on the Western Isles and Lesser Yellowlegs in Cornwall.

Late news involved a Short-toed Eagle in Norfolk, present at Grime's Graves from 19th July to 17th August.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Wednesday 3rd September 2014  
  Yesterdays flyover Stilt Sandpiper from Tacumshin, County Wexford was relocated nearby at Ring Marsh today. Two Greenish Warblers were seen at Whitburn Coastal Park, County Durham, with one at Bornish, Western Isles.

Lingering rarities included the Eastern Subalpine Warbler in Suffolk, Citrine Wagtail on the Western Isles, Lesser Yellowlegs in Cornwall and Lesser Scaup in Somerset.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Tuesday 2nd September 2014  
  New discoveries included a flyover Stilt Sandpiper at Tacumshin (Co Wexford), Greenish Warbler in Co Durham and a Blyth's Reed Warbler on Isles of Scilly. The Eastern Subalpine Warbler (Suffolk), Lesser Yellowlegs (Cornwall) and Citrine Wagtail (Western Isles) all lingered.

The best of the scarcities included Rose-coloured Starling (Norfolk), Short-toed Lark and Temminck's Stint (Lincolnshire), Ortolan Bunting (Pembrokeshire), Ring-necked Duck (Aberdeenshire), two White-winged Black Terns, two Red-backed Shrikes, three Icterine Warblers and six Barred Warblers.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Monday 1st September 2014  
  The highlight of the day was a Paddyfield Warbler on the Shetland Isles, on Whalsay at Skaw, with an Arctic Warbler nearby at Sandwick. Elsewhere, the Eastern Subalpine Warbler remained in Suffolk, as did the Lesser Yellowlegs in Cornwall, White-rumped Sandpiper in Argyll, and Citrine Wagtail on the Western Isles. In Gwynedd a Red-throated Pipit flew over Bardsey Island.

Scarcities included Woodchat Shrike (Northumberland), White-winged Black Tern (County Limerick), Rose-coloured Starling and Red-backed Shrike (both Norfolk), Spotted Crake (Somerset), Cattle Egret (County Down), Lapland Bunting (Orkney Isles), three each of Common Rosefinch and Pectoral Sandpipers, and five each of Barred Warbler, Wryneck and Glossy Ibis.

Seawatching produced Sabine's Gull (County Kerry), two Long-tailed Skuas, five Great Shearwaters and 32 Balearic Shearwaters.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Sunday 31st August 2014  
  New discoveries included a Pallid Harrier on Foula (Shetland), White-rumped Sandpiper on Tiree (Argyll), Citrine Wagtail on South Uist (Western Isles), Western Bonelli's Warbler on Bardsey Island (Gwynedd) and Black Kite at Dungeness (Kent).

The Lesser Yellowlegs in Cornwall, Greenish Warblers in North Yorkshire and Suffolk, Eastern Subalpine Warbler and Ferruginous Duck in Suffolk and Tawny Pipit in Kent all lingered.

A Melodious Warbler (Anglesey), Rose-coloured Starlings (Norfolk and Devon), Short-toed Lark (Shetland) and White-winged Black Tern (Co Limerick) were also recorded.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Saturday 30th August 2014  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of a Booted Warbler on Burray, Orkney Isles. Elsewhere, Blyth's Reed Warblers were trapped in both Aberdeenshire and Suffolk, whilst in Kent a Tawny Pipit showed well, and both Gyr and Black Kite flew over. Lingering rarities confirmed as still present were the Marsh Sandpiper in Gloucester, Lesser Yellowlegs in Cornwall, Western Bonelli's Warbler on the Isles of Scilly, Greenish Warbler in Norfolk, and in Suffolk, Eastern Subalpine Warbler, two Greenish Warblers and a Ferruginous Duck.

Scarcities included 20 Wrynecks, eight each of Barred Warbler and Common Rosefinch, five Pectoral Sandpipers, four Dotterel, two each of Melodious Warbler and Red-backed Shrike, and single Short-toed Lark (Shetland Isles), Red-necked Phalarope (Kent), Temminck's Stint (Cambridgeshire), Spotted Crake (Somerset) and Purple Heron (Suffolk).

Seawatching produced Wilson's Petrel (County Clare), 20 Great Shearwaters, 16 Leach's Petrels, nine Sabine's Gulls and three Cory's Shearwaters.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Friday 29th August 2014  
  Rare warblers dominated today with a Western Bonelli's Warbler discovered on the Isles of Scilly, Arctic Warbler on the Shetland Isles, Subalpine and Greenish Warbler in Suffolk, with further Greenish Warblers in Norfolk (2) and North Yorkshire. Elsewhere, the Marsh Sandpiper remained in Gloucestershire, a Lesser Yellowlegs was new in Cornwall at Croft Pascoe Pool, and a Black Kite was reported briefly in County Meath.

Scarcities included Melodious Warbler and Red-necked Phalarope (both Kent), Ortolan Bunting (North Yorkshire), Cattle Egret (Warwickshire), Temminck's Stint (Cambridgeshire), Barred Warbler (Shetland Isles), two Spotted Crakes, three each of Red-backed Shrike and Pectoral Sandpiper, five Common Rosefinches, seven Dotterel and 16 Wrynecks.

Seawatch totals comprised 59 Balearic, 50 Great, and 13 Cory's Shearwaters, 58 Sabine's Gulls, six Pomarine Skuas, four Leach's Petrels and a Grey Phalarope.
-  Chris Batty, RBA