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 19th October 2014  
  The second Franklin's Gull for Hampshire was seen in flight at Blashford Lakes HWT early afternoon. A Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler was at Voe, Shetland, a Semipalmated Sandpiper was in Plymouth, Devon and a Spotted Sandpiper was identified at Inverallochy, Aberdeenshire, having been present a week.

Lingering rarities included the Penduline Tit at Titchwell, Norfolk, Siberian Stonechat at Titchfield Haven, Hampshire, single Olive-backed Pipits in Sunderland, County Durham and on Fair Isle, Shetland (with a Red-throated Pipit and Little Bunting also on Fair Isle), and a Forster's Tern and Lesser Yellowlegs in County Dublin.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Saturday 18th October 2014  
  New discoveries comprised a Siberian Stonechat in Hampshire and Penduline Tit in Norfolk.

Lingering rarities included Olive-backed Pipits in Co Durham and Fair Isle (3), Lesser Scaup in Glamorgan and Powys, Red-throated Pipit and two Little Buntings on Fair Isle, Blue-winged Teal (or hybrid) in Northumberland, White-rumped Sandpiper on Western Isles and Lesser Yellowlegs in Co Dublin. An Isabelline Shrike was reported at Easington (East Yorkshire).

The best of the rest included White-winged Black Tern in East Sussex, Red-backed Shrike in Suffolk, American Golden Plover and Ring-necked Duck in Cornwall, Cattle Egret in Kent, Short-toed Lark on Isles of Scilly, American Wigeon on the Co Leitrim/ Co Donegal border, Bluethroat on Shetland and Kentish Plover in Glamorgan. At least eight Great Grey Shrikes, 13 Rough-legged Buzzards, three Shorelarks, three Glossy Ibises, four Pallas's Warblers, three Richard's Pipits, three Pectoral Sandpipers, four Barred Warblers, four Rose-coloured Starlings and two Red-breasted Flycatchers were also recorded.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Friday 17th October 2014  
  The only new rarity reported today was an Olive-backed Pipit in Sunderland, County Durham, which showed very well from mid morning until dusk.

Lingering rarities still present today included single Isabelline Shrikes in Yorkshire and Norfolk, Siberian Stonechat in Lothian, Olive-backed Pipit in Northumberland, Olive-backed Pipit, Red-throated Pipit and Little Bunting on Fair Isle, Subalpine Warbler in Cornwall, Snowy Owl in Moray, Lesser Yellowlegs in County Dublin and Blue-winged Teal (or hybrid) in Northumberland.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Thursday 16th October 2014  
  Another Isabelline Shrike was found today, this time in Kent at Sandwich Bay, with the other two remaining at Warham, Norfolk and Kilnsea, Yorkshire. Also at Kilnsea a Pallid Swift was present briefly, whilst a Red-throated Pipit was found at Norby, Shetland.

Lingering rarities still present today included the Steppe Grey Shrike and Olive-backed Pipit in Norfolk, Red-flanked Bluetail in Shetland, Booted Warbler and Siberian Stonechat in Lothian, Olive-backed Pipit in Northumberland and Subalpine Warbler in Cornwall.

There was no sign of the Siberian Thrush in Shetland.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Wednesday 15th October 2014  
  The ninth Siberian Thrush for Britain was found in Shetland this evening, where it was trapped and released at Scousburgh at dusk. Astonishingly, it was found to be bearing a Norwegian ring, and is therefore almost certainly the individual trapped and ringed at Husoy on 24th September.

Two Isabelline Shrikes were found today, first at Kilnsea, Yorkshire then at Warham Greens, Norfolk (which was later found to be present for its second day). Yorkshire also gained a Radde's Warbler at Easington and a Little Bunting at Flamborough, whilst Norfolk produced a Dusky Warbler at Wells. Other new discoveries included a Snowy Owl near Thurso, Highland, a Red-footed Falcon at Northwick Warth, Gloucestershire, an Olive-backed Pipit on Brownsman, Northumberland, an Alpine Swift at Dinton Pastures, Berkshire, a Dusky Warbler at Reculver, Kent, a Little Bunting on St Agnes, Isles of Scilly, a Richardson's Cackling Goose on Barra, Western Isles and a Forster's Tern at Rogerstown, County Dublin.

Lingering rarity highlights included the Steppe Grey Shrike, Olive-backed Pipit and Radde's Warbler in Norfolk, Booted Warbler and Siberian Stonechat in Lothian, Subalpine Warbler in Cornwall, White-rumped Sandpiper in the Western Isles and an Olive-backed Pipit, Red-throated Pipit and two Little Buntings on Fair Isle, Shetland.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Tuesday 14th October 2014  
  On one of the busiest days of the autumn, as is often the case, there was no stand out rarity highlight. New discoveries in Norfolk included a Red-flanked Bluetail at Stiffkey, an Olive-backed Pipit at Wells, single Radde's Warblers at Wells, Burnham Overy, Brancaster and Great Yarmouth and a Little Bunting at Warham. Another Radde's Warbler was at Gibraltar Point, Lincolnshire, whilst the lingering Booted Warbler in Lothian was joined by a Siberian Stonechat, and both a Rustic Bunting and Little Bunting were found in Shetland (on Unst and Mainland respectively). A Penduline Tit was heard on St Mary's, Isles of Scilly.

Lingering rarity highlights included the Solitary Sandpiper in County Wexford, Steppe Grey Shrike in Norfolk, Arctic Warbler in Lincolnshire, Subalpine Warbler in Cornwall, single Radde's Warblers in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire and Olive-backed Pipit in Orkney.

Large numbers of Ring Ouzels were seen, mainly along the SE coast, with at least 550 at Dungeness and at least 410 at St Margaret's at Cliffe.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Monday 13th October 2014  
  A Brunnich's Guillemot observed flying past Flamborough Head (East Yorkshire) was the most significant report of the day. Seawatchers also logged 16 Little Auks, 13 Long-tailed and many Pomarine Skuas.

Elsewhere new discoveries included Red-flanked Bluetails on Fair Isle and in Norfolk, Black Kite in Cornwall and two Olive-backed Pipits on Mainland Shetland. Lingering rarities included Eastern Bonelli's Warbler (Shetland), Subalpine Warbler (Cornwall), Booted Warbler (Lothian), Little Crake (Suffolk), Lesser Yellowlegs (Co Dublin), Steppe Grey Shrike (Norfolk), Bonaparte's Gull (Co Durham), White-rumped Sandpiper (Western Isles), Solitary Sandpiper (Co Wexford) and Radde's Warbler (Lincolnshire).

The best of the rest included Ring-necked Duck (Cornwall),  Rough-legged Buzzard (Co Durham), Short-toed Lark and Richard's Pipit (Isles of Scilly), American Wigeon (Co Donegal), Cattle Egret (Cheshire), Glossy Ibis (Nottinghamshire), Common Rosefinch (Western Isles), Bluethroat (East Yorkshire), six Great Grey Shrikes, five Red-breasted Flycatchers, two Red-backed Shrikes, two Barred Warblers, two Rose-coloured Starlings, two Pallas's Warblers and four Wrynecks.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Sunday 12th October 2014  
  The bird of the day was, unfortunately, only identified late this evening, when photographs of a second-winter Audouin's Gull were released, taken late this afternoon at Dungeness, Kent.

Throughout the day, the north and east produced a Red-flanked Bluetail (Dale of Walls, Shetland), an Olive-backed Pipit (Boddam, Shetland) and single Radde's Warblers at Donna Nook, Lincolnshire and at Kilnsea and Flamborough, both Yorkshire. A Penduline Tit is present for a second day at Strumpshaw Fen RSPB, Norfolk, a Little Bunting flew over Durlston, Dorset and the Bonaparte's Gull reappeared at Dawlish, Devon. A Lesser Scaup was at Rahasane Turlough, County Galway.

Lingering rarities included the Solitary Sandpiper in County Wexford, Steppe Grey Shrike in Norfolk, Little Crake in Suffolk, Booted Warbler in Lothian, Subalpine Warbler in Cornwall, Arctic Warbler in Lincolnshire, Snowy Owl in Moray and Rustic Bunting in Shetland.

The second (and first live) Cetti's Warbler for Scotland was found on Barra, Western Isles.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Saturday 11th October 2014  
  The Bonelli's warbler at Scalloway, Shetland (present since yesterday) was heard to give the diagnostic call of Eastern Bonelli's Warbler late morning. Also found on the archipelago today was a Pechora Pipit at Kergord, a Siberian Stonechat at Hoswick and single Olive-backed Pipits at White Ness, Virkie, Wester Quarff and Uyeasound.

A Booted Warbler was new in at Torness, Lothian, as was an Arctic Warbler at Donna Nook, Lincolnshire and Little Bunting at Church Cove, Cornwall.

Lingering rarity highlights included the Solitary Sandpiper in County Wexford, Little Crake in Suffolk, Steppe Grey Shrike in Norfolk, Snowy Owl and King Eider in Moray, Eastern Subalpine Warbler in Cornwall and Tawny Pipit in Sussex.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Friday 10th October 2014  
  A Lesser Grey Shrike at Biggleswade Common, Bedfordshire was, perhaps surprisingly, not a first for the county, as one was picked up dead by the River Ouse on the unlikely date of 25th January 1907. An Eastern Subalpine Warbler was discovered at Porthgwarra, Cornwall, and both a Fea's Petrel and a Wilson's Petrel was off a boat off Galley Head, County Cork. The Isles of Scilly produced a new Tawny Pipit on St Agnes, with Shetland adding a Western Bonelli's Warbler and four more Olive-backed Pipits to their autumn tally. A Little Bunting was on nearby Orkney, at St Margaret's Hope on South Ronaldsay.

Lingering rarity highlights included the Little Crake in Suffolk, Solitary Sandpiper in County Wexford, Steppe Grey Shrike in Norfolk, Tawny Pipit in Sussex, King Eider in Moray, Blue-winged Teal (or hybrid) in Northumberland and three more Olive-backed Pipits and five more Little Buntings in the Northern Isles.

The Shorelark which has been present at Askernish, South Uist, Western Isles since yesterday is now thought likely to be a nominate American Horned Lark.
-  Will Soar, RBA