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 4th October 2015  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of a Swainson's Thrush on Unst, Shetland Isles. Discoveries elsewhere included a Pallid Harrier in Highland at Tarbat Ness, White-billed Diver in Highland near Nairn, Bonaparte's Gull in Moray at Lossiemouth, Arctic Warbler in East Yorkshire at Kilnsea, and a Red-throated Pipit on St Mary's, Isles of Scilly.

Lingering rarities confirmed as still present were the Greater Yellowlegs on the Isle of Wight, Pallid Harrier in West Sussex, Semipalmated Sandpiper and Red-throated Pipit in Gloucestershire, Eastern Subalpine Warbler, Blyth's Reed Warbler and Olive-backed Pipit on the Shetland Isles, Long-billed Dowitcher in Hampshire, Citrine Wagtail in East Yorkshire, and Ridgway's Cackling Goose in Devon.

Otherwise, the record influx of Yellow-browed Warblers continued unabated, alongside 10 Richard's Pipits, at least five Glossy Ibises, four each of both Rose-coloured Starling and Red-breasted Flycatcher, three Little Buntings, two each of American Golden Plover and Bluethroat, and Pallas's Warblers in both Devon and Essex.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Saturday 3rd October 2015  
  New discoveries at Spurn, Yorkshire were headlined by a Pied Wheatear, alongside an Olive-backed Pipit and a Citrine Wagtail. Elsewhere, an Aquatic Warbler was on The Lizard, Cornwall this morning, a Gyr was at Moyasta, County Clare, another Citrine Wagtail was at Ballycotton, County Cork and single Red-throated Pipits were at Pilning, Gloucestershire, and Scatness and Fair Isle, both Shetland.

Lingering rarities included the Blyth's Pipit and Marsh Sandpiper in Norfolk (the former only being seen at 7am, and the latter in flight once), Pallid Harrier in Sussex, Lesser Yellowlegs in County Cork, Long-billed Dowitcher in Hampshire, Wilson's Phalarope in Essex, Semipalmated Sandpiper in Gloucestershire, Olive-backed Pipit in Shetland, Ridgway's Cackling Goose in Devon and Ferruginous Duck in Hampshire.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Friday 2nd October 2015  
  In Norfolk, a Blyth's Pipit was found this evening at Stiffkey, with a new Marsh Sandpiper nearby at Cley. Scotland produced an Olive-backed Pipit in Lerwick, Shetland and a Cackling Goose in Findhorn Bay, Moray.

Lingering rarities seen today included the Red-eyed Vireo in the Isles of Scilly, Pechora Pipit, Arctic Warbler, Blyth's Reed Warbler and Pallid Harrier in Shetland (with another of the latter in Sussex), Wilson's Phalarope in Essex, Semipalmated Sandpiper in Gloucestershire, Long-billed Dowitcher in Hampshire, Baird's Sandpiper in Argyll, Lesser Yellowlegs in County Cork and Ridgway's Cackling Goose in Devon.

Scarcity highlights were an Ortolan Bunting, a Hoopoe, a Wryneck, a Marsh Warbler, a Great Grey Shrike, two Red-backed Shrikes, two Rose-coloured Starlings, two Grey Phalaropes, two American Golden Plovers, three Pectoral Sandpipers, three Little Buntings, three Bluethroats, five Red-breasted Flycatchers, six Barred Warblers and seven Richard's Pipits.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Thursday 1st October 2015  
  Rarity sightings comprised Pechora Pipit, Arctic Warbler and Pallid Harrier (Shetland), Red-eyed Vireo (Isles of Scilly), Pallid Harrier (West Sussex), Northern Harrier (Orkney), Greater Yellowlegs (Isle of Wight), Long-billed Dowitcher (Hampshire), Wilson's Phalarope (Essex), Eastern Subalpine Warbler (East Yorkshire), Rustic Bunting and Ridgway's Cackling Goose (Devon), Semipalmated Sandpiper (Devon) and White-rumped Sandpiper and Lesser Yellowlegs (Co Cork).

The best of the rest included White-winged Black Tern (Lancashire), Common Rosefinch (Shetland), Dotterel (Shetland), Wryneck (Isles of Scilly), Glossy Ibis (Co Waterford), Ortolan Bunting (Co Durham), Red-necked Phalarope (Co Donegal), two Surf Scoters, two Red-backed Shrikes, three Bluethroats, three Little Buntings, four Pectoral Sandpipers, four Red-breasted Flycatcher, four Richard's Pipits, six Barred Warblers and up to eight Cattle Egrets.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Wednesday 30th September 2015  
  The Shetland Islands hosted Arctic Warbler, four Blyth's Reed Warblers and Pechora Pipit, whilst Isles of Scilly held the lingering Red-eyed Vireo. Elsewhere rarity sightings included a flyby Red-breasted Goose in Suffolk and Essex, Baird's Sandpiper in Argyll, Rustic Bunting in Devon, Pallid Harrier in West Sussex, Northern Harrier on Orkney, Wilson's Phalarope in Essex, Long-billed Dowitcher in Hampshire, Ridgway's Cackling Goose in Devon, Semipalmated Sandpiper in Gloucestershire and Red-footed Falcon in Lincolnshire.

The best of the rest included Little Bunting (Shetland), Surf Scoter (Lothian), American Wigeon (Orkney), White-winged Black Tern (Lancashire), Temminck's Stint (Norfolk), two American Golden Plovers, two Red-backed Shrikes, two Cattle Egrets, two Richard's Pipits, two Pectoral Sandpipers, three Wrynecks, four Bluethroats, six Red-breasted Flycatchers and 14 Barred Warblers.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Tuesday 29th September 2015  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of Pallid Harriers in both East Yorkshire at Spurn, and at Burpham, West Sussex. A Semipalmated Sandpiper was identified in Gloucestershire at Slimbridge, a Baird's Sandpiper was found on Turee, Argyll, and a Long-billed Dowitcher was new at The Gearagh, County Cork.

On the Shetland Isles the highlight of the day was a Pechora Pipit on Mainland at Loch of Norby, with supporting cast of Pallid Harrier, Blyth's Reed Warbler, Eastern Subalpine Warbler, Little Bunting, Richard's Pipit, Red-backed Shrike, Iceland Gull, two Common Rosefinches, three each of Bluethroat and Red-breasted Flycatcher, and a total of 112 Yellow-browed Warblers.

Elsewhere, the Red-eyed Vireo remained on the Isles of Scilly, as did the Semipalmated Sandpiper in County Kerry, Red-footed Falcon in Lincolnshire, Northern Harrier on the Orkney Isles, Ferruginous Duck in Hampshire and Ridgway's Cackling Goose in Devon. Scarcities included Woodchat Shrike (County Cork), Bluethroat (East Yorkshire), White-winged Black Tern (Lancashire), American Golden Plover (County Kerry), Wryneck and Temminck's Stint (both Norfolk), two each of Ortolan Bunting, Richard's Pipit and Buff-breasted Sandpiper, three of Red-breasted Flycatcher and Barred Warbler, and four Pectoral Sandpipers.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Monday 28th September 2015  
  A Swainson's Thrush on Sanday (Orkney) and Grey-cheeked Thrush on Mainland Shetland were today's headline discoveries. The Shetland Isles also produced Olive-backed Pipit, Pallid Harrier, Eastern Subalpine Warbler and Blyth's Reed Warbler. Elsewhere new discoveries comprised Semipalmated Sandpiper (Co Kerry), Blyth's Reed Warbler (East Yorkshire) and Ferruginous Ducks (Surrey and Hampshire), whilst Wilson's Phalarope (Essex), Ridgway's Cackling Goose (Devon), Red-footed Falcon (Lincolnshire), Long-billed Dowitcher (Hampshire), Arctic Warbler (East Yorkshire), Northern Harrier (Orkney) and Greater Yellowlegs (Isle of Wight) all lingered.

The best of the rest included Rose-coloured Starling (Cornwall), Purple Heron (Cambridgeshire), Dotterel (Gwynedd), Rough-legged Buzzard (Norfolk), two American Wigeons, two Ortolan Buntings, three American Golden Plovers, three Little Buntings, five Cattle Egrets, six Pectoral Sandpipers, six Red-breasted Flycatchers, six Wrynecks, eight Richard's Pipits, eight Bluethroats and 13 Barred Warblers.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Sunday 27th September 2015  
  The highlight of the day was another Lanceolated Warbler on the Shetland Isles, today on Fair Isle. Also around the archipelago today were Arctic and Eastern Subalpine Warbler, American Golden Plover, Bluethroat, two each of Pallid Harrier and Little Bunting, three of Barred Warbler and Common Rosefinch, four of both Blyth's Reed Warbler and Lapland Bunting, and 68 Yellow-browed Warblers.

Rarities discovered elsewhere comprised an Arctic Warbler in East Yorkshire in Kilnsea, Rustic Bunting in Devon on Lundy, Red-rumped Swallow in Cornwall at Porthcurno, Ferruginous Duck in Hampshire at Blashford Lakes, and a Cackling Goose in Devon at Starcross.

Lingering rarities confirmed as still present were the Forster's Tern in County Dublin, Long-billed Dowitcher in Hampshire, Wilson's Phalarope in Essex, Red-footed Falcon in Lincolnshire, Lesser Scaup and Hooded Merganser in Somerset, Northern Harrier on the Orkney Isles, and Azorean Yellow-legged Gull in County Cork.

Away from Shetland, scarcities included Melodious Warbler (Cornwall), Ortolan Bunting (Devon), Short-toed Lark (Isles of Scilly), Red-backed Shrike (Orkney Isles), White-winged Black Tern (Lincolnshire), Surf Scoter (Lothian), two American Golden Plovers, four each of Barred Warbler, Wryneck and Pectoral Sandpiper, five of Red-breasted Flycatcher and Richard's Pipit, and six Cattle Egrets.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Saturday 26th September 2015  
  In Shetland, a Lanceolated Warbler was trapped and ringed at Dale of Walls, Mainland, where it continued to show sporadically in the afternoon. A new Blyth's Reed Warbler was at Toab, whilst lingering rarities in the archipelago included the Arctic Warbler and Pallid Harrier on Unst and Subalpine Warbler sp at Mossbank, Mainland.

Further south, a drake Hooded Merganser was at Hawkridge Reservoir, Somerset, and a Subalpine Warbler sp was on St Mary's, Isles of Scilly.

Other lingering rarities seen today included the Red-eyed Vireo in the Isles of Scilly, Greater Yellowlegs on the Isle of Wight, Wilson's Phalarope in Essex, single Long-billed Dowitchers in Hampshire and County Wexford, Northern Harrier in Orkney and Red-footed Falcon in Lincolnshire.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Friday 25th September 2015  
  A Red-eyed Vireo was discovered on St Agnes, Isles of Scilly today, the first for the archipelago since 2011. At the other end of Britain a male Northern Harrier was on North Ronaldsay, Orkney, with a new Blyth's Reed Warbler and Subalpine Warbler species in nearby Shetland, at Virkie and Mossbank respectively. A Long-billed Dowitcher was seen at Rosslare, County Wexford.

Lingering rarities included the Greater Yellowlegs at Whippingham, Isle of Wight, Wilson's Phalarope at Vange, Essex, Long-billed Dowitcher at Keyhaven, Hampshire and Red-footed Falcon at Gibraltar Point, Lincolnshire. An Arctic Warbler, three Blyth's Reed Warblers and a Pallid Harrier all remained in Shetland.
-  Will Soar, RBA