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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Tuesday 20th October 2015  
  An excellent day for discoveries with a Brown Shrike in Cornwall at Porthgwarra, a Siberian Rubythroat on the Shetland Isles on Fair Isle, a White's Thrush on the Shetland Isles on Unst, and three new Red-flanked Bluetails: in County Cork at Mizen Head, Kent at Sandwich Bay, and  Gibraltar Point, Lincolnshire.

Rarities confirmed as still present were the Pallid Harrier in County Mayo, Blyth's Pipit, Red-flanked Bluetail and Olive-backed Pipit on the Isles of Scilly, Greater Yellowlegs on the Isle of Wight, Red-flanked Bluetail, Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler and Olive-backed Pipit in Norfolk, Gull-billed Tern in County Kerry, Siberian Stonechat in East Yorkshire, Dusky Warbler in Lincolnshire, Long-billed Dowitcher in Hampshire, Northern Harrier on the Orkney Isles, and Lesser Sacup in Glamorgan.

Significant late news from Cornwall concerned a White's Thrush reported yesterday at Porthgwarra, and on Saturday a Pied Wheatear at Botallack.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Monday 19th October 2015  
  The highlight of the day was a Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler on Fair Isle, Shetland, there alongside Radde's Warbler, Olive-backed Pipit, Ortolan Bunting, Little Bunting and Bluethroat.

In Norfolk two Red-flanked Bluetails remained alongside two Isabelline Shrikes, Olive-backed Pipit, Red-throated Pipit, Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler, Blyth's Reed Warbler, Pallas's Warbler and Little Bunting.

On the Isles of Scilly the Hudsonian Whimbrel was seen again, as well as the Blyth's Pipit, Red-flanked Bluetail, an Olive-backed Pipit, Short-toed Lark and two Little Buntings.

Elsewhere, a Pallid Harrier was discovered in County Mayo, the Isabelline Shrike remained in Devon, as did a Penduline Tit in Suffolk, Gull-billed Tern in County Kerry, Siberian Stonechat in East Yorkshire, Dusky Warblers on East Yorkshire, Lincolnshire and the Shetland Isles (2), Long-billed Dowitcher in Hampshire, Bonaparte's Gull in Devon, Lesser Scaup in County Mayo, and Northern Harrier on the Orkney Isles.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Sunday 18th October 2015  
  New rarities today comprised a Red-flanked Bluetail and an Olive-backed Pipit at Hemsby, Norfolk (with others of the latter species at Brevig, Western Isles, Whitburn, County Durham, Hartlepool, Cleveland and Portland, Dorset), two Penduline Tits at Minsmere RSPB, Suffolk, Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler at Kingsdown, Kent, Red-throated Pipit on Tresco, Isles of Scilly, Lesser Scaup on Achill Island, County Mayo and single White-rumped Sandpipers at Loch of Strathbeg RSPB, Aberdeenshire and Blennerville, County Kerry.

Rarities lingering in Norfolk included two Red-flanked Bluetails, two Isabelline Shrikes, an Olive-backed Pipit, a Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler and a Blyth's Reed Warbler. Scilly continued to hold the Hudsonian Whimbrel, Blyth's Pipit and Red-flanked Bluetail, whilst Shetland still had a Radde's Warbler and two Dusky Warblers.

Other lingerers included the Gull-billed Tern in County Kerry, Isabelline Shrike and Bonaparte's Gull in Devon, Siberian Stonechat, Olive-backed Pipit and Dusky Warbler in Yorkshire (with another of the latter still in Cornwall), Greater Yellowlegs on the Isle of Wight, White-rumped Sandpiper in Northumberland and Long-billed Dowitcher in Hampshire.

There were no sightings of the Wilson's Warbler on Lewis.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Saturday 17th October 2015  
  New discoveries today included an American Herring Gull near St Just, Cornwall, a Gull-billed Tern near Tralee, County Kerry, a Dusky Warbler at Dale of Walls, Shetland, a Radde's Warbler at Kenidjack Valley, Cornwall and a Black Kite near Farnborough, Hampshire.

Rarities lingering in Norfolk included two Red-flanked Bluetails, two Isabelline Shrikes, an Olive-backed Pipit, a Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler and a Blyth's Reed Warbler. Scilly continued to hold the Hudsonian Whimbrel, Blyth's Pipit and Red-throated Pipit, whilst Shetland still had a Red-flanked Bluetail, an Olive-backed Pipit, a Radde's Warbler and another Dusky Warbler.

Other lingering rarities included the Wilson's Warbler in the Western Isles, Northern Harrier in Orkney, Siberian Stonechat in Yorkshire, Isabelline Shrike in Devon, single Dusky Warblers in Cornwall, Lincolnshire, Yorkshire and Northumberland, Blyth's Reed Warbler in County Cork, Long-billed Dowitcher in Hampshire, White-rumped Sandpiper in Northumberland and Lesser Scaup in County Kerry.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Friday 16th October 2015  
  In Kent, a Short-toed Treecreeper was in the trapping area at Dungeness this afternoon. Three new Red-flanked Bluetails were found today, at Kergord, Shetland, Wells Woods, Norfolk and Low Newton-by-the-Sea, Northumberland, new Dusky Warblers were at Flamborough, Yorkshire and Farne Islands, Northumberland, and a Lesser Scaup was on Lough Gill, County Kerry.

Lingering rarities included the Wilson's Warbler in the Western Isles, Hudsonian Whimbrel, Blyth's Pipit, Siberian Stonechat and Red-flanked Bluetail in the Isles of Scilly, Isabelline Shrikes in Devon and Norfolk (two), Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler and Red-flanked Bluetail in Norfolk, single Blyth's Reed Warblers in Norfolk and County Cork, Dusky Warbler in Cornwall, Radde's Warbler in Shetland, another Siberian Stonechat in Yorkshire, single Olive-backed Pipits in Norfolk and Yorkshire and White-rumped Sandpiper in Northumberland.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Thursday 15th October 2015  
  Another great day for rarity sightings was headlined by the continued presence of the Wilson's Warbler on Lewis, Western Isles.

Norfolk hosted three Isabelline Shrikes, at least two Hume's Yellow-browed Warblers, Olive-backed Pipit, Blyth's Reed Warbler, Red-flanked Bluetail and Radde's Warbler, Isles of Scilly held a Hudsonian Whimbrel, Siberian Stonechat, Blyth's Pipit, Red-throated Pipit and Red-flanked Bluetail, whilst Shetland produced Blyth's Pipit, three Olive-backed Pipit, Siberian Stonechat and Radde's Warbler. Elsewhere an Arctic Warbler, Lesser Yellowlegs and Blyth's Reed Warbler in Co Cork, two Olive-backed Pipits and a Siberian Stonechat in East Yorkshire, Two-barred Crossbill in Co Mayo, Isabelline Shrike, Bonaparte's Gull and Ridgway's Cackling Goose in Devon, Dusky Warbler in Cornwall, Northern Harrier on Orkney, White-rumped Sandpiper in Northumberland, Long-billed Dowitcher in Hampshire, Bonaparte's Gull in Moray, Semipalmated Sandpiper in Gloucestershire and Dusky Warbler in Lincolnshire were all reported.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Wednesday 14th October 2015  
  The Wilson's Warbler lingered on Lewis (Western Isles) for its second day. Elsewhere rarity sightings comprised Pied Wheatear, Siberian Stonechat, two Olive-backed Pipits, Radde's Warbler, Blyth's Reed Warbler, Dusky Warbler and Pallid Harrier on Shetland, Blyth's Pipit, Red-throated Pipit and Red-flanked Bluetail on Isles of Scilly, two Isabelline Shrikes, Red-flanked Bluetail and Blyth's Reed Warbler in Norfolk, White-rumped Sandpiper in Northumberland, Olive-backed Pipit and Siberian Stonechat in East Yorkshire, Isabelline Shrike in Devon, Dusky Warbler in Lincolnshire, Olive-backed Pipit in Dorset, Northern Harrier in Orkney and Semipalmated Sandpiper in Gloucestershire.

The best of the rest included Surf Scoter (Angus), Spotted Crake (Cheshire), Temminck's Stint (West Yorkshire), Purple Heron (Somerset), Short-toed Lark (Isles of Scilly), White-winged Black Tern (Shropshire), Serin (Isles of Scilly), Melodious Warbler (Isles of Scilly), Corncrake (Lincolnshire), two Pectoral Sandpipers, two Rose-coloured Starlings, two Red-backed Shrike, three American Wigeons, three Common Rosefinches, three Pallas's Warblers, four Barred Warbler, four American Golden Plovers, four Red-breasted Flycatcher, seven Glossy Ibises, eight Little Buntings and nine Richard's Pipits.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Tuesday 13th October 2015  
  Spectacular news today with Britain's second Wilson's Warbler discovered in the Western Isles, on Lewis at Port Nis; a male discovered in the mid afternoon, it remained until late in the evening, although it did prove elusive.

On the Isles of Scilly Blyth's Pipit, Red-throated Pipit and Radde's Warbler were all found on St Mary's, with Red-flanked Bluetail still on St Agnes, as well as Short-toed Lark, Common Rosefinch and two Little Buntings around the islands.

On the Shetland Isles Pechora Pipit, Siberian Stonechat, Blyth's Reed Warbler, Rustic Bunting, Easterm Subalpine Warbler, three each of Olive-backed Pipit, Bluethroat and Glossy Ibis, and a total of six Little Buntings was logged.

Elsewhere, Pechora Pipit and Northern Harrier were together on the Orkney Isles on North Ronaldsay, Red-flanked Bluetail, Isabelline Shrike, Blyth's Reed Warbler and Dusky Warbler in Norfolk, two Red-flanked Bluetails in East Yorkshire, Olive-backed Pipit in Dorset, Greater Yellowlegs on the Isle of Wight, Semipalmated Sandpiper in Gloucestershire, Long-billed Dowitcher and Ferruginous Duck in Hampshire, and Ridgway's Cackling Goose in Devon.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Monday 12th October 2015  
  An excellent selection of rarities were available today. In Norfolk Isabelline Shrike, Red-flanked Bluetail, two Radde's Warblers, Dusky Warbler, White-rumped Sandpiper were all on show, Shetland produced Lanceolated Warbler, Eastern Subalpine Warbler, Dusky Warbler, Siberian Stonechat, three Olive-backed Pipits and Blyth's Reed Warbler, whilst Isles of Scilly continued to host Red-flanked Bluetail, Dusky Warbler and Arctic Warbler. Elsewhere Pallid Harriers in Fife and Northumberland, Red-flanked Bluetails in East Yorkshire (2) and Orkney, Olive-backed Pipits in Fife (2) and Orkney, Radde's Warbler in East Yorkshire, Ridgway's Cackling Goose in Devon, Long-billed Dowitcher in Hampshire, Bonaparte's Gull in Moray and Semipalmated Sandpiper in Gloucestershire were also recorded.

The best of the rest included Red-backed Shrike (Co Cork), Short-toed Lark (Scilly), White-winged Black Tern (Shropshire), Common Rosefinch (Shetland), Pectoral Sandpiper (Cheshire), Shorelark (Northumberland), Rough-legged Buzzard (West Midlands), two Rose-coloured Starlings, two Barred Warblers, two Wrynecks, two American Golden Plovers, three Hoopoes, four Bluethroats, six Red-breasted Flycatchers, six Pallas's Warblers, nine Great Grey Shrikes, nine Little Buntings and 14 Richard's Pipits.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Sunday 11th October 2015  
  Headline discoveries on a busy day were Red-flanked Bluetail, Dusky Warbler and Arctic Warbler on Isles of Scilly, Radde's Warbler, Dusky Warbler and Isabelline Shrike in Norfolk, Arctic Warbler in Co Galway, Olive-backed Pipit in Fife, Red-throated Pipit in Borders, Rustic Bunting in Lincolnshire and Red-flanked Bluetail, two Olive-backed Pipits and Dusky Warbler on Shetland.

In addition to the new rarities above, Isles of Scilly also hosted five Little Buntings, two Red-backed Shrikes, Short-toed Lark, Red-breasted Flycatcher, Corncrake and Serin, whilst the Shetland Isles produced Eastern Subalpine Warbler, two Olive-backed Pipits, two Richard's Pipits, two Barred Warblers, Little Bunting and American Golden Plover.

Elsewhere lingering rarities included Alpine Swift (Cornwall), Bonaparte's Gull (Moray), Black Scoter (Co Kerry), Long-billed Dowitcher (Hampshire), Greater Yellowlegs (Isle of Wight), Semipalmated Sandpiper (Gloucestershire) and Ridgway's Cackling Goose (Devon).

The best of the rest included 12 Richard's Pipits, five Great Grey Shrikes, five Pallas's Warblers, five Little Buntings, four Glossy Ibises, three Hoopoes, three Rose-coloured Starlings, three Barred Warblers, three Wrynecks, two Pectoral Sandpipers, two Bluethroats, two Common Rosefinches, two Red-backed Shrikes, two Red-breasted Flycatchers, two American Golden Plovers, Serin (Norfolk), Spotted Crake (Cheshire), Temminck's Stint (Orkney) and Dotterel (Co Cork).
-  Stuart Piner, RBA