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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Thursday 4th October 2018  
  On Shetland a Lanceolated Warbler was discovered at (Mainland), a Pied-billed Grebe returned to Loch of Spiggie (Mainland) and a Blyth's Reed Warbler was confirmed at Skaw (Unst). Elsewhere on the archipelago Citrine Wagtails remained on Unst and Bressay and the White-crowned and the White-throated Sparrows were still on Foula. Scarcities included two American Golden Plovers, Marsh Warbler, Common Rosefinch and five Yellow-browed Warblers.

Isles of Scilly hosted Tawny Pipit, Buff-breasted Sandpiper, Common Rosefinch, Wryneck, Yellow-browed Warbler and two Rose-coloured Starling.

Away from Shetland and Isles of Scilly new discoveries included a Blyth's Reed Warbler (Barra, Western Isles) and Bonaparte's Gull (Co Waterford), whilst Brown Shrike (Cornwall), Lesser Yellowlegs (Cornwall, Suffolk and Western Isles), Pallid Harrier (Hertfordshire), Ferruginous Ducks (Hampshire and Suffolk), American White-winged Scoter (Lothian), King Eider (Moray) and Isabelline shrike sp (Western Isles) all lingered.

The best of the rest included Red-breasted Flycatcher (London), Hoopoe (Dorset), Barred Warbler (Northumberland), Red-necked Phalarope (Norfolk), Common Rosefinch (Argyll), two Red-backed Shrikes and American Golden Plovers, at least two Spotted Crakes (Hertfordshire), four Yellow-browed Warblers and at least four Wrynecks (all Cornwall).
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Wednesday 3rd October 2018  
  On the Shetland Isles new discoveries included a Pechora Pipit, presumed Eastern Yellow Wagtail, Citrine Wagtails and two Blyth's Reed Warblers, whilst White-crowned and White-throated Sparrows and Citrine Wagtail lingered, and scarcities included Marsh Warbler, Melodious Warbler, Red-backed Shrike, Spotted Crake, three American Golden Plovers and Common Rosefinches, nine Barred Warblers and at least 28 Yellow-browed Warblers.

Isles of Scilly produced lingering Tawny Pipit, as well as Common Rosefinch, Melodious Warbler, Red-breasted Flycatcher, Rose-coloured Starling and two Yellow-browed Warblers.

Away from Shetland and Scilly, new discoveries included Lesser Yellowlegs (Suffolk), Snowy Owl and two Blyth's Reed Warbler (Orkney) and Baird's Sandpiper (Moray), whilst Brown Shrike (Cornwall), Blue-winged Teal (Co Kerry), Ferruginous Ducks (Hampshire and Suffolk), Pallid Harrier (Hertfordshire), Lesser Scaup (Somerset) and Isabelline shrike sp (Western Isles).
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Tuesday 2nd October 2018  
  The highlight of the day was the continued presence of the River Warbler on Unst whilst around island totals from Shetland included the White-throated Sparrow and Buff-breasted Sandpiper both still on Foula, a Citrine Wagtail briefly on Bressay, Melodious Warbler, Marsh Warbler, two each of American Golden Plover, Barred Warbler and Lapland Bunting, three Common Rosefinches and eight Yellow-browed Warblers.

On the Isles of Scilly a Tawny Pipit remained on Bryher with Buff-breasted Sandpiper, Rose-coloured Starling, Red-breasted Flycatcher, Lapland Bunting, two Pectoral Sandpipers and two Yellow-browed Warblers present around the archipelago.

Rarities elsewhere were headlined by an Isabelline Shrike new on the Western Isles on Barra and a Blue-winged Teal discovered at Trabeg, County Kerry, with lingering rarities comprising the Brown Shrike still in Cornwall, American White-winged Scoter in Lothian, Pallid Harrier in Hertfordshire, Long-billed Dowitcher in Lincolnshire, Lesser Yellowlegs in both Dorset and the Western Isles, King Eider in Moray and Ferruginous Ducks in Essex, Hampshire and Suffolk.

Scarcities included Dotterel (Argyll), Great Shearwater (Cornwall), two each of Rose-coloured Starling, Red-backed Shrike, Yellow-browed Warbler, Red-necked Phalarope, Sabine's Gull, Spotted Crake, American Wigeon and Glossy Ibis, and six of both Pectoral Sandpiper and Long-tailed Skua.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Monday 1st October 2018  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of a River Warbler on Unst. Other notable birds on the Shetland Isles today comprised an American Buff-bellied Pipit new in on Foula where both the White-crowned Sparrow and White-throated Sparrow remain, with around island totals of Melodious Warbler, Short-toed Lark, Marsh Warbler, American Golden Plover, Buff-breasted Sandpiper, Lapland Bunting, Yellow-browed Warbler, Iceland Gull and two each of both Common Rosefinch and Barred Warbler.

On the Isles of Scilly a Tawny Pipit remained alongside Rose-coloured Starling, Pectoral Sandpiper, Lapland Bunting, two Red-breasted Flycatchers, three Common Rosefinches and seven Yellow-browed Warblers whilst 100 Great Shearwaters were logged offshore.

Rarities elsewhere comprised the Brown Shrike still in Cornwall, Olive-backed Pipit in Norfolk, American White-winged Scoter in Lothian, Pallid Harrier in Hertfordshire, Baird's Sandpiper and White-rumped Sandpiper together in County Londonderry, Long-billed Dowitcher in Lincolnshire, Lesser Yellowlegs in both Dorset and the Western Isles, Lesser Scaup in Somerset and Ferruginous Ducks in both Hampshire and Suffolk.

Other scarcities included American Golden Plover and Common Rosefinch (Orkney Isles), Rose-coloured Starling (Lothian), Red-necked Phalarope (County Wexford), Temminck's Stint (Hampshire), American Wigeon (Lancashire), Glossy Ibis (Leicestershire), Great Shearwater (East Yorkshire), two each of Hoopoe, Red-backed Shrike, Wryneck, Yellow-browed Warbler and Surf Scoter, three of Barred Warbler and Spotted Crake, four Lapland Buntings, five Buff-breasted Sandpipers, and seven each of Pectoral Sandpiper and Long-tailed Skua.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Sunday 30th September 2018  
  The ninth White-crowned Sparrow for Britain appeared on Foula, Shetland this morning, less than twelve months after the previous British record, also on Foula. The White-throated Sparrow also remained on the same island, making for an impressive double. A Brown Shrike was present for its second day in Cornwall at Soapy Cove, The Lizard.

Other new discoveries today included a Blyth's Reed Warbler at Lowestoft, Suffolk, single Citrine Wagtails on St Kilda, Western Isles and on Unst, Shetland, a Bee-eater at Burry Port, Carmarthenshire and a Baird's Sandpiper at Easington, Yorkshire.

Lingering rarities included American White-winged Scoter in Lothian, Ferruginous Duck in Suffolk, Lesser Yellowlegs in Dorset and Cornwall, Pallid Harrier in Hertfordshire and Tawny Pipit in Scilly.

Scarcity highlights included an Ortolan Bunting, a Melodious Warbler, two Red-backed Shrikes, two Rose-coloured Starlings, three Richard's Pipits, four Barred Warblers, five Wrynecks, six Lapland Buntings, ten Common Rosefinches, 16 Yellow-browed Warblers, three Spotted Crakes, two Honey Buzzards, a Glossy Ibis, three American Wigeon, a Dotterel, a Temminck's Stint, two American Golden Plovers, two Buff-breasted Sandpipers, eight Grey Phalaropes, ten Pectoral Sandpipers, a Little Auk, a Sabine's Gull, a Long-tailed Skua, 15 Pomarine Skuas, 12 Leach's Petrels and an Iceland Gull.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Saturday 29th September 2018  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of a Blue-winged Teal in County Galway on Inishmore. Rarities elsewhere included the American White-winged Scoter still in Lothian, Pallid Harriers in both Hertfordshire and Norfolk, Baird's Sandpiper in County Londonderry, Lesser Yellowlegs in both Cornwall and Dorset, King Eider in Moray and Ferruginous Duck in Suffolk.

On the Shetland Isles the White-throated Sparrow remained on Foula with around island totals of Icterine Warbler, Lapland Bunting, Sabine's Gull and three each of both Barred Warbler and Common Rosefinch. Meanwhile, on the Isles of Scilly Tawny Pipit, Ortolan Bunting, Lapland Bunting, Pectoral Sandpiper and Yellow-browed Warbler were all logged.

Scarcities elsewhere comprised Buff-breasted Sandpiper (East Sussex), Woodchat Shrike (Lothian), Common Rosefinch (County Cork), Red-backed Shrike (Argyll), Purple Heron (Cambridgeshire), Red-necked Phalarope (East Yorkshire), Temminck's Stint (Hampshire), Dotterel (Cornwall), Corncrake (Gwynedd), Sabine's Gull (Aberdeenshire), Long-tailed Skua (Lothian), two each of Richard's Pipit, Spotted Crake, Glossy Ibis and Great Shearwater, three of Rose-coloured Starling, Hoopoe and Wryneck, five Lapland Buntings, 10 Pectoral Sandpipers and 14 Yellow-browed Warblers.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Friday 28th September 2018  
  The Shetland Isles hosted White-throated Sparrow, Buff-breasted Sandpiper, Ortolan Bunting, American Golden Plover, three Barred Warblers and ten Common Rosefinches, whilst Isles of Scilly produced two Tawny Pipits and Ortolan Buntings, Pectoral Sandpiper and Wryneck.

Elsewhere lingering rarities comprised American White-winged Scoter (Lothian), Pallid Harrier (Norfolk), Baird's and White-rumped Sandpipers (Co Derry), Bonaparte's Gull (Co Sligo), Lesser Yellowlegs (Cornwall and Dorset), Long-billed Dowitcher (Lincolnshire) and Ferruginous Duck (Suffolk). In Norfolk a Fea's-type Petrel flew past Blakeney Point, but sadly it was not reported until well after the event.

Away from Scilly and Shetland, the best of the scarcities included Short-toed Lark (Somerset), Woodchat Shrike (Lothian), Barred Warbler (Western Isles), Temminck's Stint (Hampshire), Rough-legged Buzzard (Aberdeenshire), two Rose-coloured Starlings, Buff-breasted Sandpipers and Common Rosefinches, three Yellow-browed Warblers and 11 Pectoral Sandpipers.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Thursday 27th September 2018  
  Today's best new discoveries concerned Nearctic waders - a Stilt Sandpiper in Co Donegal, Baird's Sandpiper in Co Derry, a White-rumped Sandpiper in Lincolnshire and Lesser Yellowlegs on Western Isles.

Lingering rarities included Hooded Merganser (Co Galway), Black Duck (Highland), Ferruginous Duck (Suffolk), American White-winged Scoter (Lothian), Pallid Harriers (Norfolk and Hertfordshire), Lesser Yellowlegs (Dorset and Cornwall) and King Eider (Ceredigion).

Isles of Scilly hosted two Tawny Pipits, Ortolan Bunting, Common Rosefinch, Wryneck and Yellow-browed Warbler, whilst the Shetland Isles produced White-throated Sparrow, Ortolan Bunting, Red-backed Shrike, Barred Warbler, Golden Oriole, Buff-breasted Sandpiper and eight Common Rosefinches.

The best of the rest included Common Rosefinch (Pembrokeshire), Dotterel (Cornwall), Icterine Warbler (Co Cork), Rose-coloured Starling and Woodchat Shrike (Lothian), Temminck's Stint (Hampshire), American Golden Plover (Norfolk), Red-backed Shrike (Orkney), two Spotted Crakes, three Wrynecks and Buff-breasted Sandpipers, five Yellow-browed Warblers and Glossy Ibises and eleven Pectoral Sandpipers.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Wednesday 26th September 2018  
  New discoveries included at least one Tawny Pipit on Isles of Scilly and Red-rumped Swallow in Dorset, whilst Hooded Merganser (Co Galway), Snowy Owl (Western Isles), Ferruginous Duck (Suffolk), White-throated Sparrow (Shetland), Pallid Harriers (Norfolk and Hertfordshire), King Eider (Moray), American White-winged Scoter (Lothian), Long-billed Dowitcher (Lincolnshire) and Lesser Yellowlegs (Dorset) all lingered.

The best of the rest included Woodchat Shrike (Lothian), Icterine Warbler (Co Cork), Temminck's Stint (Hampshire), two Ortolan Buntings, Spotted Crakes, Wrynecks, Barred Warblers and Golden Orioles, three Buff-breasted Sandpipers, Rose-coloured Starlings, American Golden Plovers and Red-backed Shrikes, four Yellow-browed Warblers, nine Common Rosefinches and 12 Pectoral Sandpipers.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Tuesday 25th September 2018  
  New rarities today were all ducks with a Hooded Merganser found in Streamstown Bay, County Galway, a King Eider in Findhorn Bay, Moray and a Ferruginous Duck in Suffolk at Minsmere.

On the Shetland Isles the White-throated Sparrow remained on Foula whilst other scarcities around the islands today comprised Golden Oriole, Bluethroat, Red-backed Shrike, Lapland Bunting and five Common Rosefinches. Meanwhile on the Isles of Scilly Ortolan Bunting, Common Rosefinch, Wryneck, Pectoral Sandpiper and two Yellow-browed Warblers were all logged.

Lingering rarities elsewhere comprised the American White-winged Scoter still in Lothian, Pallid Harriers in both Hertfordshire and Norfolk, Long-billed Dowitcher in Lincolnshire, Lesser Yellowlegs in Dorset and King Eider in Gwynedd. Whilst scarcities included Richard's Pipit (East Sussex), Common Rosefinch (East Yorkshire), Temminck's Stint (Hampshire), Yellow-browed Warbler (Kent), Cory's Shearwater (Aberdeenshire), two each of Woodchat Shrike, Rose-coloured Starling, Wryneck, American Golden Plover and Glossy Ibis, three of Buff-breasted Sandpiper and Spotted Crake, and a total of ten Pectoral Sandpipers.
-  Chris Batty, RBA