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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Monday 12th March 2007  
  A male Lesser Scaup at Caerlaverock, Dumfries and Galloway was a new arrival and joined the long-staying female at this site. A Great White Egret put in a brief appearance at the Camel Estuary, Cornwall where the white Gyr, Dusky Warbler and American Wigeon all remained.

The Pacific Diver reappeared at Lly-y-Fran Reservoir, Pembrokeshire whilst over-wintering rarities included the Barrow's Goldeneye in Forth, Glossy Ibis in Lancashire, American Herring Gull in Co Galway and Spotted Sandpiper in Cornwall.

The White-billed Diver continued to show well at Hayle, Cornwall as did the pair of Red-breasted Geese at Wells, Norfolk, the White-tailed Eagle in Aberdeenshire, Lesser Scaup in Somerset and Long-billed Dowitcher in Suffolk.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Sunday 11th March 2007  
  Two new rarities were found today: a drake Lesser Scaup was at Blagdon Lake, Somerset and an Alpine Swift was reported flying north over Martin Mere WWT, Lancashire. Aside from these much of the focus of the day involved the first big arrivals of Sand Martins with numbers passing through over twenty sites. A total of 6 Wheatears were also recorded and large numbers of Chiffchaffs were heard singing across the country.

The two recently relocated Red-breasted Geese in Norfolk were deservedly popular, as was the Long-billed Dowitcher in Essex. Elsewhere the South-west continued to dominate the rarity headlines with White-billed Diver, Gyr Falcon, Spotted Sandpiper and Dusky Warbler all still present in Cornwall.
-  Simon Mitchell, RBA
Saturday 10th March 2007  
  Two Red-breasted Geese with Dark-bellied Brent Geese at Warham Greens, Norfolk was an interesting discovery and seem most likely to be the pair found in the Netherlands in early autumn 2006 before relocating to coastal Lincolnshire and spending the period 12th October to 23rd January 2007 there with a flock of over wintering Dark-bellied Brent Geese.

In Cornwall the white Gyr was again only seen at dawn whilst the White-billed Diver, Spotted Sandpiper and Dusky Warbler showed throughout the day. Elsewhere in England the Long-billed Dowitcher crossed the Suffolk-Essex border on several occasions and in Devon the Laughing Gull relocated to Bowling Green Marsh.

In Scotland Barrow's Goldeneye, Snowy Owl, White-tailed Eagle, Lesser Scaup all remained and in Wales the Black Scoter was seen again at Llanfairfechan, Conwy.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Friday 9th March 2007  
  Highlights today include the news that there are now two Snowy Owls on the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides and the discovery of a Long-billed Dowitcher on the Essex/Suffolk border near Manningtree. The Desert Wheatear at Irlam, Greater Manchester attracted a lot attention this morning though its stay was unfortunately brief.

In Cornwall the Gyr was again seen to roost at Stepper Point having left very early this morning. Also in Cornwall, the White-billed Diver continued to show well on the Hayle Estuary, where the Spotted Sandpiper remained and nearby the probable Central Asian Lesser Whitethroat (form halimodendri) was still in Lelant. Also, the Dusky Warbler was again seen on and off in Newquay.

In Devon Cattle Egret was present again today at Budleigh Salterton and the Laughing Gull was at Exeminster Marshes RSPB this morning. The Black-eared Kite was again around Dersingham Bog in Norfolk, the Pacific Diver was seen this morning again on Llys-y-Fran Reservoir, Pembrokeshire and the long-staying Long-billed Dowitcher was again at Oare Marshes in Kent. In Scotland, the Black-throated Thrush on Bute, Barrow's Goldeneye on Loch Venachar, untagged White-tailed Eagle at Loch of Strathbeg RSPB and Lesser Scaups at Caerlaverock and Benbecula were all still present.
-  Keith Langdon, RBA
Thursday 8th March 2007  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of a male Desert Wheatear well inland at Irlam, Greater Manchester. Desert Wheatear is one of the last vagrants to arrive in the autumn and is also one of the first vagrants to arrive in spring - although it is much more infrequent at this season, this being only the tenth such record for the British Isles. However, in this instance it was disappointing that news of this exciting find was not released earlier in the day.

Although neither the Great Spotted Cuckoo in Kent nor the Gyr in Cornwall could be located many other rarities remained on show including the Pacific Diver in Pembrokeshire, White-billed Diver, Spotted Sandpiper and Dusky Warbler in Cornwall, White-tailed Eagle in Aberdeenshire, Cattle Egret in Devon and Long-billed Dowitchers on Anglesey and in Kent.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Wednesday 7th March 2007  
  The highlight of the day was a Great Spotted Cuckoo at Dungeness, Kent. First glimpsed yesterday, this classic early spring rarity showed into the afternoon but remained elusive throughout.

Cornwall continued to support an impressive line-up of rarities with the white morph Gyr at Stepper Point, Dusky Warbler at Newquay and both White-billed Diver and Spotted Sandpiper on the Hayle Estuary.

Elsewhere, the Pacific Diver remained in Wales as did the Long-billed Dowitcher in Ireland with, Barrow's Goldeneye, Snowy Owl, presumed vagrant White-tailed Eagle and three Lesser Scaups all still present in Scotland.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Tuesday 6th March 2007  
  In south Wales, the Glaucous-winged Gull failed to put in an appearance all day in the Ferryside area of Carmarthenshire, much to the disappointment of many, as it continued to prove difficult to pin down. Nearby, in Pembrokeshire, the Pacific Diver did prove more obliging as it continued it's stay at Llys-y-Fran Reservoir. Cornwall continued to host some top quality birds, with the Gyr seen again at dawn at Stepper Point, the Franklin's Gull again at Hayle along with the White-billed Diver and Spotted Sandpiper and at Newquay the Dusky Warbler was still in residence. In Ireland a new adult Bonaparte's Gull was at Blennerville in County Kerry and the Long-billed Dowitcher remained at Dundalk Docks in County Louth.

Following recent arrivals of some early summer migrants, there were reports of House Martins in Norfolk and Dorset and double figures of Sand Martins in Devon.
-  Pete Hayman, RBA
Monday 5th March 2007  
  The Glaucous-winged Gull on the Tywi Estuary, Carmarthenshire was, once again, the highlight of the day for a select few. Present again near Ferryside for less than an hour in the late morning before departing to the south, it continues to frustrate many would-be twitchers.

Elsewhere, the Pacific Diver remained at Llys-y-Fran Reservoir, Pembrokeshire as did the Barrow's Goldeneye at Loch Venachar, Forth and the Black-eared Kite near Snettisham, Norfolk.

In Cornwall the white morph Gyr continued to use Stepper Point as a roost site and both the White-billed Diver and Spotted Sandpiper remained on the Hayle Estuary. Other lingering rarities included the Snowy Owl on the Western Isles, Cattle Egret in Devon and Lesser Scaups in both Dumfries and Galloway and Perth and Kinross.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Sunday 4th March 2007  
  For many birders it was a wet, dismal day in south Wales as the Glaucous-winged Gull was only seen very briefly near Ferryside in Carmarthenshire late in the afternoon. The Pacific Diver did remain on view, however, not far away at Llys-y-Fran Reservoir, in Pembrokeshire. Cornwall also still had many attractions, with the Gyr near Padstow, and the White-billed Diver at Hayle, topping the list. However, there was no sign today of yesterday's Franklin's Gull at Hayle, but the Spotted Sandpiper was still to be seen, with the American Wigeon still near Wadebridge and the Yellow-browed Warbler still in Penzance. In Devon, both the Cattle Egret at Otterton and the Surf Scoter at Beer remained. Other long-stayers included the Barrow's Goldeneye in Forth and Lesser Scaups in Dumfries & Galloway and Perth & Kinross. A White-tailed Eagle continued to entertain in Aberdeenshire as did a Lesser Snow Goose in Lancashire.

An American Golden Plover was a new find near Sleaford in Lincolnshire, with the only other new bird today being a possible Bonaparte's Gull near Nimmo's Pier in Galway, in Ireland.
-  Pete Hayman, RBA
Saturday 3rd March 2007  
  Today's highlight has again been the 3rd winter Glaucous-winged Gull in Carmarthenshire showing only occasionally for brief periods this afternoon. However, the Pacific Diver was far more obliging across the county border in Pembrokeshire and may have been some consolation for visiting birders who did not manage to catch a glimpse of the elusive gull.

Elsewhere, the Gyr was still around Stepper Point, though proving far more elusive than yesterday. Also in Cornwall the Franklin's Gull was again on the Hayle Estuary alongside the White-billed Diver and Spotted Sandpiper. The Dusky Warbler was also seen today in Newquay. Away from Cornwall, a Penduline Tit was seen again at Rainham Marshes, London.

In Scotland, a White-billed Diver was again off Lewis where the Snowy Owl was also seen again, as was the Bonaparte's Gull in Angus and the untagged White-tailed Eagle at the Loch of Strathbeg. The Barrow's Goldeneye in Forth, Lesser Scaup in Dumfries & Galloway and the Black-throated Thrush in Argyll were also still present.  In Ireland the Barrow's Goldeneye was seen again in Co.Down, the Forster's Tern and 4th winter American Herring Gull were both seen in Galway today
-  Keith Langdon, RBA