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| Thursday 22nd March 2007 | ||
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| The highlight of the day was two White-billed Divers located at opposite ends of the country; one off Lewis, Western Isles and one at Sennen Cove, Cornwall - and both accompanied by juvenile
American Herring Gulls! A further juvenile American Herring Gull was identified on The Mullet, Co Mayo. The Glossy Ibis reappeared near Lytham, Lancashire as did a Lesser Scaup at Loch Leven, Perth and Kinross. The Laughing Gull remained at Exeter, Devon as did the two Snowy Owls on Lewis, Western Isles. Other over-wintering rarities reported as still present today comprised the Spotted Sandpiper in Cornwall, Cattle Egret in Devon and Long-billed Dowitchers in both Cornwall and Co Louth. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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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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| Wednesday 21st March 2007 | ||
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| The frustratingly elusive Gyr made another two-minute appearance
at Pentire Point, Cornwall this evening. Elsewhere in the southwest the
Spotted Sandpiper and American Herring Gull remained in Cornwall and
Laughing Gull and Cattle Egret were both still in Devon. Norfolk
produced the two Red-breasted Geese, Long-billed Dowitchers were
once again seen in Kent and Anglesey and on the Western Isles, Lewis continued
to host both American Herring Gull and Snowy Owl.
Elsewhere the Hoopoe was still in Somerset and first-winter Ring-billed Gulls were located on Isles of Scilly and in Shropshire. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Tuesday 20th March 2007 | ||
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| Two new finds today were both Nearctic gulls - a cracking first-winter
American Herring Gull on Tiree, Argyll and a Bonaparte's Gull at
Midleton, Co Cork.
Elsewhere winter weather continued to halt a mass invasion of summer migrants, but long-staying rarities included the White-billed Diver and Spotted Sandpiper in Cornwall, Laughing Gull and Cattle Egret in Devon, Lesser Scaup in Somerset, American Herring Gull on Lewis, Western Isles, the pair of Red-breasted Geese in Norfolk, Pacific Diver in Pembrokeshire and Long-billed Dowitcher on Anglesey. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Monday 19th March 2007 | ||
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| Bitter northerly winds and snow in some parts of the country meant that it
was long-staying rarities rather than an influx of spring migrants that created
today's headlines. These included the showy White-billed Diver and
Spotted Sandpiper in Cornwall, Laughing Gull in Devon, Long-billed
Dowitchers in Kent and on the Suffolk/Essex border, Pacific Diver in
Pembrokeshire, American Herring Gull in Cornwall, Lesser Scaup in
Somerset and Snowy Owl on Lewis, Western Isles.
In Somerset the Hoopoe continued to entertain and a scattering of Leach's Petrels were observed off the north Wales coastline. In Ireland the 1st-winter female Lesser Scaup in Co Cavan was relocated on another lake near Belturbet, the Long-billed Dowitcher remained in Co Louth and the American Herring Gull was still in Co Galway. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Sunday 18th March 2007 | ||
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| Strong north-west winds across much of the country somewhat put the brakes on
spring migration, but despite this, a Hoopoe was found at Knighton in
north Somerset, and a Purple Heron was reported at Doxey Marshes in
Staffordshire. The winds brought in some very unseasonal seabirds with 33 Little
Auks past The Butt of Lewis on the Western Isles and Leach's Petrels
recorded in Aberdeenshire, Argyll (seven birds) and Conwy. Kittiwakes
appeared inland in Herefordshire and Berkshire, and a Fulmar was found by
gull watchers inland at Wheldrake Ings in Yorkshire.
Although no new rarities were found, the Black-throated Thrush was seen again on the Isle of Bute, the two Snowy Owls were again on Lewis and the Lesser Scaup was relocated near Belturbet in County Cavan. Two American Herring Gulls were reported in Cornwall, with two others still on Lewis and in County Galway. Regulars still present included the Pacific Diver in Pembrokeshire, the two Red-breasted Geese in Norfolk, Lesser Scaup at Blagdon Lake in Somerset, White-billed Diver in Cornwall and Laughing Gull near Exeter in Devon. |
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| - Pete Hayman, RBA | ||
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| Saturday 17th March 2007 | ||
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| Three new rarities were located today though all three were difficult to
access. On Shetland a fine drake King Eider was seen for the first time
since early Jan off Symbister, Whalsay and on the Outer Hebridies a probable
1st-winter American Herring Gull was on Lewis. In London a Ferrugious
Duck was reported from William Girling Reservoir but access here is
restricted.
The Red-breasted Geese performed well again in Norfolk, as did the Long-billed Dowitcher in Essex. The Lesser Scaup was seen again in Somerset and Cornwall continued to host a superb cast of American Herring Gull, Spotted Sandpiper, White-billed Diver and Gyr Falcon. Over 75 Iceland Gulls were reported from across the UK and Ireland (50 of these at Killybegs in Donegal) and there were also at least 15 Glaucous Gulls. These numbers look set to increase even more next week with strong Northerly and North-westerly winds expected. Hopefully one or two rarer arctic gulls may also be drifted south. |
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| - Simon Mitchell, RBA | ||
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| Friday 16th March 2007 | ||
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| Two new rarities were found today a White-billed Diver seen close
inshore from Whalsay, Shetland and yet another Lesser Scaup in Ireland,
this time a drake at Lough Erne in County Cavan.
The Red-breasted Geese were seen again in Norfolk for the first time in a couple of days. The Pacific Diver was also seen again in Pembrokeshire and the Snowy Owl on Lewis was also located for the first time in a few days. Other long-staying rarities included the elusive Gyr Falcon, the White-billed Diver, Spotted Sandpiper and Dusky Warbler all still in Cornwall and the Laughing Gull in Devon. Away from the South-west the Long-billed Dowitcher remained in Essex, as did the Glossy Ibis in Lancashire. Spring migrants continue to arrive with Sand Martins and Chiffchaffs now being recorded on most local patches southwards from the midlands. A notable arrival of Wheatears today included at least 20 at Portland, Dorset. |
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| - Simon Mitchell, RBA | ||
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| Thursday 15th March 2007 | ||
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| A quieter day today with no new rarities being reported, though plenty of
commoner spring migrants continue to arrive. Chiffchaff and Sand
Martin are both now abundant, there are plenty of Wheatears, White
Wagtails and Little Ringed Plovers, while Ospreys, Swallows,
House Martins, Willow Warblers and the odd Ring Ouzel are
also being reported.
On the rarity front, Cornwall is still leading the way with the White-billed Diver and Spotted Sandpiper both still on the Hayle Estuary, the Gyr is still present, though it is now roosting at Pentire Point and the American Herring Gull roosted again on St.Clement's Island. Elsewhere, the Long-billed Dowitchers were again on the Stour estuary on the Essex/Suffolk border and in Dundalk docks in Co.Louth, the Laughing Gull was still at Matford Pools in Devon and the Glossy Ibis was again at Ballam in Lancashire. In Scotland, the Barrow's Goldenye was today in the centre Callander in Forth and the White-tailed Eagle was once more at the Loch of Strathbeg RSPB in Aberdeenshire. |
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| - Keith Langdon, RBA | ||
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| Wednesday 14th March 2007 | ||
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| A Rustic Bunting was a surprise find at Saltfleetby, Lincolnshire. An
American Herring Gull was a more predictable discovery at Killybegs, Co Donegal with the continued presence of other
American Herring Gulls confirmed at Mousehole, Cornwall and Nimmo's Pier, Co Galway. Additional evidence of early spring movement by vagrants came from six Green-winged
Teals, two American Wigeons together in East Yorkshire and a Common Crane in Oxfordshire. In Cornwall the Gyr was reported again but, unlike the White-billed Diver, Spotted Sandpiper and Dusky Warbler in the same county, it managed to avoid the many visiting birders. Over-wintering rarities included the Glossy Ibis in Lancashire, Long-billed Dowitcher on Anglesey and Red-breasted Geese in Norfolk. The Laughing Gull showed again in Devon as did the White-tailed Eagle in Aberdeenshire and the Long-billed Dowitcher on the Essex/Suffolk border. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Tuesday 13th March 2007 | ||
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| Another day of warm weather produced further arrivals of Chiffchaffs, Sand
Martins and Wheatears, along with one or two early Willow Warblers.
With these came an adult Night Heron on St.Mary's on the Scillies, the
second of the year, following one in south Devon on Sunday. The Long-billed
Dowitcher remained on the Essex/Suffolk border at Mistley Walls and, in
Norfolk, the two adult Red-breasted Geese continued to entertain at
Wells. The first winter Laughing Gull put in another appearance near
Exeter, this time at Countess Wear, and the drake Lesser Scaup remained
at Blagdon Lake in Somerset. However, at Caerlaverock, only one Lesser Scaup
remained, the long-staying female.
The Gyr put in another brief appearance near Polzeath in north Cornwall, but the White-billed Diver remained more confiding on the Hayle Estuary. Elsewhere long-stayers included the Dusky Warbler at Newquay, the White-tailed Eagle in Aberdeenshire, the Glossy Ibis in Lancashire, the Black-eared Kite in Norfolk, the Little Bunting in Hertfordshire and the Grey Phalarope on the River Thames in London. |
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| - Pete Hayman, RBA | ||
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