 |
|
|
| Sunday 2nd December 2007 | ||
|
||
| Much the same as yesterday, as nearly all the lingering rarities continued to
perform well. Both Desert Wheatears showed very well, despite the dismal
weather, and the White-tailed Eagle in Hampshire was seen this morning,
but no reports were received since. A Cattle Egret was mobile around Pennington Flash Country Park, Greater Manchester, with another relocating to Drift Reservoir, Cornwall. The Long-billed Dowitcher was seen again at Bowling Green Marsh, Devon, the Lesser Yellowlegs and Bonaparte's Gull both remained in Angus, with another in Aberdeenshire. Nearby, the pair of King Eider were seen off Girdle Ness. Barrow's Goldeneye, American Buff-bellied Pipit and Forster's Tern were all still in Ireland. |
||
| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
|
||
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.
|
|
|
| Saturday 1st December 2007 | ||
|
||
| The female King Eider off Girdle Ness, Aberdeenshire, attracted a
first winter male today, both birds showing well. The two Bonaparte's Gulls
in Scotland also showed well today, as did the Lesser Yellowlegs at
Montrose Basin, Angus. A Great White Egret flew over Barrow GPs, Derbyshire mid afternoon. This bird has been seen on a number of occasions recently, and it is hoped that it will find somewhere to its liking locally. Other Great White Egrets included the long staying birds in Lancashire and Hampshire, and Cattle Egrets remained near Penzance, Cornwall, and at Upton Country Park, Dorset. The White-tailed Eagle in Hampshire proved to be very mobile today, with many birders spending several hours searching the area before connecting. The two Desert Wheatears on the east coast were, however, far more obliging. |
||
| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
|
||
|
|
|
| Friday 30th November 2007 | ||
|
||
| As November drew to a close several rarities continued to linger. The
juvenile White-tailed Eagle in Hampshire continued to attract the most
attention - the bird's colour-ring combination has proved difficult to observe,
but if the reports are accurate, then the bird is likely to be from a nest in
Finnish Lapland.
Elsewhere the two Desert Wheatears (in Norfolk and North Yorkshire) were both still on show, and in West Sussex a Red-breasted Goose hopped over the Hampshire border with the Dark-bellied Brent Goose flock in Chichester Harbour. The Bonaparte's Gull was still at Peterhead, Aberdeenshire, and the Lesser Yellowlegs remained on the Montrose Basin, Angus. In Warwickshire the Lesser Scaup continued its stay at Draycote Water, two Wilson's Snipes were still on St Mary's, Isles of Scilly, and the Forster's Tern was once again seen at Cruisetown Strand, Co Louth. |
||
| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
|
||
|
|
|
| Thursday 29th November 2007 | ||
|
||
| A fine selection of rarities continued to linger including two Desert
Wheatears (in Norfolk and North Yorkshire), a juvenile White-tailed Eagle
near Andover, Hampshire, Long-billed Dowitcher in Devon, Bonaparte's
Gulls in Aberdeenshire and Angus, Pacific Diver off Marazion,
Cornwall, Barrow's Goldeneye in Co Down, Lesser Scaup in
Warwickshire and Lesser Yellowlegs in Angus.
Two Wilson's Snipes were present on St Mary's, Isles of Scilly, and at least ten Cattle Egrets were available in southern England (at least five in Dorset, and five in Cornwall). Great White Egrets remained in Lancashire and Hampshire. |
||
| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
|
||
|
|
|
| Wednesday 28th November 2007 | ||
|
||
| The highlight of the day was the confirmation of the identity of a Lesser Scaup at Draycote Water, Warwickshire. In Gloucestershire an
American Golden Plover was at Slimbridge, in Dorset a Cattle Egret at Upton and in Suffolk a Great White Egret at Felixstowe Ferry. The Pacific Diver remained in Cornwall as did the Wilson's Snipe on the Isles of Scilly, White-tailed Eagle and Red-breasted Goose in Hampshire, Desert Wheatears in both Norfolk and North Yorkshire, Lesser Yellowlegs in both Angus and County Cork, Long-billed Dowitchers in both Devon and County Londonderry, Lesser Scaup and two White-billed Divers on the Shetland Isles, Bonaparte's Gull in Aberdeenshire, five Cattle Egrets in Cornwall and the Great White Egret in County Londonderry. |
||
| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
|
||
|
|
|
| Tuesday 27th November 2007 | ||
|
||
| Long-staying rarities provided the highlights today with the Pacific Diver at Marazion Cornwall,
White-tailed Eagle at Cholderton Hampshire and Desert Wheatears at both Horsey Norfolk and Cromer Point North Yorkshire most notable amongst them. Otherwise, Cattle Egrets remained in Dorset (5) and Cornwall (4), Great White Egrets in County Londonderry, Hampshire and Kent, Glossy Ibis in Lancashire, Lesser Scaup on the Shetland Isles and Long-billed Dowitchers in both Devon and County Londonderry. The Falcated Duck showed again at Cop Mere, Staffordshire but , disappointingly, it bears a yellow ring and is an escape. |
||
| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
|
||
|
|
|
| Monday 26th November 2007 | ||
|
||
| The best finds today came in the form of a drake Falcated Duck located
amongst a flock of Wigeon at Cop Mere, Staffordshire and a Desert Wheatear
at Cromer Point, North Yorkshire (the Norfolk individual also continued to show
well throughout the day).
In Hampshire the juvenile White-tailed Eagle remained near Cholderton and in Cornwall the adult Pacific Diver remained on show off Marazion. Other lingering rarities included the Buff-bellied Pipit in Co Cork, up to six Cattle Egrets in Dorset and three more in Cornwall, Bonaparte's Gulls in Aberdeenshire and Angus, with a Lesser Yellowlegs also still present in the latter county. |
||
| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
|
||
|
|
|
| Sunday 25th November 2007 | ||
|
||
| A good day in Ireland today, with another Buff-bellied Pipit in County
Cork at Youghal and a female Lesser Scaup in County Down, near Clea Lake.
Yesterday, there was a Ferruginous Duck in County Down and a Great
White Egret in County Louth. An immature White-tailed Eagle was seen on the Hanpshire/Wiltshire border, 4 miles west of Andover. Yet more Cattle Egrets arrived, with another bird joining the group of five already in Dorset north of Weymouth, and another bird at Kilnsea briefly, which was a first for the Spurn area. Another adult Bonaparte's Gull was found in Aberdeenshire, off Peterhead. The King Eider was also still in Aberdeenshire, and another adult Bonaparte's Gull remained in Angus, near the Lesser Yellowlegs at Montrose Basin. The Desert Wheatear remained in Norfolk all day, and proved to be confiding, as this species often is, showing down to just a few inches. In Devon, the Long-billed Dowitcher reappeared at Bowling Green Marsh, two Penduline Tits were seen again at Dingle Marshes, Suffolk and Great White Egrets remained in their regular locations in Hampshire and Lancashire. |
||
| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
|
||
|
|
|
| Saturday 24th November 2007 | ||
|
||
| A male Desert Wheatear was located late afternoon at Horsey, Norfolk
and will hopefully still be present tomorrow. An adult drake Ferruginous Dusk
was present at Abberton Reservoir, Essex, but unfortunately remained in a
private area all day. A Glossy Ibis was reported from Bowling Green
Marsh, Devon, with the Marshside bird remaining in Merseyside. The Cattle Egret influx continued, with five birds found together in Devon, and several still in west Cornwall. The Barrow's Goldeneye returned to Quoile Pondage, County Down. Lingering rarities included Spotted Sandpiper in Glamorgan, Bonaparte's Gull in Angus, King Eider in Aberdeen, Red-breasted Goose in Dumfries and Galloway, Ferruginous Duck in Berkshire and Great White Egrets in Lancashire and Hampshire. Good numbers of seabirds, especially Little Auks, continued to be seen from east and south coasts, with a few Pomarine Skuas around as well. Abberton Reservoir, Essex hosted a Grey Phalarope, three Slavonian Grebes and a Red-necked Grebe. |
||
| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
|
||
|
|
|
| Friday 23rd November 2007 | ||
|
||
| In Pembrokeshire, the Pechora Pipit showed well, but very briefly,
only a few times today. It appears as though it may have changed its habits, and
possibly moved into another area where it spends the majority of its time. A
dilemma for the weekend birders! A female King Eider was located just before midday, off Girdle Ness, Aberdeenshire, to add to the on-going list of rarities this site has had this autumn. The Cattle Egrets that arrived in Cornwall in the last few days continued to be seen in horse and cattle fields, but no new birds were found. The Lesser Yellowlegs was seen again in Angus, at Montrose Basin, the Ferruginous Duck remained at Theale GPs, Berkshire and the Great White Egret was still at Blashford lakes, Hampshire. Another fairly good sea-watching day, with good numbers of Little Auks being seen from many east coast locations, along with a few Pomarine Skuas, two Leach's Petrels and a Grey Phalarope. Two Pallas's Warblers were seen, in North Yorkshire and Borders, both showing well. A Serin lingered at Portland Bill for its second day, although it was only seen briefly. |
||
| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
|
||