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.


Monday 10th December 2007

	The adult Pacific Diver reappeared again in Mounts Bay, Cornwall, with a second bird reported in St.Austell Bay, off Porthpean. Nearby, ten Cattle Egrets were seen in the south-west and along the south coast. In Ireland, the returning American Herring Gull, now an adult, was seen at Nimmo's Pier, County Galway. The Great White Egret was still in County Derry, at Lough Beg, American Buff-bellied Pipit in County Cork at Red Barn Strand, with the two Cattle Egrets still present at the same site. The Barrow's Goldeneye was still at Quoile Pondage, County Down, yesterday. Both Desert Wheatears were still present in Yorkshire and Norfolk, as were the two King Eiders in Aberdeenshire, the Lesser Yellowlegs in Angus, Lesser Scaup in Warwickshire, and a Richardson's Canada Goose was seen on North Uist, at Oban Trumisgarry.
- Will Soar, RBA


Sunday 9th December 2007

	Another new Cattle Egret was found today, in Gloucestershire, making the total of the day seven birds in the south-west. An American Golden Plover in County Cork was the only other new rarity. Lingering rarities included both Desert Wheatears in Yorkshire and Norfolk, and the female King Eider returned to join the drake at Girdle Ness, Aberdeenshire. The Bonaparte's Gull remained nearby, at Peterhead, with another at Ferryden, Angus. The Lesser Scaup was still in Warwickshire, and Spotted Sandpiper and Great White Egret were both still available.
- Will Soar, RBA


Saturday 8th December 2007

	The Great Blue Heron on Scilly failed to show, leaving the few birders who managed to get to the islands very disheartened. New birds today included a Lesser Scaup in Perth and Kinross at Loch Leven, and a Laughing Gull on Shetland, at Firths Voe. Lingering rarities included the two long staying Desert Wheatears in Norfolk and Yorkshire, six Cattle Egrets in the south west, Great White Egrets in Hampshire and Lancashire, Long-billed Dowitcher in Devon, King Eider in Aberdeen, Spotted Sandpiper in Glamorgan, Lesser Scaup in Warwickshire and Bonaparte's Gull in Aberdeen.
- Will Soar, RBA


Friday 7th December 2007

	Ashley Fisher hit the jackpot this afternoon when he found Britain's first Great Blue Heron on St Mary's, Isles of Scilly. The first-winter bird showed well at Lower Moors and surrounding area throughout the afternoon. In Oxfordshire the juvenile Thayer's or Kumlien's Gull continued to show on and off at Dix Pit before roosting on Farmoor Reservoir. A couple of Cattle Egrets arrived in West Sussex at East Lavant and lingering rarities included Desert Wheatears in Norfolk and North Yorkshire, Bonaparte's Gulls in Aberdeenshire and Angus, Lesser Yellowlegs in Angus, Lesser Scaup in Warwickshire, King Eider in Aberdeenshire and White-tailed Eagle in Hampshire.
- Stuart Piner, RBA


Thursday 6th December 2007

	The Thayer's or Kumlien's Gull showed well from 11am onwards, but the identification is still unconfirmed either way. Four Cattle Egrets continue to grace the south coast, with a new bird in Devon today. The drake King Eider is still in Aberdeenshire, and the two Desert Wheatears continue to show well in Norfolk and Yorkshire. The Lesser Scaup is still at Draycote Water, Warwickshire, and the Long-billed Dowitcher was seen this afternoon at Bowling Green Marsh, Devon. Elsewhere, gulls continued to feature highly, with good numbers of Glaucous Gulls and a few Iceland Gulls in roosts across the country.
- Will Soar, RBA


Wednesday 5th December 2007

	The highlight of the day was the discovery of what may prove to be Britain’s first Thayer's Gull at Dix Pit, Stanton Harcourt, Oxfordshire. As always with this form, the separation of this juvenile individual from Kumlien's Gull may prove problematic. There are currently five accepted records of Thayer's Gull from Ireland with further European records of this Canadian breeder from Denmark, Iceland and Norway. Lingering rarities comprised an American Buff-bellied Pipit in County Cork, Desert Wheatears in both Norfolk and North Yorkshire, White-tailed Eagle in Hampshire, Forster's Tern in County Louth, Long-billed Dowitcher in Devon, King Eider in Aberdeenshire, Lesser Scaup in Warwickshire, American Golden Plover in Gloucestershire, Great White Egret in Lancashire, Cattle Egret in Dorset and seven Cattle Egrets in Cornwall.
- Chris Batty, RBA


Tuesday 4th December 2007

	Once again the breaking the news concerned Cattle Egrets with another four discovered today in Cornwall, this time at Siblyback Lake, with a further three remaining today in west Cornwall with one still in Dorset. Whilst it is not possible to eliminate duplication, the past month has seen 28 Cattle Egrets recorded between England and Ireland comprising 12 in Cornwall, eight in Dorset, four in County Cork and singles in County Wicklow, Devon, East Yorkshire, Glamorgan, Greater Manchester and the Isles of Scilly. Other lingering rarities today consisted of single Desert Wheatears in Norfolk and North Yorkshire, Lesser Scaup in Warwickshire, American Golden Plover in Gloucestershire, Long-billed Dowitcher in Devon and the White-tailed Eagle – now confirmed as a juvenile ringed this summer in northern Finland - still in Hampshire. In Scotland the Lesser Yellowlegs was seen again in Angus and in Northern Ireland the Great White Egret remained in County Londonderry as did the Ferruginous Duck in County Down.
- Chris Batty, RBA


Monday 3rd December 2007

	In Scotland, the two King Eiders were still off Girdle Ness, Aberdeen, the Lesser Yellowlegs still at Montrose Basin, Angus and the White-billed Diver was seen again off Fetlar, Shetland. Further south, the Desert Wheatear was still in Yorkshire, at Cromer Point, with the Norfolk bird still present also. Other rarities included Lesser Scaup in Warwickshire, Red-breasted Goose in Sussex, White-tailed Eagle and Great White Egret in Hampshire, American Golden Plover in Gloucestershire and the Ferruginous Duck reappeared in Berkshire.
- Will Soar, RBA


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


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