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.

Choose a starting date
Sunday 16th December 2007  
  Today's highlights were the relocation of a Dusky Warbler in Nottinghamshire this morning, originally seen in October, but unfortunately it did not show for long disappointing many visiting birders this afternoon. The other news in today was of a White-tailed Eagle for its second day on the Isle of May in Fife, though this is likely to be a bird from the Fife reintroduction scheme.

Other than these two discoveries, lingering rarities that were seen today were a Lesser Scaup in Warwickshire, Desert Wheatear in North Yorkshire, two King Eiders Aberdeenshire, Long-billed Dowitcher in Devon, the Finnish White-tailed Eagle and Great White Egret in Hampshire and Red-breasted Geese in both Cumbria and West Sussex.

Four counties held Cattle Egrets again today, with five birds in Dorset, at least 3 in Cornwal and singles in Devon and Gloscestershire.
-  Keith Langdon, RBA
Saturday 15th December 2007  
  Lingering rarities included Red-breasted Geese at Newton Marsh, Cumbria and West Wittering, West Sussex, Desert Wheatear at Burniston, North Yorkshire, White-tailed Eagle near Shipton Bellinger, Hampshire, Lesser Scaup at Draycote, Warwickshire and Cattle Egrets at four sites in Cornwall, Devon and Gloucestershire. A drake Black Duck was seen again at Ventry, County Kerry, and the long-staying Laughing Gull reappeared on the Exe Estuary in Devon.

Iceland and Glaucous Gulls appeared at a number of Midlands waterbodies, the unseasonal Short-toed Lark and Pallas's Warbler remained in Northumberland and Suffolk respectively, and a late Richard's Pipit was a surprise in Aberdeenshire, but otherwise it was a quiet day and there was little to divert birders from their Christmas shopping.
-  Andy Symes, RBA
Friday 14th December 2007  
  The only new rarity found today was, not surprisingly, a Cattle Egret. This time one was found further north at Martin Mere in Lancashire, and may be only the second record for the county. Elsewhere there were still ten Cattle Egrets to be found in the west country. The Red-breasted Goose was seen again this morning with the Barnacle Geese at Anthorn in Cumbria, but could not be found later in the day. In Sussex, the Red-breasted Goose remained at Chichester and in Suffolk the Pallas's Warbler remained throughout the day just north of Lowestoft.

Other long-stayers included the Spotted Sandpiper in Glamorgan, the Lesser Yellowlegs in Angus, the Long-billed Dowitcher in Devon and the Lesser Scaup in Warwickshire. Also the Desert Wheatear continued it's sojourn in North Yorkshire and the Short-toed Lark was still to be found in Northumberland.
-  Pete Hayman, RBA
Thursday 13th December 2007  
  A late Pallas's Warbler was located in Suffolk, in Warrenhouse Wood, Gunton this afternoon. Cattle Egrets numbered twelve in the south west, and a Great White Egret lingered at Ladywalk Nature Reserve, Warwickshire all afternoon.

Longer staying rarities included the Desert Wheatear in Yorkshire, Long-billed Dowitcher in Devon, Lesser Yellowlegs in Angus, two King Eiders in Aberdeen, Glossy Ibis in Lancashire, Laughing Gull on Shetland, and Red-breasted Geese in Sussex and Cumbria, which was presumably relocating from Dumfries and Galloway.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Wednesday 12th December 2007  
  Another quiet December day, with one interesting discovery being a Barred Warbler at the Ouse Washes in Cambridgeshire - unusual in both it's late date and inland location (the first in that county since 1979). In west Wales a Great White Egret was found over the high tide at Aber Ogwen.

Otherwise the interest was all in the form of long staying rarities: with the Desert Wheatear remaining near Burniston in North Yorkshire; the Finnish-ringed White-tailed Eagle seen again in Hampshire; the Lesser Scaup still at Draycote Water in Warwickshire; the Lesser Yellowlegs still at the Montrose Basin in Angus; two King Eiders still at Aberdeen and the Red-breasted Goose remaining at Chichester Harbour in West Sussex. There were still ten Cattle Egrets scattered around the west country and in Northumberland the Short-toed Lark remained on show near Seahouses. In Suffolk there was a high count of 450 Great Crested Grebes off Minsmere.
-  Pete Hayman, RBA
Tuesday 11th December 2007  
  Cattle Egrets once again featured highly today, with fifteen birds seen in the south west. The Yorkshire Desert Wheatear remained at Cromer Point, but there was no news on the long staying Norfolk bird.

The Lesser Scaup was seen in Warwickshire, the Red-breasted Goose was in Sussex and the Ferruginous Duck was showing well in County Down. The White-tailed Eagle made a brief appearance in Hampshire, as did the Spotted Sandpiper in Glamorgan, and one of the Richardson's Canada Geese was photographed in County Sligo.
-  Will Soar, RBA
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