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 23rd January 2008  
  Long staying rarities include the White-crowned Sparrow in Norfolk, at Cley, Pacific Diver in Pembrokeshire, at Llys-y-Fran Reservoir, Wilson's Snipe on Scilly and Barrow's Goldeneye in County Down, at Quoile Pondage.

Other rarities today included 13 Cattle Egrets, although many long staying flocks were not reported and are most likely still present. The two Lesser Yellowlegs were seen again, as was the Glamorgan Spotted Sandpiper, the Cornwall Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler, and the Sussex Red-breasted Goose.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Tuesday 22nd January 2008  
  Lingering rarities in England included the White-cronwed Sparrow in Norfolk, Wilson's Snipe on the Isles of Scilly, two Hume's Yellow-browed Warblers in Cornwall, Red-breasted Goose in West Sussex, both Lesser Yellowlegs and Great White Egret in Suffolk and single Lesser Scaups in both Oxfordshire and Warwickshire.

In Wales the Pacific Diver remained in Pembrokeshire as did the Spotted Sandpiper in Glamorgan. In Scotland the Western Isles continued to host both Lesser Scaup and Great White Egret, the Shetland Isles both White-billed Diver and King Eider and Angus a Lesser Yellowlegs. In Northern Ireland the Barrow's Goldeneye showed again in County Down.

Cattle Egret reports comprised 23 in County Cork, thirteen in Devon, eight in Cornwall, two each in County Galway, Dorset and West Sussex and one in Gloucestershire.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Monday 21st January 2008  
  The highlight of the day was the confirmation of a second Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler in Cornwall; at Camborne. Present since the 15th December, like the other over-wintering Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler in the county, it had initially been identified as a Yellow-browed Warbler. Elsewhere, an American Golden Plover was a new discovery at Welney, Norfolk.

Lingering rarities included the White-crowned Sparrow and Ross's Goose in Norfolk, Wilson's Snipe on the Isles of Scilly, Red-breasted Goose in West Sussex, Lesser Scaup in Oxfordshire, Great White Egret in Suffolk and single Lesser Yellowlegs in both Angus and Suffolk.

Cattle Egret reports today comprised sixteen in Cornwall, seven in Devon, four in Dorset, three in County Galway, two in West Sussex and one in Somerset. Late news concerned a further thirteen between County Kerry, County Cork and County Wexford on Sunday.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Sunday 20th January 2008  
  An adult Franklin's Gull seen briefly at Chew Valley Lake, Somerset this afternoon was probably the same bird observed last Sunday at nearby Torr Reservoir, and possibly the same bird that visited Poole Harbour, Dorset last week.

The Norfolk White-crowned Sparrow headlined an impressive line-up of rarities on show today - these included Pacific Diver, Long-billed Dowitcher, Glossy Ibis, Forster's Tern, Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler, Red-breasted Goose, Bonaparte's Gull, Barrow's Goldeneye, Lesser Scaup, King Eider, Lesser Yellowlegs and, of course, Cattle Egrets galore.

A Kentish Plover was an excellent winter discovery at Landguard NR, Suffolk and a Richard's Pipit in Angus was also noteworthy.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Saturday 19th January 2008  
  In Norfolk, the adult White-crowned Sparrow continued to show for much of the day with, nearby, a Lesser Snow Goose at Saxlingham and a Waxwing at Cromer. Scottish rarities today included three Bonaparte's Gulls, King Eider, Lesser Yellowlegs and a Spotted Sandpiper.

The other Lesser Yellowlegs was again on Southwold Town Marshes, Suffolk, the other Spotted Sandpiper was still in Glamorgan at Lisvane Reservoir and the Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler was seen again in Cornwall.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Friday 18th January 2008  
  An otherwise very quiet day surprisingly yielded three new rarities. A first winter American Herring Gull, the first new bird since the recent split of this species, was found on Lewis, Western Isles, with an adult Bonaparte's Gull nearby on South Uist. A first winter drake Lesser Scaup was found in County Sligo, most likely representing the first record for this county.

The White-crowned Sparrow is still at Cley, Norfolk, and the Pacific Diver is still in Pembrokeshire. Good numbers of Cattle Egrets are still present in southern England, and the Lesser Yellowlegs is still in Angus. Another unseasonal Richard's Pipit was reported from Angus for its second day.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Thursday 17th January 2008  
  The Pacific Diver, now a second winter, has returned to Llys-y-Fran Reservoir, Pembrokeshire, and now shows a full black chin strap. Other highlights today include an adult or second winter Franklin's Gull in the roost in Wareham Channel, Dorset, and the continued presence of the superb adult White-crowned Sparrow at Cley, Norfolk.

Other lingering rarities include King Eider in Shetland, Wilson's Snipe on Scilly, Lesser Scaup on Benbecula, Lesser Yellowlegs in Angus and still good numbers of both Cattle Egrets and Great White Egrets across the southern half of the country.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Wednesday 16th January 2008  
  Pembrokeshire provided the hot news today - the Pacific Diver returned to Llys-y-Fran Reservoir, having previously spent the majority of February and March 2007 at the site.

Lingering rarities included the White-crowned Sparrow in Norfolk, Bonaparte's Gull in Glamorgan, Red-breasted Goose in West Sussex, Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler in Cornwall, Long-billed Dowitcher in Devon, and several Cattle Egrets in southwest England.

In Co Cork a Glossy Ibis flew over Youghal and in Co Clare another Cattle Egret was reported, this time near Kilshanny.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Tuesday 15th January 2008  
  Two Nearctic gulls were located today - an adult Bonaparte's Gull at Ogmore-by-Sea, Glamorgan and an adult Laughing Gull at Bideford, Devon.

The adult White-crowed Sparrow continued to attract a steady stream of birders to Cley, Norfolk and elsewhere at least twenty Cattle Egrets were dotted around the country. Hume's Yellow-browed Warblers remained at Beachy Head, East Sussex and Cot Valley, Cornwall, the Lesser Yellowlegs was still in Angus and a King Eider continued to linger off the Aberdeenshire coastline.

In Ireland the American Buff-bellied Pipit was still at Red Barn, Co Cork.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Monday 14th January 2008  
  Once again the adult White-crowned Sparrow in Cley, Norfolk was the star attraction. East Anglia also produced Richard's Pipit, Lesser Yellowlegs, Great White Egret, several Black Brants, both Ross's and Lesser Snow Geese, Taiga and Tundra Bean Geese, Great Grey Shrike and a Waxwing.

Elsewhere Hume's Yellow-browed Warblers remained on show in Cot Valley, Cornwall and on Beachy Head, East Sussex, a Red-breasted Goose was again at West Wittering, West Sussex, the first-winter drake King Eider was still off Girdle Ness, Aberdeenshire and at least twenty six Cattle Egrets were noted.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA