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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Friday 15th February 2008  
  New discoveries came in the form of a couple of Red-breasted Geese with Dark-bellied Brent Geese at Chelmondiston, Suffolk and a Snowy Owl in Co Galway near Spiddal.

Lingering rarities included two 2nd-winter Glossy Ibises (in Lancashire and Lincolnshire), Franklin's Gull in Somerset, three Hume's Yellow-browed Warblers (two in Cornwall and one in Cleveland), the White-crowned Sparrow in Norfolk, Wilson's Snipe on Isles of Scilly and Cattle Egrets were still present in excellent numbers.

As well as the aforementioned Snowy Owl Ireland also continued to host the American Buff-bellied Pipit in Co Cork and American Herring Gull in Co Galway.

A Night Heron in Lancashire showed a facial pattern consistent with the American form hoactli.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Thursday 14th February 2008  
  Two White-billed Divers were reported from Lewis, Western Isles, off Port Skigersta. The Franklin's Gull roosted again at Chew Valley lake, Somerset, with other lingering rarities including the White-crowned Sparrow at Cley, Norfolk, Wilson's Snipe on St.Mary's, Isles of Scilly, Glossy Ibises in Lincolnshire and Lancashire and Lesser Scaup at Draycote Water, Warwickshire.

The possible eastern Yellow Wagtail  was seen again in Cornwall, at Lower Trevollard Farm, with a Richard's Pipit at the same site and two Hume's Yellow-browed Warblers remaining in the county. A Night Heron remained in Lancashire, at Mere Sands Wood LWT.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Wednesday 13th February 2008  
  No new rarities today, but still a good scattering of quality birds. The White-crowned Sparrow remained in Cley, Norfolk, with a very obliging Bittern nearby at Beeston Regis. The Franklin's Gull roosted again at Chew Valley Lake, Somerset, and the Wilson's Snipe was still on Scilly, where a possible Hawksbill Turtle was also found on the beach at Porth Hellick.

The three Hume's Yellow-browed Warblers were all seen well, and still very good numbers of Cattle Egrets were around, with several Great White Egrets also reported. The Glossy Ibis's remained at their chosen sites in Lincolnshire and Lancashire, and the juvenile American Herring Gull was still in County Galway.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Tuesday 12th February 2008  
  The highlight of the day was the reappearance of the Franklin's Gull in Somerset. Elsewhere in England, the White-crowned Sparrow remained in Norfolk as did the Falcated Duck in Devon, single Hume's Yellow-browed Warblers in both Cornwall and Cleveland, Glossy Ibises in both Lancashire and Lincolnshire, Lesser Scaups in both Oxfordshire and Warwickshire, Ross's Geese in both Cumbria and Lancashire and single Great White Egrets in Cambridgeshire, Cheshire and Warwickshire.

In Ireland the Barrow's Goldeneye showed again in County Down as did an American Herring Gull in County Galway. In Wales the Spotted Sandpiper continued to linger in Glamorgan and in Scotland the Lesser Yellowlegs remained in Angus.

Cattle Egret reports comprised six in Cornwall, three each in both Devon and Somerset, two in Hampshire and singles in Cheshire and Lincolnshire.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Monday 11th February 2008  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of a Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler in Norton, Cleveland. In Cornwall both the wintering Hume's Yellow-browed Warblers were seen again.

In England lingering rarities comprised the White-crowned Sparrow in Norfolk, Wilson's Snipe on the Isles of Scilly, Glossy Ibis in Lincolnshire, Long-billed Dowitcher in Dorset, Falcated Duck in Devon, Lesser Scaup and Great White Egret in Warwickshire, single Ross's Geese in both Cumbria and Lancashire and single Great White Egrets in both Cambridgeshire and Suffolk. In Scotland the Lesser Yellowlegs remained in Angus as did the Lesser Scaup on the Western Isles. In Wales the Spotted Sandpiper was still in Glamorgan and in Ireland the American Buff-bellied Pipit was seen again in County Cork.

Cattle Egret reports today concerned 26 in Cornwall, five in Devon, three in Somerset, two in Hampshire and singles in each of Cheshire, County Cork, Lincolnshire and West Sussex.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Sunday 10th February 2008  
  Although no new rarities were discovered today, lingering goodies were still plentiful. The headline bird was once again the White-crowned Sparrow in Cley, Norfolk. Sparrow twitchers were also treated to a Rough-legged Buzzard at Burnham Norton, Great Grey Shrikes at Burnham Overy, Kelling and Grime's Graves and Dark-breasted Barn Owl at Wacton Common.

Elsewhere mainland rarities came in the form of Long-billed Dowitcher in Dorset, Ross's Geese in Cumbria and Lancashire, Lesser Yellowlegs in Angus, Lesser Scaups in Oxfordshire and Warwickshire, Falcated Duck in Devon, Glossy Ibis in Lincolnshire, Spotted Sandpiper in Glamorgan and a couple of Hume's Yellow-browed Warblers in Cornwall.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Saturday 9th February 2008  
  The American Buff-bellied Pipit at Red Barn Strand, County Cork,  made a reappearance today, as did the Barrow's Goldeneye at Quoile Pondage, County Down. The Glossy Ibis in Lincolnshire proved difficult, as it was flushed several times, often landing out of view for several hours. Nearby, the Cattle Egret was faithful to its favoured field near Louth all day, with another 53 around the country.

There are now two adult drake Lesser Scaup at Loch Leven, Perth and Kinross, with other lingering rarities including the White-crowned Sparrow in Norfolk, two Hume's Yellow-browed Warblers in Cornwall, American Herring Gull in County Galway, Long-billed Dowitcher in Dorset, three Ferruginous Ducks, including two in Derbyshire and one in Norfolk, although two of these are possibly of suspect origin and the Spotted Sandpiper in Glamorgan. The Pacific Diver was not present at Llys-y-Fran Reservoir in Pembrokeshire today.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Friday 8th February 2008  
  A Great White Egret near Nuneaton, Warwickshire and yet another Cattle Egret in Hampshire, near New Milton were today's most notable discoveries. The lingering highlights continued to include the White-crowned Sparrow in Norfolk, Pacific Diver in Pembrokeshire, two Hume's Yellow-browed Warblers in Cornwall and Lincolnshire's first Glossy Ibis since 1976. In Dorset the Long-billed Dowitcher was still at Rodden Hive and in Devon the Falcated Duck remained at Countess Wear.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Thursday 7th February 2008  
  The most popular rarities available today included the White-crowned Sparrow in Norfolk, Glossy Ibis in Lincolnshire and Ross's Goose in Lancashire. At least 42 Cattle Egrets were reported, mainly in southwest England. Lingering rarities also came in the form of a Long-billed Dowitcher in Dorset, Falcated Duck in Devon, Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler in Cornwall, Spotted Sandpiper in Glamorgan, Pacific Diver in Pembrokeshire and Wilson's Snipe on Isles of Scilly.

Derbyshire hosted two Ferruginous Ducks - the lingering drake at Loscoe Dam and a female or first-winter bird at Steetle Quarry. However, the latter individual is possibly yellow-ringed, therefore obviously of suspect origin.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Wednesday 6th February 2008  
  The second winter Glossy Ibis in Lincolnshire remained all day, and was confirmed as having been ringed as a chick at Coto Donana, Spain in June 2006. Nearby, the Cattle Egret remained at Legbourne, with a further 38 reported elsewhere in the country. The White-crowned Sparrow was still at Cley, Norfolk, and the Pacific Diver was still at Llys-y-Fran Reservoir, Pembrokeshire.

Other lingering rarities included King Eider in Aberdeenshire, Lesser Yellowlegs in Angus and Suffolk, Long-billed Dowitcher in Dorset, Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler in Cornwall, Ferruginous Duck in Derbyshire, Lesser Scaups in Warwickshire and Perth and Kinross and Spotted Sandpiper in Forth. The Red-breasted Goose was seen again at Caerlaverock WWT, with the other remaining in West Sussex and Hampshire.
-  Will Soar, RBA