 |
|
|
| Sunday 16th March 2008 | ||
|
||
| The Franklin's Gull reappeared in Somerset again today, but was in an area with no
public access. In Aberdeenshire, a Bonaparte's Gull was seen at Loch of
Strathbeg RSPB this a'noon, whilst a possible Pacific Diver was seen in
Dumfries and Galloway. A Lesser Scaup was confirmed today, at Blagdon
Lake, Somerset and a probable Black Duck was seen in Pembrokeshire at
dusk.
Long staying rarities include the King Eider in Devon, Hume's Yellow-browed Warblers in Cornwall and Cleveland, Glossy Ibises in Lancashire and Lincolnshire, Long-billed Dowitcher in Devon and Spotted Sandpipers in Glamorgan and Forth. |
||
| - 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 15th March 2008 | ||
|
||
| The first day of major spring migration saw very good numbers of Wheatears
in the southern half of Great Britain, with records spreading far inland.
Sand Martins continue to arrive, with smaller numbers of Swallows and
House Martins also reported. A small movement of Avocets occurred,
with two migrating Spoonbills in the east.
On the rarity front, a Franklin's Gull was seen in Somerset this afternoon, with lingering rarities including Hume's Yellow-browed Warblers in Cleveland and Cornwall, Barrow's Goldeneye in County Down, Glossy Ibises in Lancashire and Lincolnshire, Lesser Scaups in County Sligo and County Down, King Eider in Devon, Spotted Sandpiper in Glamorgan and both rarer species of egret still in good numbers. |
||
| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
|
||
|
|
|
| Friday 14th March 2008 | ||
|
||
| The drake Lesser Scaup in Warwickshire was, once again, relocated
today, this time at Alvecote Pools NR, where it showed well all day. The King
Eider in Devon also reappeared in the Northam Burrows area, but the Ayrshire
bird wasn't seen.
Hume's Yellow-browed Warblers were seen in Cleveland and Cornwall, Glossy Ibises in Lancashire and Lincolnshire, two Ross's Geese are still in Norfolk, Long-billed Dowitcher in Devon, Spotted Sandpiper in Glamorgan and still plenty of Cattle Egrets in the south west. |
||
| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
|
||
|
|
|
| Thursday 13th March 2008 | ||
|
||
| A Great White Egret in Leicestershire at Watermead Country Park and a brief
Black Kite in Lincolnshire near Digby represented new discoveries. Lingering rarities comprised the Spotted Sandpiper in Glamorgan, Hume's Yellow-browed Warblers in both Cleveland and Cornwall, King Eiders in both Ayrshire and Devon, Lesser Scaups in both Dumfries and Galloway and Perth and Kinross and single Ross's Geese in both Lancashire and Norfolk. Cattle Egret reports concerned nine in Cornwall with singles in each of Ceredigion, Hampshire and Gloucestershire. |
||
| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
|
||
|
|
|
| Wednesday 12th March 2008 | ||
|
||
| The hot news today related to a presumed Sooty or a Bridled Tern
that flew north past Troon harbour headland, Ayrshire this morning
- there has never been a March record of either species. A drake King Eider
also remained in Troon harbour.
Elsewhere the Glossy Ibis remained in Lincolnshire, the Yellow-browed Warbler was still in Plymouth and the probable American Night Heron continued to attract attention at Mere Sands Wood LWT, Lancashire. |
||
| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
|
||
|
|
|
| Tuesday 11th March 2008 | ||
|
||
| The highlight of the day was the discovery of a King Eider at Troon, Ayrshire. Presumably this is same drake King Eider that has returned to the Ayrshire coast in spring or summer in most years since 2003, and the same as that seen off the Mull of Kintyre, Argyll in recent weeks. Lingering rarities included the White-crowned Sparrow and Ross's Goose both in Norfolk, Wilson's Snipe on the Isles of Scilly, Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler in Cornwall, Ross's Goose in Lancashire, Lesser Scaup in Dumfries and Galloway, both Long-billed Dowitcher and Falcated Duck in Devon, Glossy Ibises in both Lincolnshire and Merseyside and Great White Egrets in both Cambridgeshire and Wiltshire. Cattle Egret reports comprised eighteen in Cornwall, two in West Sussex and singles in each of Devon, Dorset, Glamorgan, Hampshire, Lincolnshire and Somerset. |
||
| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
|
||
|
|
|
| Monday 10th March 2008 | ||
|
||
| A Cattle Egret circled over Wheldrake Ings YWT, North Yorkshire this
afternoon and in Devon a Cattle Egret arrived at Axmouth.
The White-crowned Sparrow remained on show in Cley, Norfolk, as did the probable American Night Heron in Lancashire, Long-billed Dowitcher in Devon, Lesser Scaup in Dumfries & Galloway and Hoopoe in Conwy. Marshside RSPB, Merseyside hosted the Glossy Ibis, Great White Egret and Green-winged Teal and in Lincolnshire the Glossy Ibis remained near Howden's Pullover. Intense storms in southern Britain produced a few Balearic and Manx Shearwaters, Bonxies and Pomarine Skuas. |
||
| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
|
||
|
|
|
| Sunday 9th March 2008 | ||
|
||
| Highlights included the White-crowed Sparrow in Norfolk, Glossy
Ibis in Lancashire/Merseyside and Lincolnshire, Ross's Geese in
Norfolk and Lancashire, Red-breasted Goose in Dumfries & Galloway,
Spotted Sandpiper in Glamorgan, Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler in
Cleveland and King Eider in Devon.
Thirty three Cattle Egrets were logged (with seven more in Ireland) and the reappearance of the Night Heron (thought to be of the American form) at Mere Sands Wood LWT, Lancashire proved popular. A Hoopoe in Conwy attracted plenty of attention and the Rose-coloured Starling in Pembrokeshire was still available. In Ireland the most notable sightings included the Barrow's Goldeneye, Forster's Tern and Lesser Scaup all in Co Down. |
||
| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
|
||
|
|
|
| Saturday 8th March 2008 | ||
|
||
| Rarities today included the Barrow's Goldeneye at Quoile Pondage,
County Down, with the adult Forster's Tern nearby at Killyleagh harbour,
Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler still in Norton churchyard, Cleveland,
Glossy Ibises in Lincolnshire and Lancashire and the long staying
White-crowned Sparrow at Cley, Norfolk, although this bird is becoming very
erratic in its appearance in the seeded paddock.
Sand Martins are being seen across the southern half of the country now, and another spring migrant included a Hoopoe in north Wales, and Llanrwst, Conwy. |
||
| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
|
||
|
|
|
| Friday 7th March 2008 | ||
|
||
| Rarity highlights included the White-crowned Sparrow in Norfolk,
Glossy Ibises in Lincolnshire and Lancashire, King Eider in Devon,
Spotted Sandpiper in Glamorgan, Red-breasted Goose in Dumfries &
Galloway and Falcated Duck in Devon. In Lancashire the Ross's Goose
(initially found in late January) relocated to Aldcliffe Marsh this afternoon,
after being rediscovered on Rawcliffe Moss on Wednesday following a month under
the radar in the Lancashire Pink-footed Goose flocks. Another Ross's Goose
remains on Holkham Freshmarsh, Norfolk.
In Ireland the American Buff-bellied Pipit, five Cattle Egrets and various white-winged and Ring-billed Gulls were on show. |
||
| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
|
||