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| Wednesday 19th March 2008 | ||
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| Headline rarities included the Black Duck in Pembrokeshire and Franklin's Gull in Somerset - both remained on show all day. Long-stayers came in the form of Hume's Yellow-browed Warblers in Cleveland and Cornwall, Barrow's Goldeneye in Co Down, Glossy Ibis in Lincolnshire, Spotted Sandpiper in Forth and at least nineteen Cattle Egrets spread between various locations (a flock of at least thirteen remains near Sancreed, Cornwall). | ||
| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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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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| Tuesday 18th March 2008 | ||
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| The female Black Duck continued her stay at Marloes Mere,
Pembrokeshire, and appears to be paired with a drake Mallard. In Somerset, the
second-winter Franklin's Gull was located at Keynsham early afternoon,
and was still present late afternoon.
Long staying rarities included the King Eiders in Devon, off Northam Burrows Country Park, and on Shetland in Mousa Sound. Two Hume's Yellow-browed Warblers were in Cornwall and Cleveland, with Lesser Scaups in Dumfries and Galloway, on the Western Isles and in County Down. Also in County Down, both the Barrow's Goldeneye and the Forster's Tern were seen. The Long-billed Dowitcher remained in Devon, at Bowling Green Marsh, and 18 Cattle Egrets were reported across the UK today. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Monday 17th March 2008 | ||
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| The confirmation of the female Black Duck in Pembrokeshire was the
undoubted highlight today. The bird was present all day, but became elusive
later on. A new Great White Egret was seen, and photographed well, at
Bintree Mill, Norfolk, but was not seen after early morning. There was also
belated news of an Alpine Swift in Cornwall, on Saturday.
Elsewhere, the King Eider remained in Devon, with the Long-billed Dowitcher still nearby, Glossy Ibis in Lincolnshire and still good numbers of Cattle Egrets. A small movement of Rough-legged Buzzards was noted, particularly in the south west. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Sunday 16th March 2008 | ||
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| 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. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Saturday 15th March 2008 | ||
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| 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. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Friday 14th March 2008 | ||
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| 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. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Thursday 13th March 2008 | ||
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| 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. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Wednesday 12th March 2008 | ||
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| 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. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Tuesday 11th March 2008 | ||
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| 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. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Monday 10th March 2008 | ||
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| 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. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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