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 26th March 2008  
  A White-spotted Bluethroat in Winterton, Norfolk showed well on and off throughout the day attracting many admirers.

Rarity highlights included the Great Reed Warbler on Isles of Scilly, the Bonaparte's and Franklin's Gulls in Somerset, Black Duck in Pembrokeshire, Hume's Yellow-browed Warblers in Cleveland and Cornwall and Ross's Goose and Glossy Ibis in Lancashire. Another Ross's Goose, and a Lesser Snow Goose remained in Norfolk. A Cattle Egret was discovered near Winwick, Cambridgeshire and King Eider in Aberdeenshire and Spotted Sandpiper in Glamorgan were also still present.

Inland sites enjoyed a fine scattering of Avocets and Common Scoters, and best of all, a few inland Brent Geese, including a flock of 28 Dark-bellied Brents at Pennington Flash, Greater Manchester. 
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Tuesday 25th March 2008  
  The highlight of the day was a Ross's Gull that flew north past Seaton Sluice, Northumberland early in the morning. Elsewhere, a Bonaparte's Gull discovered at Thurso, Highland may be a returning bird and a White-billed Diver in Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire was - like single Great White Egrets in Norfolk and the Isles of Scilly - only seen briefly.

Lingering rarities included, in England, Franklin's Gull, Bonaparte's Gull, Lesser Scaup and Great White Egret all in Somerset, Great Reed Warbler on the Isles of Scilly, two Penduline Tits in Suffolk, King Eider in Devon, Lesser Scaup in Leicestershire, single Hume's Yellow-browed Warblers in both Cleveland and Cornwall and single Ross's Geese in both Lancashire and Norfolk. In Wales the Black Duck remained in Pembrokeshire as did the Spotted Sandpiper in Glamorgan. In Scotland, the Spotted Sandpiper showed again in Forth whilst single Lesser Scaups remained there and in Dumfries and Galloway.

Cattle Egret reports comprised six in Cornwall, five in Somerset, four in Devon and one in Ceredigion.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Monday 24th March 2008  
  On Isles of Scilly the Great Reed Warbler was still it on St Mary's. Far more accessible for the masses were the Nearctic gulls in Somerset - a second-winter Franklin's Gull at Chew Valley Lake and first-winter Bonaparte's Gull at Cheddar Reservoir. In Hampshire the juvenile White-tailed Eagle reappeared southwest of Andover and in Suffolk a couple of Penduline Tits were observed at Minsmere RSPB.

Elsewhere the Black Duck and Rose-coloured Starling remained in Pembrokeshire, King Eiders were in Devon, Shetland and Aberdeenshire, Lesser Scaups lingered in Somerset, Leicestershire, Dumfries and Galloway and Forth, Hume's Yellow-browed Warblers remained in Cleveland and Cornwall, the Glossy Ibis and Ross's Goose were in Lancashire and in Devon the Falcated Duck was still at Countess Wear.

Late news from yesterday related to a female Bufflehead on a small pond near Leyland, Lancashire, but unfortunately there was no sign this morning.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Sunday 23rd March 2008  
  A Great Reed Warbler on St.Mary's, Isles of Scilly was an exceptional find - the first to be recorded in March. The previous earliest record was on 13th April 1981.

In Somerset both the Bonaparte's Gull and Franklin's Gull remained on show and a Lesser Scaup was still in the same county. Lesser Scaups were also observed in Leicestershire, Western Isles, Dumfries and Galloway, Forth and in Co Down. The Spotted Sandpipers in Glamorgan and Forth, Hume's Yellow-browed Warblers in Cleveland and Cornwall, Falcated Duck and King Eider in Devon, Barrow's Goldeneye in Co Down, Glossy Ibis and Ross's Goose in Lancashire and Black Duck in Pembrokeshire were all available today.

Popular scarcities included the Pallas's Warbler in Dorset and a couple of Common Cranes in Northumberland.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Saturday 22nd March 2008  
  A 1st-winter Bonaparte's Gull was located at Cheddar Reservoir, Somerset and the 2nd-winter Franklin's Gull remained in the same county. A Penduline Tit was heard at Minsmere RSPB, Suffolk and in Forth a Lesser Scaup was at Vale of Coustry for its fourth day.

In Pembrokeshire the Black Duck was still on show, as was the long-staying Rose-coloured Starling. Other long-stayers included Hume's Yellow-browed Warblers in Cornwall and Cleveland, King Eider in Devon, Lesser Scaups in Dumfries and Galloway, Western Isles and Somerset and a Ross's Goose in Lancashire. An adult Bonaparte's Gull reappeared in Aberdeenshire, as did a probable Eastern Yellow Wagtail in Cornwall.

At least twenty one Cattle Egrets were still present in southern Britain.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Friday 21st March 2008  
  Good Friday failed to produce any new rarities but several long-stayers were still on show. These included the Black Duck in Pembrokeshire, Franklin's Gull and Lesser Scaup in Somerset, Long-billed Dowitcher in Devon, Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler in Cornwall, Falcated Duck in Devon, Red-breasted Goose in Cumbria and Ross's Geese in Lancashire and Norfolk. At least twenty one Cattle Egrets were reported from various locations in southern Britain.

Three Surf Scoters lingered off the English south coast - singles off Devon, Dorset and East Sussex. Four Ring-billed Gull were available (in Pembrokeshire, Glamorgan, Anglesey and Essex), the male Rose-coloured Starling was still in Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire and the Pallas's Warbler in Weymouth, Dorset continued to sing. A couple of Common Cranes in Northumberland were well received.

In Ireland the American Buff-bellied Pipit remained on Red Barn Strand, Co Cork.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Thursday 20th March 2008  
  Lingering rarities confirmed as still being present today included the Black Duck in Pembrokeshire, Franklin's Gull and Great White Egret in Somerset, Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler in Cornwall, American Herring Gull and Forster's Tern together in County Galway, Forster's Tern in County Down and single Ross's Geese in both Cumbria and Norfolk.

Cattle Egret reports comprised twelve in Cornwall, two in West Sussex and singles in both Ceredigion and Dorset.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Wednesday 19th March 2008  
  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
Tuesday 18th March 2008  
  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.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Monday 17th March 2008  
  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.
-  Will Soar, RBA