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 8th April 2008  
  New rarities reported today included a Little Bittern at Radipole Lake RSPB, Dorset, Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll on Fair Isle, Red-rumped Swallow at Kelling, Norfolk and several Black Kite sightings along the North Norfolk coast, with another in Suffolk.

In Kent the first-winter Dark-eyed Junco remained on show at Dungeness, Kent, where it was joined by a male White-spotted Bluethroat. Another male White-spotted Bluethroat at Aldcliffe Marsh, Lancashire, was a tremendous west coast discovery. The party of three Black-winged Stilts continued to show on The Lizard, Cornwall, and in Suffolk a couple of Penduline Tits reappeared near Oulton Broad.

Lingering rarities came in the form of Spotted Sandpipers in Forth and Glamorgan, Black Duck in Pembrokeshire, Ross's Goose in Lancashire, Lesser Scaups in Dumfries and Galloway and Somerset, King Eider in Ayrshire and Barrow's Goldeneye in Co Down.

 
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Monday 7th April 2008  
  The highlight of the day was the early morning discovery of a Dark-eyed Junco at Dungeness, Kent. The second record for both the site and the county, it went on to show throughout day was gratefully received by many birders. Elsewhere, three Black-winged Stilts were found at Lizard, Cornwall, a Red-rumped Swallow toured the Suffolk coast between North Warren and Minsmere and a Franklin's Gull was located in the evening roost at Newnham, Gloucestershire.

Lingering rarities confirmed as still present were the Black Duck in Pembrokeshire, American Herring Gull in County Galway, Spotted Sandpiper in Glamorgan, King Eider in Ayrshire, Bonaparte's Gull on the Western Isles, Great White Egret in Norfolk, Ross's Goose in Lancashire and both Lesser Scaup and Great White Egret in Somerset.

Cattle Egret reports comprised six in Devon, four together in West Sussex, two in Cornwall and one in Dorset.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Sunday 6th April 2008  
  Lingering rarities included Black Duck in Pembrokeshire, American Herring Gull in County Galway, King Eider in Ayrshire, Glossy Ibis in Merseyside, Bonaparte's Gull on the Western Isles, Great White Egret in Somerset and both Spotted Sandpiper and Lesser Scaup in Forth.

Cattle Egret reports comprised six in Cornwall, five in Devon and singles in each of Cheshire, Dorset and Norfolk.

Scarce spring migrants were headlined by a Purple Heron in Somerset, Hoopoe in Berkshire and a Night Heron on the Shetland Isles. The singing Pallas's Warbler remained in Dorset.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Saturday 5th April 2008  
  A very early Whiskered Tern was seen in County Cork, at Kilcolman Birdwatch Ireland Nature Reserve, with other spring rarities including a Black Kite in Kent, over Capel Fleet and several Cattle Egrets and Great White Egrets moving around the country.

Continuing winter rarities included the King Eider in Ayrshire, Bonaparte's Gull on the Western Isles, Lesser Scaups in Forth, Dumfries and Galloway and Somerset, Spotted Sandpipers in Forth and Glamorgan and the female Black Duck was still in Pembrokeshire, on Marloes Mere.

Two Night Herons were found, with one, an adult, as far north as Fair Isle! Ospreys and Ring Ouzels continued their movement into inland Britain, and many other spring migrants are becoming more available, including a Grasshopper Warbler in East Sussex.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Friday 4th April 2008  
  Two male Penduline Tits were found today, showing well briefly at Oulton Broad, Suffolk. Despite searching, they were not seen again. One was heard again at Minsmere RSPB, near the West Hide. On the Western Isles, an adult Bonaparte's Gull was seen at Peninerine, South Uist, and a White-billed Diver was off Port Skigersta, Lewis.

A new Cattle Egret was located in Norfolk, and the Great Reed Warbler was heard again on Scilly. Three Lesser Scaups were seen, as well as a drake King Eider in Ayrshire and Barrow's Goldeneye in County Down. Also in Ireland, the juvenile American Herring Gull was still in County Galway, and the Lesser Yellowlegs remained in County Cork.

Spring migrants continued to flood in, with a good passage of Ospreys occurring across the country, around 25 birds were seen. The first three Dotterel of the year were seen, on Scilly and in Carmarthenshire.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Thursday 3rd April 2008  
  A King Eider was discovered off the coast of North Ronaldsay, Orkney this afternoon and in Ayrshire the King Eider lingered off Girvan. Other lingering rarities included Black Duck in Pembrokeshire, Lesser Scaups in Somerset, Forth and Dumfries and Galloway, Glossy Ibis in Lancashire and Spotted Sandpiper in Glamorgan. At least fifteen Cattle Egrets remained in southern England.

Scarcity highlights included a Serin in West Sussex and several Common Cranes, including a flock of five over Saltwick Nab, North Yorkshire.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Wednesday 2nd April 2008  
  Lingering rarities confirmed as still present today included the Killdeer on the Shetland Isles, Barrow's Goldeneye in County Down, American Herring Gull in County Galway, King Eider in Ayrshire, Glossy Ibis in Lancashire, Spotted Sandpiper in Forth and both Lesser Scaup and Great White Egret in Somerset.

Cattle Egret reports comprised seventeen together in Cornwall and singles in each of Cumbria, Devon and Gloucestershire.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Tuesday 1st April 2008  
  Rarities reported today included a Black Kite over Bourley and Long Valley, on the Hampshire/Surrey border, Lesser Scaups on North Uist and in Somerset and Dumfries and Galloway, Ross's Goose in Lancashire, Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler and at least thirteen Cattle Egrets in Cornwall and King Eider in Ayrshire.

A Yellow-browed Warbler was discovered at Swallow Pond, Northumberland, in Dorset the Pallas's Warbler continued to sing and a Cory's Shearwater past Saltcoats harbour, Ayrshire was an exceptional record. Lingering scarcities included Kentish Plover on the Western Isles, Green-winged Teals in Leicestershire and Gloucestershire and a Ring-billed Gull on Anglesey.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Monday 31st March 2008  
  The highlight of the day was a Ross's Gull at Marton Mere, Lancashire. Found early in the afternoon this adult bird showed well for more than four hours before disappearing. Elsewhere, a Gyr made a brief appearance at Annagh Head, County Mayo and the identification of a Lesser Scaup at Auchenreoch Loch, Dumfries and Galloway was confirmed (it had first been seen yesterday).

Lingering rarities comprised the Forster's Tern in County Galway, Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler in Cornwall, Spotted Sandpiper in Forth, Ross's Goose in Lancashire, both Lesser Scaup and Great White Egret in Somerset and single King Eiders in both Ayrshire and Devon.

Cattle Egret reports comprised eight in Cornwall, two in Devon and singles in each of Cambridgeshire, Cleveland and Gloucestershire.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Sunday 30th March 2008  
  A Black Kite drifted east over Regent's Park, London this afternoon and on Shetland two White-billed Divers were logged, one in Mousa Sound and another off West Burra. Lingering rarities included King Eiders in Devon and Ayrshire, Black Duck in Pembrokeshire, Spotted Sandpiper in Glamorgan, Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler in Cornwall and Lesser Scaup in Somerset. A Ross's Goose was in Aberdeenshire for its second day, whilst long-staying Ross's Geese also remained in Lancashire and Norfolk. A total of seventeen Cattle Egrets were reported in southern England.

In Suffolk the White-spotted Bluethroat showed again at Minsmere RSPB, but only until mid morning and in Dorset the Pallas's Warbler continued to sing in Weymouth.

In Ireland, late news from yesterday related to an American Herring Gull on Loop Head, the first for Co.Clare.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA