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| Thursday 11th December 2008 | ||
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| The highlight of the day was the discovery of a Two-barred Crossbill in Herefordshire, with Crossbills at Bircher Common. In Fife a
Black-bellied Dipper was identified at Boarhills, in Cornwall the Pacific Diver showed again in Mount’s Bay whilst in Leicestershire the
Ferruginous Duck reappeared at Groby Pool. Other rarities today included Red-breasted Goose in Hampshire, Spotted Sandpiper in Staffordshire, Glossy Ibis in Lancashire, White-rumped Sandpiper in Cornwall, Lesser Scaup in Clyde and single Cattle Egrets in both County Cork and Pembrokeshire. Notable lingering scarcities comprised Night Heron in Kent, Pectoral Sandpiper in County Down, Great Grey Shrikes in Hampshire and Warwickshire, Ring-necked Ducks in both Ayrshire and Hampshire, single Rough-legged Buzzards in Cambridgeshire, East Yorkshire and Norfolk, and confiding Ring-billed Gulls in Cornwall, County Cork, County Sligo and Pembrokeshire. Waxwing reports totalled 823 birds in 32 counties including maximums of 250 in Lothian, 200 in Ayrshire and 50 in Cleveland. |
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| - Chris Batty, 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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| Wednesday 10th December 2008 | ||
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| The highlight of the day was the discovery of a King Eider in County Mayo at Annagh Head. Lingering rarities comprised the Gyr on the Isle of Scilly, Forster's Tern in County Galway, Red-breasted Goose in Hampshire, Spotted Sandpiper in Staffordshire, Glossy Ibis in Merseyside, Lesser Scaup in Clyde, Cattle Egret in Pembrokeshire, Great White Egret in Somerset and Hooded Merganser in Dorset. Scarcities included a Night Heron in Kent, a new Ring-necked Duck in Hampshire, Rough-legged Buzzards in Cambridgeshire, East Yorkshire (2), Kent and Norfolk, Great Grey Shrikes in Hampshire, Suffolk and Warwickshire and confiding Ring-billed Gulls in both Angus and Cornwall. Waxwings totaled 988 in 21 counties including maximums of 250 in Ayrshire, 182 in Cleveland, 169 in Lothian and 79 in County Antrim. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Tuesday 9th December 2008 | ||
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| New discoveries today included a Great White Egret at Shapwick Heath
NNR, Somerset, and a Cattle Egret at West Angle Bay, Pembrokeshire.
Other rarities confirmed as present were the Gyr on St Mary's, Isles of Scilly, American Herring Gull at Nimmo's Pier, County Galway, Spotted Sandpiper at Tittesworth Reservoir, Staffordshire, White-rumped Sandpiper at Torpoint, Cornwall, Red-breasted Goose at Normandy Lagoon, Hampshire and Glossy Ibis at Marshside RSPB, Merseyside. Waxwings numbered at least 1,026 birds, from 24 counties. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Monday 8th December 2008 | ||
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| A white morph Gyr was on Isles of Scilly for its second day, today
showing on St Mary's. Elsewhere a Cattle Egret was discovered at
Dungeness RSPB, Kent (others remained in Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Co
Cork), the Spotted Sandpiper was still in Staffordshire, the
Red-breasted Goose lingered with Dark-bellied Brent Geese at Normandy
Lagoon, Hampshire and a White-rumped Sandpiper was seen again at Torpoint,
Cornwall.
Rough-legged Buzzards were noted in Cambridgeshire, Cornwall and Norfolk and a total of at least 1,178 Waxwings were recorded. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Sunday 7th December 2008 | ||
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| A second Glossy Ibis arrived in Northwest England today, at Pennington
Flash Country Park, Greater Manchester. The long-staying adult ibis was still at
Marshside RSPB, Merseyside. A White-rumped Sandpiper visited St John's
Lake, Cornwall and lingering rarities included the Spotted Sandpiper in
Staffordshire, Lesser Scaups in Nottinghamshire, Clyde, Cornwall,
Gloucestershire and Co Down, Red-breasted Goose in Hampshire and
White-billed Diver in Orkney.
In Ireland the Black Duck remained in Ventry Harbour, Co Kerry and nearby the juvenile Gyr was released, but was immediately taken back into care. Richard's Pipits were seen in Cornwall and Essex, Rough-legged Buzzards were noted in Lancashire, Hertfordshire, Essex, East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire and the largest Waxwing count was a flock of at least 396 in Edinburgh. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Saturday 6th December 2008 | ||
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| A couple of Penduline Tits at Rainham Marshes RSPB, London, were
today's headline discovery and a Ross's Goose in Norfolk was also new.
Six Cattle Egrets were at Sharphan Park, Somerset, a Lesser Yellowlegs
was in Southwold, Suffolk, for its second day and in Merseyside the Glossy
Ibis was still at Marshside RSPB. The Staffordshire Spotted Sandpiper
was still on show, as was the Hampshire Red-breasted Goose,
Buckinghamshire Cattle Egret, Orkney White-billed Diver and
Nottinghamshire and Cornwall Lesser Scaups.
In Ireland an adult American Herring Gull returned to Nimmo's Pier, Co Galway and a Cattle Egret was at Cuskinny, Co Cork. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Friday 5th December 2008 | ||
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| A Lesser Yellowlegs in Suffolk on Southwold Town Marshes was today's
star discovery. Lingering rarities included Red-breasted Goose in
Hampshire, White-billed Diver in Orkney, Cattle Egret in
Buckinghamshire, Lesser Scaups in Gloucestershire, Cornwall and Clyde,
Cackling Canada Goose in Dumfries & Galloway and on Isles of Scilly the
Snowy Owl reappeared on St Martin's.
A Serin remained at Rainham Marshes RSPB, London, the Common Rosefinch was still in Whitburn, Co Durham and at least 1,018 Waxwings were logged. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Thursday 4th December 2008 | ||
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| Long staying rarities present around the country today included the juvenile
Spotted Sandpiper at Tittesworth Reservoir, Staffordshire, the
Red-breasted Goose at Normandy Marsh, Hampshire, and single Lesser Scaups
in Cornwall, Gloucestershire and Clyde. The Cattle Egret was still at
Haversham, Buckinghamshire, and a new Great White Egret flew over
Knockbridge, County Louth early morning.
Late news concerned a Penduline Tit in Somerset, seen at Greylake RSPB on 25th November. Scarcities included the Great Grey Shrike at Lakenheath, Suffolk, a Little Auk past Selsey Bill, Sussex, Kumlien's Gull again in the Forfar Loch roost, Angus, Grey Phalarope on Covenham Reservoir, Lincolnshire, Surf Scoter at Dawlish Warren NNR, Devon, Ring-necked Duck at Martnaham Loch, Ayrshire and Green-winged Teal at Inner Marsh Farm, Cheshire. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Wednesday 3rd December 2008 | ||
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| The identity of the Pacific Diver in Cornwall was confirmed today, as
it showed well in Mount's Bay, off Marazion this morning, after being seen twice
briefly in the last few weeks. Other rarities seen today included single
Lesser Scaups in Cornwall, Gloucestershire and Clyde, Red-breasted Goose
in Hampshire, Glossy Ibis in Merseyside, Cattle Egrets in
Buckinghamshire and Hampshire and Hooded Merganser in Dorset.
The Common Rosefinch was seen again at Whitburn, County Durham, and a Grey Phalarope remains on Covenham Reservoir, Lincolnshire. A single Serin remains at Rainham Marshes RSPB, London. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Tuesday 2nd December 2008 | ||
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| Lingering rarities confirmed as still present today included the Spotted Sandpiper in Staffordshire,
White-billed Diver on the Orkney Isles, Coues's Arctic Redpoll in Essex,
Red-breasted Goose and Great White Egret in Hampshire, single Lesser Scaups in both Clyde and Gloucestershire and
Cattle Egrets in Buckinghamshire, Somerset (5) and Staffordshire. Scarcities were represented by a Common Rosefinch in County Durham, Richard's Pipit and Rough-legged Buzzard in Kent, Great Grey Shrike in Suffolk and single Yellow-browed Warblers in both Cornwall and Glamorgan. Waxwing reports totaled 1,186 birds in thirteen counties with peaks in Scotland of 633 in Lothian, 193 in Clyde and 120 in Forth. Late news arrived concerning a Dark-eyed Junco at Hayle, Cornwall on 26th November. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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