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| Sunday 14th December 2008 | ||
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| The second Ivory Gull of the winter was found today, again on
Shetland, on the beach at Oddsta, Fetlar. Also in Scotland, the wintering
Long-billed Dowitcher was seen again on South Uist, Western Isles, and one
was still at Dundalk Docks, County Louth. Further south, a Ferruginous Duck
was found at Wroxham Broad, Norfolk, with the long staying bird still at
Cosmeston Lakes, Glamorgan.
Other lingering rarities included American Buff-bellied Pipit in County Derry, Spotted Sandpiper in Staffordshire, Lesser Yellowlegs in Suffolk, White-billed Diver in Orkney, Red-breasted Goose in Hampshire, single Cattle Egrets in Pembrokeshire and Oxfordshire, Great White Egret in Hampshire and single Lesser Scaups in County Down and Nottinghamshire. |
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| - Will Soar, 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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| Saturday 13th December 2008 | ||
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| American species' stole the limelight somewhat, with the American
Buff-bellied Pipit at Mullagh, County Antrim, American Herring Gull
at Galway, County Galway, Spotted Sandpiper at Tittesworth Reservoir,
Staffordshire, Lesser Yellowlegs at Southwold, Suffolk and single Lesser Scaups
in Clyde, Warwickshire and Nottinghamshire.
Other rarities included King Eider in County Mayo, Great White Egret in Hampshire and Cattle Egrets in Pembrokeshire and County Cork. Scarcities included Night Heron in Kent, Yellow-browed Warbler in Hampshire, Ring-necked Ducks in Hampshire, County Cork (two) and Ayrshire, single Great Grey Shrikes in Somerset and Dorset, Green-winged Teals in Forth and Moray (two) and a Balearic Shearwater flew past Berry Head, Brixham, Devon. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Friday 12th December 2008 | ||
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| The highlight of the day was an American Buff-bellied Pipit at Lough Beg, County Londonderry. First seen yesterday, the identity was confirmed today as the first record of this species for Northern Ireland. In Warwickshire the identity of a female
Lesser Scaup at Lea Marston was clinched, following a three week gestation. Lingering rarities confirmed as present today included King Eider in County Mayo, Red-breasted Goose in Hampshire, Glossy Ibis in Lancashire, Hooded Merganser in Dorset and single Cattle Egrets in both Oxfordshire and Pembrokeshire. Wintering scarcities reported today included three each of Rough-legged Buzzard and Ring-billed Gull, two Black Brants and singles of Night Heron, Snow Goose, Ring-necked Duck, Great Grey Shrike, Yellow-browed Warbler and Lapland Bunting. Waxwings totaled 1,051 birds in nineteen counties including maximums of 325 in Ayrshire, 223 in Lothian, 104 in West Yorkshire and 100 in Cleveland. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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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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| 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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