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 24th December 2008  
  The Snowy Owl in Cornwall remained on show today near Zennor. Elsewhere rarities came in the form of an adult American Herring Gull in Galway and Lesser Scaups in Sligo and in Clyde. Cattle Egrets were seen in Somerset (6), Pembrokeshire (4+) and Cornwall. In Kent the Night Heron remained in West Hythe, a Richard's Pipit put in another appearance in Parkgate, Cheshire and a Lesser Snow Goose was still in Ayrshire.

Waxwings were still abundant, with flocks of 100 in Derry City, Co Derry, 70 in Ayr, Ayrshire, 70 in Leeds and 40 in Hunslet, West Yorkshire and 40 in Bray, Co Wicklow being the most notable counts.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Tuesday 23rd December 2008  
  Once again, the lingering Snowy Owl at Zennor, Cornwall proved to be the highlight of the day. In Pembrokeshire seven Cattle Egrets were located, whilst the Ross's Goose reappeared in Norfolk and the Lesser Scaup remained in Nottinghamshire, as did the Great White Egret in Hampshire.

Scarcities recorded today included Night Heron in Kent, Rough-legged Buzzard in East Yorkshire, Ring-necked Duck in Buckinghamshire, Snow Geese in Ayrshire, Highland and Moray and Great Grey Shrikes in Hampshire and Surrey.

Waxwing reports totaled 452 birds in 26 counties including maximums of 59 in Suffolk, 52 in Nottinghamshire, 41 in Ayrshire, 40 in County Antrim and 28 in Lothian.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Monday 22nd December 2008  
  The highlight of the day was the continued presence of the Snowy Owl in west Cornwall near Zennor. Elsewhere, the Lesser Scaup returned to Torr Reservoir, Somerset, the American Herring Gull showed again in Galway, County Galway, as did the Lesser Yellowlegs at Southwold, Suffolk.

The Great White Egret remained in Hampshire, and popular scarcities included a Serin again in London, Surf Scoter in Devon, Rough-legged Buzzard in East Yorkshire, American Wigeon in Berkshire, Ring-necked Duck in Buckinghamshire and single Great Grey Shrikes in Norfolk, Suffolk and Wrexham.

Waxwing reports totaled 713 birds in 26 counties with maximums of 250 in Clyde, 160 in West Yorkshire, 61 in East Yorkshire, and 34 in both Derbyshire and Lothian.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Sunday 21st December 2008  
  A juvenile Snowy Owl in Cornwall, discovered near Zennor this afternoon is presumably the same bird that frequented the Isles of Scilly from 29th October until at least 6th December. In Wiltshire a drake Lesser Scaup returned to Stourhead NT and elsewhere rarities included Red-breasted Goose and Great White Egret in Hampshire, two Cattle Egrets in Pembrokeshire and in Co Cork, Lesser Scaups in Clyde and Nottinghamshire and Ferruginous Duck in Norfolk.

The Richard's Pipit remained at Parkgate, Cheshire, a Yellow-browed Warbler was still at Fareham, Hampshire, the Night Heron was still in West Hythe, Kent and Rough-legged Buzzards were seen again in Kent, Cambridgeshire and East Yorkshire.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Saturday 20th December 2008  
  Lingering rarities confirmed as still present today comprised two Penduline Tits in London, Red-breasted Goose in Hampshire, Richardson's Canada Goose on the Western Isles, Lesser Scaup in Nottinghamshire, Ferruginous Duck in Norfolk, Cattle Egrets in both County Cork (2) and Pembrokeshire, single Great White Egrets in both Hampshire and Somerset and Hooded Merganser in Dorset.

Scarcities included Night Heron in Kent, American Wigeon in Berkshire, Richard's Pipit in Cheshire, Surf Scoter in Devon, Yellow-browed Warblers in Cornwall and Hampshire, Rough-legged Buzzards in Cambridgeshire and East Yorkshire and Ring-necked Ducks in Ayrshire and Norfolk.

Waxwing reports totaled 1,180 birds in 31 counties including maximums of 319 in West Yorkshire, 125 in South Yorkshire, 121 in County Durham, 88 in North Yorkshire and 79 in Clyde.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Friday 19th December 2008  
  Lingering rarities confirmed as still present today included the American Buff-bellied Pipit in County Londonderry, two Penduline Tits in London, Red-breasted Goose in Hampshire, Lesser Scaup in Nottinghamshire, Hooded Merganser in Dorset, Cattle Egrets in both Cornwall and Pembrokeshire and single Great White Egrets in both Hampshire and Somerset.

Popular scarcities included the Night Heron in Kent, American Wigeon in Berkshire, Rough-legged Buzzard in Cambridgeshire, Yellow-browed Warbler in Hampshire, Ring-necked Ducks in Ayrshire and Hampshire and confiding Ring-billed Gulls in Angus, Glamorgan and London.

Waxwing reports totaled 1,171 in 25 counties with maximums of 455 in West Yorkshire, 162 in Clyde, 120 in Lothian, 81 in Ayrshire and 50 in County Durham.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Thursday 18th December 2008  
  An American Golden Plover on Unst, Shetland, was today's top new discovery and the Gyr in Cornwall relocated to the Marazion area, where it showed on and off all afternoon. Lingering rarities included the Spotted Sandpiper at Tittesworth Reservoir, Staffordshire, Lesser Scaup at Hogganfield Loch, Clyde, Lesser Yellowlegs at Southwold, Suffolk and Cattle Egret at West Angle Bay, Pembrokeshire.

Elsewhere a Serin was in Glandford, Norfolk, the Yellow-browed Warbler in Hampshire and Night Heron in Kent both remained in situ and a Green-winged Teal appeared at Blacktoft Sands RSPB, East Yorkshire.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Wednesday 17th December 2008  
  A quiet day, with the highlight being a tantalisingly brief sighting of the white morph Gyr Falcon in Cornwall, which flew south over Aire Point towards Sennen Cove mid morning.

Other rarities seen today include the Spotted Sandpiper at Tittesworth Reservoir, Staffordshire, Red-breasted Goose at Normandy Marsh, Hampshire, Lesser Scaup at Hogganfield Loch, Clyde, (with a Lesser Scaup or hybrid still at Coton Lakes, Warwickshire), and single Cattle Egrets in Oxfordshire and Pembrokeshire.

Scarcities include Night Heron in Kent, Yellow-browed Warbler in Hampshire, Surf Scoters in Devon and Argyll, Ring-necked Ducks in Dorset, Hampshire and Argyll, Great Grey Shrikes in Yorkshire and Cornwall and a Shorelark on Shetland.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Tuesday 16th December 2008  
  Today's headlines were provided by birds from the north. The white morph Gyr Falcon was seen again briefly in the Land's End area of Cornwall, although fog hampered viewing for much of the day. Unfortunately, at the other end of the country, there was no sign of the Ivory Gull on Fetlar in the Shetlands. The only new rarity found today was a Cattle Egret near St. Ives in Cornwall.

Long staying rarities included the Spotted Sandpiper at Tittesworth Reservoir in Staffordshire and Lesser Scaups in Warwickshire, Clyde and Nottinghamshire. A Richard's Pipit was found at Neston in Cheshire and the Night Heron remained at Hythe in Kent. The drake American Wigeon could still be found in Berkshire and Waxwings remained a prominent feature in the northern counties.
-  Pete Hayman, RBA
Monday 15th December 2008  
  The main discovery today was of a white morph Gyr Falcon, which was in the Land's End /Sennen area, Cornwall all afternoon, although it was very mobile. This could well be the bird that was on the Isles of Scilly until 5 days ago.

Other rarities seen today include the Ivory Gull on Fetlar, Shetland, American Buff-bellied Pipit at Mullagh, County Derry, Spotted Sandpiper at Tittesworth Reservoir, Staffordshire, single Lesser Scaups in Warwickshire and Clyde, and single Cattle Egrets in Oxfordshire and Pembrokeshire.

Scarcities include Yellow-browed Warbler in Hampshire, American Wigeon in Berkshire, Ring-necked Duck in Ayrshire, Green-winged Teal in Angus, Great Grey Shrike in Wrexham and Rough-legged Buzzards in Kent and North Yorkshire.
-  Will Soar, RBA