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| Tuesday 20th January 2009 | ||
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| In Kent the adult drake King Eider previously in East Sussex flew past
Dungeness Point, Kent early this morning. In Devon the Penduline Tit was
still in the Clennon Valley, the Lesser Yellowlegs was again at
Walberswick, Suffolk, Cattle Egrets remained in Devon (5), Co Cork (2),
Isles of Scilly and Somerset and a total of six Great White Egrets were
logged. The Nottinghamshire Lesser Scaup was still on show at Holme Pierrepont.
An intriguing report came in the form of a possible Ancient Murrelet off Dawlish Warren NNR, Devon. |
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| - Stuart Piner, 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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| Monday 19th January 2009 | ||
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| Lingering rarities confirmed as still present today comprised the Penduline Tit in Devon,
American Herring Gull in County Cork, Black-bellied Dipper in Norfolk and
Lesser Scaup in Glamorgan with single Great White Egrets in Cambridgeshire, Leicestershire and Somerset, and
Cattle Egrets in Cornwall (2), Devon (3), the Isles of Scilly and Somerset. The best of the rest included single Lesser Snow Goose and Rough-legged Buzzard, two Surf Scoters, three each of Ring-necked Duck and Ring-billed Gull, four Green-winged Teals and six Grey Phalaropes. Waxwing reports totaled 719 birds in 23 counties with maximums of 162 in West Yorkshire, 100 in South Yorkshire, 75 in County Antrim, 70 in Greater Manchester and 58 in Perth and Kinross. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Sunday 18th January 2009 | ||
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| A new King Eider was found in St Austell Bay, Cornwall, with others
lingering in East Sussex, County Sligo and Fife. New Great White Egrets
were in Norfolk and Leicestershire, although only the latter was twitchable, and
others remained in Cambridgeshire and Somerset.
The Franklin's Gull was in the Barassie roost, Ayrshire, and the Penduline Tit was still in Devon, Snowy Owl in Cornwall, Long-billed Dowitcher in County Louth, Black-bellied Dipper in Norfolk, Lesser Scaup in Nottinghamshire and the Ferruginous Duck was still in County Armagh. Seawatching off St Ives Island, Cornwall produced two possible Yelhouan Shearwaters during the morning. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Saturday 17th January 2009 | ||
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| After being absent throughout day, the first-winter Franklin's Gull
reappeared on Barassie Shore, Troon, Ayrshire at dusk, with at least six
Iceland Gulls and two Mediterranean Gulls also in the area. The adult
drake King Eider reappeared off Pett, East Sussex at midday, and was on
view for much of the afternoon, as it gradually drifted east, ending up at Rye
Harbour NR late afternoon. The second-winter drake was still present at Elie,
Fife.
In Devon, the male Penduline Tit remained near Paignton, whilst the Snowy Owl was still in neighbouring Cornwall. Seven Cattle Egrets were also still in the south-west, with Great White Egrets being seen in Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk, Cambridgeshire and Somerset. Ferruginous Ducks were in Nottinghamshire and County Armagh and Lesser Scaups were in Nottinghamshire and County Fermanagh. Potentially suspicious wildfowl included a Falcated Duck and Ross's Goose in Norfolk and the Hooded Merganser in Dorset. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Friday 16th January 2009 | ||
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| A first winter Franklin's Gull was a good find at Barassie Shore in
Ayrshire but the only other new rarities found today were five Cattle Egrets
near Truro in Cornwall. Around 15 other Cattle Egrets were reported, from
Scilly, Devon, Cornwall and County Cork.
The Penduline Tit could still be found at Clennon Valley in Devon and the Snowy Owl remained in residence near St.Ives in Cornwall. Also in Cornwall the Rose-coloured Starling could still be found at Newquay. In Kent, the Night Heron remained near West Hythe. Three King Eiders were seen today: two still in County Sligo, with one still in Fife. Elsewhere, the Lesser Scaup remained in Nottinghamshire, the Great White Egret was still to be found at Blashford Lakes in Hampshire and a goodly scattering of Waxwings were again reported. |
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| - Pete Hayman, RBA | ||
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| Thursday 15th January 2009 | ||
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| In Devon, the male Penduline Tit continued to show well at Clennon
Valley, south of Paignton. Nearby, a Cattle Egret remained on St Mary's,
Isles of Scilly, with a further 13 in County Cork. Also on St Mary's, an adult
Night Heron was seen in flight over Lower Moors, whilst the long staying
bird remained in Kent.
In Norfolk, the wintering Black-bellied Dipper reappeared at Natural Surroundings NR, and the adult white morph Ross's Goose was seen at Waxham. Scarcities included Common Rosefinch in County Durham, Rose-coloured Starling in Cornwall, American Wigeon in Berkshire, two Surf Scoters in Devon and Todd's Canada Goose in Argyll. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Wednesday 14th January 2009 | ||
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| A Penduline Tit was discovered in Paignton, Devon, whilst in London
the pair of Penduline Tits remained at Rainham Marshes RSPB. In addition
to the Penduline Tits, the Snowy Owl in Cornwall, Cattle Egrets in
Cornwall (4) and Isles of Scilly, Lesser Scaup in Glamorgan, King
Eider in Fife and Ferruginous Duck in Lincolnshire were the headline
rarities.
The Night Heron was still in Kent, the American Wigeon showed again in Berkshire and three Green-winged Teals and a couple of Rough-legged Buzzards were logged. Poor photos of a reported Dusky Thrush in Gloucestershire appeared to show a Redwing, and the Canvasback in Derbyshire is thought to be an escape. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Tuesday 13th January 2009 | ||
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| New rarities today consisted of a female Blue-winged Teal, reported
from Alvecote Pools, Warwickshire, where it flew around Teal Pool early
afternoon but was unfortunately not relocated, a Ferruginous Duck was at
Oxford Island, County Armagh and a Great White Egret was seen from a
train near Westbury, Wiltshire.
Elsewhere, lingering rarities consisted of American Herring Gull at Bantry, County Cork, Snowy Owl near St Ives, Cornwall, two Penduline Tits at Rainham Marshes RSPB, London, Red-breasted Goose at Keyhaven, Hampshire, King Eider at Earlsferry, Fife and single Lesser Scaups at Cardiff, Glamorgan and Holme Pierrepont, Nottinghamshire. News regarding the female Steller's Eider, reported from Morfa Nefyn, Gwynedd on 4th January was negative, as the record has been found to be a hoax. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Monday 12th January 2009 | ||
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| Lingering rarities confirmed as still present today comprised the Snowy Owl in Cornwall, Red-breasted Goose in Hampshire,
Lesser Scaup in Glamorgan, King Eiders in Fife and County Sligo (2) and
Cattle Egrets in the Isles of Scilly, Devon (2) and County Cork (13). Scarcities included a Rose-coloured Starling in Cornwall, Night Heron in Kent, Surf Scoter in Devon, Rough-legged Buzzards in Cambridgeshire and Cleveland, along with four Ring-billed Gulls, six Green-winged Teals and seven Ring-necked Ducks. Waxwing reports totaled 488 in 23 counties with maximums of 66 in Lothian, 58 in Leicestershire, 51 in West Yorkshire, 50 in County Antrim and 37 in Suffolk. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Sunday 11th January 2009 | ||
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| Find of the day was a Killdeer at Saddle Bow in Norfolk - the bird
frequented a ditch for around forty minutes early afternoon before flying off.
Elsewhere a drake King Eider was a superb discovery off Pett, East Sussex
and in London two Penduline Tits remained at Rainham Marshes RSPB.
Lingering wildfowl included the Red-breasted Goose in Hampshire, Ross's Goose in Norfolk, Ferruginous Duck in Lincolnshire, Hooded Merganser in Dorset, King Eider in Fife and Lesser Scaup in Glamorgan. At least sixteen Cattle Egrets were logged, the majority in Co Cork and in Galway the American Herring Gull was still on show. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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