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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Friday 23rd January 2009  
  The Lesser Yellowlegs made another brief appearance at Southwold, Suffolk, whilst other lingering rarities included Penduline Tit in Devon, Ferruginous Duck in Leicestershire, Lesser Scaup in Nottinghamshire, King Eider in Fife, single Great White Egrets in Cambridgeshire and Leicestershire and Cattle Egrets in Devon (5), Somerset and Isles of Scilly.

Late news for yesterday concerned the Canvasback in Argyll, which was seen again, together with a Lesser Scaup, on Loch Skerrols, Islay.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Thursday 22nd January 2009  
  Headline lingering rarities consisted of the adult Ivory Gull on North Uist, Western Isles and Penduline Tit in Paignton, Devon. Elsewhere Great White Egrets remained in Leicestershire and Cambridgeshire, up to 18 Cattle Egrets were logged (with all but four in Co Cork) and the Ferruginous Duck was still in Leicestershire.

A total of 518 Waxwings were reported, with flocks of 100 in Nottingham and 70 in Stoke-on-Trent.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Wednesday 21st January 2009  
  The arrival of an adult Ivory Gull on North Uist, Western Isles was well predicted, considering the winds over the past few days. The only other new rarity was a female Ferruginous Duck in Leicestershire, identified today, having been present at the same site yesterday.

Lingering rarities included the Penduline Tit in Devon, Forster's Tern in County Galway/County Clare, King Eider in Fife, single Great White Egrets in Leicestershire, Cambridgeshire, Somerset and Hampshire, and Cattle Egrets in County Cork (6), Devon (4) and Isles of Scilly.

There was no sign of the Ancient Murrelet, reported yesterday at Dawlish Warren, Devon.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Tuesday 20th January 2009  
  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.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Monday 19th January 2009  
  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.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Sunday 18th January 2009  
  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.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Saturday 17th January 2009  
  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.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Friday 16th January 2009  
  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.
-  Pete Hayman, RBA
Thursday 15th January 2009  
  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.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Wednesday 14th January 2009  
  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.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA