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| Thursday 19th February 2009 | ||
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| The adult Pacific Diver remained off the Isles of Scilly, although it
is once again becoming distant. On Orkney, a female Snowy Owl was seen
this afternoon on Shapinsay, and has probably been around the islands for
several weeks. The Cornish bird remained in-situ, on Amalveor Downs.
Lingering rarities include the Red-breasted Goose in West Sussex, the Lesser Scaup in Perth and Kinross, Cackling Canada Goose in Dumfries and Galloway and Cattle Egrets were in Norfolk, Devon (4), County Cork (6), on the Isle of Man and on the Isles of Scilly. |
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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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| Wednesday 18th February 2009 | ||
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| On the Isles of Scilly, the adult Pacific Diver remained off St
Mary's. Nearby, the Snowy Owl was still on Amalveor Downs, Cornwall, the
Penduline Tit was at Clennon Valley, Devon, and the Red-breasted Goose
was at West Wittering, Sussex.
Further north, the Black-bellied Dipper was seen again at Letheringsett, Norfolk, with the Cattle Egret nearby at Matlaske. Other Cattle Egrets were on the Isles of Scilly, Isle of Man and in Devon and Cornwall. Late news from yesterday concerned the Gyr in Pembrokeshire, seen near Marloes briefly. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Tuesday 17th February 2009 | ||
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| Highlight of the day was the confirmation of the adult Pacific Diver
on Isles of Scilly, where it lingered distantly off the northeast coast of St
Mary's.
Penduline Tits were still on show at Strumpshaw Fen RSPB, Norfolk and Clennon Valley, Devon, the Snowy Owl lingered in Cornwall, the Red-breasted Goose was still in West Sussex and nine Cattle Egrets included a new bird on the Isle of Man. Elsewhere the second-winter male Rough-legged Buzzard was seen again in Hampshire, Black Brants were located in Devon and Norfolk, the Ross's Goose lingered with Pink-footed Geese in the latter county and five Great Grey Shrikes and five Green-winged Teals were logged. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Monday 16th February 2009 | ||
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| After being seen briefly yesterday evening, the identity of the returning Pacific
Diver to Llys-y-Fran Reservoir, Pembrokeshire was confirmed this morning,
although it wasn't seen after 8am. Another possible Pacific Diver was seen again
off St Mary's, Isles of Scilly.
A second Penduline Tit joined the long staying bird at Strumpshaw Fen RSPB, Norfolk, with the Devon bird still in place near Paignton. The Snowy Owl remained on Amalveor Downs, Cornwall, with other lingering rarities including Lesser Yellowlegs in Suffolk, Black-bellied Dipper in Norfolk, Red-breasted Goose in West Sussex. Great White Egrets were in Suffolk (2) and Somerset, and Cattle Egrets were in Devon (7), Cornwall (2) and County Cork (5). |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Sunday 15th February 2009 | ||
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| The highlight of the day was the discovery of the first spring rarity: a Great Spotted Cuckoo at Ringaskiddy, County Cork. Although this species is noted for being an early vagrant, and there have been two previous February records of this species (and eleven have arrived in March), this is still the earliest ever in the British Isles by a full week. Notable relocations today included the Snowy Owl in Cornwall at Amalveor Downs, White-billed Diver on the Shetland Isles in Bluemull Sound, Ferruginous Duck in Norfolk near Wroxham, Great White Egret in Cambridgeshire at Ely and a Dark-breasted Barn Owl at Donna Nook, Lincolnshire. Lingering rarities comprised the Penduline Tit in Devon, Red-breasted Goose in West Sussex, Lesser Yellowlegs in Suffolk, Taverner's Canada Goose in Dumfries and Galloway, Lesser Scaup in Nottinghamshire, King Eiders in County Sligo (2) and Kent, Ferruginous Ducks in both County Armagh and Essex and Cattle Egrets in County Cork (4), Devon (6), Norfolk, Isles of Scilly and Somerset. Scarcities included eight Great Grey Shrikes, seven Green-winged Teals, six Lapland Buntings, five Ring-billed Gulls, two Snow Geese, two Ring-necked Ducks, a Surf Scoter and a Rough-legged Buzzard. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Saturday 14th February 2009 | ||
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| A Lesser Scaup in County Cavan at Lough Sheelin was the only new rarity discovered today but the
Penduline Tit in Norfolk at Strumpshaw Fen, King Eider in Kent near Dungeness and
Ferruginous Duck at Old Hall Marshes, Essex all made welcome reappearances. Lingering rarities included the Penduline Tit still in Devon, Red-breasted Goose in West Sussex, Lesser Yellowlegs in Suffolk, King Eider in Fife, Black-bellied Dipper and Dark-breasted Barn Owl both in Norfolk, Great White Egret in Derbyshire, single Lesser Scaups in both County Down and Nottinghamshire, Hooded Merganser in Dorset and Cattle Egrets in Devon (10), the Isles of Scilly and County Waterford (2). Winter scarcities were represented by a total of eight Great Grey Shrikes, five each of Black Brant and Green-winged Teal, four Rough-legged Buzzards, three each of Surf Scoter and Snow Goose and a single Ring-necked Duck whilst gulls included 58 Iceland (including 12 together in County Galway), 40 Glaucous (including 15 together in County Mayo), ten each of both Caspian and Ring-billed and six Kumlien's. Waxwing reports totaled 764 birds in 23 counties including maximums of 130 in Nottinghamshire, 93 in County Dublin and 80 in Suffolk. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Friday 13th February 2009 | ||
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| A first-winter American Herring Gull at Budleigh Salterton, Devon was
today's star discovery, joining the Penduline Tit, Black Brant,
Surf Scoter and three Cattle Egrets already present in the county.
Elsewhere single Cattle Egrets were logged in Co Cork, Cornwall, Isles of
Scilly, Norfolk and Somerset.
In West Sussex the adult Red-breasted Goose remained at West Wittering, Great White Egrets were logged in Cambridgeshire, Somerset and Derbyshire and Snow Geese were in Clyde and Ayrshire. Three Great Grey Shrikes, three Green-winged Teals, a Ring-necked Duck and an American Wigeon were also recorded. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Thursday 12th February 2009 | ||
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| A White-billed Diver was located off Lewis, Western Isles today and in
West Sussex the Red-breasted Goose previously in Hampshire relocated to
West Wittering with Dark-bellied Brent Geese. Lingering rarities included the
Penduline Tit in Devon, Lesser Yellowlegs in Suffolk, Lesser Scaup
in Nottinghamshire and Cattle Egrets in Devon (4), Norfolk, Isles of
Scilly and Cornwall.
The best of the rest comprised a Ring-necked Duck on North Ronaldsay, Orkney, Great Grey Shrikes on the Berkshire/Surrey border and in Norfolk and Dark-breasted Barn Owl and Black-bellied Dipper in Norfolk. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Wednesday 11th February 2009 | ||
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| Cattle Egret reports included a new bird in Norfolk, at Matlaske, as
well as lingering birds in Devon (4), Isles of Scilly and Cornwall. In London
two Penduline Tits were seen again at Rainham Marshes RSPB, the Great
White Egret reappeared at Sutton Brook Lake in Derbyshire and the juvenile
White-tailed Eagle remained on the Solway Firth in Dumfries & Galloway,
although it was found to be a released bird bearing a satellite transmitter.
A Ring-necked Duck on North Ronaldsay, Orkney, was the first record for the island, whilst the female also remained in Ayrshire. Elsewhere other Nearctic scarcities included four Green-winged Teals, two Black Brants and two Ring-billed Gulls. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Tuesday 10th February 2009 | ||
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| An apparently unringed juvenile White-tailed Eagle was watched on the
Cumbria /Dumfries and Galloway border for much of the day. However, the leg
rings of the re-introduced Scottish birds can be extremely difficult to see. An
adult Bonaparte's Gull was seen on the beach at Ballybrannigan, County
Cork.
In Norfolk, both the Penduline Tit and Black-bellied Dipper made an appearance, the tit showing very well for 15 minutes early morning. The adult white morph Ross's Goose was also seen, at Langham. A drake Baikal Teal or hybrid was again present at Stanwick GPs, Northamptonshire. A Cattle Egret was still present on the Isles of Scilly. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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