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 10th April 2009  
  New discoveries today included in County Cork a Subalpine Warbler on Mizen Head and a Great White Egret at Glounthaune, in County Dublin a Bonaparte's Gull on the Swords Estuary and on the Isle of Scilly a Red-rumped Swallow on St Martin's. 

Lingering rarities comprised the Bonaparte's Gull on the Western Isles, single Lesser Scaups in both Glamorgan and Nottinghamshire, the Great White Egret in Clyde, Hooded Merganser in Dorset, Cattle Egrets in Cornwall (3), Cheshire, Devon, Dorset and Pembrokeshire and, in Norfolk, the unidentified American or Pacific Golden Plover remained.

Scarcities were represented by six Ring-necked Ducks, three each of Wryneck and Green-winged Teal, two each of Hoopoe, Lesser Snow Goose, Great Grey Shrike and Lapland Bunting and single Kentish Plover, Purple Heron, Surf Scoter and Rough-legged Buzzard.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Thursday 9th April 2009  
  An Alpine Swift over Snettisham RSPB, Norfolk and a Red-rumped Swallow at Bishop Middleham, Co Durham were both sighted briefly today. A Purple Heron in Suffolk (for its second day), Bluethroat in Berkshire and a Sabine's Gull past Cornwall were also notable.

Lingering rarities and scarcities included White-billed Diver in Highland, Lesser Scaup in Nottinghamshire, Ferruginous Duck in Somerset and six Cattle Egrets in southwest England.

In Norfolk a golden plover sp at Breydon Water continued to cause an identification headache.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Wednesday 8th April 2009  
  A male Snowy Owl on North Uist, Western Isles, Great White Egret in Lincolnshire and a reported Glossy Ibis in Cheshire were all new discoveries whilst long stayers included Lesser Scaup in Nottinghamshire, Hooded Merganser in Dorset and three Cattle Egrets in Cornwall.

A Richard's Pipit was located at Osmington Mills, Dorset, a Common Rosefinch briefly visited a Birdham garden, West Sussex and in Oxfordshire a Ring-necked Duck arrived at Otmoor RSPB. In Norfolk the identification of a possible Pacific Golden Plover continued to cause debate amongst observers.

Late news from yesterday related to the reappearance of the Gyr on Tiree, Argyll.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Tuesday 7th April 2009  
  A male Citrine Wagtail reported in Warwickshire would have been a superb addition to many observers' Draycote Water lists, had it been twitchable. The only other new rarity reported today was a Black Kite, which flew over Pegwell Bay, Kent.

Fourteen Cattle Egrets remained in Cornwall, with further singletons in Cheshire, Dorset and on the Isle of Man. A lesser golden plover was at Breydon Water, Norfolk, for its second day.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Monday 6th April 2009  
  On the Western Isles, a Killdeer was found on Lewis, at Loch Staipabhat late morning, and was present until mid evening when it flew south. Other new rarities included a White-billed Diver off North Ronaldsay, Orkney, with another remaining in Highland, a Great White Egret was at Lodmoor RSPB, Dorset, briefly and a Cattle Egret was in Lancashire, also briefly.

The Great Spotted Cuckoo was seen for a few minutes in Cornwall, but was very elusive for the rest of the day. Other lingering rarities included King Eider in Fife and Lesser Scaup in Nottinghamshire. The first Kentish Plover of the spring was seen in Essex, and there continued to be a good movement of Little Gulls through inland counties.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Sunday 5th April 2009  
  In Cornwall the Great Spotted Cuckoo remained on Bartinney Downs, the White-billed Diver was again seen in Highland, King Eiders were observed in Fife and Shetland, the Ferruginous Duck was still present in Suffolk, the long-staying Lesser Scaup lingered in Nottinghamshire, Great White Egrets were seen in three counties and a total of seven Cattle Egrets were noted.

Serins were recorded in Dorset and Norfolk with a Hoopoe also in the latter county.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Saturday 4th April 2009  
  In Cornwall, both the Great Spotted Cuckoo and the Gyr were present, although only the cuckoo was available to the masses. The six Cattle Egrets were also present in the county, with others in Dorset, Pembrokeshire, Cheshire and Warwickshire.

The wintering King Eider was seen again at Earlsferry, Fife, the Ferruginous Duck was at Trimley, Suffolk and the Lesser Scaup was still at Holme Pierrepont, Nottinghamshire. Great White Egrets were present in Lincolnshire and Clyde.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Friday 3rd April 2009  
  In Cornwall, the adult Gyr remained at Newquay, being seen briefly late morning and then again for a few minutes this evening. There was no sign of either the Snowy Owl, Western Subalpine Warbler or the Great Spotted Cuckoo in the county, although the six Cattle Egrets were still near Sennen.

In Highland, the White-billed Diver was seen distantly on Little Loch Broom. Also in Scotland, the adult Bonaparte's Gull reappeared on South Uist, whilst the Great White Egret was still in Clyde. The Gyr was seen again yesterday on Islay, Argyll.

Another Great White Egret was seen in Kent, over Sandwich Bay and Pegwell Bay, and other Cattle Egrets remained in Warwickshire and Cheshire. The Lesser Scaup was at Holme Pierrepont, Nottinghamshire, and the Ferruginous Duck was at Chew Valley Lake, Somerset.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Thursday 2nd April 2009  
  A singing male Western Subalpine Warbler in Cornwall and Snowy Owl on Lewis, Western Isles were both new discoveries. Cornwall also continued to host the Great Spotted Cuckoo at Bartinney Downs, as well as seven Cattle Egrets (six near Sennen and a single on the Hayle Estuary).

Elsewhere King Eiders remained in Sligo (2) and Fife, the Lesser Scaup was still in Nottinghamshire and additional Cattle Egrets included birds in Warwickshire, Isles of Scilly and Dorset, as well as a total of nine in Co Cork.

In Fife a Common Rosefinch made landfall on Isle of May and an American Wigeon, two Ring-necked Ducks and two Green-winged Teals were logged.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Wednesday 1st April 2009  
  In Cornwall, the Great Spotted Cuckoo was relocated on Bartinney Downs, near St Just this evening. The Snowy Owl was seen on Trendrine Hill, Zennor at midday, before it moved to the moors just south of Sennen Cove this afternoon. A Gyr was reported over Newquay mid morning, and there were still at least 15 Cattle Egrets in the county.

In Devon, the Penduline Tit continued to sing at Youngs Waterpark, with other lingering rarities including Gyr in County Mayo, Ferruginous Duck in Somerset and Lesser Scaup in Nottinghamshire.

The Blue-winged Teal remained in County Clare, whilst other Cattle Egrets were in Warwickshire, Pembrokeshire and on the Isles of Scilly. Great White Egrets were in Clyde, County Cork and Lancashire.
-  Will Soar, RBA