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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Sunday 13th December 2009  
  New rarities came only in the form of two Cattle Egrets near Saltash in Cornwall, and a second Great White Egret at Pitsford Reservoir in Northamptonshire. These brought totals today of six Cattle Egrets (the others being in Somerset (3) and Kent) and nine Great White Egrets (the 2 at Pitsford, plus 2 in Warwickshire, 2 in Cumbria and singles in Merseyside, Kent and Somerset).

Other long stayers included the Brown Shrike in Surrey, the Long-billed Dowitcher in Cumbria, Spotted Sandpipers in Hampshire, Devon, Essex and Forth, Glossy Ibises in Kent (2), Somerset (3), Worcestershire and County Wexford, Ferruginous Ducks in Dorset, Yorkshire and Somerset and the Blue-winged Teal in County Dublin.

The American Wigeon was again at Welney in Norfolk and the two Serins were seen again at Rainham Marsh in London. There was an unusual inland record was of three Velvet Scoters on Farmoor reservoir in Oxfordshire.
-  Pete Hayman, RBA
Saturday 12th December 2009  
  With new rarities including just a Great White Egret in Cambridgeshire and late news of a White-billed Diver on Shetland, yesterday, it was down to long staying rarities to provide the highlights. The Long-billed Dowitcher reappeared at Port Carlisle, Cumbria, whilst the Brown Shrike remained on view in Surrey, as did the King Eider in Moray, Spotted Sandpipers in Essex and Devon, Glossy Ibises in Kent (2), Somerset (3) and Worcestershire, Ferruginous Ducks in Somerset and Dorset and Cattle Egrets in Somerset (3) and Kent.

Scarcities included a Balearic Shearwater, Richard's Pipit, Green-winged Teal, two Great Grey Shrikes, Surf Scoter, and Ring-necked Duck.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Friday 11th December 2009  
  Today was a quiet December day with no new rarities found. The Black Duck was again seen on the Abbey Pool on Tresco, Isles of Scilly, whilst in Surrey the long staying Brown Shrike could still be found at Staines Moor.

Other long stayers included Spotted Sandpipers in Essex, Devon and Forth, Glossy Ibises in Kent (2) and Worcestershire, Ferruginous Ducks in West Yorkshire and Dorset, a Great White Egret in Kent and a Lesser Yellowlegs in Lothian.

Ring-necked Ducks were still to be found in Ceredigion and Buckinghamshire, two Ring-billed Gulls and three Iceland Gulls were reported, and there was a good scattering of Great Northern Divers and Black Redstarts in southern counties.
-  Pete Hayman, RBA
Thursday 10th December 2009  
  A drake Black Duck was found on the Isles of Scilly early morning, being flushed around Tresco for a couple of hours before finally flying towards Samson. A Yellow-browed Warbler was also on Tresco, with another still in Glamorgan.

Elsewhere, lingering rarities included the Brown Shrike for its 61st day in Surrey, the King Eider at Burghead, Moray, the Blue-winged Teal at North Bull, County Dublin, single Spotted Sandpipers in Essex, Devon, Hampshire and Forth, single Ferruginous Ducks in Dorset and Yorkshire, the Glossy Ibis in Worcestershire with another two in Kent, the Cattle Egret in Kent, single Great White Egrets in Northamptonshire and Warwickshire and the Red-breasted Goose in Devon.

Scarcities logged included nine Spoonbills, four Snow Geese, Green-winged Teal, Surf Scoter, Rough-legged Buzzard, Grey Phalarope, Pomarine Skua, Ring-billed Gull, two Caspian Gulls, two Shorelarks, four Great Grey Shrikes and a Rose-coloured Starling. Late Whinchats remained in Warwickshire and Suffolk.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Wednesday 9th December 2009  
  Lingering rarities provided today's headlines - the Brown Shrike (Surrey), Pacific Diver (Cornwall), four Spotted Sandpipers (Essex, Forth, Hampshire and Devon), Red-breasted Goose (Devon), Lesser Scaup (Glamorgan), two Ferruginous Ducks (West Yorkshire and Dorset), Lesser Yellowlegs and Baird's Sandpiper (Lothian) all remained on show.

Five Glossy Ibises, three Great White Egrets and two Cattle Egrets were logged, the Yellow-browed Warbler lingered in Glamorgan and Rose-coloured Starlings were still in Oxfordshire and Cumbria.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Tuesday 8th December 2009  
  In Orkney a grey morph Gyr flew in off the sea near Stromness, Mainland this morning.

Elsewhere lingering rarities included Brown Shrike in Surrey, Pacific Diver in Cornwall, Spotted Sandpipers in Essex, Hampshire and Devon, Baird's Sandpiper and Lesser Yellowlegs in Lothian, Ferruginous Ducks in West Yorkshire and Dorset, Lesser Scaup in Glamorgan and King Eider in Moray. Glossy Ibises lingered in Somerset (3) and Kent (2), three Cattle Egrets were in Somerset and Great White Egrets remained in Fife, Norfolk and Kent.

The best of the rest included Rose-coloured Starlings in Cumbria and Oxfordshire, Yellow-browed Warbler in Glamorgan and Ring-necked Duck in Ceredigion.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Monday 7th December 2009  
  The highlight of the day was the continued presence of the Pacific Diver at Hayle, Cornwall. Rarities elsewhere comprised the Gyr seen again at Yellow Strand, County Sligo, both the Baird's Sandpiper and Lesser Yellowlegs still in Lothian, Spotted Sandpipers in both Devon and Forth, Ferruginous Ducks in both Forth and West Yorkshire, Cattle Egret in Dorset and Great White Egrets in Devon, Fife, Norfolk and Northamptonshire.

Scarcities included 30 Balearic Shearwaters, six Shorelarks, four each of both Caspian Gull and Pomarine Skua, two Great Grey Shrikes and single Serin (London), Surf Scoter (Fife) and American Wigeon (Norfolk).
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Sunday 6th December 2009  
  Lingering rarities comprised Brown Shrike in Surrey, Pacific Diver in Cornwall, Baird's Sandpiper and Lesser Yellowlegs in Lothian, Spotted Sandpipers in Forth, Devon , Hampshire and Essex, Ferruginous Ducks in Norfolk and West Yorkshire, Red-breasted Goose in Devon and two Glossy Ibises in Kent. Great White Egrets  were logged in Kent, Fife and Lancashire and Cattle Egrets were noted in Dorset (2) and Cambridgeshire.

Elsewhere notable species included Ring-necked Duck in Ceredigion, Serin in London, American Wigeons in Dumfries & Galloway and Norfolk, Yellow-browed Warbler in Glamorgan, Rose-coloured Starling on Oxfordshire and Green-winged Teals in Leicestershire, Gloucestershire and Norfolk.

In Ireland an American Golden Plover was recorded in Co Down.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Saturday 5th December 2009  
  A white morph Gyr was seen twice in Raghly Harbour, County Sligo late morning and early afternoon, the second for the county and the first since 1906. Great White Egrets were found at Long Lawford, Warwickshire and at Sturminster Marshall, Dorset.

Lingering rarities included the Brown Shrike in Surrey, Baird's Sandpiper in Lothian, single Spotted Sandpipers in Devon, Hampshire, Essex and Forth, Glossy Ibises in Worcestershire and Kent (2) and single Ferruginous Ducks in Norfolk, Dorset and Yorkshire.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Friday 4th December 2009  
  A Brunnich's Guillemot that flew west past Cley (and most likely Sheringham beforehand) mid morning is potentially just the third record for England. Also in the county, a female Ferruginous Duck was seen at Snettisham RSPB late afternoon.

Further south, a Red-breasted Goose was seen with the Dark-bellied Brent Geese at Bowling Green Marsh RSPB, Devon, for its second day. Nearby, in Dorset, a Ferruginous Duck was at Abbotsbury Swannery, whilst a Great White Egret was seen in Leicestershire.

Lingering rarities included Brown Shrike in Surrey, King Eider in Moray, Baird's Sandpiper and Lesser Yellowlegs in Lothian, Ferruginous Duck in Yorkshire, Spotted Sandpipers in Essex, Hampshire, Devon and Forth, Penduline Tit in Kent and Glossy Ibises in Worcestershire and Kent.
-  Will Soar, RBA