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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Saturday 19th December 2009  
  The stunning white morph Gyr remained on The Gower, Glamorgan, where is showed on and off throughout the afternoon. Reports of Gyrs also came from Co Durham and Northumberland.

The Siberian Stonechat in Nottinghamshire was a popular attraction - the bird showed intermittently throughout the day. Elsewhere lingering rarities included Pacific Diver (Cornwall), Lesser Yellowlegs and Baird's Sandpiper (Lothian), Glossy Ibis (Worcestershire), Ferruginous Ducks (Somerset and West Yorkshire) and Spotted Sandpipers (Essex and Devon). 

Three Cattle Egrets were in Co Cork, Great White Egrets were logged in Warwickshire, Northamptonshire and Co Monaghan, a Richard's Pipit was discovered in Cornwall and the adult Rough-legged Buzzard lingered in Cambridgeshire.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Friday 18th December 2009  
  In Glamorgan, the juvenile female white morph Gyr remained in the Port Eynon /Scurlage area for much of the day. Mobile for the morning, it was found sitting in a field, and later on a fencepost, in the afternoon, where it showed well, before flying towards cliffs, possibly to roost.

In Nottinghamshire, the male Siberian Stonechat remained at Bevercotes Pit Wood. Lingering rare waders included the Lesser Yellowlegs and Baird's Sandpiper in Lothian, Long-billed Dowitcher in Cumbria and Spotted Sandpiper in Devon. The Red-breasted Goose was still in Devon, as was the Glossy Ibis in Worcestershire, Cattle Egrets in County Cork and Somerset (3), Ferruginous Duck in Dorset and Great White Egrets in Warwickshire, Somerset, Northamptonshire (2) and Essex.

Scarcities included a Hoopoe on the Isle of Wight, Rough-legged Buzzard in Cambridgeshire and White Stork in County Durham.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Thursday 17th December 2009  
  A male Siberian Stonechat at Bevercotes, Nottinghamshire, this afternoon is an excellent record. Inland birds are rare enough, but one inland in mid December is unprecedented. A white morph Gyr is also noteworthy, although it didn't linger as it flew over farmland near Port Eynon, Glamorgan.

Long staying rarities included the Brown Shrike in Surrey, Baird's Sandpiper in Lothian, three Penduline Tits in Kent, three Glossy Ibises in Somerset with another in Worcestershire, Long-billed Dowitcher in Cumbria, King Eider in Moray, Lesser Scaup in Glamorgan, single Spotted Sandpipers in Devon, Hampshire, Essex and Forth and Red-breasted Goose in Devon.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Wednesday 16th December 2009  
  Rarities headlines included the Brown Shrike in Surrey, Black Duck on Isles of Scilly, Baird's Sandpiper in Lothian, Penduline Tits in Kent, Ferruginous Duck in West Yorkshire, Long-billed Dowitcher in Cumbria, Spotted Sandpipers in Devon and Forth and Glossy Ibis in Kent.

Two Cattle Egrets remained in Hampshire and Great White Egrets were logged in Merseyside, Warwickshire and Suffolk.

Ireland hosted both a Lesser Scaup and Forster's Tern in Co Galway and a Cattle Egret in Co Cork.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Tuesday 15th December 2009  
  Lingering rarities comprised Spotted Sandpiper in Devon and Forth, Lesser Yellowlegs and Baird's Sandpiper in Lothian, Ferruginous Ducks in Dorset and West Yorkshire, Glossy Ibis in Worcestershire and Long-billed Dowitcher in Cumbria.

Great White Egrets were logged in Warwickshire, Northamptonshire (2) and Lancashire. In Norfolk the Greater Snow Goose remained near Titchwell and in London a Serin lingered at Rainham Marshes RSPB.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Monday 14th December 2009  
  New rarities today included a drake Lesser Scaup at Lough Sheelin, County Cavan, a Richardson's Canada Goose on Tiree, Argyll and Great White Egrets in Staffordshire and Angus.

Long staying rarities included the Brown Shrike in Surrey for its 65th day, Penduline Tit again in Kent, Red-breasted Goose and Spotted Sandpiper in Devon, Long-billed Dowitcher in Cumbria, Glossy Ibises in Kent (2), Somerset (3), County Wexford and Worcestershire, Ferruginous Ducks in Dorset, Somerset and Yorkshire and Cattle Egrets in Kent and Somerset (3).
-  Will Soar, RBA
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