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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Tuesday 5th January 2010  
  Hot news today related to the arrival of a drake Baikal Teal at Tacumshin in Co Wexford. Elsewhere lingering rarities included Baird's Sandpiper (Lothian), Little Bunting (Highland), Black Kite (Powys), Ferruginous Duck (Norfolk), Spotted Sandpiper (Devon), Blue-winged Teal (Co Dublin) and a Snowy Owl reappeared on Lewis (Western Isles).

The best of the rest comprised Richard's Pipit in Cornwall, Great White Egrets in Northamptonshire and Warwickshire, Surf Scoter in Devon, Ring-necked Ducks in Lancashire and Buckinghamshire and Serin in London.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Monday 4th January 2010  
  In Norfolk, the probable Pacific Diver was seen again at Titchwell, where it flew west on two occasions. Elsewhere, in Wales, the Black Kite remained at the Red Kite feeding station at Gigrin Farm, Powys.

Wintering rarities seen today included the Little Bunting in Highland, Baird's Sandpiper in Lothian, Long-billed Dowitcher in Cumbria, Glossy Ibis in Worcestershire, Spotted Sandpiper and Red-breasted Goose in Devon and single Ferruginous Ducks in Norfolk and Yorkshire.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Sunday 3rd January 2010  
  A juvenile Black Kite at Gigrin Farm, Powys is an excellent winter record, being the first ever January sighting of this species in Britain (excluding the wintering Black-eared Kite of 2006/2007). A diver species, thought to be possibly a Pacific Diver was seen off Titchwell, Norfolk late afternoon, whilst a dowitcher species, thought to be probably a Long-billed Dowitcher was seen briefly at Rattray Head, Aberdeenshire briefly early afternoon.

Lingering rarities included Forster's Tern in County Galway, Baird's Sandpiper in Lothian, Glossy Ibises in Worcestershire and Somerset, Spotted Sandpipers in Essex and Devon, Long-billed Dowitcher in Cumbria, Little Bunting in Highland, King Eider in Moray, Lesser Scaup in Glamorgan, Red-breasted Goose in Devon and Ferruginous Ducks in Norfolk, Yorkshire, County Armagh and Staffordshire.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Saturday 2nd January 2010  
  A drake American Eider, of the form dresseri, was discovered in Glasagh Bay, County Donegal this morning. This is possibly the first Western Palearctic record, at a site also well known for records of borealis Northern Eiders.

In Surrey, the Brown Shrike remained at Staines Moor, although it proved very elusive. The Forster's Tern remained at Nimmo's Pier, County Galway, as did the Blue-winged Teal at North Bull Island, County Dublin, single Spotted Sandpipers in Devon and Essex, Red-breasted Goose in Devon, Little Bunting in Highland, Lesser Scaup in Glamorgan, Glossy Ibises in Somerset (3) and Worcestershire and single Ferruginous Ducks in Yorkshire and Staffordshire.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Friday 1st January 2010  
  The highlight of the day was the reappearance of the wintering Brown Shrike at Staines Moor, Surrey. Present from 11th October until 17th December, it was widely presumed to have disappeared as a result of the onset of the harsh winter weather, but in fact it remained unseen on site, or at least nearby.

Elsewhere, rarities comprised the Forster's Tern still in County Galway, Black Duck on the Isles of Scilly, Red-breasted Goose in Devon, Baird's Sandpiper in Lothian, Spotted Sandpipers in both Devon and Essex, Lesser Scaup in Glamorgan, two Richardson's Canada Geese in County Sligo, Glossy Ibises in Somerset (3) and Worcestershire and single Ferruginous Ducks in each of County Armagh, Norfolk, Somerset, Staffordshire and West Yorkshire.

Scarcities included eight each of Shorelark and Lapland Bunting, seven each of Ring-necked Duck, Cattle Egret, Great White Egret and Iceland Gull, five Black Brants, three each of Ring-billed Gull and Green-winged Teal, two each of Rough-legged Buzzard, Great Grey Shrike and Caspian Gull and single Little Bunting (Highland), Serin (London), Surf Scoter (Devon), Richard's Pipit (Cornwall), Kumlien's Gull (Lincolnshire), Glaucous Gull (Derbyshire) and Greater Snow Goose and Waxwing (Norfolk).
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Thursday 31st December 2009  
  Lingering rarities remaining in situ until the end of 2009 included Spotted Sandpiper in Essex, Glossy Ibis in Worcestershire, Ferruginous Ducks in Staffordshire and West Yorkshire and Forster's Tern in Co Galway.

Elsewhere Cattle Egrets remained in Devon and Somerset, two Great White Egrets were still in Northamptonshire and Yellow-browed Warbler and Richard's Pipit (Cornwall), Little Bunting (Highland) and Serin (London) were all still present.

In Highland an unconfirmed report of an Eyebrowed Thrush visiting a garden in Dingwall brought 2009 to a close.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Wednesday 30th December 2009  
  Lingering rarities comprised the Black Duck still on the Isles of Scilly, Red-breasted Goose in Devon, Long-billed Dowitcher in Cumbria, single Ferruginous Ducks in both Staffordshire and West Yorkshire, Glossy Ibises in Somerset (3) and Worcestershire, single Cattle Egrets in both Devon and Somerset and Great White Egrets in Leicestershire and Warwickshire.

Scarcities included 20 Lapland Buntings together in Lincolnshire, eight Iceland Gulls, seven each of Ring-necked Duck and Tundra Bean Goose, six Caspian Gulls, five Glaucous Gulls, two Black Brants and single Little Bunting (Highland), Greater Snow Goose (Norfolk), Ring-billed Gull (Essex) and Great Grey Shrike (Hampshire) whilst in Cornwall Richard's Pipit, Shorelark and Yellow-browed Warbler were all seen.

Significant late news concerned a Nutcracker reported briefly in a garden at Hadley, Worcestershire on 28th December but not seen since. However, despite reports of this species on an almost annual basis, the last acceptable Nutcracker in Britain was in 1998.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Tuesday 29th December 2009  
  Lingering rarities reported today included Baird's Sandpiper (Lothian), Long-billed Dowitcher (Cumbria) and Spotted Sandpiper (Essex) whilst wildfowl included Ferruginous Ducks in West Yorkshire, Staffordshire and Norfolk, King Eider in Moray and Red-breasted Goose in Devon. The Siberian Stonechat apparently reappeared in Nottinghamshire after a four-day absence.

Four Great White Egrets, three Cattle Egrets, a single Glossy Ibis, four Ring-necked Ducks and two Green-winged Teals were logged and the Little Bunting in Highland and Richard's Pipit in Cornwall both remained on show.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Monday 28th December 2009  
  In Cornwall an adult Bonaparte's Gull was discovered on the Gannel Estuary late in the afternoon. Elsewhere new discoveries included a Long-billed Dowitcher on Islay (Argyll) and a Ferruginous Duck in Staffordshire.

Lingering rare waders came in the form of Baird's Sandpiper in Lothian, Long-billed Dowitcher in Cumbria and Spotted Sandpiper in Essex whilst rare wildfowl included King Eider (Moray), Blue-winged Teal (Co Dublin), Red-breasted Goose (Devon) and Ferruginous Ducks in Norfolk and West Yorkshire.

Glossy Ibises were logged in Somerset (2) and Worcestershire, five Great White Egrets were reported and Cattle Egrets were seen in Somerset and Co Cork.

The best of the rest included Little Bunting in Highland, Yellow-browed Warblers in Somerset and Cornwall and Serin in London.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Sunday 27th December 2009  
  Lingering rarities comprised Spotted Sandpiper in Essex, Ferruginous Ducks in West Yorkshire, Somerset and Norfolk, Long-billed Dowitcher in Cumbria, King Eider in Moray, Red-breasted Goose in Devon and Black Duck on Isles of Scilly. A reported Little Crake in Shropshire (apparently present since Boxing Day) failed to materialise when it was searched for from late morning into the afternoon.

Three Glossy Ibises remained in Somerset, eight Cattle Egrets were logged (including five together in Devon) and four Great White Egrets were recorded.

The best of the rest included Yellow-browed Warblers in Somerset and Cornwall, Little Bunting in Highland and Richard's Pipit in Glamorgan.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA