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 14th February 2010  
  Rarities recorded today comprised Long-billed Dowitchers in Cheshire and Cornwall, Lesser Scaups in Glamorgan (2) and Cornwall, Black-throated Thrush in North Yorkshire, American Eider in Co Donegal, Little Bunting in Highland, Black Kite in Powys, Glossy Ibis in Co Wexford, and Forster's Tern in Co Galway.

The best of the rest included Rose-coloured Starling in Cumbria, Ring-necked Ducks in Cleveland, West Yorkshire, Norfolk, Orkney, Co Clare and Gloucestershire, three Cattle Egrets in Cornwall and Great White Egrets in Glamorgan and Northamptonshire (2).

Late news from yesterday related to a Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler at Strumpshaw Fen RSPB (Norfolk).
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Saturday 13th February 2010  
  A Lesser Scaup at Eglwys Nunydd Reservoir, Glamorgan was a new discovery today, with the adult drake also remaining in the county at Cosmeston Lakes Country Park (and another still in Cornwall). In County Sligo, two Richardson's Canada Geese were seen at Ballintemple.

Lingering rarities seen today included the female Black-throated Thrush at Newholm, Yorkshire, female Penduline Tit at Grove Ferry NNR, Kent, Long-billed Dowitcher at Maer Lake, Cornwall, Black Kite at Gigrin Farm, Powys, American Eider in County Donegal, Glossy Ibis in County Wexford, Forster's Tern in County Galway and Little Bunting in Highland.

The small Waxwing influx continues, with at least 87 logged. Other quality scarcities included three Rough-legged Buzzards, six Great Grey Shrikes, a Rose-coloured Starling, five Cattle Egrets and four Great White Egrets.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Friday 12th February 2010  
  A Long-billed Dowitcher was discovered at Maer Lake NR (Cornwall) where it showed well this morning. Elsewhere lingering rarities included Little Bunting (Highland), King Eider (Moray), Penduline Tit (Kent), Lesser Scaup (Glamorgan) and Black Kite (Powys).

The best of the rest came in the form of 56 Waxwings, 19 Shorelarks, seven Common Cranes, five Snow Geese, five Great Grey Shrikes, five Cattle Egrets, four Black Brants, four Ring-necked Ducks, two Green-winged Teals, two Great White Egrets and a Rose-coloured Starling.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Thursday 11th February 2010  
  A Gyr was reported near Salter's Gate, County Durham this afternoon. In Kent the Penduline Tit remained at Grove Ferry NNR, and the Black Duck reappeared on Tresco, Isles of Scilly.

Other long staying rarities seen today included Little Bunting in Highland, Black Kite in Powys, Lesser Scaup in Cornwall and Richardson's Canada Goose on Islay, Argyll. Two Lesser Scaups were seen yesterday on Lewis, Western Isles.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Wednesday 10th February 2010  
  Lingering rarities confirmed as still present today comprised the Thayer's Gull in County Galway, Penduline Tit in Kent, Lesser Scaup in Cornwall, Little Bunting in Highland and Glossy Ibises in County Wexford and Somerset (3).

Scarcities included 33 Waxwings scattered across eight counties, 20 Shorelarks, 14 Tundra Bean Geese, five Black Brants, three each of Surf Scoter, Ring-necked Duck and Iceland Gull, two each of Cattle Egret, Green-winged Teal and Ring-billed Gull and single Rose-coloured Starling (Cumbria), Great Grey Shrike (Hampshire), Lapland Bunting (Kent), Caspian Gull (London) and Rough-legged Buzzard and Glaucous Gull (Norfolk).

Significant late news concerned single Gyrs yesterday in Cornwall at Newquay, and on Monday, still on Islay, Argyll.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Tuesday 9th February 2010  
  A Penduline Tit at Grove Ferry NNR, Kent briefly was probably the individual first seen in late January. Other lingering rarities included Black Kite in Powys, King Eider in Moray, Little Bunting in Highland, Lesser Scaup in Cornwall and American Eider in County Donegal.

Scarcities seen today included a Balearic Shearwater, a Great White Egret, three Cattle Egrets, two Surf Scoters, two Ring-necked Ducks, a Rough-legged Buzzard, three Ring-billed Gulls, 26 Waxwings, 22 Shorelarks and two Great Grey Shrikes.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Monday 8th February 2010  
  Lingering rarities included the Black-throated Thrush in North Yorkshire, Thayer's Gull and Forster's Tern in Co Galway, Little Bunting in Highland, Black Kite in Powys and Lesser Scaup in Cornwall.

Elsewhere one each of American Wigeon, Great White Egret and Rose-coloured Starling, two Ring-necked Ducks, three Rough-legged Buzzards, five Cattle Egrets and twelve Waxwings were reported.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Sunday 7th February 2010  
  The highlights of the day were the continued presence of the Thayer's Gull and Forster's Tern in County Galway, Black-throated Thrush in North Yorkshire, Red-breasted Goose in Essex, American Eider in County Donegal, Black Kite in Powys, King Eider in Moray, Blue-winged Teal in County Dublin, Little Bunting in Highland, Glossy Ibis in County Wexford, Richardson's Canada Goose in County Sligo, Hooded Merganser in Cleveland and single Lesser Scaups in both Clyde and Cornwall.

Scarcities included 23 Tundra Bean Geese, 22 Shorelarks and 19 Waxwings with three each of Surf Scoter, Ring-necked Duck, Great White Egret, Cattle Egret, Great Grey Shrike and Lapland Bunting (Lincolnshire), two each of American Wigeon, Rough-legged Buzzard (Norfolk), Snow Goose, Green-winged Teal and Black Brant and a single Rose-coloured Starling (Cumbria). Gulls were represented by eight Glaucous, seven Ring-billed, six Caspian and four Iceland.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Saturday 6th February 2010  
  A Lesser Scaup at Burton Mill Pond (West Sussex) was the sole new rarity found on Saturday. Lingering rarities included Black-throated Thrush in North Yorkshire, Little Bunting in Highland and Black Kite in Powys. In addition to the aforementioned Lesser Scaup wildfowl highlights came in the form of Lesser Scaups in Glamorgan and Cornwall, Red-breasted Goose in Devon, King Eider in Moray, Hooded Merganser in Cleveland, Richardson's Canada Goose in Argyll, Ring-necked Ducks in Cleveland, Carmarthenshire and Norfolk, Surf Scoters in Conwy (3) and Devon and Green-winged Teals in Hampshire and Merseyside.

In Ireland the Thayer's Gull remained in Co Galway and a Glossy Ibis lingered in Co Cork.

The best of the rest included Rose-coloured Starling in Cumbria, five Great White Egrets and four Cattle Egrets.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Friday 5th February 2010  
  The highlight of the day was confirmation from Ireland of the continued presence of the Thayer's Gull in County Galway, the Bonaparte's Gull in County Cork and the American Eider in County Donegal. Lingering rarities elsewhere comprised the Black-throated Thrush still in North Yorkshire, Black Kite in Powys, Little Bunting in Highland, three Glossy Ibises together in Somerset and single Lesser Scaups in both Cornwall and Glamorgan.

Scarcities included 13 Tundra Bean Geese in Suffolk, six Shorelarks, five each of Cattle Egret and Great White Egret, four Great Grey Shrikes, three Green-winged Teals, two each of Surf Scoter, Snow Goose, Rough-legged Buzzard, Ring-necked Duck and Lapland Bunting and single Rose-coloured Starling (Cumbria) and Black Brant (Lincolnshire). Notable gulls comprised six each of Glaucous and Iceland and single Ring-billed (County Kerry) and Caspian (Cheshire).

Significant late news concerned a Short-toed Treecreeper that was present near Dover, Kent on 1st-2nd February but has not been seen since.
-  Chris Batty, RBA