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 5th March 2010  
  The highlight of the day was the reappearance of the white morph Gyr on Tresco, Isles of Scilly.

In County Tipperary a Long-billed Dowitcher was a new discovery at Ashton's Callows, whilst rarities elsewhere comprised the Black Kite still in Powys, three Glossy Ibises together in Somerset, single Little Buntings in both Cornwall and Highland and Lesser Scaups in Clyde, Cornwall and Glamorgan (2).

Scarcities included 27 Waxwings scattered across five counties, 18 Tundra Bean Geese, nine Shorelarks, six Ring-billed Gulls, five each of Ring-necked Duck and Iceland Gull, three each of Great Grey Shrike and Glaucous Gull, two each of Great White Egret and Green-winged Teal and single Rough-legged Buzzard (Norfolk) and American Wigeon (Dumfries and Galloway).

Spring migrants included a Little Ringed Plover in Devon, Garganey in Cheshire and Kent and Wheatears in Ceredigion (2), Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Thursday 4th March 2010  
  In County Galway, the wintering adult Pacific Diver was relocated off Doorus Pier, near Kinvara, where it was showing well mid afternoon but could not be found later. Nearby, the Forster's Tern remained at Claddagh Beach, and the Pied-billed Grebe was still on Lough Gur, County Limerick. The American Eider was seen in County Donegal again yesterday.

In Britain, wintering rarities consisted only of single Little Buntings in Cornwall and Highland and single Lesser Scaups in Cornwall, Glamorgan and Clyde. A Red-breasted Goose was seen on Gifford Marsh, Essex, consorting with a small number of Canada Geese.

Scarcities logged today included two Great Grey Shrikes, four Rough-legged Buzzards, nine Shorelarks, three Lapland Buntings, a Cattle Egret, three Great White Egrets, two Snow Geese, two Black Brants, Green-winged Teal, American Wigeon, three Ring-necked Ducks, two Ring-billed Gulls, five Iceland Gulls, three Glaucous Gulls, nine Spoonbills and 76 Waxwings.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Wednesday 3rd March 2010  
  Lingering rarities seen today included Pied-billed Grebe in County Limerick, Glossy Ibis in County Wexford, Lesser Scaup in Clyde and single Little Buntings in Highland and Cornwall.

Early migrants today included a Sand Martin in Wiltshire, Wheatear in Cornwall, Manx Shearwater in Highland, Garganey in Hampshire, Kent and Cheshire (three), Little Ringed Plover in Devon and three White Wagtails in Cornwall.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Tuesday 2nd March 2010  
  The Pied-billed Grebe (Co Limerick), Little Buntings (Cornwall and Highland), Lesser Scaups (Clyde and Cornwall), Bonaparte's Gull (Anglesey), Black Kite (Powys) and American Golden Plover (Lincolnshire) were all confirmed as still being present today.

The first summer migrants have started to trickle into the country over the last few days, including an Osprey in Wiltshire, Garganey in Kent, Derbyshire and Lincolnshire and Little Ringed Plovers in Nottinghamshire and Wirral.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Monday 1st March 2010  
  The Pied-billed Grebe remained at Lough Gur (Co Limerick) whilst elsewhere in Ireland the Black Duck lingered in Co Mayo.

In Britain rarities included American Golden Plover in Lincolnshire, Little Buntings in Highland and Cornwall, Black Duck in Cornwall, Lesser Scaups in Glamorgan, Clyde and Cornwall, Black Kite in Powys, King Eider in Moray and Glossy Ibises in Somerset. On Anglesey the adult Bonaparte's Gull reappeared at Traeth Lligwy.

In Essex a Pallas's Warbler was reported in Braintree, the Rose-coloured Starling was still present in Cumbria and in Dumfries and Galloway the American Wigeon continued to show well at Caerlaverock WWT.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Sunday 28th February 2010  
  Lingering rarities confirmed as still present comprised the Pied-billed Grebe in County Mayo, Black-throated Thrush in North Yorkshire, Red-breasted Goose in Devon, Glossy Ibis in County Wexford, single Black Ducks in both Cornwall and County Mayo, two King Eiders together in Moray, Little Buntings in both Cornwall and Highland and Lesser Scaups in Clyde, Cornwall and Glamorgan (2).

Scarcities included 36 Waxwings across 10 counties, six Green-winged Teals, five Tundra Bean Geese, four each of Ring-necked Duck, Ring-billed Gull and Glaucous Gull, three each of Cattle Egret, Black Brant, Iceland Gull and Caspian Gull, two Great Grey Shrikes and a single Surf Scoter (Devon), American Wigeon (Dumfries and Galloway) and Great White Egret (Glamorgan).
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Saturday 27th February 2010  
  The highlight of the day was the reappearance of the Pied-billed Grebe at Lough Gur, County Limerick. It showed constantly all day, although remained distant throughout. Also in Ireland, the Forster's Tern was seen in County Galway, and the Blue-winged Teal was seen in County Dublin.

Elsewhere, lingering rarities included Black Kite in Powys, Red-breasted Goose in Devon, single Little Buntings in Cornwall and Highland, and single Lesser Scaups in Cornwall, Glamorgan and Clyde.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Friday 26th February 2010  
  Wintering rarities seen today included Black Kite in Powys, Red-breasted Goose in Devon, single Little Buntings in Cornwall and Highland, three Glossy Ibises in Somerset and single Lesser Scaups in Cornwall, Glamorgan and Clyde.

Belated news of a Little Bunting in Devon concerned one present on Lundy on Wednesday, for its third day. There was negative news on the Pied-billed Grebe in County Limerick.

Scarcities included a Great Grey Shrike (Lincolnshire), Rough-legged Buzzard (Norfolk), Surf Scoter (Devon), three Ring-necked Ducks, two Green-winged Teals, American Wigeon (Dumfries and Galloway), Black Brant (Norfolk), six Ring-billed Gulls, four Iceland Gulls, two Glaucous Gulls, three Caspian Gulls, 35+ Waxwings, 18 Spoonbills, Great White Egret (Gwent) and Shorelark (Flintshire).
-  Will Soar, RBA
Thursday 25th February 2010  
  The highlight of the day was breaking news of a Pied-billed Grebe present at Lough Gur, County Limerick since 20th February. Although there have been 47 previous records accumulated between Britain and Ireland - several of which have remained for long periods - this is first record since 2003 (when one visited Tacumshin, County Wexford on 22nd-30th November), prior to which the last well-watched individuals were in 1999.

Rarities seen elsewhere comprised the Lesser Scaup still in Clyde, Red-breasted Goose still in Devon and single Little Buntings in both Cornwall and Highland.

Scarcities included 22 Waxwings across seven counties, 13 Shorelarks, six Caspian Gulls, five Tundra Bean Geese, four Great Grey Shrikes, three each of Ring-billed Gull and Green-winged Teal, two each of Rough-legged Buzzard (Norfolk), Cattle Egret (Cornwall), Ring-necked Duck and Lapland Bunting and single Greater Snow Goose (Norfolk), Surf Scoter (Devon), American Wigeon (Dumfries and Galloway), Great White Egret (Warwickshire) and Iceland Gull (Cornwall).
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Wednesday 24th February 2010  
  The highlight of the day was a white morph Gyr seen briefly near Newquay, Cornwall.

Lingering rarities included the Black Duck and Lesser Scaup still together in Cornwall, the Red-breasted Goose in Devon, Black Kite in Powys, Glossy Ibis in County Wexford, Lesser Scaups in both Clyde and Glamorgan and single Little Buntings in both Cornwall and Highland.

Scarcities included 26 Waxwings across seven counties, 16 Shorelarks (together in Norfolk), 14 Tundra Bean Geese, six each of Snow Goose and Great White Egret, four each of Ring-necked Duck and Green-winged Teal, three Great Grey Shrikes, two each of Cattle Egret (together in Cornwall), Rough-legged Buzzard (Norfolk), Black Brant, Ring-billed Gull, Glaucous Gull and Iceland Gull and single Rose-coloured Starling (Cumbria), American Wigeon (Dumfries and Galloway) and Caspian Gull (Leicestershire).
-  Chris Batty, RBA