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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Wednesday 10th November 2010  
  In Devon, an American Robin was seen late afternoon at Exminster Marshes RSPB, on the path from the Turf Hotel towards the RSPB car park. Despite being the first since February 2007, and only the 35th record for Britain and Ireland, it probably won't get the attention it deserves should it linger, as there have been four easily twitchable individuals since 2004.

Further north, the Pied-billed Grebe remained at Hollingworth Lake, Greater Manchester, where it appears to be showing extremely well.

An American Golden Plover in County Galway and a Ross's Goose in Northumberland were the only other new rarity discoveries today. Otherwise, rarities seen included the Green Heron in Cornwall, Squacco Heron in Northumberland, Northern Harrier in County Wexford, Long-billed Dowitcher in Devon, Semipalmated Sandpiper in County Cork, Dusky Warbler in Isles of Scilly, King Eider in Moray, American Golden Plover in Norfolk, single Glossy Ibises in Devon and Norfolk and Ferruginous Duck in County Down.

Scarcity highlights included eight Pallas's Warblers, five Yellow-browed Warblers, five Richard's Pipits, eight Great Grey Shrikes, two Ring-necked Ducks, four Green-winged Teals, 11 Grey Phalaropes and three Leach's Petrels.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Tuesday 9th November 2010  
  The highlight of the day was news of a Pied-billed Grebe in Greater Manchester: present at Hollingworth Lake for a sixth day. Although this species was a regularly occurring rarity in Britain between 1992 and 1999 - with mobile individuals accounting for records in a total of seventeen counties during this period - there has not been a widely twitched bird since one visited Oxfordshire in November 1999.

Elsewhere, a Long-billed Dowitcher was discovered at Axmouth, Devon and a Desert Lesser Whitethroat arrived at Sumburgh Head, Shetland Isles. Lingering rarities comprised the Green Heron still in Cornwall, Red-breasted Goose in Lancashire, House Crow in County Cork, Dusky Warbler on the Isles of Scilly, American Golden Plover in Norfolk, White-rumped Sandpiper in County Waterford, Lesser Scaup in Glamorgan, Richardson's Canada Goose in Argyll and Glossy Ibis in Devon.

Scarcities included six Pallas's Warblers, three each of both Sabine's Gull and Great Grey Shrike, two each of Surf Scoter (together in Ceredigion), Long-tailed Skua, Great White Egret and Green-winged Teal and single Serin (Shetland Isles), Richard's Pipit (County Durham), Rough-legged Buzzard (West Midlands) and Ring-billed Gull (Merseyside). Waxwings were recorded across 38 counties.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Monday 8th November 2010  
  In Dorset a Long-billed Dowitcher was at Lodmoor RSPB and Radipole Lake RSPB for its second day.

Lingering rarities included Squacco Herons in Pembrokeshire and Northumberland, Glossy Ibises in Devon and Norfolk, Green Heron in Cornwall, King Eider in Suffolk, American Golden Plover in Devon, Ferruginous Duck in Somerset and Lesser Yellowlegs in Oxfordshire.

In Ireland a Ferruginous Duck was in Co Down and a White-rumped Sandpiper lingered in Co Waterford.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Sunday 7th November 2010  
  A smart first-winter Brown Shrike was found this afternoon at Flamborough Head, Yorkshire, where it remained until dusk. It appears that this species is now commoner in Britain than Isabelline Shrike! A female King Eider also flew past Flamborough Head, whilst further north, a Squacco Heron was in the centre of Morpeth, Northumberland, for its second day. A Little Bunting was present at Spurn, Yorkshire briefly, a rare wildfowl included a drake Lesser Scaup in Cardiff, Glamorgan and a Ferruginous Duck at Shapwick Heath, Somerset.

There was no sign of the American Bittern in Cornwall, but the Green Heron remained in the county. Other lingering rarities included Northern Harrier in County Wexford, Lesser Yellowlegs in Oxfordshire, Glossy Ibises and American Golden Plovers in both Norfolk and Devon, Semipalmated Sandpiper and House Crow in County Cork, Dusky Warbler in Isles of Scilly, Blue-winged Teal in County Dublin, Lesser Scaup in County Sligo, King Eiders in Shetland and Suffolk and Squacco Heron in Pembrokeshire.

Scarcity highlights included two Serins (including one on Shetland), Red-breasted Flycatcher, Pallas's Warbler, two Yellow-browed Warblers, three Richard's Pipits, nine Leach's Petrels, three Sabine's Gulls and 11 Grey Phalaropes and many thousands of Waxwings.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Saturday 6th November 2010  
  In Essex an adult Thayer's Gull was discovered at Pitsea landfill site.

Other new discoveries included a Red-flanked Bluetail at Dungeness RSPB (Kent), female King Eider on Shetland and Semipalmated Sandpiper in Co Cork.

In Cornwall the American Bittern and Green Heron both remained on show throughout the day. Elsewhere lingering rarities included Glossy Ibises in Devon and Norfolk, American Golden Plover in Norfolk and Devon, King Eider in Suffolk, Red-breasted Goose in Merseyside, Spotted Sandpiper and Dusky Warbler on Isles of Scilly, Lesser Yellowlegs in Oxfordshire, Squacco Heron in Pembrokeshire and White-billed Diver on Shetland.

In Ireland the Northern Harrier and Lesser Yellowlegs (Wexford), House Crow (Cork) and White-rumped Sandpiper (Waterford) all remained on show.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Friday 5th November 2010  
  Lingering rarities confirmed as still present today comprised both the American Bittern and Green Heron in Cornwall, Northern Harrier and Glossy Ibis together in County Wexford, Franklin's Gull in Derbyshire, Squacco Heron in Pembrokeshire, House Crow in County Cork, Dusky Warbler on the Isles of Scilly, Lesser Yellowlegs in Oxfordshire, American Golden Plover and Glossy Ibis in Norfolk, King Eiders in both Moray and Suffolk, Lesser Scaup in County Sligo and Ferruginous Ducks in Nottinghamshire and Somerset (2).

Scarcities included six of both Rough-legged Buzzard and Great Grey Shrike, three each of Cattle Egret, Green-winged Teal and Yellow-browed Warbler, two each of Richard's Pipit and Great White Egret, and single Pallas's Warbler (Kent), Surf Scoter (Ceredigion), American Wigeon (North Yorkshire), Long-tailed Skua (Cornwall) and Ring-billed Gull (Merseyside). Waxwings were recorded across 37 counties.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Thursday 4th November 2010  
  Rarities today comprised both the American Bittern and Green Heron still in Cornwall, Northern Harrier and Glossy Ibis together in County Wexford, Franklin's Gull in Derbyshire, Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll on the Shetland Isles, two Northern Long-tailed Tits together in Norfolk, House Crow in County Cork, Squacco Heron in Pembrokeshire, Lesser Yellowlegs in Oxfordshire, Dusky Warbler and Spotted Sandpiper on the Isles of Scilly, King Eider in Suffolk, Ferruginous Duck in Nottinghamshire, single American Golden Plovers in both Norfolk and the Western Isles and Glossy Ibis in both Norfolk and County Wexford. A Yellow-billed Cuckoo was found dead on South Uist, Western Isles.

Scarcities included five Great White Egrets, four Great Grey Shrikes, three Cattle Egrets, two each of both Rough-legged Buzzard and American Wigeon, and single Purple Heron (Northamptonshire), Surf Scoter (Orkney Isles), Richard's Pipit (Suffolk) and Snow Goose (Shetland Isles). Waxwings were recorded across 28 counties.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Wednesday 3rd November 2010  
  In Cornwall both the American Bittern and Green Heron continued to show well. Elsewhere lingering rarities included American Golden Plovers in Norfolk and Devon, Ferruginous Ducks in Nottinghamshire and Somerset (2), Glossy Ibis in Norfolk, King Eider in Suffolk, Lesser Yellowlegs in Oxfordshire and Franklin's Gull in Derbyshire.

In Ireland the juvenile Northern Harrier lingered at Tacumshin and a Lesser Scaup was discovered in Co Sligo.

In Suffolk an American Kestrel at Landguard NR caused a considerable amount of excitement, before it was unfortunately recaptured by its owners!
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Tuesday 2nd November 2010  
  In Cornwall the American Bittern remained at Walmsley Sanctuary CBWPS, where it showed well on occasions.

In Ireland the juvenile Northern Harrier lingered at Tacumshin (Co Wexford).

Elsewhere lingering rarities included Franklin's Gull in Derbyshire, Dusky Warbler on Isles of Scilly, Lesser Yellowlegs in Oxfordshire, American Golden Plovers in Devon and Norfolk, Squacco Heron in Pembrokeshire, King Eider in Suffolk and Glossy Ibis in Norfolk.

Waxwings were again well represented - the largest gathering was a flock of 1,000 in Inverness (Highland).

The best of the rest included Richard's Pipits in Norfolk and Suffolk, Pallas's Warblers in Devon and East Sussex and Cattle Egrets in Lincolnshire, Pembrokeshire, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire and Norfolk.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Monday 1st November 2010  
  In Cornwall, an American Bittern was present at Walmsley Sanctuary, Wadebridge, where it showed very well from the hide. Photos may show it to be the same as the one at Trewey Common, some 40 miles to the south-west, which was not seen today. In Ireland, the juvenile Northern Harrier continued to show at Tacumshin, County Wexford.

A new Dusky Warbler was found at Lower Moors, Isles of Scilly, with one also remaining nearby at Porth Hellick. A Ferruginous Duck was seen at Kingsmill Reservoir, Nottinghamshire, and a Glossy Ibis was in the Cotswold Water Park, Gloucestershire.

Lingering rarities seen today included the Green Heron in Cornwall, Franklin's Gull in Derbyshire, Western Bonelli's Warbler in Shetland, Lesser Yellowlegs in Oxfordshire, King Eider in Suffolk, Glossy Ibises in Norfolk and County Wexford (2) and single American Golden Plovers in Lincolnshire and Norfolk.
-  Will Soar, RBA