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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Thursday 18th November 2010  
  Lingering rarities confirmed as still present today comprised the American Coot in County Mayo, American Robin and Glossy Ibis in Devon, Pied-billed Grebe in Greater Manchester, Northern Harrier in County Wexford, Dusky Warbler on the Isles of Scilly, Long-billed Dowitcher in Dorset, American Golden Plover in County Galway and a Ferruginous Duck in Somerset.

Scarcities included five Rough-legged Buzzards, two each of both Great Grey Shrike and Great White Egret, single Pallas's Warbler (Lincolnshire), Yellow-browed Warbler (Dumfries and Galloway), Cory's Shearwater (Essex), Cattle Egret (Devon) and both Black Brant and Green-winged Teal (together in County Mayo).
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Wednesday 17th November 2010  
  A Pallid Swift at Hope's Nose, Devon mid morning was just the third individual reported this Autumn, with an impressive five seen during the Spring.

Lingering rarities included the Pied-billed Grebe at Hollingworth Lake, Greater Manchester, American Coot on The Mullet, County Mayo, Green Heron at Pentewan, Cornwall, American Robin at Exminster, Devon, Ferruginous Duck at Corbet Lake, County Down, American Golden Plover at Cley, Norfolk and two Glossy Ibises in Devon. In Northumberland, the Squacco Heron at Morpeth was found dead, and there was no sign of either the Desert Wheatear or Ross's Goose in the county.

Scarcity highlights included a Pallas's Warbler in Lincolnshire, a Yellow-browed Warbler in the Isles of Scilly, a Serin in Shetland, a Sabine's Gull in Sussex, two Great Grey Shrikes, two Ring-necked Ducks, at least three Rough-legged Buzzards and four Grey Phalaropes.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Tuesday 16th November 2010  
  The highlight of the day was breaking news of a Desert Wheatear in Northumberland at Seahouses. Having first been noted there on Sunday, the bird showed well into the afternoon.

Lingering rarities confirmed as still present today comprised both the American Coot and American Buff-bellied Pipit in County Mayo, American Robin and two Glossy Ibises in Devon, Pied-billed Grebe in Greater Manchester, Squacco Heron and Ross's Goose in Northumberland, King Eider in Suffolk, Long-billed Dowitcher in Dorset, and American Golden Plovers in both Cornwall and the Western Isles (2).

Scarcities included five Rough-legged Buzzards, four Ring-necked Ducks, three Great Grey Shrikes, two each of Snow Goose, Yellow-browed Warbler and Green-winged Teal, a Great White Egret in Suffolk and a Black Brant in Kent. Waxwings were recorded across 33 counties.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Monday 15th November 2010  
  An American Coot was discovered on The Mullet (Co Mayo) today. This is only the second record for Ireland, following the famous 1981 Cork bird. Nearby an American Buff-bellied Pipit was also recorded on The Mullet.

In Pembrokeshire an Ortolan Bunting was located on Skokholm Island. Lingering rarities included Pied-billed Grebe in Greater Manchester, American Robin in Devon, Squacco Herons in Northumberland and Pembrokeshire, Green Heron in Cornwall, Ferruginous Duck in Somerset, King Eider in Suffolk, American Golden Plovers in Cornwall and Norfolk, Glossy Ibises in Norfolk and Devon, American Buff-bellied Pipit in Co Waterford, Long-billed Dowitcher in Devon and Dusky Warbler on Isles of Scilly.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Sunday 14th November 2010  
  The only new rarities today were American Golden Plovers, with one at Sennen, Cornwall all day and two together on Lewis, Western Isles. Late news concerned a Coues's Arctic Redpoll yesterday at Woodwalton Fen NNR, Cambridgeshire, which had been present for several days.

In Greater Manchester, the Pied-billed Grebe continued to show well, as did the American Robin at Exminster, Devon. Other lingering rarities included Green Heron in Cornwall, single Squacco Herons in Pembrokeshire and Northumberland, American Buff-bellied Pipit in County Waterford, Northern Harrier in County Wexford, House Crow and Semipalmated Sandpiper in County Cork, King Eider in Suffolk, Dusky Warbler in Isles of Scilly and Long-billed Dowitcher in Devon.

Scarcity highlights were a Richard's Pipit in Derbyshire, a Serin in Shetland, a Sabine's Gull in County Cork, two Yellow-browed Warbler, seven Grey Phalaropes, seven Rough-legged Buzzards and 11 Great Grey Shrikes.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Saturday 13th November 2010  
  In County Wicklow, a juvenile Northern Harrier (form hudsonius) was superbly photographed at Kilcoole, whilst another remained at Tacumshin, County Wexford. Also in Ireland, the adult Forster's Tern returned once again to County Galway, being seen at Doorus Pier. In Britain, new rarities included a flock of three Northern Long-tailed Tits in Lowestoft, Suffolk, and a Coues's Arctic Redpoll at Strath Brora, Highland, with an impressive flock of over a thousand Lesser and 150 Mealy Redpolls.

In Greater Manchester, the Pied-billed Grebe continued to show very well to all comers, whilst further south, the American Robin showed well during the morning only. The Green Heron was still present in Cornwall, as was the Semipalmated Sandpiper and House Crow in County Cork, American Buff-bellied Pipit and White-rumped Sandpiper in County Waterford, single Squacco Herons in Pembrokeshire and Northumberland, American Golden Plover in Norfolk, King Eider in Suffolk, Dusky Warbler in Isles of Scilly, Red-breasted Goose in Lancashire and single Glossy Ibises in Devon (2) and Norfolk.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Friday 12th November 2010  
  The highlight of the day was a Ross's Gull watched passing Uisead Point, Argyll early in the afternoon.

Elsewhere, lingering rarities comprised the American Robin still in Devon, Pied-billed Grebe in Greater Manchester, Northern Harrier in County Wexford, American Buff-bellied Pipit in County Waterford, House Crow in County Cork, Squacco Herons in both Northumberland and Pembrokeshire, Dusky Warbler on the Isles of Scilly, American Golden Plovers in County Galway, Norfolk and the Western Isles, Glossy Ibis in Devon and Norfolk, Ferruginous Duck in Somerset and single Ross's Geese in both Northumberland and Dumfries and Galloway.

Scarcities included three each of Pallas's Warbler, Ring-billed Gull and Black Brant, two each of Ring-necked Duck, Great Grey Shrike, Great White Egret and Green-winged Teal and single Surf Scoter (Ceredigion), American Wigeon (Norfolk), Richard's Pipit (Derbyshire), Sabine's Gull (County Cork) and Cattle Egret (Lincolnshire), whilst Waxwings were recorded across 31 counties.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Thursday 11th November 2010  
  In Greater Manchester the showy Pied-billed Grebe continued to attract crowds to Hollingworth Lake throughout the day. In Devon the American Robin lingered at Exminster.

Elsewhere rarities included Squacco Herons in Northumberland and Pembrokeshire, Dusky Warbler on Isles of Scilly, Ferruginous Ducks in Somerset, Ross's Goose in Northumberland, Green Heron in Cornwall, King Eider in Moray and Glossy Ibises in Devon.

In Ireland the Northern Harrier remained in Co Wexford.

Waxwings were again widespread, with the largest flock (at least 250) recorded in Carlisle (Cumbria).
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
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