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| Sunday 12th December 2010 | ||
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| The highlight of the day was the continued presence of the Pied-billed Grebe in County Cork at Little Island. Elsewhere, the
Northern Harrier remained in Norfolk, as did the Forster's Tern in County Galway,
Long-billed Dowitcher in Dorset, two King Eiders together on the Shetland Isles,
Glossy Ibis in Berkshire, Richardson's Canada Goose in County Sligo and
Ross's Goose in Dumfries and Galloway. Scarcities included a White-tailed Eagle that migrated west from West Sussex to Hampshire, single American Wigeon (Leicestershire), Hoopoe (Dorset), Little Auk (Orkney Isles) and Grey Phalarope (Essex), two each of Green-winged Teal and Black Brant, three each of Surf Scoter, Rough-legged Buzzard and Great White Egret, four Caspian Gulls, five each of Ring-billed, Glaucous and Iceland Gulls, 20 Balearic Shearwaters (together in Cornwall) and 23 each of both Shorelark and Lapland Bunting. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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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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| Saturday 11th December 2010 | ||
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| A Pied-billed Grebe at Little Island, County Cork, represents the
fourth record for the county, and the first since 2000. This continues 2010's
run of the species, following six blank years since 2003. Other new rarities
today included a Glossy Ibis back at Exminster Marshes RSPB, Devon, a
Richardson's Canada Goose back at Raghly, County Sligo and a Ross's Goose
back at Caerlaverock WWT, Dumfries and Galloway.
In Norfolk, the juvenile male Northern Harrier reappeared at Burnham Overy mid to late afternoon, whilst also being reported flying west at Titchwell this afternoon. Other long staying rarities included the American Coot in County Mayo, House Crow in County Cork, Lesser Scaup in Glamorgan and Glossy Ibis in Devon (with another still in Berkshire). The possible Eastern Yellow Wagtail also remained at Colyford, Devon. Waxwings, of course, made up the bulk of today's 532 messages, and included birds as far south-west as Cornwall. Other scarcity highlights included a White-tailed Eagle in Sussex, a Hoopoe in Dorset, a Ring-billed Gull in Yorkshire, an American Wigeon in Leicestershire, two Surf Scoters, four Rough-legged Buzzards and ten Great Grey Shrikes. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Friday 10th December 2010 | ||
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| Rarities included American Coot and Black Duck still in County Mayo,
Lesser Scaup on the Orkney Isles, Ross's Goose in Norfolk and single
Glossy Ibises in both Berkshire and Devon. Scarcities included 38 Lapland Buntings, 24 Shorelarks, five Glaucous Gulls, four Caspian Gulls, three Rough-legged Buzzards, two each of Surf Scoter, Ring-necked Duck and Iceland Gull, and single Hoopoe, Great Grey Shrike, Snow Goose, American Wigeon, Ring-billed Gull, Green-winged Teal and Grey Phalarope. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Thursday 9th December 2010 | ||
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| A Glossy Ibis found near Hungerford in Berkshire today was the first
in the county since 1793, and that bird was the first recorded in Britain!
Another Glossy Ibis was also still to be found at Monknash in Glamorgan.
In Dorset, the Long-billed Dowitcher remained on The Fleet and the
American Coot could still be found at the Mullet in County Mayo.
An American Wigeon was found at Rutland Water in Leicestershire and the unseasonal Hoopoe continued to overwinter at Longham Lakes in Dorset. The possible Eastern Yellow Wagtail remained at Colyford sewage works, Devon, and in Lothian, the Grey Phalarope remained at Dunbar and the Green-winged Teal remained at Aberlady Bay. There were four scattered Great Grey Shrikes and three Ring-billed Gulls, and amongst the large numbers of Waxwings came some more records from Cornwall, with two birds in Truro and two in Hayle. |
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| - Pete Hayman, RBA | ||
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| Wednesday 8th December 2010 | ||
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| In Glamorgan, a Glossy Ibis was found near Llantwit Major on a pool by
the road at Monknash. The Little Bunting remained at Saxmundham, Suffolk,
whilst the Long-billed Dowitcher in Dorset was relocated on The Fleet at
Butterstreet Cove late afternoon. Long staying rarities seen today included the
Forster's Tern in County Galway, Blue-winged Teal in Dumfries and
Galloway and Glossy Ibis in Devon. The possible Eastern Yellow Wagtail
remained at Colyford sewage works, Devon.
Scarcity highlights included a Hoopoe, a Surf Scoter, a Pomarine Skua, a Grey Phalarope, a Green-winged Teal, two Rough-legged Buzzards, three Ring-necked Ducks, three Ring-billed Gulls, three Great Grey Shrikes and at least three Great White Egrets. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Tuesday 7th December 2010 | ||
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| In Suffolk, a Little Bunting was present at Great Glemham, near
Saxmundham. Other rarities reported included the House Crow in County
Cork, Ross's Goose in Norfolk, Glossy Ibis in Devon and Lesser
Scaup in Orkney.
Scarcity highlights included Hoopoe in Dorset, Common Rosefinch in Gwynedd, Grey Phalarope in Lothian, Rough-legged Buzzard in Norfolk, three Cattle Egrets in Cornwall, two Great Grey Shrikes and two Surf Scoters. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Monday 6th December 2010 | ||
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| A Gyr on Coll, Argyll was the only new rarity discovered today,
although a pipit sp photographed at Fresh Water West, Pembrokeshire may
well turn out to be a Blyth's Pipit.
In Norfolk, the adult Ross's Goose remained in the Horsey area, whilst the Long-billed Dowitcher was still at Lodmoor RSPB, Dorset, the Glossy Ibis at Budleigh Salterton, Devon and Lesser Scaup at Holm, Orkney. Scarcities included a Night Heron in Cambridgeshire, a Grey Phalarope in Lothian, a Common Rosefinch in Gwynedd, two Rough-legged Buzzards, two Pomarine Skuas and lots of Waxwings. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Sunday 5th December 2010 | ||
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| A surprisingly busy day, given the weather conditions and time of year. New
rarities included a Northern Long-tailed Tit at Middleton Hall, County
Durham and a drake King Eider at West Voe of Sumburgh, Shetland (where it
joined the long staying female). In Norfolk, a presumed Arctic Redpoll
flew over the windmill at Cley and a Ross's Goose was in the east of the
county at Waxham.
Long staying rarities included the American Coot in County Mayo, House Crow in County Cork, Long-billed Dowitcher in Dorset, single Lesser Scaups in Orkney and Glamorgan and single Ferruginous Ducks in County Down and Somerset. A possible Eastern Yellow Wagtail remained in Devon, at Colyford sewage works. Once again, Waxwings stole the National channel show, with several thousand reported, including five as far south-west as Devon. None have been reported yet this winter from Cornwall, with only three in the Isles of Scilly. Other scarcity highlights included a Little Auk and a Hoopoe in Dorset, a Common Crane in London, a White Stork in Yorkshire, two Cattle Egrets in Merseyside, two Great Grey Shrikes, two Rough-legged Buzzards, three Surf Scoters and three Ring-billed Gulls. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Saturday 4th December 2010 | ||
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| In Kent, a Penduline Tit was once again in front of the Hanson Hide at
Dungeness RSPB, the first sighting here since 27th October. A Glossy Ibis
flew over near Axbridge, Somerset and a Northern Long-tailed Tit was seen
at Sculthorpe Moor, Norfolk, having been present for several days.
Other lingering rarities included Blue-winged Teals in Dumfries and Galloway and County Dublin, Long-billed Dowitcher in Dorset, House Crow in County Cork, Coues's Arctic Redpoll in Cambridgeshire, Glossy Ibis in Devon, Ferruginous Duck in Somerset and Lesser Scaups in Orkney and Glamorgan. Apart from Waxwings, the National channel was fairly quiet, with highlights being a Surf Scoter, a Yellow-browed Warbler, a Great Grey Shrike, at least three Rough-legged Buzzards and four Grey Phalaropes. A Turtle Dove remained in a garden in Cornwall, as did the Chough in the Isle of Wight, whilst two Eider were seen in Berkshire. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Friday 3rd December 2010 | ||
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| Lingering rarities included the Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler and
Coues's Arctic Redpoll in Norfolk, Long-billed Dowitcher in Dorset,
Glossy Ibis in Glamorgan and Lesser Scaup in Orkney.
In Ireland the American Coot remained in Co Mayo and the Forster's Tern was still in Co Galway. The best of the rest included three Rough-legged Buzzards, two Common Cranes, a Surf Scoter and Dotterel, and of course, many Waxwings. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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