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 22nd December 2010  
  Lingering rarities confirmed as still present today comprised the Lesser White-fronted Goose, Ross's Goose and Northern Harrier all in Norfolk, Blue-winged Teal in County Dublin, Glossy Ibis in Berkshire and Ross's Goose in Dumfries and Galloway.

Scarcities included 17 Lapland Buntings, five Caspain Gulls, four each of both Shorelark and Glaucous Gull, three each of Surf Scoter (together on the Western Isles) and Great White Egret, two Black Brants and single Rough-legged Buzzard (North Yorkshire), Green-winged Teal (Forth), Ring-necked Duck and Iceland Gull (both Lancashire).
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Tuesday 21st December 2010  
  In Cornwall, the diver lingering offshore at Marazion for the last three days was confirmed as a Pacific Diver. Although no age has been given, it must be assumed that this is the returning adult from 2009.

In Norfolk, the adult Lesser White-fronted Goose remained with the Taiga Bean Geese at Cantley Marshes RSPB, whilst the Northern Harrier was still at Thornham Point. Two Coues's Arctic Redpolls were seen at Rainton Meadows DWT, County Durham, amongst a varied flock of around 40 Mealy Redpolls. In Berkshire, the Glossy Ibis reappeared near Hungerford, and the Blue-winged Teal remained at North Bull Island, County Dublin.

Scarcity highlghts included a Ring-necked Duck, a Green-winged Teal, four Rough-legged Buzzards and five Great White Egrets, including four together in Somerset.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Monday 20th December 2010  
  In County Durham, an adult Bonaparte's Gull was present with the gull flock at Castle Eden Dene late afternoon. The only other rarity reported today was the Northern Harrier at Thornham, Norfolk.

Scarcity highlights included Great Grey Shrike in Nottinghamshire, Ring-necked Duck in Yorkshire, Green-winged Teal in Lothian, Shorelark in Orkney, eight Tundra Bean Geese in Suffolk, two Ring-billed Gulls, two Caspian Gulls, four Glaucous Gulls and eight Iceland Gulls.

A significant movement of White-fronted Geese occurred in the south-east, particularly Kent (280+), Essex (107) and London (100), with smaller numbers further inland in Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Northamptonshire.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Sunday 19th December 2010  
  The highlight of the day was the continued presence of the American Robin in County Sligo, although it did prove elusive. Elsewhere, lingering rarities comprised both the Lesser White-fronted Goose and Northern Harrier in Norfolk, Northern Harrier in County Wexford, Little Bunting in Suffolk and Ferruginous Duck in County Armagh.

Scarcities included 24 Shorelarks, 19 each of Lapland Bunting and Tundra Bean Goose, six Rough-legged Buzzards, five each of both Glaucous Gull and Iceland Gull, four Great Grey Shrikes, three Caspian Gulls, two each of Green-winged Teal and Black Brant, and single Ring-necked Duck (North Yorkshire), Great White Egret (Nottinghamshire), Little Auk (Pembrokeshire), Pomarine Skua (Aberdeenshire), Ring-billed Gull and Balearic Shearwater (both Cornwall),
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Saturday 18th December 2010  
  The highlight of the day was a report of an American Robin discovered at dusk near Inishcrone, County Sligo. Although there are ten previous records of this species in Ireland - including one in County Sligo in 1892 - the last was in 1983.

Lingering rarities confirmed as still present today comprised both Lesser White-fronted Goose and Northern Harrier in Norfolk, Northern Harrier in County Wexford, Blue-winged Teal in County Dublin and Little Bunting in Suffolk.

Scarcities included 18 Lapland Buntings, 12 Tundra Bean Geese, eight each of both Glaucous Gull and Caspian Gull, four each of Green-winged Teal and Shorelark, three each of Great Grey Shrike and Iceland Gull, two Rough-legged Buzzards (in Lincolnshire and Suffolk), and single American Wigeon (County Cork), Ring-necked Duck (North Yorkshire), Great White Egret (Kent) and Little Auk (Cornwall).
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Friday 17th December 2010  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of a Ferruginous Duck in Suffolk at Leathes Ham, Lowestoft. Elsewhere, lingering rarities comprised the Northern Harrier still in Norfolk, Long-billed Dowitcher in Dorset, King Eider in Moray and Ross's Goose in Dumfries and Galloway.

Scarcities included eight Lapland Buntings, seven Tundra Bean Geese (together in Worcestershire), four Caspian Gulls, three each of both Green-winged Teal and Glaucous Gull, two Iceland Gulls and single Ring-necked Duck (West Midlands), Ring-billed Gull (West Yorkshire), Great Grey Shrike (Forth), Great White Egret (Nottinghamshire) and Black Brant (Essex).
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Thursday 16th December 2010  
  A quieter day than recently, the only rarities confirmed as still present today were the Long-billed Dowitcher at Lodmoor RSPB, Dorset, and the Lesser Scaup at Cardiff Bay, Glamorgan. The possible Eastern Yellow Wagtail also remained at Colyford, Devon.

Scarcity highlights included a Pomarine Skua in Essex, a Ring-billed Gull in Hampshire, a Surf Scoter in Devon, two Great Grey Shrikes and three Rough-legged Buzzards.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Wednesday 15th December 2010  
  In Central Norfolk, the adult Lesser White-fronted Goose remained with the flock of Taiga Bean Geese, being seen briefly mid afternoon before flying out of view again. In North Norfolk, the juvenile male Northern Harrier was seen again at Thornham Marsh mid morning. On the south coast, the Long-billed Dowitcher was at Lodmoor RSPB, Dorset, and both the Glossy Ibis and possible Eastern Yellow Wagtail remained in Devon.

Scarcity highlights included a Grey Phalarope, a Surf Scoter, two Rough-legged Buzzards, two Great Grey Shrikes and two Ring-billed Gulls.

The highest count of Waxwing was a flock of over 1,400 at Pegwell Bay, Kent.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Tuesday 14th December 2010  
  In Norfolk the Lesser White-fronted Goose remained at Buckenham Marshes RSPB with the wintering flock of Taiga Bean Geese. In North Norfolk the juvenile male Northern Harrier lingered on Thornham Marsh, whilst in Ireland the juvenile Northern Harrier was still at Tacumhin (Co Wexford).

In Devon the Glossy Ibis remained at Budleigh Salterton and the possible Eastern Yellow Wagtail was trapped at Colyford. On Orkney the Lesser Scaup lingered on Mainland.

Scarcities included the American Wigeon in Leicestershire, Rough-legged Buzzards in Lincolnshire and Norfolk (3), Great White Egret in Kent, Surf Scoter in Devon and Green-winged Teal in Dumfries & Galloway.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Monday 13th December 2010  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of a Lesser White-fronted Goose in Norfolk. Present in the Yare Valley between Buckenham Marshes and Cantley Marshes with Taiga Bean Geese it represents the first record of this species accompanying wild geese in Britain since 2003, and the first in Norfolk since 1997.

In Hampshire a Black-throated Thrush briefly visited a garden in Old Basing and elsewhere, lingering rarities included Northern Harriers in Co Wexford and Norfolk, Long-billed Dowitcher in Dorset and Glossy Ibis in Devon. 

The best of the comprised American Wigeon in Leicestershire, Rough-legged Buzzard in Lincolnshire, Surf Scoter in Devon, Cattle Egret in Somerset, Great White Egret in Kent, and of course, excellent numbers of Waxwings throughout Britain.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA