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 21st January 2011  
  In West Yorkshire, a Coues's Arctic Redpoll was found at Fairburn Ings RSPB, but none of the other wintering birds were reported.

Lingering rarities confirmed as still present included Lesser White-fronted Goose and Northern Harrier in Norfolk, Pacific Diver in Cornwall, House Crow in County Cork, Red-breasted Goose in Hampshire, all five Northern Long-taailed Tits in Kent, Lesser Scaup in Gloucestershire and Richardson's Canada Goose in Argyll.

Scarcity highlights included an unseasonal Great Shearwater off Flamborough, East Yorkshire, a probable eastern form Lesser Whitethroat in County Louth and a flock of six Great White Egrets in Somerset.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Thursday 20th January 2011  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of a Red-breasted Goose amongst Dark-bellied Brent Geese at Hill Head, Hampshire.

Elsewhere, lingering rarities comprised the Pacific Diver still in Cornwall, Lesser White-fronted Goose, Northern Harrier and Ross's Goose in Norfolk, Pied-billed Grebe and House Crow in County Cork (both on Great Island), Long-billed Dowitcher in Dorset, Lesser Scaup in Gloucestershire, and five Northern Long-tailed Tits together in Kent.

Scarcities included 32 Shorelarks, 17 Tundra Bean Geese, nine Great Grey Shrikes, four each of Great White Egret, Glaucous Gull and Caspian Gull, three each of American Wigeon, Rough-legged Buzzard and Ring-billed Gull, two each of Ring-necked Duck and Black Brant, and single Lesser Snow Goose (Somerset), Green-winged Teal (Gloucestershire), Little Auk (Ayrshire) and Iceland Gull (Suffolk).
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Wednesday 19th January 2011  
  In Highland, a grey morph Gyr Falcon was seen over the moor near Dalwhinnie this afternoon. In East Anglia, at least three Coues's Arctic Redpolls were reported from Martham Ferry, Norfolk, and a Ferruginous Duck was seen at Needham Market, Suffolk, although the identity of the latter was questioned this afternoon, with the bird possibly being a hybrid.

Also in Norfolk, both the Lesser White-fronted Goose and the Northern Harrier remained in-situ, with another of the latter still in County Wexford, together with another Ferruginous Duck at the same site. Five Northern Long-tailed Tits were once again present in Dymchurch, Kent, with other lingering rarities including Glossy Ibis in Kent, Forster's Tern in County Galway, Pacific Diver in Cornwall, Lesser Scaup in Gloucestershire and three Coues's Arctic Redpolls in County Durham.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Tuesday 18th January 2011  
  The Pacific Diver in Cornwall, Lesser White-fronted Goose and Northern Harrier in Norfolk and House Crow in Co Cork were today's headline lingering rarities. In Kent the Glossy Ibis remained at Dungeness RSPB, a Ross's Goose was again on show in Norfolk, a Coues's Arctic Redpoll was still in Borders/ Lothian and a Lesser Scaup was still in Gloucestershire.

In Co Armagh a Ferruginous Duck visited Lurgan Park.

The best of the rest included American Wigeons in Norfolk and Leicestershire, Great White Egrets in Somerset (5), Northamptonshire, Kent and Suffolk, Ring-necked Ducks in Carmarthenshire and Cleveland, White-tailed Eagle in Hampshire, Surf Scoters in Lothian and Devon and Green-winged Teal in Lancashire.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Monday 17th January 2011  
  Lingering rarities included Pacific Diver in Cornwall, Lesser White-fronted Goose in Norfolk, Glossy Ibis in Kent, Lesser Scaups in Cornwall and Gloucestershire, King Eiders in Shetland (2) and Moray, Long-billed Dowitcher in Dorset and Coues's Arctic Redpolls in Bedfordshire and Co Durham.

Late news related to a Black-throated Thrush in Woking (Surrey) on 9th January.

The best of the rest included Ring-necked Duck in Cleveland, Green-winged Teals in Leicestershire and Lancashire, White-tailed Eagle in Hampshire and American Wigeons in Highland, Leicestershire and Norfolk. Six Great White Egrets were logged, including five together at Ham Wall RSPB (Somerset).
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Sunday 16th January 2011  
  Rarities recorded today comprised the American Coot still in County Mayo, Lesser White-fronted Goose, Northern Harrier, Ferruginous Duck and Ross's Goose all in Norfolk, Red-breasted Goose in Lancashire, Long-billed Dowitcher in Dorset, King Eider in Moray, Lesser Scaup in Gloucestershire, Blue-winged Teal in County Dublin, Glossy Ibis and six Northern Long-tailed Tits in Kent, and Coues's Arctic Redpolls in Bedfordshire, County Durham (2) and Northumberland.

Scarcities included 52 Shorelarks, 30 Balearic Shearwaters (all off Cornwall), 23 Lapland Buntings, 11 Great Grey Shrikes, nine Tundra Bean Geese, eight each of both Rough-legged Buzzard and Iceland Gull, six Caspian Gulls, five each of Ring-billed Gull and Great White Egret, four each of American Wigeon and Ring-necked Duck, three each of Glaucous Gull, Green-winged Teal and Black Brant, and a single Surf Scoter (in Devon).
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Saturday 15th January 2011  
  Despite there being over a thousand birders at Rainham Marshes RSPB, the adult Slaty-backed Gull eluded most, apparently being seen only very briefly on the landfill site by Coldharbour Lane. Other gull news concerned an adult Bonaparte's Gull at Great Island, County Cork, where the Pied-billed Grebe and House Crow also remained.

In Norfolk, both the Lesser White-fronted Goose and Northern Harrier were confirmed as still present, with other lingering rarities including four Northern Long-tailed Tits in Kent, Long-billed Dowitcher in Dorset, Red-breasted Goose in Lancashire, Richardson's Canada Goose in County Sligo, Blue-winged Teal in County Dublin, Lesser Scaup in Gloucestershire, Coues's Arctic Redpoll in South Yorkshire and Glossy Ibis in Kent.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Friday 14th January 2011  
  Overnight, news was released of a potential Slaty-backed Gull at Rainham Marshes RSPB, London, where it was present very briefly on Thursday. It was relocated mid morning today, and was present on and off throughout the day. Photos of the spread wing were finally posted on the internet this evening, when the identification could be confirmed of this much anticipated first for Britain.

In Cornwall, news of a possible juvenile Northern Harrier was released from Bartinney Downs, after apparently being present since October 2010. The confirmed Northern Harrier remained in the Thornham area of Norfolk, whilst in the same county the Lesser White-fronted Goose was seen again in the Yare Valley, this time at Buckenham Marshes RSPB.

Other lingering rarities seen today included the Red-breasted Goose at Cleveleys, Lancashire, two Coues's Arctic Redpolls at Rainton, County Durham, Ferruginous Duck in County Wexford, single Glossy Ibises in Berkshire and Kent and single Lesser Scaups in Cornwall and Gloucestershire.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Thursday 13th January 2011  
  Lingering rarities around Britain comprised the Lesser White-fronted Goose and Northern Harrier both still in Norfolk, a Coues's Arctic Redpoll in County Durham, Long-billed Dowitcher in Dorset, Glossy Ibis in Kent and single Lesser Scaup in both Cornwall and Gloucestershire. Meanwhile, in Ireland the American Coot remains in County Mayo, the Forster's Tern showed again in County Galway and the House Crow continues to linger in County Cork.

Scarcities included 26 Shorelarks, 19 Tundra Bean Geese, 17 Lapland Buntings, nine each of both Iceland Gull and Glaucous Gull, five each of Rough-legged Buzzard and Great Grey Shrike, four Great White Egrets, three each of both Ring-billed Gull and Green-winged Teal, two each of Ring-necked Duck and Black Brant, and single White-tailed Eagle (Hampshire), Surf Scoter (Fife), American Wigeon (Norfolk) and Caspian Gull (London).
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Wednesday 12th January 2011  
  In Cornwall, the adult Pacific Diver remained in Mount's Bay off Marazion. Other rarities today included the Northern Harrier at Thornham, Norfolk, Long-billed Dowitcher at Lodmoor RSPB, Dorset, Glossy Ibis at Dungeness, Kent, Red-breasted Goose at Cockerham, Lancashire, four Northern Long-tailed Tits at Dymchurch, Kent and single Coues's Arctic Redpolls at Marston Vale Millennium Country Park and The Lodge RSPB, both Bedfordshire, with another bird still at Rainton, County Durham.

Scarcity highlights included White-tailed Eagle in Hampshire, American Wigeon in Norfolk, Ring-necked Duck in Cleveland, Surf Scoter in Devon, four Great White Egrets, four Great Grey Shrikes and four Rough-legged Buzzards.
-  Will Soar, RBA