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 10th February 2011  
  Lingering rarities confirmed as still present today comprised the American Coot in County Mayo, Northern Harriers in both County Wexford and Norfolk, Long-billed Dowitcher in Dorset, two Coues's Arctic Redpolls together in County Durham, and single Lesser Scaups in both Cornwall and Gloucestershire.

Scarcities included six each of both Lapland Bunting and Iceland Gull, five Green-winged Teals, three each of Ring-billed Gull and Shorelark, two each of Ring-necked Duck, Rough-legged Buzzard, Great Grey Shrike, Glaucous Gull and Caspian Gull, an single American Wigeon (Leicestershire), Black Brant (County Mayo), Rose-coloured Starling and Cattle Egret (Cornwall).
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Wednesday 9th February 2011  
  In Cornwall a second-winter Azorean Yellow-legged Gull was identified near St Just this afternoon. In Northumberland a Coues's Arctic Redpoll was discovered at Swallow Pond.

Lingering rarities included Lesser Scaups in Glamorgan and Cornwall, Northern Harrier and Ross's Goose in Norfolk, Long-billed Dowitcher in Dorset and at least one Coues's Arctic Redpoll in Co Durham.

In Cornwall the Rose-coloured Starling was still in Penzance and a Cattle Egret lingered in St Winnow, the White-tailed Eagle was seen again in Hampshire, and three Ring-necked Ducks, three Rough-legged Buzzards and two Great White Egrets were also recorded.

Late news from yesterday related to a Black Kite on Tory Island, Co Donegal.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Tuesday 8th February 2011  
  The Isle of Lewis in the Western Isles saw the day's main highlights, with a Northern Harrier discovered on the west coast near Brue and the returning male Snowy Owl found again in the same area.

Elsewhere, a Lesser Scaup was seen again at Lough Ennell in County Westmeath and the lingering bird was still at Dozmary Pool in Cornwall. The Long-billed Dowitcher remained in Dorset and at least three Northern Long-tailed Tits were still to be found at Dymchurch in Kent. The Ferruginous Duck was still at Cockshoot Broad in Norfolk and two Coues's Arctic Redpolls were still at Rainton Meadows in County Durham.

In Cornwall the over wintering Rose-coloured Starling remained in Penzance and the Cattle Egret was still by the Fowey Estuary. There was a total of 36 Shorelarks at three sites, but only three Ring-billed Gulls, six Iceland Gulls and two Glaucous Gulls were reported. Two Great White Egrets were seen today along with seven Great Grey Shrikes.
-  Pete Hayman, RBA
Monday 7th February 2011  
  New rarities today consisted of a White-billed Diver at Nesting, Shetland and at least two Penduline Tits in London, with two at Rainham Marshes RSPB and a report of another heard at Crayford Marshes.

Late news from yesterday was of a Belted Kingfisher seen at Claudy, County Derry during the afternoon.

Back to today, long staying rarities included the American Coot in County Mayo, Pacific Diver in Cornwall, Long-billed Dowitcher in Dorset, four Northern Long-tailed Tits in Kent, Ferruginous Duck in Norfolk and single Lesser Scaups in Cornwall, Gloucestershire and Glamorgan.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Sunday 6th February 2011  
  The highlight of the day was, once again, the relocation of the adult Slaty-backed Gull, in Essex at Hanningfield Reservoir. Present for just ten minutes in the late morning before the bird was lost, it could not be found again by dusk.

Elsewhere, lingering rarities comprised the Pacific Diver still in Cornwall, Red-breasted Goose in Hampshire, Northern Harrier, Ferruginous Duck and Ross's Goose in Norfolk, Bonaparte's Gull in County Cork, Long-billed Dowitcher in Dorset, Lesser Scaups in each of Cornwall, Glamorgan and Gloucestershire, and four Northern Long-tailed Tits in Kent.

Scarcities included 29 Lapland Buntings, 23 Shorelarks, 19 Tundra Bean Geese, nine Iceland Gulls, eight Great Grey Shrikes, seven Ring-billed Gulls, five Black Brants, four each of both Ring-necked Duck and Glaucous Gull, three each of Great White Egret and Caspian Gull, two each of American Wigeon and Cattle Egret, and single Rose-coloured Starling (Cornwall), Rough-legged Buzzard (Norfolk), Green-winged Teal (County Galway) and Snow Goose (County Antrim).
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Saturday 5th February 2011  
  The highlight of the day was the presence of both Forster's Tern and American Herring Gull in County Galway. Elsewhere, lingering rarities comprised the Red-breasted Goose still in Hampshire, Long-billed Dowitcher in Dorset, single Lesser Scaups in Cornwall, Glamorgan and Gloucestershire, two Coues's Arctic Redpolls together in County Durham, Ferruginous Duck and two Ross's Geese in Norfolk and six Northern Long-tailed Tits in Kent.

Scarcities included 24 Shorelarks, 15 Lapland Buntings, 12 Tundra Bean Geese, 10 Iceland Gulls, seven each of both Great White Egret and Glaucous Gull, six Ring-billed Gulls, five Caspian Gulls, three Ring-necked Ducks, two each of American Wigeon, Rough-legged Buzzard, Great Grey Shrike, Green-winged Teal and Black Brant (Norfolk), and single Little Auk (Isle of Man), Rose-coloured Starling and Cattle Egret (both Cornwall).
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Friday 4th February 2011  
  A fairly quiet day, with the rarity highlights including the Pacific Diver off Marazion, Cornwall, Long-billed Dowitcher at Poole, Dorset, Red-breasted Goose at Hook, Hampshire and Ross's Goose near Acle, Norfolk.

Scarcities included a Rose-coloured Starling, Tundra Bean Goose and Ring-necked Duck in Cornwall, a Pomarine Skua in Dorset, a Great White Egret in Hampshire, single American Wigeons in Norfolk and Highland, four Great Grey Shrikes, four Ring-billed Gulls and thirteen Shorelarks.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Thursday 3rd February 2011  
  In Essex, the adult Slaty-backed Gull was rediscovered at Pitsea Landfill Site late afternoon. Unfortunately, this site has strictly no access, with the gulls only being viewable when they visit nearby Wat Tyler County Park, and Vange Wick.

There was another sighting of Black Kite today, with a bird flying west over Hewas Water, Cornwall late afternoon. Lingering rarities included the Pied-billed Grebe in County Cork, Pacific Diver in Cornwall, Long-billed Dowitcher in Dorset, Northern Harrier and Ross's Goose in Norfolk and Lesser Scaup in Gloucestershire.

Scarcity highlights included a Rose-coloured Starling, an American Wigeon, a White-tailed Eagle, two Ring-necked Ducks, five Shorelarks, five Rough-legged Buzzards and eight Great Grey Shrikes.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Wednesday 2nd February 2011  
  Another two Northern Long-tailed Tits were discovered in Kent today, at Rodmersham Green, near Sittingbourne. Five also remained at Dymchurch, with a total of nine seen in the county this year.

Lingering rarities included the Northern Harrier at Thornham, Norfolk, Long-billed Dowitcher at Poole, Dorset, Lesser Scaup at Holm, Orkney and Ross's Goose at Rockcliffe, Cumbria.

Scarcity highlights included a White-tailed Eagle, a Rose-coloured Starling, two American Wigeon, three Ring-necked Ducks, four Rough-legged Buzzards, four Great White Egrets and five Great Grey Shrikes.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Tuesday 1st February 2011  
  In Devon a Black Kite flew over Slapton this afternoon, whilst in Cumbria a probable Black Kite was seen briefly near Ulverston. In Dorset the Long-billed Dowitcher remained in Poole Park and elsewhere lingering rarities included House Crow in Co Cork, Pacific Diver in Cornwall and Lesser Scaup in Gloucestershire.

The best of the rest included three American Wigeons, two Ring-necked Ducks, White-tailed Eagle in Hampshire and Rose-coloured Starling in Cornwall.

Late news related to yet another winter 2010/11 garden mega - this time a Rufous Turtle Dove (of the nominate form orientalis) in a Chipping Norton garden on 15th-18th December 2010. Of the eight British records of Rufous Turtle Dove, three have been accepted as orientalis (Scarborough, North Yorkshire in 1889, Castle Rising, Norfolk in 1946 and Fair Isle, Shetland in 1974).
-  Stuart Piner, RBA