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 14th January 2012  
  The two mega rarities in Hampshire remained on show today - the Spanish Sparrow in Calshot and the Dark-eyed Junco in the New Forest.

Elsewhere rarities included the Western Sandpiper, Coues's Arctic Redpoll and Lesser White-fronted Goose in Norfolk, Bufflehead in Cornwall, Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler in Dorset, Desert Wheatear in East Yorkshire, Lesser Yellowlegs in Somerset, Red-breasted Goose in Devon, Bonaparte's Gull in Co Antrim and American Herring Gull in Co Cork. Thirteen Glossy Ibises, three Spotted Sandpipers, three Long-billed Dowitchers, two Lesser Scaups (Aberdeenshire and Gloucestershire) and two Ferruginous Ducks (Hampshire and Berkshire) were also logged.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Friday 13th January 2012  
  A Long-billed Dowitcher was discovered at Fahamore, County Kerry today, as was a Blue-winged Teal on Loch Stiapabhat, Western Isles.

Rarity highlights seen today included the Spanish Sparrow and Dark-eyed Junco in Hampshire, at Calshot and Hawkhill Inclosure respectively, Western Sandpiper at Cley, Norfolk, Greater Yellowlegs by Loch Fleet, Highland, Bufflehead on The Loe Pool, Cornwall and Lesser White-fronted Goose at Buckenham, Norfolk.

The best of the rest included Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler in Dorset, Desert Wheatear in Yorkshire, Coues's Arctic Redpoll in Norfolk, Dusky Warbler and Blue-winged Teal on the Isles of Scilly, single Lesser Scaups in Gloucestershire, Glamorgan and County Kerry, Glossy Ibises in Pembrokeshire (2), Cornwall, Devon, Essex, County Mayo (3) and Lancashire and Red-breasted Goose and Spotted Sandpiper in Devon.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Thursday 12th January 2012  
  Glossy Ibises were discovered at Thurlestone Marsh, Devon, Neyland, Pembrokeshire (2), Skibbereen, County Cork and Termoncarragh, County Mayo (3).

Long staying rarities included the Spanish Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco and Ferruginous Duck in Hampshire, Western Sandpiper, Lesser White-fronted Goose and Coues's Arctic Redpoll in Norfolk, Greater Yellowlegs in Highland, Bufflehead in Cornwall, two Long-billed Dowitchers and Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler in Dorset, Blue-winged Teal and Dusky Warbler on the Isles of Scilly, Bonaparte's Gull in County Antrim, Glossy Ibises in Lancashire (2), Kent (2) and Devon, Red-breasted Goose in Devon, Richardson's Canada Goose in Argyll and Spotted Sandpipers in Somerset and Devon.

Photos of the heron in Orkney confirmed that it was a Grey Heron.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Wednesday 11th January 2012  
  In Hampshire the Spanish Sparrow and Dark-eyed Junco both lingered.

Elsewhere the Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler (Dorset), Western Sandpiper, Lesser White-fronted Goose and Coues's Arctic Redpoll (Norfolk), Blue-winged Teal and Dusky Warbler (Isles of Scilly), Spotted Sandpipers (Somerset and Devon), Glossy Ibises (Lancashire, Kent, Essex and Devon), Desert Wheatear (East Yorkshire), Long-billed Dowitcher (Dumfries & Galloway), Bonaparte's Gull (Co Antrim) and Lesser Scaup (Gloucestershire) all remained on show.

On Orkney a probable Great Blue Heron was reported at Kirkwall, where it was present for its sixth day.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Tuesday 10th January 2012  
  The highlight of the day was the continued presence of the Spanish Sparrow at Calshot, Hampshire. The bird showed throughout the day and has been confirmed as having been visiting feeders at this site since at least 3rd December 2011. Nearby the Dark-eyed Junco remained in the New Forest at Hawkhill Inclosure.

Elsewhere, lingering rarities confirmed as still present were the Northern Waterthrush and Blue-winged Teal on the Isles of Scilly, Western Sandpiper, Lesser White-fronted Goose, Coues's Arctic Redpoll and Ross's Goose in Norfolk, Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler in Dorset, Red-breasted Goose in Essex, Spotted Sandpiper and Lesser Yellowlegs in Somerset, Spotted Sandpiper in Devon, Lesser Scaup in Gloucestershire, Ferruginous Duck in Hampshire, Glossy Ibises in Cheshire, Essex and Lancashire (2).

New rarities discovered today were a King Eider passing Chanonry Point, Highland, a White-billed Diver on the Shetland Isles, in Bluemull Sound, and a party of three Northern Long-tailed Tits in Luddenden, West Yorkshire.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Monday 9th January 2012  
  Having produced the final Mega-rarity of 2011 (Dark-eyed Junco), Hampshire again created the headlines this evening with 2012's first Mega Alert - a Spanish Sparrow in the small village of Calshot, which will hopefully prove to be the first twitchable individual since the long-staying bird in Cumbria in 1996.

Elsewhere lingering rarities included Western Sandpiper, Coues's Arctic Redpoll and Lesser White-fronted Goose in Norfolk, Dark-eyed Junco in Hampshire, Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler in Dorset, Bufflehead in Cornwall, Dusky Warbler on Isles of Scilly, Greater Yellowlegs in Highland, Lesser Yellowlegs in Somerset, Spotted Sandpiper in Devon and Desert Wheatear in Northumberland. Two Blue-winged Teals, two Ferruginous Ducks, three Lesser Scaup and four Glossy Ibises were also logged.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Sunday 8th January 2012  
  New rarities discovered today were a Lesser Scaup in Aberdeenshire at Loch of Skene, a White-billed Diver on the Shetland Isles at Kirkabister, Coues's Arctic Redpoll in Norfolk at Kelling, and a Glossy Ibis at Adcliffe, Lancashire.

Lingering rarities confirmed as still present were the Dark-eyed Junco in Hampshire, Northern Waterthrush on the Isles of Scilly, Western Sandpiper, Lesser White-fronted Goose, Coues's Arctic Redpoll and three Ross's Geese in Norfolk, Bufflehead in Cornwall, Desert Wheatear in East Yorkshire, Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler in Dorset, Red-breasted Goose in Essex, Bonaparte's Gull in County Antrim, Spotted Sandpiper and Lesser Yellowlegs in Somerset, Spotted Sandpiper in Devon, Long-billed Dowitcher in Carmarthenshire, Lesser Scaup in Gloucestershire, Ferruginous Ducks in both Cambridgeshire and Hampshire, Glossy Ibises in Cheshire, Devon, Essex, Kent (2) and Lancashire, and four Richardson's Canada Geese in Argyll.

Impressive counts of scarce gulls were again logged with 187 Iceland, 90 Glaucous, 13 Ring-billed and nine Kumlien's Gulls, including five of the latter together at Killybegs, County Donegal.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Saturday 7th January 2012  
  New discoveries today included a Glossy Ibis at Sandbach Flashes, Cheshire and a Ferruginous Duck at Paxton Pits, Cambridgeshire. Long staying rarities rediscovered today after a significant absence included the Northern Waterthrush at Lower Moors, Isles of Scilly, and the Long-billed Dowitcher at Wigtown, Dumfries and Galloway.

Other lingering rarities included the Dark-eyed Junco in Hampshire, Western Sandpiper, Lesser White-fronted Goose, Coues's Arctic Redpoll and three Ross's Geese in Norfolk, House Crow in County Cork, Greater Yellowlegs in Highland, Bufflehead in Cornwall, Forster's Tern in County Galway, Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler in Dorset, Desert Wheatear in Yorkshire, Lesser Yellowlegs in Somerset, single Blue-winged Teals in Dorset, Isles of Scilly and County Dublin, Bonaparte's Gull in County Antrim and Long-billed Dowitcher in County Wexford.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Friday 6th January 2012  
  Long staying rarities seen today included the Dark-eyed Junco in Hampshire, Western Sandpiper, Lesser White-fronted Goose, Coues's Arctic Redpoll and two Ross's Geese in Norfolk, Greater Yellowlegs in Highland, Bufflehead in Cornwall, Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler and Blue-winged Teal in Dorset (with others of the latter still in County Dublin and the Isles of Scilly), Lesser Yellowlegs in Somerset, Glossy Ibises in Kent (2) and Devon, Spotted Sandpiper in Devon, single Lesser Scaups in Northumberland and Gloucestershire, Ferruginous Duck in Hampshire and Bonaparte's Gull in County Antrim.

Gull counts remained impressive, with 120 Iceland, 48 Glaucous, 9 Caspian, 8 Ring-billed, 6 Kumlien's and a Little Gull logged.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Thursday 5th January 2012  
  Lingering rarities confirmed as still present comprised the Dark-eyed Junco in Hampshire, Western Sandpiper, Lesser White-fronted Goose, Coues's Arctic Redpoll and Ross's Goose in Norfolk, Pallid Harrier in County Galway, Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler, Blue-winged Teal and two Long-billed Dowitchers in Dorset, Bonaparte's Gull in County Antrim, Spotted Sandpiper in Devon, Lesser Yellowlegs in Somerset, Lesser Scaup in Northumberland, Glossy Ibis on the Isles of Scilly, and Ferruginous Duck in Hampshire.

Scarcities included Bluethroat (County Waterford), Richard's Pipit (Dorset), Yellow-browed Warbler (Devon), Temminck's Stint (Cambridgeshire), Surf Scoter (Devon), Ring-necked Duck (Cleveland), American Wigeon (Dumfries and Galloway and Western Isles), and Snow Goose (Cumbria and Perth and Kinross).

Continuing strong winds brought large numbers of Northern and American gulls, with 117 Iceland, 44 Glaucous, eight Kumlien's and seven Ring-billed Gulls logged around the British Isles, with the majority being noted in Scotland and Ireland.
-  Chris Batty, RBA