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 20th January 2012  
  Despite there being a good number of Glossy Ibises around the country, a group of five on the island of Eigg, Highland is an unusual record, especially in January. Slightly further north, on the Western Isles, a Bonaparte's Gull was on Loch Branahuie, Lewis late morning.

Other rarities noted included the Spanish Sparrow and Dark-eyed Junco in Hampshire, Western Sandpiper, Lesser White-fronted Goose, two Coues's Arctic Redpolls and Ferruginous Duck in Norfolk, Ross's Gull in County Down, Bonaparte's Gull in County Antrim, Forster's Tern in County Galway, Bufflehead in Cornwall, Blue-winged Teal on the Isles of Scilly, Lesser Scaup in Gloucestershire, Lesser Yellowlegs in Somerset, Desert Wheatear in Yorkshire, Red-breasted Goose in Devon. Glossy Ibises were recorded in Cornwall, Devon (2), Pembrokeshire (3), Gwent (2) Lancashire and County Mayo.

Scarce gulls once again featured prominently, with the totals being nine Kumlien's, 37 Glaucous and 254 Iceland.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Thursday 19th January 2012  
  The highlight of the day was the continued presence of the Ross's Gull at Ardglass, County Down, with totals of scarce gulls throughout Britain and Ireland today including 243 Iceland, 30 Glaucous, nine Kumlien's and four Ring-billed.

Other rarities noted today were both the Spanish Sparrow and Dark-eyed Junco still in Hampshire, Western Sandpiper, Lesser White-fronted Goose, three Coues's Arctic Redpolls and Ferruginous Duck in Norfolk, Bufflehead in Cornwall, Desert Wheatear in North Yorkshire, Northern Long-tailed Tit in West Yorkshire, Blue-winged Teal on the Western Isles, Long-billed Dowitchers in Dumfries and Galloway and County Wexford (2), Lesser Yellowlegs in Somerset, Lesser Scaup in Gloucestershire, and Glossy Ibises in Cornwall, Essex, Gwent (2) and Pembrokeshire (3).
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Wednesday 18th January 2012  
  Today's headline discovery was an adult Ross's Gull at Ardglass harbour (Co Down).

In Hampshire the Spanish Sparrow and Dark-eyed Junco both remained on show, whilst the Western Sandpiper, Lesser White-fronted Goose and three Coues's Arctic Redpolls (Norfolk), Blue-winged Teal (Isles of Scilly), Bonaparte's Gull (London), Desert Wheatear (East Yorkshire), two Long-billed Dowitchers (Co Wexford), two Northern Long-tailed Tits (West Yorkshire), Lesser Scaup (Gloucestershire) and Spotted Sandpiper (Dorset) all lingered.

Glossy Ibises were logged in Essex, Devon (2), Gwent, Cornwall and Pembrokeshire (3).
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Tuesday 17th January 2012  
  Lingering rarities included the Spanish Sparrow and Dark-eyed Junco in Hampshire, Western Sandpiper and Lesser White-fronted Goose in Norfolk, Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler in Dorset, Blue-winged Teal on Isles of Scilly, Spotted Sandpiper in Somerset, Bufflehead in Cornwall, Red-breasted Goose in Essex, Desert Wheatear in East Yorkshire and Bonaparte's Gull in Co Antrim.

Glossy Ibises arrived in Devon (2) and Cork (2), whilst another joined the bird at Fingringhoe Wick EWT (Essex). Elsewhere Glossy Ibises lingered in Glamorgan, Lancashire, Cornwall, Devon (2) and Kent (2). Lesser Scaups were in Co Kerry and Gloucestershire, at least two Coues's Arctic Redpolls were identified in Norfolk and a Northern Long-tailed Tit remained in West Yorkshire.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Monday 16th January 2012  
  Lingering rarities included the Spanish Sparrow and Dark-eyed Junco in Hampshire, Western Sandpiper, Lesser White-fronted Goose and Coues's Arctic Redpoll in Norfolk, Bonaparte's Gull in Co Antrim, Red-breasted Goose in Essex, Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler in Dorset, Desert Wheatear in East Yorkshire, Lesser Yellowlegs in Somerset, Blue-winged Teal and Dusky Warbler on Isles of Scilly, Bufflehead in Cornwall and Forster's Tern in Co Galway. Long-billed Dowitchers were in Co Wexford (2) and Co Kerry, Lesser Scaup in Gloucestershire and Co Kerry and Glossy Ibises in Glamorgan, Cornwall, Lancashire, Kent and Devon.

The best of the rest came in the form of a Richard's Pipit in Dorset, Pectoral Sandpiper in Ayrshire and Cattle Egrets in Hampshire and East Yorkshire.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Sunday 15th January 2012  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of a Gyr in County Kerry at Blennerville, two Penduline Tits new in Somerset at Portbury Wharf, a White-billed Diver on the Orkney Isles off Burray, and a Ferruginous Duck in London at Thamesmead.

Lingering rarities confirmed as still present were both the Spanish Sparrow and Dark-eyed Junco in Hampshire, Western Sandpiper, Lesser White-fromted Goose and Coues's Arctic Redpoll in Norfolk, Bufflehead in Cornwall, Pallid Harrier in County Galway, Desert Wheatear in East Yorkshire, Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler in Dorset, Blue-winged Teal on the Isles of Scilly, Bonaparte's Gull in County Antrim, Spotted Sandpiper and Lesser Yellowlegs in Somerset, Spotted Sandpiper in Devon, Long-billed Dowitchers in Carmarthenshire and County Wexford (2), Lesser Scaups in Aberdeenshire, Gloucestershire and County Kerry, Ferruginous Duck in Berkshire, and Glossy Ibises in Cheshire, Cornwall, Devon (2), Gwent, Lancashire, County Waterford (5) and County Wexford.

Scarce gulls continue to be be discovered with 194 Iceland, 44 Glaucous, seven Ring-billed and six Kumlien's Gulls recorded.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
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