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 30th November 2012  
  A late Baird's Sandpiper was found on Black Rock Strand, County Kerry, whilst, slightly more expected, was a Dusky Warbler in West Bexington, Dorset. The Blue-winged Teal returned to Castle Douglas, Dumfries and Galloway yesterday.

Long staying rarities included the American Coot in County Galway, Desert Wheatear in Denbighshire, Dusky Warbler and Little Bunting in Cornwall, Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll on Unst, Shetland, single Lesser Yellowlegs' in Lincolnshire and Devon, Long-billed Dowitcher in Gloucestershire, Red-breasted Goose in Cumbria, Richardson's Canada Goose in Argyll and Glossy Ibis in Somerset.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Thursday 29th November 2012  
  Lingering rarities still present today included the American Coot at Murloch, County Galway, Pied-billed Grebe at Loch na Bagh, Western Isles, Subalpine Warbler in St Just, Cornwall, Desert Wheatear at Rhyl, Denbighshire, single Lesser Yellowlegs' in Devon, Lincolnshire and Lancashire, Blue-winged Teal at Ballylongford, County Kerry, Red-breasted Goose at Cardurnock, Cumbria and Glossy Ibis at Ham Wall RSPB, Somerset.

Scarcity highlights included a Rose-coloured Starling in Cornwall, Yellow-browed Warbler in Gloucestershire, Surf Scoters in County Waterford and Conwy, American Wigeon in Yorkshire, Ring-necked Duck and Snow Goose in County Donegal (with another of the former on the Western Isles, and another of the latter in Highland), Green-winged Teal in Cumbria, Iceland Gull in Staffordshire and Glaucous Gulls in Cambridgeshire, Yorkshire and Orkney (2).
-  Will Soar, RBA
Wednesday 28th November 2012  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of the second American Coot of the week; at Ballyconneely, County Galway: only the third Irish record. Elsewhere, a White-billed Diver flew past Flamborough Head, East Yorkshire, and in Cornwall two Little Buntings were located together at Rosenannon Downs.

Lingering rarities confirmed as still present were the Pied-billed Grebe on the Western Isles, American Buff-bellied Pipit in County Down, Desert Wheatear in Denbighshire, Dusky Warbler in Cornwall, Red-breasted Goose in Cornwall, four Hornemann's Arctic Redpolls together on the Shetland Isles, Lesser Yellowlegs in both Devon and Lancashire, Long-billed Dowitcher in Gloucestershire, and two Richardson's Canada Geese together in County Sligo.

Scarcities included Richard's Pipit (Northumberland), Yellow-browed Warbler (Cornwall and Isles of Scilly (2)), Surf Scoter (County Cork and County Waterford), American Wigeon (West Yorkshire), Ring-necked Duck (Isle of Scilly (3), Somerset and Western Isles).

Waxwings were logged across 45 counties between Aberdeenshire, the Western Isles, Cornwall and Kent, including flocks of 170 in Leicestershire, 120 Lincolnshire, 100 Denbighshire, 84 Staffordshire and 76 in Bedfordshire.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Tuesday 27th November 2012  
  Lingering rarities included Pied-billed Grebe on South Uist (Western Isles), Subalpine Warbler and Lesser Yellowlegs in Cornwall, Long-billed Dowitcher in Gloucestershire, Desert Wheatear in Denbighs and Richardson's Canada Geese in Argyll and Dumfries & Galloway. In Hampshire the adult Red-breasted Goose relocated to Portsmouth.

In Ireland a Gyr was recorded in Co Kerry and the Lesser Scaup remained in Co Clare.

The best of the rest included Rose-coloured Starling in Cornwall, Yellow-browed Warblers in Gloucestershire and Isles of Scilly, Ring-necked Ducks in Leicestershire and Somerset, American Wigeon in West Yorkshire and Green-winged Teal in Lancashire.

Late news from yesterday related to the continuing presence of at least four Hornemann's Arctic Redpolls on Unst (Shetland) and an American Buff-bellied Pipit in Co Down.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Monday 26th November 2012  
  Headline news today came from South Uist (Western Isles) where both an American Coot and a Pied-billed Grebe were discovered.

Elsewhere in Scotland a Lesser Scaup was discovered in Dumfries & Galloway and a Baird's Sandpiper was on Unst (Shetland).

Lingering rarities included Desert Wheatear in Denbighs, Lesser Yellowlegs in Devon, Long-billed Dowitchers in Lincolnshire and Gloucestershire and Lesser Scaup in Co Clare.

The Black-billed Dipper in Norfolk, American Wigeon in West Yorkshire, Yellow-browed Warbler in Gloucestershire and Rose-coloured Starling in Cornwall were all recorded today.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Sunday 25th November 2012  
  Rarities lingering today included the female Desert Wheatear in Rhyl, Denbighshire, Northern Harrier at Tacumshin, County Wexford, four Hornemann's Arctic Redpolls at Baltasound, Shetland, Lesser Yellowlegs at Plymouth, Devon, single Long-billed Dowitchers in Gloucestershire and Lincolnshire, Red-breasted Goose at Farlington, Hampshire and Bonaparte's Gull at Larne, County Antrim.

A Wilson's Phalarope was in County Donegal at Malin Head, yesterday.

Scarcity highlights included three Yellow-browed Warblers, three Grey Phalaropes, four Great Grey Shrikes and four Surf Scoters.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Saturday 24th November 2012  
  The highlight of the day was a Desert Wheatear in Denbighshire at Rhyl; identified this morning after first being located there yesterday. Elsewhere, a Ross's Goose was new in Dumfries and Galloway at Loaningfoot, whilst in County Down the Bonaparte's Gull returned to Larne, and in Lincolnshire the Ferruginous Duck reappeared at Barton-upon-Humber.

Lingering rarities confirmed as still present comprised two American Buff-bellied Pipits together in County Down, Red-breasted Geese in both Argyll and Hampshire, Lesser Yellowlegs in Lancashire, four Hornemann's Arctic Redpolls together on the Shetland Isles, Richardson's Canada Goose in Dumfries and Galloway, Northern Harrier in County Wexford, Black-bellied Dipper in Norfolk and Glossy Ibis in Pembrokeshire.

In Britain, Waxwings were recorded across 48 counties between Argyll, the Orkney Isles, London and Glamorgan, with peak flocks including 200 in Greater Manchester, 180 in Dumfries and Galloway, 150 in Nottinghamshire, 135 in Clyde, 130 in Highland, and 100 in both Ayrshire and South Yorkshire.

Significant late news concerned a Blyth's Reed Warbler present yesterday at Ferry Meadows, Cambridgeshire. Only the fourth ever to be discovered inland - following singles in Cheshire on 26th August 2000, London on 6th-28th October 2001 and Essex on 16th June 2003 - and the second latest on record, the latest being on the Shetland Isles on 29th November- 1st December 2009.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Friday 23rd November 2012  
  A Dusky Warbler reported at Falmouth, Cornwall was the only new rarity to be discovered today.

The Subalpine Warbler remained in Cornwall, as did single Lesser Yellowlegs' in Devon and Lancashire, single Long-billed Dowitchers in Gloucestershire and Lincolnshire and the Glossy Ibis in Pembrokeshire.

Scarcity highlights included a Grey Phalarope, a Shorelark, a Richard's Pipit, a Serin, three Great Grey Shrikes and three Surf Scoters.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Thursday 22nd November 2012  
  A Richardson's Canada Goose was found near Campbeltown, Argyll, whilst a Blue-winged Teal was in County Kerry at Ballylongford.

Lingering rarities included the Lesser Yellowlegs in Devon, Long-billed Dowitcher in Gloucestershire, Red-breasted Goose in Hampshire and Glossy Ibis in County Cork.

Scarcity highlights included a Rose-coloured Starling in Cornwall, a Hoopoe in Gwent, Great Grey Shrikes in Essex and Staffordshire, a Rough-legged Buzzard in Suffolk, a Ring-necked Duck in Leicestershire, an American Wigeon in Yorkshire, a Green-winged Teal in Angus, a Ring-billed Gull in County Down, a Glaucous Gull in Yorkshire, an Iceland Gull in the Western Isles, a Little Auk in Sussex and a Pomarine Skua in Cornwall.

At least 3,430 Waxwings were seen in 35 counties.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Wednesday 21st November 2012  
  Rarities today comprised the Subalpine Warbler still in Cornwall, Red-breated Goose in Hampshire, Lesser Yellowlegs in Lancashire, Long-billed Dowitcher in Gloucestershire, and White-rumped Sandpiper in Staffordshire.

Scarcities included Ring-billed Gull (Hampshire), Surf Scoter (three together in Conwy), American Wigeon (West Yorkshire), Ring-necked Duck (Leicestershire and Somerset), Rough-legged Buzzard (Buckinghamshire) and Great Grey Shrike (Dorset and Essex).

Waxwings were logged across 35 counties between the Western Isles, Aberdeenshire, Glamorgan and Essex, including flock counts of 300 in Merseyside, 175 in Greater Manchester, 150 in South Yorkshire and 130 on the Wirral.
-  Chris Batty, RBA