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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Tuesday 5th February 2013  
  The Pine Grosbeak continued its stay on North Mainland Shetland. Elsewhere lingering rarities comprised Bonaparte's Gull in East Sussex, Long-billed Dowitchers in Pembrokeshire and Co Wexford, Ferruginous Duck in Bedfordshire, Desert Wheatear in Aberdeenshire, Lesser Yellowlegs in Devon, American Coot in Co Galway and Black-bellied Dipper in Norfolk.

Scarcities included Richard's Pipits in Highland and Co Louth, Hoopoe in Dorset and two Shorelarks in Norfolk.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Monday 4th February 2013  
  On Shetland the Pine Grosbeak was still present in North Mainland, but it had relocated to a garden about a mile north-east of yesterday's location.

Elsewhere lingering rarities included Bonaparte's Gull in East Sussex, Lesser Scaup in Flintshire, Desert Wheatear in Aberdeenshire, Black-bellied Dipper in Norfolk, Lesser Yellowlegs in Devon, Long-billed Dowitcher and Northern Harrier in Co Wexford, Lesser Scaup in Co Clare and Ferruginous Duck in Bedfordshire.

The best of the rest included Richard's Pipit in Co Louth, Hoopoe in Dorset, Rose-coloured Starling in Devon and Shorelark in Lincolnshire.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Sunday 3rd February 2013  
  As expected, the Pine Grosbeak remained in the garden at North Collafirth, Shetland today. It has been present in the area since the 2nd November 2012, when it was photographed at Urafirth, less than five miles from its current location.

Two Lesser Scaups were discovered today, one, a new bird, in County Armagh at Oxford Island NNR and a returning bird at Cardiff Bay Wetlands NR, Glamorgan. A Bonaparte's Gull was on South Uist, Western Isles, yesterday, but couldn't be found today.

Lingering rarities included the Desert Wheatear in Aberdeenshire, Dark-breasted Barn Owl and Bonaparte's Gull in Sussex, Black-bellied Dipper in Norfolk, Northern Harrier in County Wexford, Lesser Yellowlegs in Devon, Long-billed Dowitchers in Pembrokeshire and County Wexford, Lesser Scaup in Flintshire and Ferruginous Duck in Bedfordshire.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Saturday 2nd February 2013  
  The highlight of the day was the reappearance of the Pine Grosbeak on the Shetland Isles at North Collafirth. If it is still present tomorrow it will represent only the second truly twitchable Pine Grosbeak in Britain ever. Elsewhere, an American Herring Gull was a new discovery in County Cork at Baltimore, whilst the identification of both a Lesser Scaup in Flintshire at Shotton, and a Dark-breasted Barn Owl at Rodmell, East Sussex were confirmed.

Lingering rarities confirmed as still present comprised the Gyr on the Orkney Isles, American Coot and Forster's Tern in County Galway, American Buff-bellied Pipit in Berkshire, Black Duck in Highland, Desert Wheatear in Aberdeenshire, Northern Harrier and Long-billed Dowitcher in County Wexford, Red-breasted Goose in West Sussex, Bonaparte's Gulls in both East Sussex and Glamorgan, Long-billed Dowitcher in Lincolnshire, Lesser Yellowlegs in Devon, Ferruginous Duck in Bedfordshire, Black-bellied Dipper in Norfolk and Glossy Ibis in County Cork.

Scarcities included the Pallas's Warbler still in Berkshire, Richard's Pipit in County Louth, Hoopoe in Dorset, Kumlien's Gull in East Yorkshire, with two each of Cattle Egret, Surf Scoter, Grey Phalarope and Black Brant, three each of Rough-legged Buzzard and Lapland Bunting, four each of Ring-necked Duck and Great Grey Shrike, seven Green-winged Teals, eight Tundra Bean Geese and 14 Great White Egrets, whilst gulls included 11 Iceland, 13 Glaucous, 14 Ring-billed and 21 Caspian.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Friday 1st February 2013  
  News of a Pine Grosbeak on Tuesday in Shetland was released today, but the bird failed to materialise in an extensive search of the North Collafirth area of Mainland. Nearby, a White-billed Diver was off Muness, Unst, and a white Gyr was photographed further south near Stromness, Orkney.

Lingering rarities included Desert Wheatear in Aberdeenshire, Black-bellied Dipper in Norfolk, single Ferruginous Ducks in London and Bedfordshire, Bonaparte's Gull in Glamorgan, Lesser Yellowlegs in Devon, Lesser Scaup in County Clare and Richardson's Canada Goose in the Western Isles.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Thursday 31st January 2013  
  New discoveries today included a female Ferruginous Duck in London, at Danson Park, Bexleyheath, and a Richardson's Canada Goose on the Western Isles, at Balranald RSPB, North Uist.

Lingering rarities included the Desert Wheatear in Aberdeenshire, Bonaparte's Gull in Glamorgan, White-billed Diver in Orkney, Northern Harrier in County Wexford, Lesser Yellowlegs in Devon, Black-bellied Dipper in Norfolk, Lesser Scaup in Somerset and Glossy Ibis in Pembrokeshire.

Scarcity highlights included a Rose-coloured Starling, a Grey Phalarope, a Great Grey Shrike, a Kumlien's Gull, a Cattle Egret, a Todd's Canada Goose, two American Wigeon, five Lapland Buntings, seven Ring-necked Ducks, eight Little Auks, six Ring-billed Gulls, eight Caspian Gulls, five Iceland Gulls and 11 Glaucous Gulls.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Wednesday 30th January 2013  
  A Black-browed Albatross off Lahinch, County Clare is only the second January record, following one in sea area Viking on 30th January 1990, which was assumed to be the long staying Shetland individual.

Lingering rarities included the Desert Wheatear in Aberdeenshire, Black-bellied Dipper in Norfolk, Ferruginous Duck in Bedfordshire, single Lesser Scaups in Somerset and Cornwall, single Bonaparte's Gulls in Sussex and County Antrim, Red-breasted Goose in Dumfries and Galloway and Lesser Yellowlegs in Devon.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Tuesday 29th January 2013  
  On Orkney a White-billed Diver was discovered off South Ronaldsay.

Lingering rarities included Ferruginous Duck in Bedfordshire, Lesser Scaup in Somerset, Desert Wheatear in Aberdeenshire, Red-breasted Goose in West Sussex and Black-bellied Dipper in Norfolk.

The best of the rest came in the form of Richard's Pipit in East Yorkshire, Cattle Egret in Northumberland and Rose-coloured Starling in Devon.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Monday 28th January 2013  
  Lingering rarities included Bonaparte's Gulls in Glamorgan and East Sussex, Ferruginous Duck in Bedfordshire, Lesser Scaups in Cornwall and Somerset, Lesser Yellowlegs in Devon, Black-bellied Dipper in Norfolk, Red-breasted Goose in West Sussex and Desert Wheatear in Aberdeenshire.

The headline scarcities included Richard's Pipit in East Yorkshire, Cattle Egret in Northumberland, Hoopoe in Dorset and Pallas's Warbler on the Berkshire/Hampshire border.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Sunday 27th January 2013  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of a Bonaparte's Gull in East Sussex at Eastbourne. Elsewhere, a Ferruginous Duck was new in Bedfordshire at Priory Country Park.

Lingering rarities confirmed as still present were both the American Coot and Forster's Tern in County Galway, Desert Wheatear in Aberdeenshire, Red-breasted Goose in West Sussex, Bonaparte's Gull in Glamorgan, Long-billed Dowitcher in Pembrokeshire, Lesser Scaups in both Cornwall and Somerset, and single Glossy Ibises in both Hampshire and Pembrokeshire.

Scarcities included Pallas's Warbler (Berkshire), Cattle Egret (Northumberland), Hoopoe (Dorset), Rose-coloured Starling (Devon), Richard's Pipit (East Yorkshire), Surf Scoter (Pembrokeshire), Shorelark (Lincolnshire), Black Brant (West Sussex) and Kumlien's Gull (East Yorkshire), with totals of three Rough-legged Buzzards, five Green-winged Teals, six Caspian Gulls, seven Great Grey Shrikes, eight each of both Ring-necked Duck and Iceland Gull, nine each of Ring-billed Gull and Great White Egret, 10 Lapland Buntings, 11 Tundra Bean Geese and 15 Glaucous Gulls.
-  Chris Batty, RBA