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| Wednesday 27th February 2013 | ||
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| A new discovery today was a Ferruginous Duck at Ham Wall, Somerset, where it showed alongside the
Pied-billed Grebe. Other lingering rarities confirmed as still present were the Harlequin Duck on the Western Isles, Snowy Owl in Highland, Gyr on the Orkney Isles, Desert Wheatear in Aberdeenshire, Red-breasted Goose in West Sussex, Blue-winged Teal in Dumfries and Galloway, Lesser Yellowlegs in Devon, White-billed Diver on the Orkney Isles, Ferruginous Duck in Bedfordshire, Glossy Ibis in Hampshire, and Black-bellied Dipper in Norfolk. Scarcities included Pallas's Warbler (Berkshire), White-tailed Eagle and two Rough-legged Buzzards (Norfolk), Rose-coloured Starling (Devon), Lesser Snow Goose (Lancashire), Great Grey Shrike (Aberdeenshire), American Wigeon (Devon and Lincolnshire), Surf Scoter (Conwy and Galloway), and Ring-necked Duck (Devon (2), County Kerry and the Isles of Scilly (2). |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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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 26th February 2013 | ||
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| The Harlequin Duck on Western Isles, Pied-billed Grebe in
Somerset, American Coot in Co Galway, Desert Wheatear in
Aberdeenshire, Bonaparte's Gulls in Glamorgan and East Sussex, Lesser
Yellowlegs in Devon, Glossy Ibis in Hampshire and Black-bellied
Dipper in Norfolk all lingered.
The best of the rest included Rose-coloured Starling in Devon, Lesser Snow Goose in Lancashire and White-tailed Eagle in Norfolk. Late news related to a report of an American Golden Plover in Cornwall yesterday and a Snowy Owl in Highland on 18th February. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Monday 25th February 2013 | ||
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| Lingering rarities included Harlequin Duck on Western Isles,
Pied-billed Grebe in Somerset, Blue-winged Teal in Dumfries &
Galloway, Desert Wheatear in Aberdeenshire, Red-breasted Goose in
West Sussex, Ferruginous Duck in Bedfordshire, King Eider in
Aberdeenshire, Lesser Yellowlegs
in Devon, Bonaparte's Gull in East Sussex and Black-bellied Dipper
in Norfolk.
The best of the rest included White-tailed Eagle in Norfolk, Lesser Snow Goose in Lancashire, Rose-coloured Starling in Devon and Pallas's Warbler on the Berkshire/Hampshire border. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Sunday 24th February 2013 | ||
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| Lingering Megas seen today included the Harlequin Duck on North Uist
and Pied-billed Grebe in Somerset, but neither the Pacific Diver nor the
Pine Grosbeak were seen today, the latter being extensively searched for by
locals and visitors alike.
Other rarities seen today included the Desert Wheatear in Aberdeenshire, Black-bellied Dipper in Norfolk, White-billed Diver in Orkney, Red-breasted Goose in Sussex, Northern Harrier in County Wexford, Bonaparte's Gulls in Sussex and Glamorgan, Lesser Yellowlegs in Devon, Long-billed Dowitchers in Pembrokeshire and County Wexford, two Richardson's Canada Geese in County Sligo, Lesser Scaups in County Clare and Glamorgan, Ferruginous Ducks in Hampshire and Bedfordshire, and Glossy Ibises in Pembrokeshire and Hampshire. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Saturday 23rd February 2013 | ||
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| A Glossy Ibis was seen in Hampshire, south-east of Havant at
Warblington, and represented the only new rarity of the day.
Lingering Megas once again included the Harlequin Duck on North Uist, Pine Grosbeak on Shetland, Pacific Diver in Mount's Bay, Cornwall and Pied-billed Grebe at Ham Wall RSPB, Somerset. The Hooded Merganser was still present on the Staffordshire /Derbyshire border, but was confirmed as being wing clipped and, therefore, an escape. Other lingering rarities included the Desert Wheatear and King Eider in Aberdeenshire, Northern Harrier in County Wexford, Black-bellied Dipper in Norfolk, Bonaparte's Gull in Sussex, White-billed Diver in Orkney, Lesser Yellowlegs in Devon, single Long-billed Dowitchers in Pembrokeshire and County Wexford, single Richardson's Canada Geese in Argyll, Dumfries and Galloway and the Western Isles, Lesser Scaup in Glamorgan and single Ferruginous Ducks in Hampshire and Bedfordshire. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Friday 22nd February 2013 | ||
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| A drake Hooded Merganser on the Staffordshire /Derbyshire birder was
discovered today, at the River Trent /River Dove confluence, where it showed for
much of the day. A Ferruginous Duck in Hampshire, at Blashford Lakes HWT,
was the only other new rarity.
Lingering Megas included the Harlequin Duck on North Uist, Western Isles, Pine Grosbeak at North Collafirth, Shetland, Pacific Diver in Mount's Bay, Cornwall and Pied-billed Grebe at Ham Wall RSPB, Somerset. Other rarity highlights included the Desert Wheatear and a King Eider in Aberdeenshire, two Black Ducks in County Cork, White-billed Diver in Orkney, Black-bellied Dipper in Norfolk, Bonaparte's Gull in Sussex, Lesser Yellowlegs in Devon and Long-billed Dowitcher in Pembrokeshire. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Thursday 21st February 2013 | ||
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| Up north, both the drake Harlequin Duck and the male Pine Grosbeak
remained available for the keen, both continuing to show well at their
respective sites.
Other lingering rarities today comprised the Pied-billed Grebe at Ham Wall RSPB, Somerset, Desert Wheatear at Rattray Head, Aberdeenshire, Black-bellied Dipper in Thetford, Norfolk, two Black Ducks at Mizen Head, County Cork, Ferruginous Duck at Priory Country Park, Bedfordshire, Bonaparte's Gull at Eastbourne, Sussex, Lesser Yellowlegs at Plymouth, Devon, single Richardson's Canada Geese on Islay, Argyll and North Uist, Western Isles and Glossy Ibis at Marloes Mere, Pembrokeshire. Scarcity highlights included Pallas's Warbler, Rose-coloured Starling, White-tailed Eagle, Temminck's Stint, Green-winged Teal, two Rough-legged Buzzards, two American Wigeon, two Surf Scoters, three Ring-necked Ducks and three Great Grey Shrikes. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Wednesday 20th February 2013 | ||
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| In Scotland two mega-rarities were available - the Harlequin Duck on
Western Isles and Pine Grosbeak on Shetland.
Elsewhere lingering rarities comprised Pied-billed Grebe in Somerset, Bonaparte's Gull in Glamorgan, Black-bellied Dipper in Norfolk, Ferruginous Duck in Bedfordshire, Desert Wheatear in Aberdeenshire, Long-billed Dowitcher and Glossy Ibis in Pembrokeshire, Lesser Scaup in Cornwall, Lesser Yellowlegs in Devon and Richardson's Canada Geese in Argyll (3) and Western Isles. In Ireland the American Coot in Co Galway and a Richardson's Canada Goose in Co Mayo were recorded. Scarcities included White-tailed Eagle in Norfolk and Pallas's Warbler on the Berkshire/Hampshire border. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Tuesday 19th February 2013 | ||
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| On Western Isles the drake Harlequin Duck remained on the sea off
North Uist. Elsewhere lingering rarities included Pied-billed Grebe in
Somerset, Penduline Tit in Kent, Lesser Yellowlegs in Devon,
Desert Wheatear in Aberdeenshire, Ferruginous Duck in Bedfordshire,
Black-bellied Dipper in Norfolk, American Coot in Co Galway,
Red-breasted Goose in Hampshire, Lesser Scaup in Cornwall and
Bonaparte's Gulls in East Sussex and Glamorgan.
The best of the rest included Rose-coloured Starling in Devon, Pallas's Warbler on the Berkshire/Hampshire border and White-tailed Eagle in Norfolk. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Monday 18th February 2013 | ||
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| A stunning drake Harlequin Duck was found today on the west coast of the
Western Isles at Balranald on North Uist. This represents the first Harlequin Duck
since a brief drake on St. Kilda in 2007 and the first twitchable one since
2004, with smart drakes at a premium in British waters. A White-billed Diver
was found off North Lewis, also on the Western Isles.
The Pine Grosbeak continued its stay on Mainland Shetland and the Pied-billed Grebe was still to be found in Somerset. Other long staying rarities included the Penduline Tit in Kent, Bonaparte's Gull in East Sussex, Desert Wheatear in Aberdeenshire, Ferruginous Duck in Bedfordshire, Lesser Scaup in Cornwall, Lesser Yellowlegs in Devon and Black-bellied Dipper in Norfolk. Amongst scarcities, the Pallas's Warbler remained on the Berkshire/Hampshire border, a White-tailed Eagle was seen around the Anmer area in north west Norfolk and American Wigeons were in Lincolnshire and Devon. |
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| - Pete Hayman, RBA | ||
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