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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Thursday 28th February 2013  
  A second-winter American Herring Gull was seen on St Mary's, Isles of Scilly this evening. This is the fourth record for the archipelago, and the first record of a bird more than a year old.

Lingering rarities included the Harlequin Duck on North Uist, Western Isles, Pied-billed Grebe at Ham Wall RSPB, Somerset, Desert Wheatear at Rattray Head, Aberdeenshire, Black-bellied Dipper at Thetford, Norfolk, Lesser Yellowlegs at Plymouth, Devon, White-billed Diver on South Ronaldsay, Orkney, Glossy Ibis at Warblington, Hampshire and single Ferruginous Ducks at Ham Wall RSPB, Somerset and Priory Country Park, Bedfordshire.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Wednesday 27th February 2013  
  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).
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Tuesday 26th February 2013  
  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.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Monday 25th February 2013  
  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.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Sunday 24th February 2013  
  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.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Saturday 23rd February 2013  
  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.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Friday 22nd February 2013  
  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.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Thursday 21st February 2013  
  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.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Wednesday 20th February 2013  
  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.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Tuesday 19th February 2013  
  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.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA