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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Sunday 10th March 2013  
  The first new rarity for five days was discovered today, as a second Penduline Tit joined the bird found on 5th March at Dungeness, Kent.

Elsewhere, lingering rarities included the Harlequin Duck and Richardson's Canada Goose on the Western Isles, Pied-billed Grebe and Ferruginous Duck in Somerset, Black-bellied Dipper in Norfolk, Desert Wheatear in Aberdeenshire, Lesser Yellowlegs in Devon, Red-breasted Goose and Glossy Ibis in Hampshire and single Lesser Scaups in Glamorgan and Cornwall.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Saturday 9th March 2013  
  Rarities still present today included the Harlequin Duck on the Western Isles, Pied-billed Grebe and Ferruginous Duck in Somerset, Desert Wheatear in Aberdeenshire, Black-bellied Dipper in Norfolk, Northern Harrier in County Wexford, two Black Ducks in County Cork, Bonaparte's Gulls in Glamorgan (2) and County Dublin, Long-billed Dowitcher in County Wexford, Lesser Yellowlegs in Devon, Lesser Scaup in Glamorgan, Red-breasted Goose and Glossy Ibis in Hampshire and another Glossy Ibis in Pembrokeshire.

Scarcity highlights included a Rose-coloured Starling, three Little Auks and a flock of nine Great White Egrets in Somerset.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Friday 8th March 2013  
  Lingering rarities today once again included the Harlequin Duck and Richardson's Canada Goose on the Western Isles, Pied-billed Grebe in Somerset, Desert Wheatear in Aberdeenshire, Black-bellied Dipper in Norfolk, Northern Harrier in County Wexford, two Black Ducks in County Cork, Lesser Scaups in Flintshire and Glamorgan and a Red-breasted Goose and Glossy Ibis in Hampshire.

Scarcity highlights included a Hoopoe, a Temminck's Stint, a Great Grey Shrike and a Kumlien's Gull.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Thursday 7th March 2013  
  Lingering rarities comprised Harlequin Duck on Western Isles, Desert Wheatear in Aberdeenshire, Lesser Scaup in Flintshire, Glossy Ibis and Red-breasted Goose in Hampshire, Lesser Yellowlegs in Devon, Black-bellied Dipper in Norfolk and Ferruginous Duck in Somerset.

The best of the scarcities was a Rose-coloured Starling in Devon.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Wednesday 6th March 2013  
  Rarities confirmed as still present today comprised the Harlequin Duck on the Western Isles, Pied-billed Grebe and Ferruginous Duck together in Somerset, two Black Ducks in County Cork, Desert Wheatear in Aberdeenshire, Penduline Tit in Kent, Red-breasted Goose in Hampshire, Bonaparte's Gull in Glamorgan, Long-billed Dowitcher in Pembrokeshire, Lesser Scaup in both Flintshire and Glamorgan, Glossy Ibis in Hampshire, and Black-bellied Dipper in Norfolk.

Scarcities White-tailed Eagle (Norfolk), Rose-coloured Starling (Devon), Common Rosefinch (Dorset), Surf Scoter (Galloway and Pembrokeshire), Rough-legged Buzzard (Norfolk) and Ring-necked Duck (Cornwall, County Kerry, Somerset (2) and the Isles of Scilly (3)). Notable gulls included nine each of both Glaucous and Iceland, seven Caspians, five Ring-billed and two Kumlien's.

Spring migrants included a House Martin in Pembrokeshire, two Wheatears and five White Wagtails.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Tuesday 5th March 2013  
  Rarities today comprised the Harlequin Duck still on the Western Isles, Pied-billed Grebe in Somerset, Desert Wheatear in Aberdeenshire, Red-breasted Goose again in Hampshire, two Penduline Tits in Kent, White-billed Diver in Argyll, Bonaparte's Gull in Glamorgan, Ferruginous Duck in Somerset, Black-bellied Dipper in Norfolk, and Lesser Scaups in County Clare, Cornwall, Flintshire and Glamorgan.

Scarcities included Pallas's Warbler (Berkshire), White-tailed Eagle (Norfolk), Common Rosefinch and Hoopoe (both Dorset), Surf Scoter (Fife and Pembrokeshire), and Ring-necked Duck (County Clare, Devon, East Yorkshire and Somerset), whilst gulls included 11 Glaucous, 10 Iceland, six Ring-billed and three Kumlien's.

Spring migrants were represented by 29 White Wagtails on the Isles of Scilly, a Swallow in Cornwall, and six Wheatears, including two in Ceredigion.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Monday 4th March 2013  
  New discoveries comprised a Black Kite over Bough Beech Reservoir (Kent) and a White-billed Diver off Huna (Highland). In Flintshire the Lesser Scaup reappeared at Shotwick Boating Lake.

Lingering rarities included Harlequin Duck in Western Isles, Pied-billed Grebe in Somerset, Glossy Ibis in Hampshire, Desert Wheatear in Aberdeenshire, American Coot in Co Galway, Snowy Owl on the Aberdeenshire/ Moray border, Lesser Scaup in Cornwall, Ferruginous Duck in Somerset and Bonaparte's Gull in Glamorgan.

The Rose-coloured Starling in Devon, Pallas's Warbler on the Hampshire/ Berkshire border, Hoopoe in Dorset and White-tailed Eagle in Norfolk were all still present.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Sunday 3rd March 2013  
  Headline rarities comprised the lingering Harlequin Duck on Western Isles and Pied-billed Grebe in Somerset. The Penduline Tit in Kent, Desert Wheatear in Aberdeenshire, American Coot and Forster's Tern in Co Galway, Lesser Yellowlegs in Devon, Bonaparte's Gull in Glamorgan, Red-breasted Goose in West Sussex, Glossy Ibises in Pembrokeshire and Hampshire, Ferruginous Duck (2) in Somerset, Lesser Scaup in Cheshire, Long-billed Dowitchers in Pembrokeshire and Co Wexford, Richardson's Canada Geese in Co Sligo (3) and Dumfries & Galloway and Black-bellied Dipper in Norfolk were all recorded.

The best of the rest included White-tailed Eagle in Norfolk, Pallas's Warbler on the Berkshire/ Hampshire border and Common Rosefinch in Dorset.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Saturday 2nd March 2013  
  Rarities today comprised the Harlequin Duck still on the Western Isles, Pied-billed Grebe in Somerset, Forster's Tern in County Galway, Desert Wheatear in Aberdeenshire, Penduline Tit in Kent, Red-breasted Goose in West Sussex, Bonaparte's Gulls in both County Dublin and Glamorgan (2), Long-billed Dowitchers in Pembrokeshire and County Wexford, Lesser Yellowlegs in Devon, Richardson's Canada Goose in Dumfries and Galloway, County Sligo and Western Isles, White-billed Diver on the Orkney Isles, Lesser Scaup in Cornwall, Ferruginous Duck in Somerset and Bedfordshire, Glossy Ibis in Hampshire and Pembrokeshire, Northern Harrier in County Wexford, and Black-bellied Dipper in Norfolk.

Scarcities included White-tailed Eagle (Norfolk), Rose-coloured Starling (Devon), Common Rosefinch (Dorset), Rough-legged Buzzard (Kent and Norfolk (4)), American Wigeon (Devon), Surf Scoter (Conwy (4), Dumfries and Galloway, Fife, Lancashire and Pembrokeshire), Ring-necked Duck (Devon (2), East Yorkshire, Isles of Scilly (3), County Waterford and the Western Isles), and Lapland Bunting (46 in Cornwall). Notable gulls comprised 15 Iceland, 13 Glaucous, eight Caspian, seven Ring-billed and two Kumlien's.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Friday 1st March 2013  
  The highlight of the day was the arrival of a King Eider on the Shetland Isles, in Bluemull Sound. Meanwhile, in County Wexford both Long-billed Dowitcher and American Golden Plover were discovered at Tacumshin.

Lingering rarities confirmed as still present were the Harlequin Duck on the Western Isles, Pied-billed Grebe in Somerset, Snowy Owl in Moray, Desert Wheatear in Aberdeenshire, Penduline Tit in Kent, Bonaparte's Gull in Glamorgan, Lesser Yellowlegs in Devon, White-billed Diver on the Orkney Isles, Richardson's Canada Goose in Argyll, Blue-winged Teal in Dumfries and Galloway, Lesser Scaups in both County Clare and Cornwall, Ferruginous Ducks in both Bedfordshire and Somerset, Glossy Ibis in Hampshire and Black-bellied Dipper in Norfolk.

Scarcities included White-tailed Eagle (Norfolk), Pallas's Warbler (Berkshire), Rose-coloured Starling (Devon), Common Rosefinch (Dorset), Surf Scoter (Dumfries and Galloway), Rough-legged Buzzard (Norfolk (2) and Somerset), and Lapland Bunting (a flock of 84 in Cornwall).
-  Chris Batty, RBA