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.

Choose a starting date
Thursday 21st March 2013  
  The most interesting discovery on an otherwise cold, quiet day was a second Black-bellied Dipper at Thetford in Norfolk, both birds being seen together during the day. A possible African Chaffinch was reported yesterday on Stronsay on Orkney.

Long stayers included the Harlequin Duck and Richardson's Canada Goose on North Uist, the Pied-billed Grebe in Somerset, Blue-winged Teal in Dumfries and Galloway, Desert Wheatear in Aberdeenshire and Red-breasted Goose in Hampshire.

There was a good scattering of Spoonbill records today with 13 birds spread between the south coast and Cumbria, with one inland in Derbyshire.
-  Pete Hayman, RBA
Wednesday 20th March 2013  
  Lingering rarities confirmed as still present today were the Harlequin Duck on the Western Isles, Pied-billed Grebe and Ferruginous Duck together in Somerset, Forster's Tern in County Galway, Desert Wheatear in Aberdeenshire, Red-breasted Goose in Hampshire, Lesser Scaups in both County Armagh and Clyde, and the Black-bellied Dipper in Norfolk.

Scarcities included Pallas's Warbler (Berkshire), Temminck's Stint (Somerset), Rough-legged Buzzard (two together in Norfolk), Great Grey Shrike (Dorset, Hampshire and Hertfordshire), Lapland Bunting (19 together in Cornwall), Snow Goose (Argyll and Western Isles), American Wigeon (Lincolnshire), Surf Scoter (County Meath (2) and Pembrokeshire), and Ring-necked Duck (Isles of Scilly (3), Somerset and Western Isles). Notable gulls included eight Ring-billed, seven Iceland, and two each of both Glaucous and Caspian.

Significant late news concerned a White-throated Sparrow present at Churchstanton, Somerset from 23rd January until 3rd March 2013.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Tuesday 19th March 2013  
  Sightings of rarities included Harlequin Duck in Western Isles, Pied-billed Grebe in Somerset, White-billed Diver in Orkney, Red-breasted Goose in Hampshire, Desert Wheatear in Aberdeenshire, American Coot in Co Galway, Black-bellied Dipper in Norfolk and Lesser Scaup in Lincolnshire and Clyde.

The Rose-coloured Starling in Devon, Pallas's Warbler on the Hampshire/Berkshire border, Temminck's Stint in Somerset, White-tailed Eagle in Lincolnshire and Norfolk and both Hoopoe and Golden Oriole in Dorset were all recorded.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Monday 18th March 2013  
  Lingering rarities comprised Harlequin Duck on Western Isles, Pied-billed Grebe and Ferruginous Duck in Somerset, American Coot in Co Galway, Desert Wheatear in Aberdeenshire, Glossy Ibis and Red-breasted Goose in Hampshire, Northern Harrier in Co Wexford, Lesser Scaup in Cornwall, Herefordshire and Glamorgan and Bonaparte's Gulls in Co Antrim and Co Dublin.

The Rose-coloured Starling in Devon, Pallas's Warbler on the Berkshire/Hampshire border and Temminck's Stint in Somerset were also still present.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Sunday 17th March 2013  
  In Cornwall the adult Pacific Diver reappeared off Marazion, whilst in Aberdeenshire three White-billed Divers were logged off Portsoy. Lingering rarities comprised Harlequin Duck (Western Isles), Lesser Scaups (Herefordshire, Clyde and Cornwall), Bonaparte's Gulls (Glamorgan and Co Dublin), Glossy Ibises (Hampshire and Pembrokeshire), Desert Wheatear (Aberdeenshire), Penduline Tit (Kent), Pied-billed Grebe and Ferruginous Duck (Somerset), Richardson's Canada Goose (Argyll) and Long-billed Dowitcher (Pembrokeshire)

The best of the scarcities included Pallas's Warbler (Berkshire/Hampshire), Rose-coloured Starling (Devon) and Temminck's Stint (Somerset).
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Saturday 16th March 2013  
  The highlight of the day was the arrival of two male Lesser Scaups in the English Midlands; one in Derbyshire at Ogston Reservoir, and one in Herefordshire at Wellington. Other male Lesser Scaups remained today in County Clare and Glamorgan, and with further singles noted in Cheshire, Clyde, Cornwall, Flintshire and Lancashire during the last fortnight, perhaps as many as eight have been present across the British Isles in recent days.

Rarities elsewhere comprised the Harlequin Duck still on the Western Isles, American Coot and Forster's Tern in County Galway, Pied-billed Grebe and Ferruginous Duck together in Somerset, Desert Wheatear in Aberdeenshire, Red-breasted Goose in Hampshire, Bonaparte's Gulls in both County Dublin and Glamorgan, Black-bellied Dipper in Norfolk, Glossy Ibis in Hampshire, and a Black Kite briefly in Hampshire.

Scarcities included Pallas's Warbler (Berkshire), Rose-coloured Starling (Devon), Temminck's Stint (Somerset), four American Wigeon, five Ring-necked Duck, and seven Surf Scoters (including four still in Conwy). Gulls included 24 Glaucous, 16 Iceland, seven Ring-billed, four Kumlien's and three Caspians.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Friday 15th March 2013  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of a Lesser Scaup in Lancashire at Brockholes.

Rarities elsewhere comprised the Harlequin Duck still on the Western Isles, Desert Wheatear in Aberdeenshire, Bonaparte's Gull in County Dublin, Lesser Scaup in Glamorgan, Northern Harrier in County Wexford, and Glossy Ibis in Hampshire.

Scarcities included Pallas's Warbler (Berkshire), Rose-coloured Starling (Devon), Lapland Bunting (six together in Cornwall), Lesser Snow Goose (County Fermanagh), Rough-legged Buzzard (Suffolk), Temminck's Stint (Somerset), American Wigeon (Berkshire and Lincolnshire), Ring-necked Duck (East Yorkshire and Somerset), and Great Grey Shrike (Bedfordshire, Denbighshire, Hampshire and Surrey). Notable gulls included nine Iceland, eight Glaucous, three Ring-billed, two Kumlien's and a Caspian.

Spring migrants included Garganey (Leicestershire), Osprey (Forth), Arctic Skua (Dorset), Swallow (Cornwall), Sand Martin (Somerset), Little Ringed Plover (two in Devon), Manx Shearwater (Devon and Dorset) and seven White Wagtails.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Thursday 14th March 2013  
  In East Yorkshire a White-billed Diver flew south past Barmston late morning. Elsewhere rarities comprised Harlequin Duck in Western Isles, Pied-billed Grebe in Somerset, Desert Wheatear in Aberdeenshire, Blue-winged Teal in Dumfries & Galloway, Lesser Scaup in Clyde and Red-breasted Goose and Glossy Ibis in Hampshire.

Sightings of scarcities included Temminck's Stint in Somerset, Pallas's Warbler on the Berkshire/Hampshire border and Rose-coloured Starling in Devon.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Wednesday 13th March 2013  
  The highlight of the day was the appearance of a Little Bunting in a mistnet at Rawcliffe Moss, Lancashire, although it flew north-west on release and wasn't seen again. A Glossy Ibis flew over the A55 in Gwynedd, towards Anglesey.

Lingering rarities included the Harlequin Duck on the Western Isles, Pied-billed Grebe and Ferruginous Duck in Somerset, American Coot in County Galway, Desert Wheatear in Aberdeenshire, Black-bellied Dipper in Norfolk, Lesser Yellowlegs in Devon, Bonaparte's Gull in Glamorgan, Lesser Scaup in Clyde, Red-breasted Goose and Glossy Ibis in Hampshire and single Richardson's Canada Geese in Argyll and County Mayo.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Tuesday 12th March 2013  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of a Lesser Scaup in Clyde at Auchendores Reservoir, whilst in Warwickshire a Glossy Ibis flew over Coventry.

Lingering rarities confirmed as still present comprised the Harlequin Duck on the Western Isles, Pied-billed Grebe in Somerset, Desert Wheatear in Aberdeenshire, Red-breasted Goose in Hampshire, and both Blue-winged Teal and Richardson's Canada Goose in Dumfries and Galloway.

Scarcities included Lesser Snow Goose (Argyll), Ring-necked Duck (Western Isles), Great Grey Shrike (Bedfordshire and Glamorgan), and Lapland Bunting (at least 40 together in Cornwall). Gulls included nine Iceland, eight Glaucous, five Ring-billed, three Caspian and a Kumlien's.
-  Chris Batty, RBA