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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Monday 8th April 2013  
  The highlight of the day was the reappearance of the Killdeer in Lancashire at Alston Wetland, albeit only present there briefly. Elsewhere, a Black Kite flew over Brighton, East Sussex, a new White-billed Diver was found on Lewis, Western Isles, Little Bunting reappeared in County Durham at Houghton-le-Spring, as did the King Eider on Fetlar, Shetland Isles.

Lingering rarities confirmed as still present included the American Coot in County Galway, Pied-billed Grebe in Somerset, Northern Harrier in County Wexford, White-billed Diver on the Orkney Isles, Glossy Ibis in West Sussex, and single Lesser Scaups in Cleveland, Cornwall, Gwent and Herefordshire.

Scarcities included Pallas's Warbler in Berkshire, Kentish Plover and three Temminck's Stints in Kent, Rose-coloured Starling and American Wigeon in Devon, and a Ring-billed Gull in London.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Sunday 7th April 2013  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of Lancashire's first ever Killdeer at Alston Reservoirs, Longridge, present for a couple of hours from mid morning. Typically mobile, it flew off once, only to reappear a short while later, before doing the same, but not returning. Astonishingly, it was found by the same observer who found what may have been the same individual in County Donegal on 29th March, which was also a county first.

Lingering rarities included the Pied-billed Grebe at Ham Wall RSPB, Somerset, Lesser Yellowlegs at Ernesettle, Devon, White-billed Diver off Herston, Orkney, Long-billed Dowitcher and Glossy Ibises at Dale and Marloes, Pembrokeshire, Ferruginous Duck at Otmoor RSPB, Oxfordshire and single Lesser Scaups at Cosmeston Lakes, Glamorgan, Tredegar, Gwent, Siblyback Lake, Cornwall, Freiston Shore RSPB, Lincolnshire, Saltholme RSPB, Cleveland and Wellington GPs, Herefordshire.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Saturday 6th April 2013  
  A Red-breasted Goose flew past Oare Marshes NR and Margate, both Kent with Dark-bellied Brent Geese mid morning.

Elsewhere, lingering rarities comprised the Harlequin Duck and Richardson's Canada Goose on the Western Isles, Pied-billed Grebe in Somerset, Penduline Tit in Kent, Long-billed Dowitcher and Glossy Ibis in Pembrokeshire (with another of the latter in Sussex), Lesser Yellowlegs in Devon, Bonaparte's Gull in Highland, Ferruginous Duck in Oxfordshire and single Lesser Scaups in Cornwall, Gwent, Glamorgan, Herefordshire, Lincolnshire and Cleveland.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Friday 5th April 2013  
  Lingering rarities included Harlequin Duck and White-billed Diver in Western Isles, Pied-billed Grebe in Somerset, Long-billed Dowitcher in Pembrokeshire, Penduline Tit in Kent, Lesser Yellowlegs in Devon, Lesser Scaups in Gwent, Cleveland, Lincolnshire and Cornwall, Red-breasted Goose in Hampshire and American Coot in Co Galway.

The best of the scarcities were the Rose-coloured Starling in Devon and White-spotted Bluethroats in Dorset, Isles of Scilly and Isle of Wight.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Thursday 4th April 2013  
  Today's headline rarities were the Harlequin Duck on Western Isles and Pied-billed Grebe in Somerset, whilst the Lesser Scaups in Gwent, Cornwall and Cleveland, Ferruginous Duck in Oxfordshire, Red-breasted Goose in Hampshire, Lesser Yellowlegs in Devon and Black Duck in Co Mayo also lingered.

The best of the rest included Rose-coloured Starling (Devon), Kentish Plover (East Sussex) and White-spotted Bluethroat (Dorset).
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Wednesday 3rd April 2013  
  New discoveries comprised a Lesser Scaup in Cleveland and a Lesser Yellowlegs in Co Dublin. Lingering rarities included Harlequin Duck (Western Isles), Penduline Tit (Kent), Long-billed Dowitcher (Lincolnshire), Lesser Yellowlegs (Devon), Lesser Scaup (Lincolnshire, Gwent, Glamorgan and Cornwall), Pied-billed Grebe (Somerset) and Red-breasted Goose (Hampshire).

Sightings of scarcities included Common Rosefinch (Dorset), White-spotted Bluethroat (Kent, Dorset, Isle of Wight) and Kentish Plover (East Sussex).
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Tuesday 2nd April 2013  
  Today's lingering rarities included the Harlequin Duck and two White-billed Divers on the Western Isles, Pied-billed Grebe in Somerset, Snowy Owl on the Aberdeenshire /Moray border, Penduline Tit in Kent, Lesser Yellowlegs in Devon, Bonaparte's Gull in Glamorgan, another White-billed Diver on Orkney, single Lesser Scaups in Herefordshire, Lincolnshire, Cornwall and Glamorgan, Ferruginous Duck in Oxfordshire, Red-breasted Goose in Hampshire and Glossy Ibis in Pembrokeshire.

Scarcity highlights included five White-spotted Bluethroats, two Kentish Plovers, a Hoopoe, a Pallas's Warbler, a Rose-coloured Starling, three Great Grey Shrikes, a Rough-legged Buzzard, a Surf Scoter, a Green-winged Teal, two Ring-necked Ducks, two American Wigeon, a Kumlien's Gull, two Iceland Gulls, four Glaucous Gulls, four Caspian Gulls, a Ring-billed Gull and a White-tailed Eagle.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Monday 1st April 2013  
  Thye highlight of the day was the reappearance of the Snowy Owl on North Uist, Western Isles, first seen here as an adult male on 14th August 2003; approaching ten years ago. Nearby, the Harlequin Duck remained at Balranald, whilst on Lewis two White-billed Divers continued their stay between Port of Ness and Skigersta.

Elsewhere, rarities included a brief Black Kite in Cornwall at St Agnes and Gwithian, with the Pacific Diver reported again nearby in Mount's Bay, the Pied-billed Grebe remained in Somerset, as did a Penduline Tit in Kent, Lesser Yellowlegs in Devon, three White-billed Divers together in Aberdeenshire, Richardson's Canada Goose in County Sligo, Glossy Ibis in both Pembrokeshire and West Sussex, and single Lesser Scaups in Clyde, Cornwall, Glamorgan, Gwent, Herefordshire and Lincolnshire.

The eigth and ninth White-spotted Bluethroats of the spring were located in Dorset and Kent, with other singles lingering in the latter county and on the Isle of Wight, Kentish Plovers were in both Dorset and East Sussex, a Hoopoe was found in Devon, Shorelark in Lincolnshire, and Lapland Bunting in Oxfordshire, whilst the Pallas's Warbler remained in Berkshire.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Sunday 31st March 2013  
  A smart male Pallid Harrier was photographed at Papercourt, Surrey mid afternoon, but was only identified after dark.

Lingering rarities included the Harlequin Duck and two White-billed Divers on the Western Isles, Pied-billed Grebe in Somerset, Penduline Tit in Kent, Lesser Yellowlegs in Devon, Lesser Scaups in Gwent, Cornwall, Lincolnshire and Herefordshire, Ferruginous Duck in Oxfordshire, Red-breasted Goose in Hampshire and Glossy Ibis in Sussex.

Spring scarcities were headlined by just three White-spotted Bluethroats (one in Dorset and two in Kent) and a Kentish Plover (Sussex).
-  Will Soar, RBA
Saturday 30th March 2013  
  The highlight of the day way the discovery of a Bonaparte's Gull in Highland at Thurso: perhaps this is the same individual has now visited this location on seven occasions since 12th September 2004. Elsewhere, a Glossy Ibis arrived at Arundel, West Sussex, and the presence of two White-billed Divers off Lewis, Western Isles, was confirmed.

Lingering rarities confirmed as still present were the Harlequin Duck on the Western Isles, American Coot in County Galway, Pied-billed Grebe in Somerset, Penduline Tit in Kent, Red-breasted Goose in Hampshire, Blue-winged Teal in County Kerry, Lesser Yellowlegs in Devon, King Eider on the Shetland Isles, White-billed Divers in Aberdeenshire and the Orkney Isles, Ferruginous Duck in Oxfordshire, Northern Harrier in County Wexford, Black-bellied Dipper in Norfolk, and single Lesser Scaups in Clyde, Cornwall, Glamorgan, Gwent, Herefordshire and Lincolnshire.

Otherwise, coastal White-spotted Bluethroats were located in Devon, Dorset, Isle of Wight and Kent, a Kentish Plover remained in East Sussex, as did both the Rose-coloured Starling and American Wigeon in Devon, and pan-British totals included seven Ring-necked Ducks, 17 Garganey, 40 Ring Ouzels and 58 Black Redstarts.
-  Chris Batty, RBA