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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Wednesday 5th March 2014  
  Lingering rarities included American Coot in Highland, American Herring Gull and Bonaparte's Gull in Argyll, Long-billed Dowitcher and Ferruginous Duck in Hampshire, Hume's Yellow-browed Warblers in Kent (2) and Warwickshire, Two-barred Crossbills in Gloucestershire (5) and South Yorkshire, Little Bunting in Lincolnshire and Red-flanked Bluetail on the Gloucestershire/Wiltshire border. The probable Chinese Pond Heron remained in Kent.

The best of the rest included Yellow-browed Warblers in Devon, Cornwall (2), Worcestershire and Somerset, Richard's Pipit in Somerset and six Parrot Crossbills in Norfolk.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Tuesday 4th March 2014  
  Lingering rarities included American Coot in Highland, Red-flanked Bluetail on the Gloucestershire/Wiltshire border, Little Bunting in Lincolnshire, Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler and probable Chinese Pond Heron in Kent, Ferruginous Duck an Lesser Yellowlegs in Hampshire, Pied-billed Grebe on Western Isles, Lesser Scaups in Highland and Staffordshire, Two-barred Crossbills in Norfolk and Gloucestershire (2), Bonaparte's Gull and Richardson's Cackling Goose in Argyll, Laughing Gull in Co Cork and Richardson's Cackling Goose in Co Sligo.

The best of the rest included Richard's Pipit and Yellow-browed Warbler in Somerset.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Monday 3rd March 2014  
  Lingering rarities included American Herring Gull, Bonaparte's Gull and Richardson's Cackling Goose in Argyll, American Coot in Highland, Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler in Warwickshire, two Penduline Tits and the probable Chinese Pond Heron in Kent, Little Bunting in Lincolnshire, Lesser Scaup in Staffordshire, Ferruginous Duck in Hampshire, King Eider in Fife, Red-flanked Bluetail on the Gloucestershire/Wiltshire border and White-billed Diver in Orkney. On Western Isles the Marsh Sandpiper was reported again on North Uist - it was last reported on 19th January.

The best of the rest included Richard's Pipit and Yellow-browed Warbler in Somerset.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Sunday 2nd March 2014  
  The American Herring Gull remained at Campbeltown, Argyll, with another found at Cruisetown Strand, County Louth. Also in Argyll, an adult Bonaparte's Gull was discovered on Loch Caolisport, with a Richardson's Cackling Goose also in the county on Islay.

Other lingering rarities included the American Coot and Black Duck in Highland, Red-flanked Bluetail on the Gloucestershire /Wiltshire border, single Hume's Yellow-browed Warblers in Warwickshire and Kent, Little Bunting in Lincolnshire, seven Two-barred Crossbills in Yorkshire, Laughing Gull in County Cork, single King Eiders in Fife and Lothian and Lesser Yellowlegs in Hampshire.

A single Sand Martin was seen over Louth, Lincolnshire, with a couple of others reported in the last few days on the south coast.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Saturday 1st March 2014  
  With no new rarities discovered today, it was left to the long stayers to provide today's highlights. The American Coot, Black Duck and Lesser Scaup all remained in Highland, with the American Herring Gull a little further south in Argyll, the Blue-winged Teal in Dumfries and Galloway and the King Eider in Fife rounding off the Scottish rarities.

South of the border, the Red-flanked Bluetail on the Wiltshire /Gloucestershire boundary continued to attract admirers. Two Hume's Yellow-browed Warblers remained in Warwickshire and Kent, as did the Little Bunting in Lincolnshire, Long-billed Dowitcher, Lesser Yellowlegs and Ferruginous Duck in Hampshire and Lesser Scaup in Staffordshire. Two-barred Crossbills were seen in Gloucestershire (12) and Yorkshire (five), and the probable Chinese Pond Heron was still in Kent. The only Irish rarity was the King Eider in County Cork.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Friday 28th February 2014  
  A Little Bunting at Lea, near Gainsborough in Lincolnshire, showed well this evening, after being seen briefly a few days ago but not confirmed.

Other lingering rarities seen today included the American Coot and Black Duck in Highland, Red-flanked Bluetail on the Gloucestershire /Wiltshire border, Pied-billed Grebe on the Western Isles, Pacific Diver in County Tyrone, King Eider in County Mayo, Long-billed Dowitcher in Hampshire, two Penduline Tits in Kent and Two-barred Crossbill in Lincolnshire. The probable Chinese Pond Heron remained in Kent.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Thursday 27th February 2014  
  On Shetland a white morph Gyr was discovered at Quarff (Mainland). Elsewhere lingering rarities included American Herring Gull and Richardson's Cackling Goose in Argyll, American Coot, Black Duck and Bonaparte's Gull in Highland, Red-flanked Bluetail on the Gloucestershire/Wiltshire border, Laughing Gull and King Eider in Co Cork, Ross's Gull in Co Dublin, Lesser Scaup in Staffordshire, Bonaparte's Gull in Glamorgan, two Penduline Tits in Kent and King Eider in Lothian. The probable Chinese Pond Heron lingered in Kent.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Wednesday 26th February 2014  
  Rarities today included both American Coot and Lesser Scaup still in Highland, Pied-billed Grebe on the Western Isles, Red-flanked Bluetail in Wiltshire, Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler, two Penduline Tits and the Chinese Pond Heron still in Kent, Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler in Warwickshire, Lesser Yellowlegs in Hampshire, King Eider in County Cork, Lesser Scaup in County Donegal, and Two-barred Crossbills in Gloucestershire (7) and Surrey.

Otherwise, scarcities inluded Ring-necked Duck (Western Isles), Lapland Bunting (North Yorkshire), two each of Rough-legged Buzzard and Shorelark, four each of both Snow Goose and Yellow-browed Warbler, five Parrot Crossbills, and seven each of both Surf Scoter and Glossy Ibis.

Notable gulls comprised the Ross's still in County Dublin, American Herring in both Argyll and County Mayo, Bonaparte's in Devon and Highland, and totals of five Ring-billed, six Caspian, 10 Kumlien's, 33 Iceland and 61 Glaucous.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Tuesday 25th February 2014  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of a Dusky Warbler in Great Barr, West Midlands. Elsewhere, rarities included American Coot and Lesser Scaup in Highland, Red-flanked Bluetail in Wiltshire, Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler in Warwickshire, Two-barred Crossbill in Lincolnshire, Lesser Yellowlegs in Hampshire and Lesser Scaup in Staffordshire.

Notable gulls comprised Ross's in both County Cork and County Dublin, Bonaparte's in Glamorgan and Highland, American Herring in Argyll and County Mayo, 15 Iceland, 14 Glaucous, six Kumlien's, four Caspian and two Ring-billed.

Scarcities included Richard's Pipit (Pembrokeshire), Yellow-browed Warbler (Worcestershire), American Wigeon and Ring-necked Duck (both County Sligo), two each of both Surf Scoter and Rough-legged Buzzard, three Glossy Ibises and nine Parrot Crossbills.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Monday 24th February 2014  
  Highland produced today's new discoveries - at least two White-billed Divers in Gruinard Bay and a Lesser Scaup at St John's Loch. The county also continued to host the American Coot and another Lesser Scaup. Elsewhere in Scotland lingering rarities included American Herring Gull and Richardson's Cackling Goose in Argyll and King Eider in Fife. In England and Wales the Red-flanked Bluetail (Gloucestershire/Wiltshire), Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler (Warwickshire), Bonaparte's Gulls (Devon and Glamorgan), Lesser Yellowlegs (Hampshire) and Penduline Tits (Kent) all lingered, whilst Two-barred Crossbills remained in South Yorkshire (3+), Shropshire (3) and Lincolnshire. In Kent the probable Chinese Pond Heron showed again in Saltwood and in Northamptonshire the Marbled Duck was still at Stanwick Gravel Pits. In Ireland the Ross's Gull remained on Co Cork.

The best of the rest included Yellow-browed Warbler (Worcestershire), Richard's Pipit (Pembrokeshire) and at least 25 Parrot Crossbills (Norfolk).
-  Stuart Piner, RBA