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.


Wednesday 26th March 2014

	The highlight of the day was the discovery of 10 White-billed Divers together in Aberdeenshire at Portsoy, a regular site for this species. In Suffolk a Ferruginous Duck was new at Minsmere. Lingering rarities confirmed as still present were the Dusky Warbler in Suffolk, two Hume's Yellow-browed Warblers in Kent, Bonaparte's Gulls in both Glamorgan and Highland, King Eider in County Donegal and Lothian, Richardson's Cackling Goose in Argyll, and Two-barred Crossbills in Norfolk (4), Surrey and South Yorkshire (3). Scarcities included Serin (Isles of Scilly), Yellow-browed Warbler (Worcestershire), Lesser Snow Goose (Angus), Ring-necked Duck (Argyll), two each of both Hoopoe and Surf Scoter, three Lapland Buntings, and four Glossy Ibises. Notable gulls included 16 Iceland, nine Glaucous, four Kumlien's and two Ring-billed. Incoming migrants included 14 Garganey, 13 Ospreys, three Ring Ouzels, more Sedge Warblers, both Yellow and White Wagtail, and a Whinchat in Cambridgeshire.
- Chris Batty, RBA


Tuesday 25th March 2014

	Rarities today comprised both the American Coot and Black Duck both still in Highland, Forster's Tern in County Galway, Dusky Warbler in Suffolk, Coues's Arctic Redpoll in Cheshire, Lesser Yellowlegs in Hampshire, Bonaparte's Gull in Glamorgan, King Eider in Lothian, Lesser Scaup in Staffordshire, and Two-barred Crossbills in Norfolk and South Yorkshire (3). Scarcities included Purple Heron (Isles of Scilly), Richard's Pipit (Norfolk), Ring-necked Duck (County Waterford), two each of Hoopoe, Shorelark and Surf Scoter, four Lapland Buntings, and five each of both Glossy Ibis and Green-winged Teal. Gulls totaled 11 Glaucous, 10 Iceland, five Kumlien's, three Caspian and a Ring-billed. Newly arrived spring migrants included 13 Garganey, more Willow Warblers and Ospreys, Ring Ouzel and White Wagtail, with reports of Redstart, Hobby, Cuckoo and Nightingale
- Chris Batty, RBA


Monday 24th March 2014

	In Essex a Snowy Owl was at Mucking Flats this morning before it flew inland. Lingering rarities included American Coot and Lesser Scaup in Highland, Coues's Arctic Redpoll in Cheshire, Dusky Warbler in Suffolk and Two-barred Crossbills in South Yorkshire (5), Norfolk (3), Kent and Surrey. In Cornwall an American Herring Gull was reported at Colliford Lake and in Dorset a Red-breasted Goose was reported in Poole Harbour. The best of the rest included Hoopoes in Kent and Isles of Scilly, Cattle Egrets in Suffolk and Buckinghamshire, Yellow-browed Warbler in Worcestershire, White-tailed Eagle in Suffolk and Glossy Ibises in Co Sligo (2), Cambridgeshire (2), Perth and Kinross, Somerset and Nottinghamshire.
- Stuart Piner, RBA


Sunday 23rd March 2014

	Today's new discoveries included a Laughing Gull in Co Down and Black Kite in Kent. Lingering rarities included Great Spotted Cuckoo in Pembrokeshire, American Coot in Highland, Pied-billed Grebe on Western Isles, Dusky Warbler in Suffolk, Bonaparte's Gull in Glamorgan, Coues's Arctic Redpoll in Cheshire, Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler in Kent, American Herring Gull in Co Mayo, King Eiders in Lothian, Co Mayo and Co Donegal, Forster's Tern in Co Galway and Two-barred Crossbills in Norfolk (5), South Yorkshire (4), Gloucestershire (3+), Shropshire (3), Kent, Lincolnshire and Surrey. The best of the rest included Hoopoe in Kent and Yellow-browed Warbler in Worcestershire.
- Stuart Piner, RBA


Saturday 22nd March 2014

	The Pembrokeshire Great Spotted Cuckoo reappeared on the golf course at Giltar Point today, although it proved elusive. Other lingering rarities included the Dusky Warbler in Suffolk, Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler in Kent, Coues's Arctic Redpoll in Cheshire, Two-barred Crossbills in Kent, Surrey, Norfolk and Yorkshire (at least two), American Coot in Highland, Lesser Yellowlegs in Hampshire, Bonaparte's Gull in Glamorgan, King Eider in County Donegal and Lesser Scaup in Staffordshire. Scarcity highlights included two Hoopoes, two Yellow-browed Warblers and a White Stork, with the common Spring migrants list including a Hobby, a Redstart (yesterday), a Whitethroat, a Yellow Wagtail, two Willow Warblers, three Ring Ouzels, 11 Ospreys (nine of which were on breeding grounds) and 25 Garganey.
- Will Soar, RBA


Friday 21st March 2014

	Rarities seen today once again comprised the American Coot in Highland, Dusky Warbler in Suffolk, Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler in Kent, Lesser Yellowlegs in Hampshire, Bonaparte's Gull in Glamorgan and Two-barred Crossbills in Norfolk, Lincolnshire, Surrey and Yorkshire (six). Scarcity highlights were a Serin, a Richard's Pipit and two Hoopoes.
- Chris Batty, RBA


Thursday 20th March 2014

	Rarities today comprised the American Coot still in Highland, both Olive-backed Pipit and Dusky Warbler in Suffolk, Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler in Kent, Bonaparte's Gull in Glamorgan, Lesser Yellowlegs in Hampshire, King Eider in County Donegal, and single Two-barred Crossbills in each of Gloucestershire, Kent and Surrey. In Hampshire the first Black Kite of the spring was reported over-flying near Gosport. Scarcities included Night Heron (Isles of Scilly), Cattle Egret (Buckinghamshire), Surf Scoter (Cornwall), Ring-necked Duck (Argyll), Yellow-browed Warbler (Worcestershire), and five Glossy Ibises, whilst gull tallies indluded 12 each of both Glaucous and Iceland, two Ring-billed, single Caspian and Kumlien's. Incoming migrants were headlined by 1,000 Sand Martins together at Chew Valley Lake, Somerset, whilst Swallow, House Martin, Wheatear, Arctic Skua and Manx Shearwater were all recorded at scattered locations. A Ring Ouzel arrived in Hampshire, Ospreys reached Cheshire and Gwynedd, and a total of 20 Garganey was logged.
- Chris Batty, RBA


Wednesday 19th March 2014

	The highlights of the day came from Suffolk where a Dusky Warbler was discovered at Oulton Marshes, and the Olive-backed Pipit was relocated in Leiston. Elsewhere, rarities comprised the American Coot still in Highland, Red-breasted Goose in Dumfries and Galloway, Lesser Yellowlegs in Hampshire, King Eider in County Donegal, and single Two-barred Crossbills in each of Gloucestershire, Kent, Lincolnshire, Norfolk and Surrey. Scarcities included Night Heron (Isles of Scilly), Serin (Kent), American Wigeon (Cambridgeshire), Ring-necked Duck (Argyll), Cattle Egret (Buckinghamshire), Lapland Bunting (Ayrshire), two each of Yellow-browed Warbler, Surf Scoter and Rough-legged Buzzard, three Glossy Ibises, and six Parrot Crossbills. Gull totals included 20 Iceland, 14 Glaucous, seven Kumlien's and four Caspian. Incoming migrants included a Ring Ouzel in Suffolk, four House Martins in Somerset, Osprey in both Lincolnshire and Surrey, and a total of 14 Garganey.
- Chris Batty, RBA


Tuesday 18th March 2014

	Lingering rarities seen today included just the American Coot in Highland, Pied-billed Grebe on the Western Isles, Long-billed Dowitcher in Hampshire, King Eider in Fife and Two-barred Crossbills in Gloucestershire, Surrey (two) and Yorkshire (six). The Great Spotted Cuckoo in Pembrokeshire was reported mid morning briefly, with no sign of it afterwards. Scarcity highlights included a Night Heron, a Richard's Pipit, three Hoopoes, a Yellow-browed Warbler and eight Great Grey Shrikes. A Common Tern was at Attenborough NR, Nottinghamshire.
- Will Soar, RBA


Monday 17th March 2014

	Rarities highlights included Great Spotted Cuckoo in Pembrokeshire, Dusky Warbler in West Midlands, King Eiders in Lothian, Shetland and Co Donegal, American Coot in Highland, Long-billed Dowitcher in Highland and Two-barred Crossbills in Gloucestershire (5+), South Yorkshire (5), Lincolnshire and Surrey. Elsewhere three Glossy Ibises (Nottinghamshire [2] and Orkney), Hoopoe (Cornwall), Night Heron (Isles of Scilly) and Cattle Egret (Buckinghamshire).
- Stuart Piner, RBA