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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Tuesday 10th March 2015  
  Lingering rarities present today included both Harlequin Ducks, in Highland and Aberdeenshire, Pacific Diver in Cornwall, two Penduline Tits in Devon, Blue-winged Teal and White-billed Diver in Orkney, Lesser Scaup in Glamorgan, single Laughing Gulls in Wirral and County Cork and Black-bellied Dipper in Yorkshire.

Scarcity highlights included a Yellow-browed Warbler, two Little Buntings, two Serins and three Richard's Pipits.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Monday 9th March 2015  
  An Alpine Swift over Wolverhampton, West Midlands was the first proper spring rarity of the year.

Lingerers once again comprised the Harlequin Duck in Aberdeenshire, Pacific Diver in Cornwall, Laughing Gull in Wirral, Lesser Scaup in Glamorgan and Black-bellied Dipper in Yorkshire.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Sunday 8th March 2015  
  A Lesser Scaup was found at Lough Gara, County Sligo today.

Lingering rarities included the Harlequin Duck in Aberdeenshire, Black Scoter in County Kerry, Pacific Diver, King Eider and Lesser Scaup in Cornwall, American Coot in the Western Isles, two Penduline Tits in Devon, Laughing Gull in Wirral, Bonaparte's Gull and Lesser Scaup in Glamorgan, Blue-winged Teal and White-billed Diver in Orkney, Ross's Goose in Northumberland and Black-bellied Dipper in Yorkshire.

Scarcity highlights involved two Serins, two Little Buntings, two Richard's Pipits and two Yellow-browed Warblers. An impressive 72 Iceland Gulls were near the Butt of Lewis, Western Isles, with 96 reported across the archipelago.

The first two House Martins of the year arrived, in Dorset then Kent, along with the first Swallow in Somerset. Two Little Ringed Plovers were in East Yorkshire and West Midlands and an Osprey was in Glamorgan, whilst Sand Martins were seen in 18 counties as far north as Wakefield, West Yorkshire, and Wheatears were in eight counties.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Saturday 7th March 2015  
  A first-winter Bonaparte's Gull showed well for much of the day in Dorset, being first discovered at Ferrybridge before moving to Chesil Cove and then Portland Harbour.

Lingering rarities included the Pacific Diver, King Eider and Lesser Scaup in Cornwall, Black Scoter in County Kerry, two Penduline Tits and a Bonaparte's Gull in Devon, Laughing Gull in Wirral, Lesser Yellowlegs in County Dublin, other single Lesser Scaups in Glamorgan and Ayrshire, White-billed Diver in Orkney and Black-bellied Dipper in Yorkshire.

Spring arrivals included a Turtle Dove and five Garganey in Norfolk, three Wheatears in Devon and at least 21 Sand Martins in nine counties.

An adult gull resembling an Audouin's Gull was at Richmond Bank, Cheshire briefly.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Friday 6th March 2015  
  Lingering rarities included the Pacific Diver and King Eider in Cornwall, Black Scoter and Gyr in County Kerry, Forster's Tern in County Galway, Laughing Gull in Wirral, Blue-winged Teal and White-billed Diver in Orkney, Lesser Yellowlegs in County Dublin, two Penduline Tits in Devon and Black-bellied Dipper in Yorkshire.

Scarcity highlights included the two Serins in Essex, single Yellow-browed Warblers in Worcestershire and Cornwall, Little Bunting in Glamorgan, Richard's Pipit in Norfolk, American Wigeons in Nottinghamshire and Yorkshire and a Waxwing also in Yorkshire.

The first Sand Martins of 2015 were seen, in Somerset, and a Wheatear was in Cornwall.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Thursday 5th March 2015  
  Lingering rarities comprised Blue-winged Teal (Orkney), Gyr and American Coot (Co Kerry), Laughing Gulls (Wirral and Co Cork), Penduline Tits (Devon), Lesser Scaup (Glamorgan), Pacific Diver and King Eider (Cornwall) and Ross's Goose (Northumberland).

The best of the rest included two Serins (Essex), Little Bunting (Glamorgan), two Richard's Pipits (Norfolk), two Cattle Egrets (Kent), Glossy Ibis (Nottinghamshire), Yellow-browed Warbler (Devon) and American Wigeons (Nottinghamshire and West Yorkshire).
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Wednesday 4th March 2015  
  Rarities today comprised Pacific Diver and King Eider both still in Cornwall, Laughing Gulls in both County Cork and Wirral, Black Scoter in County Kerry, Black Duck on the Isles of Scilly, King Eider in Fife, and the Ross's Goose in Northumberland.

Scarcities included two Serins still together in Essex, Yellow-browed Warbler in Devon, Little Bunting (Cornwall and Glamorgan), American Wigeon (Nottinghamshire and West Yorkshire), three each of both Surf Scoter and Glossy Ibis, and 11 Ring-billed Gulls.

The first Ospreys of the spring were seen over-flying Dorset and North Yorkshire.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Tuesday 3rd March 2015  
  Rarities today comprised the Thayer's Gull again in North Yorkshire, Laughing Gull still in Wirral, Ross's Goose in Northumberland, Black Duck in Scilly, King Eider in Cornwall, Blue-winged Teal in Orkney, Lesser Scaup in Glamorgan, two Penduline Tits together in Devon, and a Bonaparte's Gull new at Thurso, Highland.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Monday 2nd March 2015  
  Highlight of the day was the discovery of a juvenile Thayer's Gull at Rufforth Airfield (North Yorkshire). The bird appears to be the same individual which was present in West Yorkshire 27th-28th December 2014.

Elsewhere rarities included American Coot (Co Kerry), Black-bellied Dipper (Shetland), Ferruginous Duck (Gloucestershire), Laughing Gull (Wirral), Penduline Tits (Devon), Black Scoter (Northumberland), Pacific Diver (Cornwall) and King Eiders (Fife and Cornwall).

The best of the rest included Little Buntings (Cornwall and Glamorgan), two Serins (Essex), Cattle Egret (Kent) and Glossy Ibis (Nottinghamshire).
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Sunday 1st March 2015  
  Lingering rarities today once again comprised the Harlequin Duck in Aberdeenshire, American Coot in the Western Isles, Pacific Diver and King Eider in Cornwall, two Penduline Tits and a Bonaparte's Gull in Devon, another Bonaparte's Gull in Glamorgan, Laughing Gull in Wirral, Blue-winged Teal in Orkney, King Eider in Fife, single Lesser Scaups in Glamorgan and Ayrshire, Ferruginous Duck in Gloucestershire and Black-bellied Dipper in Yorkshire.

Scarcity highlights involved the two Serins in Essex, single Little Buntings in Cornwall and Glamorgan and the Richard's Pipit in Kent.
-  Will Soar, RBA