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.


Tuesday 8th December 2015

	The highlight of the day was a Black-browed Albatross in County Kerry, discovered in Sandy Bay late afternoon before flying north. Elsewhere, rarities comprised the American Herring Gull again in Cornwall, American Bittern still in County Cork, Western Rufous Turtle Dove and Lesser Scaup on the Shetland Isles, Pallid Harrier in Norfolk, and both Long-billed Dowitcher and Ferruginous Duck in Hampshire. Scarities included Barred Warbler (Lothian), Hoopoe (Staffordshire), Great Grey Shrike (Powys), Rough-legged Buzzard (Norfolk), Snow Goose (Cumbria), Surf Scoter (Lothian), Ring-billed Gull (Cornwall), two each of Yellow-browed Warbler and Cattle Egret, three Lapland Buntings, four Ring-necked Ducks, six Shorelarks, and 16 Waxwings.
- Chris Batty, RBA


Monday 7th December 2015

	The highlight of the day was a Pallid Swift present for a second day over Margate, Kent, whilst in Hampshire three Penduline Tits were discovered together at Titchfield Haven. Lingering rarities confirmed as still present were the American Bittern in County Cork, Pallid Harrier in Norfolk, Long-billed Dowitchers in both Hampshire and Northumberland, and Ferruginous Ducks in both Berkshire and Hampshire. Scarcities included Barred Warbler (Lothian), Hoopoe (West Midlands), Yellow-browed Warbler (Devon), Great Grey Shrike (Hampshire), Ring-billed Gull (Cornwall), two Ring-necked Ducks (together in Hampshire), three each of both Surf Scoter and Rough-legged Buzzard, six Shorelarks and nine Waxwings.
- Chris Batty, RBA


Sunday 6th December 2015

	The highight of day was a Gyr on the Western Isles, on South Uist. Discoveries elsewhere included a Dusky Warbler in Somerset at Ham Wall, and a Ferruginous Duck at Dinton Pastures, Berkshire. Lingering rarities confirmed as still present were both the American Bittern and Spotted Sandpiper in County Cork, Pacific Diver in Cornwall, Forster's Tern in County Clare, Pallid Harrier in Norfolk, Long-billed Dowitcher in Northumberland, and Ferruginous Duck in Hampshire. Scarcities included Barred Warbler (Lothian), Yellow-browed Warbler (Devon), Great Grey Shrike (Surrey), American Wigeon (Highland), two each of Hoopoe, Rough-legged Buzzard and Glossy Ibis, three of Surf Scoter, Ring-necked Duck and Ring-billed Gull, six Shorelarks and 26 Waxwings.
- Chris Batty, RBA


Saturday 5th December 2015

	Lingering rarities comprised the Western Rufous Turtle Dove in Shetland, Long-billed Dowitcher in Northumberland, Pallid Harrier in Norfolk, Pacific Diver in Cornwall and Ferruginous Duck in Hampshire. The best of the rest included Barred Warbler (Lothian), Hoopoe (West Midlands/Staffordshire), two Rough-legged Buzzards, two Surf Scoters, three Ring-necked Ducks, five Shorelarks and 24 Waxwings.
- Stuart Piner, RBA


Friday 4th December 2015

	Rarities today comprised the American Bittern still in County Cork, Western Rufous Turtle Dove on the Shetland Isles, Pacific Diver in Cornwall, Pallid Harrier in Norfolk, Ferruginous Duck in Hampshire, and single Long-billed Dowitchers in both Hampshire and Northumberland. Scarcities included Barred Warbler (Lothian), Hoopoe (West Midlands), Cattle Egret (Norfolk), Snow Goose (Cumbria), Ring-billed Gull (County Kerry), two each of Surf Scoter, Ring-necked Duck, Glossy Ibis, Yellow-browed Warbler and Great Grey Shrike, three Shorelarks, four Rough-legged Buzzards, and a total of 18 Waxwings.
- Chris Batty, RBA


Thursday 3rd December 2015

	In Co Cork the American Bittern reappeared at Castlefreke; it was last seen on 27th November. Lingering rarities included Western Rufous Turtle Dove in Shetland, Greater Yellowlegs in Isle of Wight, Pacific Diver in Cornwall, Pallid Harrier in Norfolk, Ferruginous Ducks in London and Hampshire and Long-billed Diver in Northumberland. The best of the rest included Hoopoe (West Midlands/Staffordshire), Barred Warbler (Lothian), Yellow-browed Warbler (Cornwall), Surf Scoter (Lothian), Glossy Ibis (East Sussex), two Green-winged Teals, three Shorelarks, three Ring-necked Ducks, four Rough-legged Buzzards and at least 38 Waxwings.
- Stuart Piner, RBA


Wednesday 2nd December 2015

	Lingering rarities included the Long-billed Dowitcher in Northumberland, Ferruginous Ducks in Hampshire and London, Pallid Harrier in Norfolk, Pacific Diver in Cornwall and Lesser Scaup in Co Kerry. The best of the rest included Richard's Pipit in East Yorkshire, Hoopoe in West Midlands/Staffordshire, two Glossy Ibises, six Ring-necked Ducks and c35 Waxwings.
- Stuart Piner, RBA


Tuesday 1st December 2015

	Rarities today comprised the Western Rufous Turtle Dove still on the Shetland Isles, Pacific Diver in Cornwall, Pallid Harrier in Norfolk, Spotted Sandpiper in County Cork and the Long-billed Dowitcher still in Northumberland. Scarcities included Pallas's Warbler (Cornwall), Hoopoe (West Midlands), Lapland Bunting (Kent), Rough-legged Buzzard (Essex), Cattle Egret (Somerset), Ring-billed Gull (County Antrim), Barred Warbler and Surf Scoter (both Lothian), two Yellow-browed Warblers, three each of Ring-necked Duck, Shorelark and Great Grey Shrike, and 13 Waxwings.
- Chris Batty, RBA


Monday 30th November 2015

	Lingering rarities confirmed as still present were the Western Rufous Turtle Dove on the Shetland Isles, Pacific Diver in Cornwall, Pallid Harrier in Norfolk, two Lesser Scaups together in County Kerry, and single Ferruginous Ducks in both Hampshire and London. Scarcities included Hoopoe (West Midlands), Barred Warbler and Surf Scoter (Lothian), Yellow-browed Warbler (Cornwall), Snow Goose (Highland), two each of American Wigeon, Ring-necked Duck and Lapland Bunting, three Shorelarks, and four Waxwings.
- Chris Batty, RBA


Sunday 29th November 2015

	Rarities today comprised the Western Rufous Turtle Dove still on the Shetland Isles, Pacific Diver in Cornwall, Pallid Harrier in Norfolk, Bonaparte's Gull in Northumberland, Ferruginous Duck in London, and the Forster's Tern again in County Clare. Scarcities included Hoopoe (West Midlands), Barred Warbler and Surf Scoter (Lothian), Yellow-browed Warbler (Cornwall), Snow Goose (Highland), Great Grey Shrike (Norfolk), Kumlien's Gull (Shetland Isles), three each of Ring-necked Duck, Shorelark and Lapland Bunting, six Ring-billed Gulls and 14 Waxwings.
- Chris Batty, RBA