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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Friday 18th December 2015  
  Rarity highlights included the lingering Western Rufous Turtle Dove in Shetland, Red-rumped Swallow in Norfolk and Lesser Scaup in Cornwall.

Scarcity highlights included a Hoopoe, a Great Grey Shrike, an American Wigeon, two Rough-legged Buzzards, two Surf Scoters, three Lapland Buntings, three Glossy Ibises, four Green-winged Teals, four Ring-necked Ducks, four Glaucous Gulls, five Iceland Gulls, seven Yellow-browed Warblers, seven Waxwings and nine Shorelarks.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Thursday 17th December 2015  
  The highlight of the day was a brief Red-rumped Swallow in Norfolk at Cley: although not so unusual in November, a December occurrence is exceptional.

Rarities elsewhere comprised the Western Rufous Turtle Dove still on the Shetland Isles, the Pacific Diver still in Cornwall where the regular wintering Lesser Scaup has returned, Pallid Harrier in Norfolk, Long-billed Dowitcher in Northumberland, Lesser Scaup in Somerset and Ferruginous Duck in Hampshire.

Scarcities included Hoopoe (West Midlands), Little Bunting (Cornwall), two each of Snow Goose, Glossy Ibis, Ring-necked Duck and Green-winged Teal, three of Shorelark, Yellow-browed Warbler, Rough-legged Buzzard and Cattle Egret, four Surf Scoters, and seven each of Lapland Bunting and Waxwing. Scarce gulls comprised two Ring-billed, four Glaucous, seven Iceland and 15 Caspian.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Wednesday 16th December 2015  
  Highlight of the day was the discovery of a Hudsonian Whimbrel in Co Kerry, whilst a King Eider in Highland, three Penduline Tits and Ferruginous Duck in Hampshire, Pallid Harrier in Norfolk, Lesser Scaup in Somerset and Long-billed Dowitcher in Northumberland.

The best of the rest included Hoopoe (West Midlands/Staffordshire), Glossy Ibis (East Sussex), Cattle Egret (Norfolk), Grey Phalarope (Norfolk), American Wigeon (Devon), Ring-necked Duck (Orkney), two Green-winged Teals,  four Rough-legged Buzzards, six Yellow-browed Warblers, six Shorelarks, six Surf Scoters and at least 14 Waxwings.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Tuesday 15th December 2015  
  Rarity highlights included the lingering Western Rufous Turtle Dove in Shetland, three Penduline Tits and Ferruginous Duck in Hampshire, Pallid Harrier in Norfolk and Bonaparte's Gull in Orkney.

The best of the rest included Pallas's Warbler in North Yorkshire, Cattle Egret in Norfolk, American Wigeon in Devon, Hoopoe in West Midlands/Staffordshore, Ring-necked Duck in Dumfries & Galloway, seven Surf Scoters and 11 Waxwings.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Monday 14th December 2015  
  Rarity highlights included American Bittern (Co Cork), Ferruginous Duck (Hampshire), Pallid Harrier (Norfolk), Long-billed Dowitcher and Lesser Scaup (Somerset).

The best of the rest included a report of a Pallas's Warbler in West Sussex, Glossy Ibis in East Sussex, Amercican Wigeon in Highland, Hoopoe in West Midlands/Staffordshire, Cattle Egret in Norfolk, five Shorelarks and 21 Waxwings.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Sunday 13th December 2015  
  Rarities today comprised both the American Bittern and Spotted Sandpiper still in County Cork, the Western Rufous Turtle Dove still on the Shetland Isles, Pallid Harrier in Norfolk, both Penduline Tit and Ferruginous Duck in Hampshire, Long-billed Dowitcher in Northumberland, Bonaparte's Gull in Devon, and Ross's Goose in Clyde.

Scarcities included Barred Warbler (Lothian), Hoopoe (West Midlands), Surf Scoter (Fife), Snow Goose (Cumbria), Sabine's Gull (Dorset), two each of Richard's Pipit, Rough-legged Buzzard, Ring-billed Gull, Glossy Ibis and Cattle Egret, three of Ring-necked Duck and Great Grey Shrike, four of both Lapland Bunting and Yellow-browed Warbler, six Shorelarks and 16 Waxwings.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Saturday 12th December 2015  
  Rarity sightings comprised the reappearance of the Western Rufous Turtle Dove on Mainland Shetland, three Penduline Tits and Ferruginous Duck in Hampshire, Long-billed Dowitcher in Northumberland, Lesser Yellowlegs and Pallid Harrier in Norfolk, Pacific Diver in Cornwall and Ross's Goose in Clyde.

The best of the rest included Hoopoe (West Midlands/ Staffordshire), Barred Warbler (Lothian), Glossy Ibis (East Sussex), Cattle Egret (Norfolk), two Ring-necked Ducks, two Yellow-browed Warblers, at least two American Wigeons, three Rough-legged Buzzards, five Shorelarks and 12 Waxwings.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Friday 11th December 2015  
  There was no sign today of the American Bittern in County Cork but lingering rarities still present comprised one Penduline Tit in Hampshire, the Pallid Harrier in Norfolk, the Dusky Warbler in West Sussex, Ferruginous Duck in Hampshire and Long-billed Dowitcher in Northumberland.

Scarcities included the Barred Warbler in Lothian, Yellow-browed Warblers in Devon and Cornwall, a Cattle Egret in Norfolk, Glossy Ibis in East Sussex, Hoopoe in the West Midlands, Grey Phalaropes in Oxfordshire (2), Ayrshire and Glamorgan, Shorelarks in Norfolk (3) and Northumberland, Rough-legged Buzzards in Norfolk and Essex and about 44 Waxwings.
-  Pete Hayman, RBA
Thursday 10th December 2015  
  Rarities today comprised the lingering American Bittern and a new Lesser Scaup in County Cork, a Pallid Harrier still in Norfolk, three Penduline Tits together in Hampshire, Dusky Warbler in West Sussex, and Long-billed Dowitcher in Northumberland.

Scarcities included Hoopoe (West Midlands), Barred Warbler (Lothian), Yellow-browed Warbler (Devon), Glossy Ibis (East Sussex), Snow Goose (Cumbria), Ring-necked Duck (Dumfries and Galloway), two Rough-legged Buzzards, three each of both Shorelark and Grey Phalarope, and 18 Waxwings.

Significant late news concerned a report of two Ross's Gulls together in Highland at Applecross on 7th December.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Wednesday 9th December 2015  
  New discoveries included a male Pallid Harrier and two Red-breasted Geese in Norfolk, Bonaparte's Gull in Orkney and Dusky Warbler in West Sussex, whilst American Herring Gull (Cornwall), Dusky Warbler (Somerset), Ferruginous Duck (Hampshire), Lesser Scaup (Somerset), Long-billed Dowitchers (Northumberland and Hampshire) and Pallid Harrier (Norfolk) all lingered.

The best of the rest included Hoopoe (West Midlands/Staffordshire border), Barred Warbler (Lothian), two Yellow-browed Warblers, two Glossy Ibises, three Ring-necked Ducks, at least five Rough-legged Buzzards, six Shorelarks and 12 Waxwings.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA