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.


Monday 26th December 2016

	Lingering rarities included Dusky Thrush (Derbyshire), Black-throated Thrush (Denbighshire), Blyth's Pipit (Somerset), Pallid Harrier (East Yorkshire), Masked Wagtail (Pembrokeshire), Hudsonian Whimbrel (Cornwall), Lesser Yellowlegs (Dorset), Eastern Black Redstarts (Cornwall and Cleveland), King Eider (Co Sligo) and Snowy Owl (Co Galway). The best of the rest included Serin (East Sussex), two Ring-necked Ducks, two Glossy Ibises, three Richard's Pipits, three American Wigeons and 32 Cattle Egrets.
- Stuart Piner, RBA


Sunday 25th December 2016

	Christmas Day rarity sightings included Red-breasted Goose (Norfolk), two Lesser Scaups (Dumfries & Galloway), Eastern Black Redstarts (Cleveland and Cornwall), Hooded Mergaser (Clyde) and Pallid Harrier (East Yorkshire). The best of the rest included ten Cattle Egrets, three Richard's Pipits and two Glossy Ibises.
- Stuart Piner, RBA


Saturday 24th December 2016

	Rarity highlights comprised Dusky Thrush (Derbyshire), Black-throated Thrush (Denbighshire), Blyth's Pipit (Somerset), Red-breasted Goose (Norfolk), Lesser Yellowlegs (Dorset), Eastern Black Redstarts (Cornwall and Cleveland), Hudsonian Whimbrel (Cornwall), American Coot (Western Isles), King Eider (Co Sligo) and Desert Wheatear (Devon). The best of the rest included Pallas's Warbler (Essex), Serin (East Sussex) and Richard's Pipit (Gloucestershire).
- Stuart Piner, RBA


Friday 23rd December 2016

	The highlights today all concerned lingering rarities. Both the Dusky Thrush at Beeley in Derbyshire and the Black-throated Thrush at St.Asaph in Denbighshire remained at their respective localities. Also the Blyth's Pipit was still to be found at Blagdon Lake in Somerset although mobile at times in the strong winds and the Masked Wagtail was still at Camrose in Pembrokeshire. Eastern Black Redstarts were still to be found at Mousehole in Cornwall and Skinningrove in Cleveland and the Desert Wheatear was still at Thurlestone in Devon. In north west Norfolk the Ferruginous Duck was again at Titchwell RSPB and the Red-breasted Goose was again seen amongst the Pinkfeet near Docking, along with the Todd's Canada Goose. Ring-necked Ducks were in Kent, Somerset, Cambridgeshire and Perth +Kinross. About 40 Tundra Bean Geese were in the north east and East Anglia, with seven Taiga Bean Geese in Norfolk and North Yorks. Three Glaucous Gulls were reported but only one to two Iceland Gulls. The Rose-coloured Starling was still in Surrey, with Yellow-browed Warblers remaining in London, Somerset and Staffordshire. At least one Richard's Pipit was still in Dorset and there continued to be large numbers of Waxwings in the north and the east with a maximum count of 200 in Edinburgh.
- Pete Hayman, RBA


Thursday 22nd December 2016

	The highlight the day was a Gyr on Islay, Argyll. Rarities elsewhere comprised the Dusky Thrush still in Derbyshire, the Blyth's Pipit in Somerset, Masked Wagtail in Pembrokeshire, Killdeer on the Shetland Isles, Black-throated Thrush in Denbighshire, Pacific Diver in Cornwall, Forster's Tern in County Galway, Pallid Harrier in East Yorkshire, Eastern Black Redstarts in Cleveland, Cornwall and Lothian, Dusky Warbler in Gloucestershire, Red-breasted Goose in Norfolk and Lesser Yellowlegs in Dorset. Scarcities included Pallas's Warbler (Essex), Rose-coloured Starling (West Sussex), Richard's Pipit (Gloucestershire), Lesser Snow Goose (Merseyside), Ring-necked Duck (Kent), two Ring-billed Gulls, three American Wigeons, four Lapland Buntings, 25 Cattle Egrets, 50 Shorelarks and a total of 95 Tundra Bean Geese.
- Chris Batty, RBA


Wednesday 21st December 2016

	Lingering rarities confirmed as present today were the Dusky Thrush still in Derbyshire, Masked Wagtail in Pembrokeshire, Blyth's Pipit in Somerset, Black-throated Thrush in Denbighshire, Pacific Diver in Cornwall, Pallid Harrier in East Yorkshire, both Desert Wheatear and Bonaparte's Gull in Devon, Dusky Warbler in Gloucestershire, Eastern Black Redstarts in both Cornwall and Lothian, Hooded Merganser in Clyde and King Eider in County Sligo. Scarcities included Kumlien's Gull (County Kerry), two each of Richard's Pipit, American Wigeon and Ring-necked Duck, five Ring-billed Gulls, seven Shorelarks, 25 Cattle Egrets and 42 Tundra Bean Geese.
- Chris Batty, RBA


Tuesday 20th December 2016

	The highlight of the day was the continued presence of the Blyth's Pipit in Somerset, whilst the Dusky Thrush remained in Derbyshire, as did the Black-throated Thrush in Denbighshire, Masked Wagtail in Pembrokeshire, Pacific Diver in Cornwall, Pallid Harrier in East Yorkshire, Desert Wheatear in Devon, Eastern Black Redstarts in Cleveland, Cornwall and Lothian, Red-breasted Goose and Ferruginous Duck in Norfolk, Hooded Merganser in Clyde, Bonaparte's Gull in Devon, Lesser Yellowlegs in Dorset and King Eider in County Sligo. In Gloucestershire a Dusky Warbler was reported at Coombe Hill Meadows. Scarcities included Rose-coloured Starling (West Sussex), Kumlien's Gull (County Kerry), American Wigeon (Dumfries and Galloway), two each of both Surf Scoter and Ring-billed Gull, three of Ring-necked Duck and Lapland Bunting, four Snow Geese, 25 Cattle Egrets, 31 Shorelarks and 56 Tundra Bean Geese.
- Chris Batty, RBA


Monday 19th December 2016

	The highlight of the day was the identification of a Blyth's Pipit in Somerset at Blagdon Lake, where it is was first noted six days ago. Elsewhere, a Red-throated Pipit was found on Lundy, Devon, and in Norfolk a Red-breasted Goose was located with Pink-footed Geese at Choseley, whilst a Ferruginous Duck was new at nearby Titchwell. Elsewhere, the Black-throated Thrush showed again in Denbighshire, the Dusky Thrush remained in Derbyshire, as did the Pacific Diver in Cornwall, Greater Yellowlegs in County Wexford, Masked Wagtail in Pembrokeshire, Pallid Harrier in East Yorkshire, Desert Wheatear in Devon, Eastern Black Redstarts in Cleveland, Cornwall and Lothian, Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler in Dorset, Dusky Warbler in Worcestershire, Hooded Merganser in Clyde, and Lesser Yellowlegs in Dorset. Scarcities included Rose-coloured Starling (West Sussex), two Richard's Pipits (together in Dorset), 22 Cattle Egrets and 40 Tundra Bean Geese.
- Chris Batty, RBA


Sunday 18th December 2016

	The highlight of the day was the discovery of a Greater Yellowlegs in County Wexford at Cahore. Elsewhere, another Eastern Black Redstart was discovered, this one in Cornwall at Mousehole, with the returning Pacific Diver located nearby at Penzance. Lingering rarities confirmed as still present were the Dusky Thrush in Derbyshire, Masked Wagtail in Pembrokeshire, Pallid Harrier in East Yorkshire, Desert Wheatear in Devon, both Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler and Lesser Yellowlegs in Dorset, Hooded Merganser in Clyde, Eastern Black Redstarts in both Cleveland and Lothian, two King Eiders in County Sligo, two Dusky Warblers together in Worcestershire, and Lesser Scaup on the Orkney Isles. Scarcities included Little Bunting (Cornwall), Richard's Pipit (Gloucestershire), Ring-billed Gull (Hampshire) and Lesser Snow Goose (Merseyside), two each of both American Wigeon and Surf Scoter, three Glossy Ibises, four of Ring-necked Duck and Great Grey Shrikes, five Lapland Buntings, 32 Shorelarks and 37 Cattle Egrets.
- Chris Batty, RBA


Saturday 17th December 2016

	In Derbyshire the Dusky Thrush reappeared in Beeley, whilst the Black-throated Thrush (Denbighshire), Eastern Black Redstart (Lothian), King Eider (Co Sligo), Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler (Dorset), Desert Wheatear (Devon), Lesser Yellowlegs (Dorset), Pallid Harrier (East Yorkshire) and Masked Wagtail (Pembrokeshire) all lingered. The best of the rest included Rose-coloured Starling (East Sussex), two American Wigeons, three Richard's Pipits, seven Ring-necked Ducks and 51 Cattle Egrets.
- Stuart Piner, RBA