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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Monday 9th January 2017  
  Rarities today comprised a Snowy Owl still on the Orkney Isles on Eday, the Dusky Thrush in Derbyshire, Blue Rock Thrush in Gloucestershire, Desert Wheatear in Devon, Red-breasted Goose in Lancashire, Eastern Black Redstarts in both Cleveland and Cornwall, Stejneger's Stonechat in Kent, Lesser Yellowlegs in Dorset, Lesser Scaups in both County Cavan and Cornwall, and Ferruginous Ducks in both County Durham and Norfolk.

Scarcities included Pallas's Warbler and Little Bunting (both Suffolk), Rose-coloured Starling (West Sussex), Richard's Pipit (Gloucestershire), Temminck's Stint (Staffordshire), American Wigeon (Dumfries), Glossy Ibis (Leicestershire), Kumlien's Gull (Cornwall), two Surf Scoters, three each of both Yellow-browed Warbler and Ring-necked Duck, five of Ring-billed Gull and Lapland Bunting, 36 Shorelarks, and 43 Cattle Egrets.

The reported Orphean Warbler in Suffolk at Newmarket showed again and proved to be a Lesser Whitethroat, probably of an eastern form.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Sunday 8th January 2017  
  Bird of the day was an Orphean warbler species in Newmarket, Suffolk, which was identified from photographs this evening. It is difficult to be certain from the available images, but the underpart colouration suggests it is likely to be a Western Orphean Warbler.

Other new rarities today included a Red-breasted Goose at Cockerham, Lancashire, and a Snowy Owl on Eday, Orkney, yesterday.

Lingering rarities present today included the Dusky Thrush in Derbyshire, Blue Rock Thrush in Gloucestershire, Killdeer in Shetland, Hudsonian Whimbrel, Eastern Black Redstart and Lesser Scaup in Cornwall, Northern Harrier in Orkney, American Coot in the Western Isles, Stejneger's Stonechat in Kent, Desert Wheatear and Bonaparte's Gull in Devon, Eastern Black Redstart in Cleveland, Hooded Merganser in Clyde, Black Scoter in Northumberland, Ferruginous Duck in Norfolk, Pallid Harrier in Yorkshire, Long-billed Dowitcher in County Wexford and Lesser Yellowlegs in Dorset.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Saturday 7th January 2017  
  Lingering rarities seen today included the Dusky Thrush in Derbyshire, Blue Rock Thrush in Gloucestershire, Hudsonian Whimbrel, Pacific Diver, Eastern Black Redstart and Lesser Scaup in Cornwall, Eastern Black Redstart in Cleveland, Stejneger's Stonechat in Kent, Desert Wheatear in Devon, Hooded Merganser in Clyde, Black Scoter in Northumberland, Lesser Scaup in County Sligo, White-billed Diver in Orkney, Pallid Harrier in Yorkshire, Killdeer in Shetland, Long-billed Dowitcher in County Wexford and Lesser Yellowlegs in Dorset.

Scarcity highlights included a Pallas's Warbler, four Yellow-browed Warblers, a Richard's Pipit, a Temminck's Stint, a Pomarine Skua, two Little Auks, two Rose-coloured Starlings, a Kumlien's Gull, two American Wigeon, four Surf Scoters, five Green-winged Teals, eight Ring-necked Ducks and a Black Brant.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Friday 6th January 2017  
  Lingering rarities included Pine Bunting (Shropshire), Killdeer (Shetland), Blue Rock Thrush (Gloucestershire), Dusky Thrush (Derbyshire), Hudsonian Whimbrel, Eastern Black Redstart, Lesser Scaup and Pacific Diver (Cornwall), Lesser Yellowlegs (Dorset), Pallid Harrier (East Yorkshire), Stejneger's Stonechat (Kent) and Ferruginous Ducks (Norfolk).

The best of the rest included Pallas's Warbler (Suffolk), Richard's Pipit (Gloucestershire) and two Rose-coloured Starlings.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Thursday 5th January 2017  
  Lingering rarities comprised Blue Rock Thrush (Gloucestershire), Dusky Thrush (Derbyshire), Hooded Merganser (Clyde), Ferruginous Ducks (Norfolk and Co Durham), Pacific Divers (Cornwall and Co Galway), Hudsonian Whimbrel (Cornwall), Lesser Scaups (Orkney and Cornwall), Bonaparte's Gull and Desert Wheatear (Devon), Pallid Harrier (East Yorkshire), Stejneger's Stonechat (Kent), Black Scoter (Northumberland), Northern Harrier and White-billed Diver (Orkney) and Killdeer (Shetland).

The best of the rest included Temminck's Stint (Staffordshire), Little Bunting (Cornwall), two Rose-coloured Starlings and two Richard's Pipits.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Wednesday 4th January 2017  
  New discoveries today included a Red-breasted Goose at Marshside in Merseyside, a White-billed Diver at St Margaret's Hope in Orkney and a Ferruginous Duck at Ranworth in Norfolk.

Lingering rarities included the Blue Rock Thrush in Gloucestershire, Dusky Thrush in Derbyshire, Hooded Merganser in Clyde, Northern Harrier and Lesser Scaup in Orkney, Pacific Diver, Hudsonian Whimbrel, Eastern Black Redstart and Lesser Scaup in Cornwall, another Pacific Diver in County Galway, Stejneger's Stonechat in Kent, Desert Wheatear in Devon, Eastern Black Redstart in Cleveland, Pallid Harrier in Yorkshire, Lesser Yellowlegs in Dorset and another Ferruginous Duck in Norfolk
-  Will Soar, RBA
Tuesday 3rd January 2017  
  The Pine Bunting at Venus Pool in Shropshire was only seen briefly today and the other headline birds were all long staying rarities. The Blue Rock Thrush remained in Gloucestershire, the Dusky Thrush was still in Derbyshire, the Desert Wheatear was still in Devon and the Ferruginous Duck was still in Norfolk.

Also present were the Pacific Diver and Hudsonian Whimbrel in Cornwall, Black Scoters in Northumberland and County Kerry, Lesser Scaup in Dumfries and Galloway, Pallid Harrier in Yorkshire, Lesser Yellowlegs in Dorset, Bonaparte's Gull in Devon, Killdeer on Shetland, Hooded Merganser in Clyde, Stejneger's Stonechat in Kent and Eastern Black Redstarts in Cornwall and Cleveland.
-  Pete Hayman, RBA
Monday 2nd January 2017  
  A Black-throated Thrush was discovered in Northumberland, whilst the Pine Bunting (Shropshire), Blue Rock Thrush (Gloucestershire), Dusky Thrush (Derbyshire), Ferruginous Duck (Norfolk), Hooded Merganser (Clyde), Eastern Black Redstarts (Cleveland and Cornwall), Hudsonian Whimbrel and Lesser Scaup (Cornwall), Bonaparte's Gull and Desert Wheatear (Devon), Lesser Yellowlegs (Dorset), Pallid Harrier (East Yorkshire), Stejneger's Stonechat (Kent), Black Scoter (Northumberland), Lesser Scaup (Orkney), Killdeer (Shetland) and American Coot (Western Isles).

The best of the rest included Temminck's Stint (Staffordshire), two Rose-coloured Starlings, three Richard's Pipits and sixteen Yellow-browed Warblers.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Sunday 1st January 2017  
  The headline discovery on New Year's Day was a Pine Bunting at Venus Pool NR, Shropshire. Elsewhere the Dusky Thrush (Derbyshire), Blue Rock Thrush (Gloucestershire), Killdeer (Shetland), Stejneger's Stonechat (Kent), Pallid Harrier (East Yorkshire), American Coot (Western Isles), Lesser Yellowlegs (Dorset), Desert Wheatear and Bonaparte's Gull (Devon), Eastern Black Redstarts (Cornwall and Cleveland), Pacific Diver and Hudsonian Whimbrel (Cornwall), King Eider (Co Sligo), Lesser Scaup (Co Galway) and Hooded Merganser (Clyde) all made it into 2017.

The best of the rest included two Rose-coloured Starlings and nine Yellow-browed Warblers.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Saturday 31st December 2016  
  Rarity highlights included the Blue Rock Thrush (Gloucestershire), Dusky Thrush (Derbyshire), Black-throated Thrush (Denbighshire), Blyth's Pipit (Somerset), Northern Harrier (Orkney), Black Scoter (Northumberland), Stejneger's Stonechat (Kent), Pallid Harrier (East Yorkshire), Desert Wheatear (Devon), Lesser Yellowlegs (Dorset), Pacific Diver, Lesser Scaup and Hudsonian Whimbrel (Cornwall) and Eastern Black Redstarts (Cornwall and Cleveland).

The best of the rest included Little Bunting (Cornwall), Richard's Pipit (Gloucestershire), Surf Scoter (Leicestershire) and two Rose-coloured Starlings (Dorset and West Sussex).
-  Stuart Piner, RBA