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 6th March 2017  
  Rarities today comprised the Pine Bunting still in North Yorkshire, Northern Harrier on the Orkney Isles, Pacific Diver in Northumberland, Pallid Harrier in Norfolk, Desert Wheatear in Devon, Eastern Black Redstart in Cleveland, Lesser Yellowlegs in Dorset, Bonaparte's Gull in Clyde, and both Bonaparte's Gull and Lesser Scaup in Cornwall.

Scarcities included Bluethroat (Lincolnshire), Little Bunting (Bedfordshire), Rose-coloured Starling (West Sussex), two each of Yellow-browed Warbler, Ring-billed Gull, Shorelark and Lapland Bunting, three of both Surf Scoter and American Wigeon, five Ring-necked Ducks, 13 Great Grey Shrikes and a total of 20 Cattle Egrets.

Incoming migrants included 16 Sand Martins including one in Merseyside, four Wheatears including two in Norfolk, two Swallows including one in Aberdeenshire, two White Wagtails including one in Norfolk and a Little Ringed Plover in Norfolk.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Sunday 5th March 2017  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of a new Bonaparte's Gull in Cornwall at Helston, whilst nearby at Polgigga an American Herring Gull flew over.

Lingering rarities confirmed as still present were the Blue Rock Thrush in Gloucestershire, American Coot on the Western Isles, Pine Bunting in North Yorkshire, Killdeer on the Shetland Isles, Pacific Diver in Northumberland, Pallid Harrier in Norfolk, Desert Wheatear in Devon, Eastern Black Redstart in Cleveland, single Bonaparte's Gulls in both Clyde and County Cork, Lesser Yellowlegs in Dorset, Long-billed Dowitcher in County Wexford, and two Richardson's Cackling Geese in Argyll.

Scarcities included Bluethroat (Lincolnshire), Rose-coloured Starling (West Sussex), Little Bunting (Bedfordshire), Rough-legged Buzzard (Cambridgeshire), three each of both Ring-billed Gull and Lapland Bunting, four of Ring-necked Duck and Yellow-browed Warbler, five of both Surf Scoter and American Wigeon, 11 Great Grey Shrikes, 35 Shorelarks and 63 Cattle Egrets.

Incoming migrants included a House Martin in Merseyside and a total of 22 Sand Martins included two in West Yorkshire.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Saturday 4th March 2017  
  Rarities today comprised the Blue Rock Thrush still in Gloucestershire, Pine Bunting still in North Yorkshire, Pacific Diver and Black Scoter in Northumberland, Forster's Tern in County Galway, Pallid Harrier in Norfolk, Desert Wheatear in Devon, Eastern Black Redstart in Cleveland, Black Duck in Highland, Bonaparte's Gull in both Clyde and County Cork, Lesser Yellowlegs in Dorset, Lesser Scaup on the Orkney Isles, and an Eastern Stonechat sp reported in Norfolk at Dersingham Bog.

Notable scarcities included Little Bunting (Bedfordshire), Bluethroat and Dotterel (both Lincolnshire), and Richard's Pipit in Dorset (2) and Gloucestershire.

Arriving spring migrants included two Garganey in Dorset, three Swallows including one in Pembrokeshire, seven White Wagtails including one in Merseyside, and 12 Sand Martins including one in Staffordshire.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Friday 3rd March 2017  
  Lingering rarities still present today included the American Coot in the Western Isles, Gyr, Pacific Diver and Black Scoter in Northumberland, Black Scoter in County Kerry, Pine Bunting in Yorkshire, Desert Wheatear in Devon (now the longest staying Desert Wheatear ever in Britain, having been present for 116 days), Eastern Black Redstart in Cleveland, Pallid Harrier in Norfolk, Lesser Yellowlegs in Dorset, Bonaparte's Gulls in Clyde and County Cork, Lesser Scaup in Cornwall and Richardson's Cackling Goose in Argyll.

Scarcity highlights included a Little Bunting, a Yellow-browed Warbler, a Pomarine Skua, a Lesser Snow Goose, two Rose-coloured Starlings, three Great Grey Shrikes, three Ring-necked Ducks, four American Wigeon, five Green-winged Teals, five Kumlien's Gulls and six Ring-billed Gulls.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Thursday 2nd March 2017  
  On Fair Isle a Glaucous-winged Gull was identified today; the first for Shetland and third for Britain.

In Northumberland a Gyr was logged at Bamburgh and Cresswell Pond, whilst Pallid Harrier (Norfolk), Bonaparte's Gull (Clyde), Ferruginous Duck (Co Durham), Eastern Black Redstart (Cleveland), Blue Rock Thrush (Gloucestershire), Pacific Diver (Northumberland), Pine Bunting (North Yorkshire), Desert Wheatear (Devon) and Lesser Yellowlegs (Dorset) all lingered.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Wednesday 1st March 2017  
  Several long-staying rarities made it into March, including Blue Rock Thrush (Gloucestershire), Hume's Warbler and Lesser Yellowlegs (Dorset), Pine Buntings (Kent and North Yorkshire), Eastern Black Redstart (Cleveland), Lesser Scaup (Cornwall), Pacific Diver (Northumberland), American Coot (Western Isles), Richardson's Canada Goose (Argyll) and Northern Harrier (Orkney).

The best of the rest included White-billed Diver (Lothian), Little Bunting (Bedfordshire), Bluethroat (Lincolnshire), Rose-coloured Starling (West Sussex) and two Richard's Pipits (Dorset).
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Tuesday 28th February 2017  
  Lingering rarities confirmed as still present today were the Pine Bunting in North Yorkshire, Killdeer on the Shetland Isles, both Pacific Diver and Black Scoter in Northumberland, Hudsonian Whimbrel and Lesser Scaup in Cornwall, Desert Wheatear in Devon, Eastern Black Redstart in Cleveland, Lesser Yellowlegs in Dorset and Ferruginous Duck in Buckinghamshire.

Scarcities included Bluethroat (Lincolnshire), Rose-coloured Starling (West Sussex), Little Bunting (Bedfordshire), Surf Scoter (Lothian), Rough-legged Buzzard (Norfolk) and Lapland Bunting (Somerset), two each of Richard's Pipit, Ring-necked Duck and Yellow-browed Warbler, three Ring-billed Gulls, four Glossy Ibises, five American Wigeons, nine Great Grey Shrikes, 10 Shorelarks and 28 Cattle Egrets.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Monday 27th February 2017  
  The highlight of the day was confirmation of the suspected Pallid Harrier seen at New Holkham, Norfolk on 24th February with the bird seen being seen again today at nearby Holkham Freshmarsh.

Other rarities today comprised the Blue Rock Thrush still in Gloucestershire, Pine Bunting in North Yorkshire, Northern Harrier on the Orkney Isles, Bonaparte's Gull in Clyde, both Hudsonian Whimbrel and Lesser Scaup in Cornwall, and a Ferruginous Duck new in Buckinghamshire at Little Marlow.

Scarcities included Bluethroat (Lincolnshire), Little Bunting (Bedfordshire), Ring-billed Gull (Dorset), American Wigeon (Northumberland), Ring-necked Duck (County Cork), Lapland Bunting (Anglesey), two Yellow-browed Warblers, three each of Richard's Pipit and Glossy Ibis, four Great Grey Shrikes, six Surf Scoters, 16 Cattle Egrets and 65 Shorelarks.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Sunday 26th February 2017  
  In Essex the Lesser White-fronted Goose reappeared today, being seen on Wallasea Island RSPB mid morning before it headed back to Foulness Island with Russian White-fronted Geese.

Other lingering rarities seen today included the Pine Bunting and Coues's Arctic Redpoll in Yorkshire, Blue Rock Thrush in Gloucestershire, Eastern Black Redstart in Cleveland, Desert Wheatear in Devon, Hume's Warbler and Lesser Yellowlegs in Dorset, Pallid Harrier in Yorkshire, Bonaparte's Gull in Clyde, Pacific Diver and Black Scoter in Northumberland, King Eider in County Kerry, Lesser Scaup in Cornwall and Ferruginous Duck in Hampshire.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Saturday 25th February 2017  
  Rarity highlights included Coues's Arctic Redpoll and Pine Bunting in Dunnington (North Yorkshire), Blue Rock Thrush (Gloucestershire), Hume's Warbler and Lesser Yellowlegs (Dorset), Desert Wheatear (Devon), Lesser Scaup (Cornwall), Pallid Harrier (East Yorkshire), Black Duck (Highland), Black Scoter and Pacific Diver (Northumberland), Northern Harrier (Orkney) and Ferruginous Duck (or hybrid) (Norfolk).

The best of the rest included Bluethroat (Lincolnshire), Little Bunting (Bedfordshire),  two Rose-coloured Starlings and three Yellow-browed Warblers.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA