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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Sunday 11th March 2018  
  The highlight of the day was the continuing Snowy Owl in Norfolk that was relocated at Snettisham late in the morning and then showed well there until the evening.

Rarities elsewhere comprised the wintering Snowy Owl still on the Isles of Scilly, Horned Lark in Surrey, King Eider in County Cork, Long-billed Dowitcher in County Wexford, Ferruginous Duck in Powys and single Coues's Arctic Redpolls in both Kent and Suffolk.

Scarcities included Bluethroat (West Sussex), Serin (Essex), Yellow-browed Warbler (South Yorkshire), two each of both Little Bunting and Ring-billed Gull, three of both Great Grey Shrike and Lapland Bunting, four American Wigeons, five of both Ring-necked Duck and Glossy Ibis, nine Shorelarks (together in Norfolk), and in England four Parrot Crossbills.

Incoming summer migrants included 23 Sand Martins, 15 Wheatears, seven Little Ringed Plovers, three Garganey, two Ospreys, Cuckoo (Kent) and a Swallow (Warwickshire).
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Saturday 10th March 2018  
 
In Norfolk, the Snowy Owl was relocated at Thornham Point, where it spent most of the day on the beach before flying off at dusk.

New discoveries today included a King Eider at Dunmanus Bay, County Cork and a Ferruguinous Duck at Llan Bwch-llyn Lake, Powys.

Lingering rarities included the Horned Lark in Surrey, single Coues's Arctic Redpolls in Kent and Suffolk, Pacific Diver in Cornwall and Long-billed Dowitcher in County Wexford.

Scarcity highlights included a Serin, a Yellow-browed Warbler, two Little Buntings, two Great Grey Shrikes, two Waxwings, nine Shorelarks, two Glossy Ibises, a Surf Scoter, two Green-winged Teals, four Ring-necked Ducks, a Snow Goose, two Kumlien's Gulls and five Ring-billed Gulls.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Friday 9th March 2018  
  Following reports of a Snowy Owl near King's Lynn on 5th March and Heacham the following day, it finally gave itself up on Scolt Head Island (Norfolk) today. The bird was twitchable throughout the afternoon.

Elsewhere new discoveries comprised a flyby Franklin's Gull in Essex and Gyr in Co Antrim, whilst the Horned Lark (Surrey), Long-billed Dowitcher (Co Wexford) and Bonaparte's Gull (Co Dongegal) all lingered.

The best of the rest included Yellow-browed Warbler (South Yorkshire), 12 Parrot Crossbills (Norfolk), Little Buntings (Cornwall and London) and a total of 19 Waxwings.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Thursday 8th March 2018  
  Lingering rarities comprised Thayer's Gull (Hampshire), Horned Lark (Surrey), Black Scoter (Northumberland), Pacific Diver (Cornwall), King Eider (Ceredigion), Long-billed Dowitchers (Kent and Co Wexford) and Coues's Arctic Redpoll (Suffolk).

The best of the rest included Yellow-browed Warbler (South Yorkshire), Serin and Little Bunting (London), three American Wigeons, four each of Parrot Crossbills, Surf Scoter and  Ring-necked Duck and 15 Waxwings.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Wednesday 7th March 2018  
  Rarities included the Ross's Gull still in Dorset, Horned Lark in Surrey, Pacific Diver in Cornwall, Long-billed Dowitcher in County Wexford, Coues's Arctic Redpoll in Suffolk and Ferruginous Ducks in both Gloucestershire and Powys, the latter new at Llangorse Lake.

Scarcities included Little Bunting and Serin (together in London), Richard's Pipit and Yellow-browed Warbler (together in South Yorkshire), Rough-legged Buzzard and nine Shorelarks (Norfolk), Glossy Ibis (County Wicklow), two Parrot Crossbills (Derbyshire), three each of both Ring-necked Duck and Surf Scoter, five of American Wigeon, Ring-billed Gull and Great Grey Shrike, and a total of 27 Waxwings.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Tuesday 6th March 2018  
  New rarities discovered today were a Long-billed Dowitcher in County Tipperary at Ashton's Callows and a Ferruginous Duck in Gloucestershire at Cotswold Water Park.

Lingering rarities confirmed as still present were the Ross's Gull in Dorset, both Pacific Diver and Lesser Scaup in Cornwall, Horned Lark in Surrey, Thayer's Gull in Hampshire, Bonaparte's Gull in County Donegal and single Coues's Arctic Redpolls in both Norfolk and Suffolk.

Scarcities included Serin and Little Bunting (together in London), Yellow-browed Warbler (South Yorkshire), two each of American Wigeon, Glossy Ibis and Waxwing, three each of both Ring-billed Gull and Great Grey Shrike, five Cattle Egrets, six Ring-necked Ducks and nine Shorelarks (together in Norfolk).
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Monday 5th March 2018  
  Rarities today comprised the Ross's Gull still in Dorset, Thayer's Gull in Hampshire, Lesser Scaup in Cornwall and Coues's Arctic Redpolls in both Norfolk and Suffolk.

Scarcities included Little Bunting (London), Rose-coloured Starling (Pembrokeshire), Yellow-browed Warbler (South Yorkshire), American Wigeon (Leicestershire), Rough-legged Buzzard (Norfolk), Grey Phalarope (Northumberland), Glossy Ibis (Suffolk), two each of Ring-necked Duck, Lapland Bunting and Surf Scoter, four Ring-billed Gulls, seven Shorelarks (Norfolk), 12 Waxwings (Moray), and in England two Parrot Crossbills (Berkshire).

Incoming spring arrivals included five Garganey between Devon and Dorset.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Sunday 4th March 2018  
  Rarities today comprised the Ross's Gull still in Dorset, Horned Lark in Surrey, Thayer's Gull in Hampshire, Bonaparte's Gull in County Donegal, Ferruginous Duck in Somerset and Coues's Arctic Redpolls in Norfolk (3) and Suffolk.

Scarcities included Bluethroat (Orkney Isles), Little Bunting (London), Yellow-browed Warbler (South Yorkshire), Lapland Bunting (East Sussex), American Wigeon (Devon), Glossy Ibis (County Wicklow), two Surf Scoters (together in County Wexford), three Grey Phalaropes (together in Northumberland), four each of both both Ring-necked Duck and Ring-billed Gull, and a total of 38 Waxwings.

Incoming summer migrants included a Little Ringed Plover in Worcestershire and four Garganey in Devon.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Saturday 3rd March 2018  
  Rarity sightings comprised Ross's Gull (Dorset), Horned Lark (Surrey), Coues's Arctic Redpolls (Norfolk and Kent), Thayer's Gull (Hampshire), Bonaparte's Gull (Co Donegal), Ferruginous Duck (Essex) and Cackling Goose (Co Sligo).

The best of the rest included Rose-coloured Starling (Pembrokeshire), White-tailed Eagle (Lincolnshire), Yellow-browed Warbler (South Yorkshire), three Parrot Crossbills (Berkshire/Surrey) and at least 37 Waxwings.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Friday 2nd March 2018  
  Lingering rarities comprised Horned Lark (Surrey), Coues's Arctic Redpoll (Norfolk) and King Eider (Shetland), whilst Little Bunting (London), Richard's Pipit and Yellow-browed Warbler (South Yorkshire), Grey Phalarope (Northumberland), American Wigeon (Highland), Ring-necked Ducks (Carmarthenshire and Western Isles) and at least 33 Waxwings were also logged.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA