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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Wednesday 27th November 2019  
  Rarities today comprised the Steller's Eider still on the Orkney Isles, the Hermit Thrush still on the Isles of Scilly, Long-billed Dowitcher in Northumberland, Azorean Yellow-legged Gull in County Carlow, two Richardson's Cackling Geese together on the Western Isles, and in Hampshire the Ferruginous Duck returned to Blashford Lakes for another winter.

Scarcities included Pallas's Warbler (Suffolk), Hoopoe (Aberdeenshire), Rough-legged Buzzard (Norfolk), Ring-billed Gull (Somerset), Snow Goose (Western Isles), two each of both Surf Scoter and Glossy Ibis, and a total of eight Ring-necked Ducks (including three together in County Kerry).
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Tuesday 26th November 2019  
  Rarities today comprised the Hermit Thrush still on the Isles of Scilly, Isabelline Wheatear in Norfolk, Blue-winged Teal in Devon, Long-billed Dowitchers in both Devon and Northumberland, Lesser Scaup reported again in Hampshire, and on the Shetland Isles the Desert Wheatear was seen before it was believed to have been killed by a Merlin.

Scarcities included Pallas's Warblers (Cambridgeshire, East Yorkshire and Suffolk), Rose-coloured Starling (Dumfries and Galloway), Surf Scoter (Isles of Scilly), Snow Goose (Western Isles), American Wigeon and Rough-legged Buzzard (Norfolk), two Glossy Ibises and a total of seven Ring-necked Ducks.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Monday 25th November 2019  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of the fourth Desert Wheatear of the autumn, at Sumburgh Head, Shetland Isles. Elsewhere, a Dusky Warbler was new at Shanklin, Isle of Wight, whilst lingering rarities confirmed as still present were the Steller's Eider on the Orkney Isles, Hermit Thrush on the Isles of Scilly, Isabelline Wheatear in Norfolk, Pacific Diver and Lesser Scaup in Cornwall, Semipalmated Sandpiper in Hampshire, Blue-winged Teal in Devon, Long-billed Dowitcher in Northumberland and Richardson's Cackling Goose in Dumfies and Galloway.

Scarcities included Pallas's Warblers (Cambridgeshire, East Yorkshire and Suffolk), Snow Goose (Clyde), American Wigeon (Highland), Rough-legged Buzzard and Glossy Ibis (Norfolk), two Surf Scoters and a total of seven Ring-necked Ducks (including five in Devon).
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Sunday 24th November 2019  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of a Laughing Gull in County Cork at Mizen Head. Rarities elsewhere comprised the Hermit Thrush still on the Isles of Scilly, Isabelline Wheatear still in Norfolk, Pacific Diver, Dusky Warbler and Lesser Scaup all in Cornwall, seven Two-barred Crossbills still together on the Western Isles, Long-billed Dowitcher in Northumberland and Richardson's Cackling Goose in Dumfries and Galloway.

Scarcities included Pallas's Warblers in Cambrideshire, East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire, Serin in Glamorgan, Barred Warbler in Cleveland, Rose-coloured Starling in Dumfries and Galloway, Rough-legged Buzzard in Norfolk and Ring-billed Gull in County Louth, two Glossy Ibises, four Surf Scoters and a total of six Ring-necked Ducks.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Saturday 23rd November 2019  
  Highlight of the day was the reappearance of a Pacific Diver off Penzance (Cornwall), whilst the Steller's Eider (Orkney), Black Scoter (Angus), White-winged Scoter (Lothian), Isabelline Wheatear (Norfolk), Lesser Scaup (Cornwall), Long-billed Dowitchers (Cumbria, Devon and Northumberland) and two Richardson's Cackling Geese (Western Isles).

The best of the rest included Rough-legged Buzzard in Norfolk, Pallas's Warblers in Cambridgeshire and East Yorkshire, Serin in East Sussex, three Glossy Ibises and four Ring-necked Ducks.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Friday 22nd November 2019  
 

Today's new rarities were both geese, with - most significantly - an adult Lesser White-fronted Goose south of Langham in Norfolk briefly and a Richardson's Cackling Goose near Loaningfoot in Dumfries and Galloway.

Ongoing rarities included the Steller's Eider in Orkney, Pacific Diver in Co.Cork, Isabelline Wheatear in Norfolk, Semipalmated Sandpiper in Hampshire, Long-billed Dowitchers in Cumbria and Northumberland, Blue-winged Teal in Co.Wexford and Lesser Scaup in Cornwall.

Among the day's supporting cast were Pallas's Warbler (Cambridgeshire), Barred Warbler (Cleveland), two Great Grey Shrikes, Ring-billed Gull (Scilly), six Shorelarks, two Rough-legged Buzzards, two Glossy Ibises, two Surf Scoters, three Ring-necked Ducks, Lesser Snow Goose (Highland), Todd's Canada Goose (Norfolk), 10 Tundra Bean Geese, four Iceland Gulls, two Glaucous Gulls and 13 Little Auks.
-  David Campbell, RBA
Thursday 21st November 2019  
  Rarities today comprised the Hermit Thrush still on the Isles of Scilly, Isabelline Wheatear in Norfolk, Semipalmated Sandpiper in Hampshire, two Richardson's Cackling Geese together on the Western Isles, and in Devon both Blue-winged Teal and Long-billed Dowitcher.

Scarcities included Red-backed Shrike (Glamorgan), Serin (Sussex), American Wigeon (Northumberland), Green-winged Teal (Orkney), Lesser Snow Goose (Aberdeenshire), Rough-legged Buzzard and Glossy Ibis (Norfolk), two Ring-billed Gulls, three Surf Scoters and four Ring-necked Ducks.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Wednesday 20th November 2019  
  Rarities today comprised the Hermit Thrush still on the Isles of Scilly, White-winged Scoter in Lothian, Isabelline Wheatear in Norfolk, Eastern Stonechat in Nottinghamshire, Black Scoter in Angus, Hume's Warbler in East Yorkshire, Semipalmated Sandpiper in Hampshire, and Long-billed Dowitcher in Devon.

Scarcities included Pallas's Warbler (Dorset), Serin (East Sussex), Barred Warbler (Cleveland), Red-backed Shrike (Glamorgan), Richard's Pipit (West Sussex), Lesser Snow Goose (Aberdeenshire), Ring-billed Gull (County Galway), two Surf Scoters, three Rough-legged Buzzards and five Ring-necked Ducks.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Tuesday 19th November 2019  
  The highlight of the day was news of an Eastern Stonechat species in Nottinghamshire at Langford Lowfields where it had first been seen on Saturday.

Other rarities today comprised the American Buff-bellied Pipit still in Cornwall, Eastern Yellow Wagtail in Suffolk, Isabelline Wheatear and two Hume's Warblers in Norfolk, Hume's Warbler in East Yorkshire, Semipalmated Sandpiper in Hampshire, Blue-winged Teal in Devon, and Long-billed Dowitchers in both Devon and Northumberland.

Scarcities included Little Bunting (Clyde), Bluethroat (Devon), Serin (East Sussex), Barred Warbler (Cleveland), Red-backed Shrike (Glamorgan), Ring-billed Gull (Herefordshire), American Wigeon (Highland), two each of both Rough-legged Buzzard and Surf Scoter, and three Ring-necked Ducks.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Monday 18th November 2019  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of a very obliging Hermit Thrush in Scilly at Porth Hellick. Other Scilly rarities today included an Olive-backed Pipit, a Red-throated Pipit and a Dusky Warbler.

Lingering rarities included the Steller's Eider and Blue Rock Thrush in Orkney, Eastern Yellow Wagtail in Suffolk, American Buff-bellied Pipit in Cornwall, Isabelline Wheatear in Norfolk, Hume's Warblers in Norfolk (two) and Yorkshire, White-winged Scoter in Lothian, Black Scoter in Angus, Blue-winged Teal in Devon, Lesser Scaup in Hampshire, Semipalmated Sandpiper in Hampshire, Lesser Yellowlegs in Yorkshire, Long-billed Dowitchers in Devon and Northumberland, White-rumped Sandpiper in County Derry and Bonaparte's Gull in Northumberland.

Scarcity highlights included a Richard's Pipit, a Red-backed Shrike, two Great Grey Shrikes, two Rose-coloured Starlings, two Lapland Buntings, seven Shorelarks, two Rough-legged Buzzards, a Black Brant, a Surf Scoter, two Green-winged Teal, six Ring-necked Ducks, a Ring-billed Gull, a Glaucous Gull, two Iceland Gulls, two Grey Phalaropes, 11 Little Auks and 32 Pomarine Skuas.
-  Will Soar, RBA