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.

Choose a starting date
Friday 3rd January 2020  
  Lingering rarities comprised Black-throated Thrush (Bedfordshire), Desert Wheatear (Norfolk), Eastern Yellow Wagtails (Co Wexford, Norfolk and Northumberland), Eastern Stonechats (Cheshire and Suffolk), Black Scoter (Northumberland), Blue-winged Teal (Devon), Ferruginous Duck (Warwickshire), Richardson's Cackling Goose (Argyll), Lesser Scaup (Co Mayo) and Long-billed Dowitchers (Devon, Co Wexford and Co Wicklow).

The best of the rest included Purple Heron (Lancashire), Richard's Pipit (Somerset), Glossy Ibis (Gwent), Surf Scoter (Lothian), American Wigeon (Co Clare), Kumlien's Gull (Co Antrim), two Yellow-browed Warblers, Ring-billed Gulls and Grey Phalaropes, four Rough-legged Buzzards, six Shorelarks, seven Green-winged Teals, nine Ring-necked Ducks and Great Grey Shrikes and 27 Lapland Buntings.
Stuart Piner, RBA
Thursday 2nd January 2020  
  A Bufflehead was discovered at Dinham Flats, Cornwall late morning (likely to be the bird seen at Stithians Reservoir 28 miles to the south-west yesterday).

Lingering rarities included the Black-throated Thrush in Bedfordshire, Eastern Yellow Wagtails in Norfolk and Northumberland, Desert Wheatear in Norfolk, Eastern Stonechats in Suffolk and Cheshire, Long-billed Dowitchers in Devon and County Wicklow, Black Scoters in Angus and Northumberland, Blue-winged Teal in Devon, Black Duck in Highland and Ferruginous Duck in Warwickshire.

Scarcity highlights included three Yellow-browed Warblers, four Shorelarks, four Great Grey Shrikes, a Purple Heron, three Rough-legged Buzzards, a Glossy Ibis, a Little Auk, a Kumlien's Gull, two Ring-billed Gulls, ten Glaucous Gulls, 11 Iceland Gulls, two Surf Scoters, three Green-winged Teals, nine Ring-necked Ducks, a Black Brant, 88 Tundra Bean Geese and 150 Taiga Bean Geese.
Will Soar, RBA
Wednesday 1st January 2020  
  In Cornwall a Ross's Gull was on the sea off Portscatho before flying off, and a Bufflehead was discovered at Stithians Reservoir. The identity of the Eastern Yellow Wagtail at South Slob, County Wexford was confirmed, and a Desert Wheatear was present for a second day at Cart Gap, Norfolk.

Other lingering rarities included the Black-throated Thrush in Bedfordshire, American Buff-bellied Pipit in Cornwall, Eastern Yellow Wagtails in Northumberland and Norfolk, Eastern Stonechats in Cheshire and Suffolk, Long-billed Dowitchers in Devon, Northumberland, County Wicklow and County Wexford, Black Scoter in Northumberland, Blue-winged Teal in Devon, Lesser Scaup in Cornwall and two Richardson's Cackling Geese in Western Isles and one in Argyll.

Scarcity highlights included a Hoopoe, two Richard's Pipits, five Shorelarks, six Great Grey Shrikes, eight Yellow-browed Warblers, 38 Lapland Buntings, a Purple Heron, four Glossy Ibises, five Rough-legged Buzzards, a Pomarine Skua, two Little Auks, two Surf Scoters, four Green-winged Teals, nine Ring-necked Ducks, five Black Brants, 34 Tundra Bean Geese, 152 Taiga Bean Geese, four Ring-billed Gulls, seven Iceland Gulls and 11 Glaucous Gulls.
Will Soar, RBA
Tuesday 31st December 2019  
 

The last rarities to be found in 2019 were a Lesser Scaup at Oxford Island in Co.Armagh and a Long-billed Dowitcher at South Slob in Co.Wexford.

Continuing rarities reported today comprised Eastern Yellow Wagtails in Northumberland and Norfolk (Blue-headed), Black-throated Thrush in Bedfordshire, Snowy Owl in Orkney, Richardson's Cackling Geese in Western Isles (two) and Highland, Eastern Stonechat sp in Suffolk and Cheshire, Lesser Scaup in Co.Mayo, and Long-billed Dowitchers in Devon, Northumberland and Co.Wicklow.

Among the day's scarcities were Little Bunting (Suffolk), Purple Heron (Lancashire), Richard's Pipit (Kent), Ring-billed Gull (Co.Kerry), Kumlien's Gull (Warwickshire). four Rough-legged Buzzards, Snow Goose (Moray), three Green-winged Teal, five Ring-necked Ducks, five Surf Scoters, six Great Grey Shrikes, two Glossy Ibises, five Shorelarks (Norfolk) and eight Little Auks.
David Campbell, RBA
Monday 30th December 2019  
  Lingering rarities still present today included the Black-throated Thrush in Bedfordshire, Eastern Yellow Wagtails in Northumberland and Norfolk, Eastern Stonechats in Cheshire and Suffolk, Long-billed Dowitchers in Devon and County Wicklow, Blue-winged Teal in Devon, Ferruginous Duck in Warwickshire and two Richardson's Cackling Geese in Western Isles.

Scarcity highlights included three Yellow-browed Warblers, four Great Grey Shrikes, five Shorelarks, ten Lapland Buntings, a Purple Heron, three Rough-legged Buzzards, two Pomarine Skuas, two Surf Scoters, three Ring-necked Ducks, five Green-winged Teal, a Black Brant, 11 Tundra Bean Geese, 78 Taiga Bean Geese, a Ring-billed Gull, ten Iceland Gulls and ten Glaucous Gulls.
Will Soar, RBA
Sunday 29th December 2019  
  Rarities lingering today included the Black-throated Thrush in Bedfordshire, Eastern Yellow Wagtails in Norfolk and Northumberland, Eastern Stonechats in Cheshire and Suffolk, Dusky Warbler in Scilly, Long-billed Dowitchers in Devon and Northumberland, Blue-winged Teal in Devon, Ferruginous Duck in Warwickshire, Black Duck in Highland and Azorean Yellow-legged Gull in County Carlow.

Scarcity highlights included a Lapland Bunting, three Yellow-browed Warblers, four Great Grey Shrikes, six Shorelarks, a Purple Heron, a Glossy Ibis, five Rough-legged Buzzards, a Pomarine Skua, four Iceland Gulls, eight Glaucous Gulls, an American Wigeon, two Surf Scoters, five Ring-necked Ducks, a Black Brant, two Snow Geese, 41 Tundra Bean Geese and 75 Taiga Bean Geese.
Will Soar, RBA
Saturday 28th December 2019  
  Rarities today comprised the Black-throated Thrush still in Bedfordshire, American Buff-bellied Pipit and Lesser Scaup in Cornwall, Eastern Yellow Wagtails in both Norfolk and Northumberland, Eastern Stonechats in Cheshire and Suffolk, Forster's Tern in County Galway, Black Scoter in Northumberland, Blue-winged Teal in Devon, Long-billed Dowitchers in both Devon and Northumberland, and Azorean Yellow-legged Gull again in County Carlow.

Scarcities included Richard's Pipit (Kent), Lapland Bunting (Cornwall), Glossy Ibis (West Sussex), Kumlien's Gull (Leicestershire), American Wigeon and Lesser Snow Goose (Highland), two each of Rough-legged Buzzard, Ring-billed Gull, Surf Scoter, Yellow-browed Warbler, seven Shorelarks, and a total of 10 Ring-necked Ducks.
Chris Batty, RBA
Friday 27th December 2019  
  Lingering rarities comprised Black-throated Thrush (Bedfordshire), Eastern Stonechat species (Cheshire and Suffolk), Eastern Yellow Wagtails (Norfolk and Northumberland), Blue-winged Teal (Devon), Long-billed Dowitchers (Devon and Northumberland), Olive-backed Pipit (Isles of Scilly), White-winged Scoter (Lothian), Black Scoter (Northumberland) and Ferruginous Duck (Warwickshire).

Scarcity highlights included Great Grey Shrike (Bedfordshire), Black Brant (Lincolnshire), Yellow-browed Warblers (London and North Yorkshire), Rough-legged Buzzards (Norfolk and South Yorkshire), three Ring-billed Gulls (Co Kerry, Co Limerick and Co Wicklow), six Shorelarks (Norfolk) and nine Ring-necked Ducks.
Stuart Piner, RBA
Thursday 26th December 2019  
 

A white morph Gyr on North Uist in Western Isles was the first this year and a Kentish Plover made a brief appearance at Burnham-on-Sea in Somerset.

Confirmed as still present were the Black-throated Thrush in Bedfordshire, male Blue-headed Yellow Wagtail in Norfolk, unassigned Eastern Yellow Wagtail in Northumberland, Black Scoter in Northumberland, Eastern Stonechat sp in Cheshire, Richardson's Cackling Goose in Argyll, Olive-backed Pipit in Scilly, Lesser Scaup in Cornwall and Ferruginous Duck in Warwickshire.

The best of the rest included Richard's Pipit (Kent), two Rough-legged Buzzards (South Yorkshire and Norfolk), Ring-billed Gull (Co.Kerry), Surf Scoter (Ayrshire), two Great Grey Shrikes, Rose-coloured Starling (Cambridgehire), American Wigeon (Highland), Ring-necked Duck (West Yorkshire), Todd's Canada Goose (Co.Sligo) and six Shorelarks (five in Norfolk and one in Highland).
David Campbell, RBA
Wednesday 25th December 2019  
 

An Olive-backed Pipit was found on St.Mary's in Scilly. A White-billed Diver flew past Hemsby in Norfolk.

Existing rarities making appearances today were the Lesser White-fronted Goose in Norfolk, the two Eastern Yellow Wagtails (Blue-headed male in Norfolk and unassigned in Northumberland), American Buff-bellied Pipit in Cornwall, Blue-winged Teal in Devon, Eastern Stonechat sp in Cheshire, Ferruginous Duck in Warwickshire and Long-billed Dowitcher in Devon

Among other highlights were Black Brant (Lincolnshire), Green-winged Teal (Co.Kerry), Ring-necked Duck (Lancashire), two Surf Scoters, two Rough-legged Buzzards (South Yorkshire and East Yorkshire), Ring-billed Gull (Co.Kerry), six Shorelarks and four Great Grey Shrikes.
David Campbell, RBA