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
Tuesday 10th March 2020  
 

A first-winter Laughing Gull was found at Chew Valley Lake in Somerset.

Continuing rarities included the Tengmalm's Owl in Shetland, Kentish Plover in Somerset, Black-throated Thrush in Lincolnshire, American Herring Gull in Co.Sligo, White-winged Scoter in Lothian, Blue-winged Teal in Devon, Black Duck in Highland, West Siberian Stonechat in Cheshire, Lesser Yellowlegs in North Yorkshire, Ferruginous Duck in West Midlands and Long-billed Dowitcher in Co.Wicklow,

Among the day's supporting cast were Rough-legged Buzzard (Norfolk), Rose-coloured Starling (Anglesey), eight Great Grey Shrikes, Ring-billed Gull (Co.Kerry), Glossy Ibis (Gwent), five Shorelarks (Norfolk), three Kumlien's Gulls, American Wigeon (Northumberland), Green-winged Teal (Shropshire) and 11 Ring-necked Ducks.
-  David Campbell, RBA
Monday 9th March 2020  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of an adult Ross's Gull in Devon at South Huish Marsh, whilst in Somerset the Kentish Plover first seen on 26th December 2019 reappeared today at Burnham-on-Sea.

Rarities elsewhere comprised both the Steller's Eider and Snowy Owl on the Orkney Isles, White-winged Scoter in Lothian, Black-throated Thrush in Lincolnshire, American Herring Gull in County Sligo, Pied-billed Grebe in Argyll, Black Duck in Highland, West Siberian Stonechat in Cheshire, Blue-winged Teal in Devon, Lesser Yellowlegs in North Yorkshire, Long-billed Dowitcher in County Wicklow, White-billed Diver on the Shetland Isles, and two Richardson's Cackling Geese still together on the Western Isles.

Scarcities included Rose-coloured Starling (Anglesey), Rough-legged Buzzard (Norfolk), Ring-billed Gull (Cornwall), Yellow-browed Warbler (London), American Wigeon (County Wicklow), Snow Goose (Western Isles), Kumlien's Gull (Glamorgan), two Green-winged Teals, three Lapland Buntings, five Shorelarks, 10 Ring-necked Ducks, and a total of 12 Great Grey Shrikes.

Incoming spring migrants included 20 Sand Martins, Osprey, Little Ringed Plover, Wheatear, Swallow and White Wagtail, whilst a Ring Ouzel and three Garganey are all lingering from the winter.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Sunday 8th March 2020  
  Rarities today comprised the White-winged Scoter still in Lothian, Forster's Tern in County Galway, Black Scoter in Northumberland, Black-throated Thrush in Lincolnshire, West Siberian Stonechat in Cheshire, Blue-winged Teal in Devon, Lesser Yellowlegs in North Yorkshire, Bonaparte's Gull in County Wexford, Ferruginous Duck in West Midlands, and single Long-billed Dowitchers in County Wexford, County Wicklow and Devon.

Scarcities included Rose-coloured Starling (Anglesey), American Wigeon (Northumberland), Rough-legged Buzzard (Norfolk), Yellow-browed Warbler (London), Snow Goose (Western Isles), Black Brant (Dorset), two each of both Green-winged Teal and Kumlien's Gull, three Glossy Ibises, four Ring-billed Gulls, eight Ring-necked Ducks, and a total of 12 Great Grey Shrikes.

Spring migrants included 15 Sand Martins, four Garganey and a Wheatear (Somerset).
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Saturday 7th March 2020  
 

The White-winged Scoter in Lothian, Black Duck in Highland, Black-throated Thrush in Lincolnshire, Lesser Yellowlegs in North Yorkshire, West Siberian Stonechat in Cheshire, Long-billed Dowitchers in Devon and Co.Wicklow, Penduline Tit in Dorset, Bonaparte's Gull in Co.Wexford and Ferruginous Duck in West Midlands all extended their stays.

Other news included two Richard's Pipits (Kent and East Yorkshire), Rough-legged Buzzard (Norfolk), five Ring-billed Gulls, two Glossy Ibises, three Kumlien's Gulls, nine Great Grey Shrikes, five Shorelarks. three Green-winged Teal, four Ring-necked Ducks, two American Wigeon, Surf Scoter (Lothian), Todd's Canada Goose (Lancashire) and Black Brant (East Yorkshire).
-  David Campbell, RBA
Friday 6th March 2020  
  Rarity highlights comprised Black-throated Thrush (Lincolnshire), White-winged Scoter (Lothian), Black Scoter (Angus), Richardson's Cackling Geese (Argyll and Highland), West Siberian Stonechat (Cheshire), Bonaparte's Gull (Co Wexford), Long-billed Dowitcher (Devon and Co Wicklow), Blue-winged Teal (Devon), Penduline Tit (Dorset), Lesser Scaup (Dumfries & Galloway), Lesser Yellowlegs (North Yorkshire) and Ferruginous Duck (West Midlands).

The best of the rest included Rose-coloured Starling (Anglesey), Rough-legged Buzzard (Norfolk), American Wigeon (Northumberland), Snow Goose (Western Isles), two Richard's Pipits, Yellow-browed Warblers, Black Brants and Glossy Ibises, three Pomarine Skuas, at least three Surf Scoters, four Green-winged Teals, five Shorelarks, eight Great Grey Shrikes and ten Ring-necked Ducks.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Thursday 5th March 2020  
  Rarities today comprised the White-winged Scoter still in Lothian, Black-throated Thrushes in both Bedfordshire and Lincolnshire, West Siberian Stonechat in Cheshire, American Herring Gulls in both County Cork and County Sligo, Lesser Yellowlegs North Yorkshire, Long-billed Dowitcher in County Wicklow, Ferruginous Duck in the West Midlands, and a White-billed Diver on the Orkney Isles where recently a Snowy Owl has been present on Eday.

Scarcities included Rose-coloured Starling (Anglesey), Yellow-browed Warbler (London), Ring-billed Gull and Kumlien's Gull (Cornwall), two each of Rough-legged Buzzard, Surf Scoter, American Wigeon, Ring-necked Duck and Glossy Ibis, three Green-winged Teals, five Shorelarks, and a total of six Great Grey Shrikes.

Spring migrants included the second Wheatear of the spring (Gloucestershire), the second Sand Martin (Isles of Scilly), and a Garganey; the latter one of nine logged so far this year of which at least six had over-wintered. Other apparent migrant arrivals since the middle of February include Swallow (2), Willow Warbler (2), House Martin (3) and White Wagtail (4).
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Wednesday 4th March 2020  
  Rarities today comprised the White-winged Scoter still in Lothian, Pied-billed Grebe in Argyll, Black-throated Thrush in Lincolnshire, West Siberian Stonechat in Cheshire, Lesser Yellowlegs in North Yorkshire, Long-billed Dowitcher in Devon, Bonaparte's Gull in County Wexford, and Ferruginous Ducks in both Hampshire and West Midlands.

Scarcities included Rose-coloured Starling (Anglesey), Richard's Pipit (East Yorkshire), Ring-billed Gull (Cornwall), Glossy Ibis (Gwent), two each of Surf Scoter, American Wigeon, Green-winged Teal and Lapland Bunting, three Ring-necked Ducks, and a total of seven Great Grey Shrikes.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Tuesday 3rd March 2020  
  Lingering rarities confirmed as still present today comprised the Tengmalm's Owl on the Shetland Isles, both Steller's Eider and White-billed Diver on the Orkney Isles, Pacific Diver in County Cork, Black-throated Thrush in Lincolnshire, West Siberian Stonechat in Cheshire, two Penduline Tits in Dorset, Long-billed Dowitcher in Devon, Lesser Scaup in Cornwall, and Ferruginous Duck in the West Midlands.

Scarcities included Rose-coloured Starling (Anglesey), Richard's Pipit (East Yorkshire), Rough-legged Buzzard (Moray), Ring-billed Gull (County Wicklow), American Wigeon (Northumberland), Surf Scoter (Lothian), Black Brant (Suffolk), Snow Goose (Western Isles), Yellow-browed Warbler (Wiltshire) and Glossy Ibis (Gwent), three each of both Ring-necked Duck and Green-winged Teal, five Shorelarks, seven Lapland Buntings, and a total of nine Great Grey Shrikes.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Monday 2nd March 2020  
  The highlight of the day was confirmation that the Tengmalm's Owl is still on the Shetland Isles where it was relocated on Mainland at Lea Gardens, Tresta. Last month this bird was trapped and ringed and determined to be a  first-winter so it is not the individual that was present in the same garden last winter.

Rarities elsewhere comprised the White-winged Scoter still in Lothian, Black-throated Thrush in Lincolnshire, West Siberian Stonechat in Cheshire, Penduline Tit in Dorset, Lesser Yellowlegs in North Yorkshire, Ferruginous Duck in West Midlands, and both Blue-winged Teal and Long-billed Dowitcher in Devon.

Scarcities included Rose-coloured Starling (Anglesey), Yellow-browed Warbler (London), Black-bellied Dipper (Northamptonshire), two each of American Wigeon, Surf Scoter and Kumlien's Gull, three of Ring-necked Duck and Lapland Bunting, four of Ring-billed Gull and Shorelark, five Green-winged Teals, and a total of nine Great Grey Shrikes.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Sunday 1st March 2020  
  Lingering rarities seen today included the Black-throated Thrush in Lincolnshire, Eastern Yellow Wagtail in Norfolk, Siberian Stonechat in Cheshire, Blue-winged Teal in Devon, Ferruginous Ducks in West Midlands and Hampshire, Lesser Scaup in Cornwall, Long-billed Dowitchers in Devon and County Wexford, Lesser Yellowlegs in Yorkshire and Pacific Diver in County Cork.

Scarcity highlights included a Rose-coloured Starling, a Black-bellied Dipper, two Yellow-browed Warblers, four Lapland Buntings, five Shorelarks, ten Great Grey Shrikes, a Surf Scoter, two American Wigeon, four Green-winged Teals, seven Ring-necked Ducks, a Glossy Ibis, a Todd's Canada Goose, a Black Brant, seven Tundra Bean Geese, two Pomarine Skuas, a Kumlien's Gull, five Ring-billed Gulls, 23 Glaucous Gulls and 27 Iceland Gulls.
-  Will Soar, RBA