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| Wednesday 18th March 2020 | ||
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| Lingering rarities confirmed as still present today were the Tengmalm's Owl on the Shetland Isles, Lesser Kestrel
on the Isles of Scilly, White-winged Scoter in Lothian, Kentish
Plover in Somerset, Blue-winged Teal in Devon, Lesser Yellowlegs in North Yorkshire, and Long-billed Dowitchers in both County Wexford and County Wicklow. Scarcities included Rose-coloured Starling (Anglesey), Rough-legged Buzzard (Norfolk), Glossy Ibis (Gwent), two American Wigeons, three Surf Scoters, four each of both Great Grey Shrike and Green-winged Teal, and a total of six Ring-necked Ducks. Incoming spring migrants included 10 Garganey, six Willow Warblers, two each of Osprey, Ring Ouzel and House Martin, and singles of Sedge Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, and Swallow. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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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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| Tuesday 17th March 2020 | ||
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| The highlight of the day was the discovery of a Short-toed Treecreeper in Kent at Dungeness although it was soon lost from view. Rarities elsewhere comprised both the
Tengmalm's Owl and a White-billed Diver still on the Shetland Isles,
Lesser Kestrel on the Isles of Scilly, Laughing Gull and Kentish Plover in Somerset,
West Siberian Stonechat in Cheshire, Penduline Tit in Dorset, Bonaparte's Gull
in County Wexford, Long-billed Dowitcher in County Wicklow, Richardson's Cackling Goose in Argyll, and the Ferruginous Duck still in the West Midlands. In addition, the
Hooded Merganser remained in Staffordshire but prvoed to be an escaped bird. Scarcities included Rose-coloured Starling (Anglesey), Rough-legged Buzzard (Norfolk), Glossy Ibis (County Cork), two each of both American Wigeon and Lapland Bunting, three of Surf Scoter, Ring-billed Gull and Green-winged Teal, five Great Grey Shrikes, and a total of six Ring-necked Ducks. Incoming spring migrants included 10 each of both Garganey and Swallow, three Ring Ouzels, two Common Terns and a Willow Warbler. Significant late news concerned a Killdeer present yesterday on Lundy, Devon. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Monday 16th March 2020 | ||
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| The highlight of the day was the appearance of an adult male Hooded Merganser in Staffordshire at Dosthill; perhaps the same individual
that was present in the same county at Whitemoor Haye on 12th October and 2nd December 2019. The Lesser Kestrel remained on the Isles of Scilly whilst other lingering rarities comprised the White-winged Scoter in Lothian, Laughing Gull and Kentish Plover in Somerset, Black-throated Thrush in Lincolnshire, West Siberian Stonechat in Cheshire, Penduline Tit in Dorset, Black Scoter in Northumberland, Blue-winged Teal in Devon, King Eider in Highland, Lesser Yellowlegs in North Yorkshire, Bonaparte's Gull in County Wexford, and Long-billed Dowitchers in both County Wexford and County Wicklow. Scarities included Rose-coloured Starling (Anglesey), Serin (West Sussex), Rough-legged Buzzard (Norfolk), American Wigeon (County Wicklow), Yellow-browed Warbler (London), three each of Surf Scoter and Lapland Bunting, four of Ring-billed Gull and Green-winged Teal, six Great Grey Shrikes, and eight Ring-necked Ducks. Today saw the first major arrival of summer migrants with a total of 479 Wheatears logged along with 30 White Wagtails, eight Garganey, six Swallows, four each of Osprey and Willow Warbler, three Ring Ouzels, and two each of both Cuckoo and House Martin. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Sunday 15th March 2020 | ||
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| Breaking mega news today of an adult male Lesser Kestrel found on St Mary's, Isles of Scilly although it later transpired that it had present there,
but not identified, for at least seven days. Rarities elsewhere comprised the Tengmalm's Owl still on the Shetland Isles, White-winged Scoter still in Lothian, both Ross's Gull and Blue-winged Teal in Devon, Black-throated Thrush in Lincolnshire, American Herring Gull in County Sligo, Laughing Gull and Kentish Plover in Somerset, West Siberian Stonechat in Cheshire, Black Scoter in Northumberland, King Eider in Highland, Lesser Yellowlegs in North Yorkshire, Lesser Scaup in Cornwall, and Long-billed Dowitchers in both Devon and County Wicklow. Scarcities included Rose-coloured Starling (Anglesey), Rough-legged Buzzard (Norfolk), Glossy Ibis (East Sussex), two each of Surf Scoter, American Wigeon and Lapland Bunting, five each of both Ring-necked Duck and Great Grey Shrike, and six Ring-billed Gulls. Arriving migrants included Cuckoo (Suffolk), Osprey (Cornwall), two Ring Ouzels, three Swallows, four White Wagtails, 12 Little Ringed Plovers, 14 Garganey, 18 Wheatear, and a total of 55 Sand Martins. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Saturday 14th March 2020 | ||
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| A fine selection of lingering rarities comprised Ross's Gull
(Devon), Laughing Gull and Kentish Plover
(Somerset), Pied-billed Grebe (Argyll), Black-throated
Thrushes (Bedfordshire and Lincolnshire), West Siberian
Stonechat (Cheshire), Forster's Tern (Co Galway),
American Herring Gull (Co Sligo), Lesser Scaup
(Co Mayo), Bonaparte's Gull (Co Wexford), Long-billed
Dowitchers (Devon, Co Wexford and Co Wicklow), Blue-winged Teal
(Devon), Penduline Tit (Dorset), White-winged Scoter
(Lothian), Lesser Yellowlegs (North Yorkshire), Black
Scoter (Northumberland), Richardson's Cackling Goose
(Western Isles) and Ferruginous Duck (West Midlands). The best of the rest included Rose-coloured Starling (Anglesey), Richard's Pipit (East Yorkshire), Yellow-browed Warbler (London), Black-bellied Dipper (Buckinghamshire), Glossy Ibis (Gwent), Rough-legged Buzzard (Norfolk), Todd's Canada Goose (Lancashire), Green-winged Teal (Co Mayo), two Kumlien's Gulls and Lapland Buntings, three American Wigeons and Ring-billed Gulls, four Surf Scoters, five Shorelarks, ten Great Grey Shrikes and 12 Ring-necked Ducks. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Friday 13th March 2020 | ||
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| Rarities today comprised both Tengmalm's Owl and White-billed Diver
still on the Shetland Isles, White-winged Scoter in Lothian, Ross's Gull
and Blue-winged Teal in Devon, Black-throated Thrush in Lincolnshire,
Laughing Gull and Kentish Plover in Somerset, American Herring Gull in County Sligo,
West Siberian Stonechat in Cheshire, Penduline Tit in Dorset,
both Black Duck and King Eider in Highland, Lesser Scaup and
White-billed Diver in Cornwall, Lesser Yellowlegs in North Yorkshire,
Bonaparte's Gull in County Wexford, and Ferruginous Ducks in both Hampshire and the West Midlands. Scarcities included Rose-coloured Starling (Anglesey), Rough-legged Buzzard (Norfolk), Surf Scoter (Lothian), Yellow-browed Warbler (London), Snow Goose (Western Isles), Glossy Ibis (Gwent), two American Wigeons, three each of both Ring-billed Gull and Lapland Bunting, four Ring-necked Ducks, five Shorelarks, and a total of 11 Great Grey Shrikes. Arriving spring migrants included 50 Sand Martins scattered across 18 counties, six Wheatears, two each of both Garganey and Little Ringed Plover, and single Osprey (Leicestershire) and Swallow (Dorset). |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Thursday 12th March 2020 | ||
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| The highlight of the day was the reappearance of the Ross's Gull in Devon;
today in Plymouth having first been seen at South Huish Marsh on 9th March. Rarities elsewhere comprised both the Laughing Gull and Kentish Plover still in Somerset, White-winged Scoter in Lothian, Pied-billed Grebe in Argyll, Black-throated Thrush in Lincolnshire, Lesser Yellowlegs in North Yorkshire, and Ferruginous Duck in the West Midlands. Scarcities included Rose-coloured Starling (Anglesey), Richard's Pipit (East Yorkshire), Rough-legged Buzzard (Norfolk), Ring-billed Gull (County Cork), Ring-necked Duck (Bedfordshire), Lapland Bunting (Cornwall), Kumlien's Gull (Glamorgan), two Surf Scoters, and a total of seven Great Grey Shrikes. Commoner spring migrants included 33 Sand Martins, seven Wheatears, two each of both Garganey and Swallow, and a Ring Ouzel. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Wednesday 11th March 2020 | ||
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| Lingering rarities seen today included the Tengmalm's Owl in Shetland, Laughing Gull and Kentish Plover in Somerset, Black-throated Thrush in Lincolnshire, Siberian Stonechat in Cheshire, Blue-winged Teal and Long-billed Dowitcher in Devon, Ferruginous Duck in Hampshire, Lesser Scaup in Cornwall, American Herring Gull in County Sligo and Richardson's Cackling Goose in Western Isles.
Scarcity highlights included a Rose-coloured Starling, a Richard's Pipit, three Lapland Buntings, five Shorelarks, nine Great Grey Shrikes, a Rough-legged Buzzard, a Glossy Ibis, two American Wigeon, two Green-winged Teal, seven Ring-necked Ducks, four Tundra Bean Geese, a Kumlien's Gull, four Ring-billed Gulls, 11 Iceland Gulls, 14 Glaucous Gulls and four Pomarine Skuas. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Tuesday 10th March 2020 | ||
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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. |
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| - David Campbell, RBA | ||
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| Monday 9th March 2020 | ||
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| 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. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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