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 23rd March 2021  
  Lingering rarities confirmed as still present were the Northern Mockingbird in Devon, American Herring Gull in Cornwall, Snowy Owl on the Western Isles, Rustic Bunting in Surrey, King Eider on the Shetland Isles, Dusky Warbler in Merseyside, two Long-billed Dowitchers together in County Wexford, and three Penduline Tits together in Somerset.

Scarcities included Great Grey Shrike (Suffolk), Little Auk (Western Isles), two Green-winged Teals, three each of both Little Bunting and Glossy Ibis, six Lapland Buntings, and a total of 18 Ring-necked Ducks.

Incoming spring migrants included Ring Ouzel (Suffolk), Whitethroat (Buckinghamshire), two Yellow Wagtails (Kent), four of Osprey and House Martin, five Willow Warblers, 10 Garganey, 14 White Wagtails, 33 Swallow, and 35 Wheatear.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Monday 22nd March 2021  
  Lingering rarities still pesent today included the Northern Mockingbird in Devon, American Herring Gull in Cornwall, Pacific Diver in County Mayo, Rustic Bunting in Surrey, three Penduline Tits in Somerset, Dusky Warbler in Merseyside, Spotted Sandpiper in Ayrshire, Lesser Yellowlegs in Devon and two Richardson's Cackling Geese in Western Isles.

Scarcity highlights included a Rose-coloured Starling, a Little Bunting, a Great Grey Shrike, a Yellow-browed Warbler, four Waxwings, four Lapland Buntings, 12 Glossy Ibises, an American Wigeon, two Green-winged Teals, 12 Ring-necked Ducks, two Snow Geese, two Tundra Bean Geese, four Ring-billed Gulls, five Glaucous Gulls and 14 Iceland Gulls.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Sunday 21st March 2021  
  Lingering rarities confirmed a still present today were both the Northern Mockingbird and Lesser Yellowlegs in Devon, American Herring Gull in Cornwall, Pied-billed Grebe in Lancashire, Black Scoter in Highland, Rustic Bunting in Surrey, Spotted Sandpiper in Ayrshire, Dusky Warbler in Merseyside, two Long-billed Dowitchers together in County Wexford, and three Penduline Tits together in Somerset.

Scarcities included American Golden Plover (Cornwall), American Wigeon (County Antrim), Rough-legged Buzzard (Norfolk), Shorelark (East Sussex), Kumlien's Gull (Cambridgeshire), Great Grey Shrike and Taiga Bean Goose (Suffolk), two each of both Little Bunting and Snow Goose, three Green-winged Teals, four Lapland Buntings, six Surf Scoters, 10 Glossy Ibises, and a total of 15 Ring-necked Ducks.

Incoming spring migrants included Whitethroat (Devon), three each of House Martin and Swallow, four of Ring Ouzel and Willow Warbler, eight Ospreys, 12 Wheatears, 14 White Wagtails, and a total of 17 Garganey.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Saturday 20th March 2021  
 

The Northern Mockingbird in Devon, Pied-billed Grebe in Lancashire and American Herring Gull in Cornwall were all still present. Meanwhile other lingering rarities comprised the Pacific Diver in Co.Mayo, Bufflehead in Co.Cork, Rustic Bunting in Surrey, three Penduline Tits in Somerset and two Long-billed Dowitchers in Co.Wexford.

Among further national highlights were Shorelark (Sussex), Waxwing (Aberdeenshire), American Wigeon (Co.Antrim), Taiga Bean Goose (Suffolk), Ring-billed Gull (Co.Cork), Black Brant (Norfolk), two Green-winged Teal, three Little Buntings and Great Grey Shrikes, four Glossy Ibises and 11 Ring-necked Ducks
-  David Campbell, RBA
Friday 19th March 2021  
  A Lesser Scaup was discovered on Portmore Lough, County Antrim.

Lingering rarities still present included the Pied-billed Grebe in Lancashire, Black Scoter in Highland, Rustic Bunting in Surrey, Dusky Warbler in Merseyside, two Long-billed Dowitchers in County Wexford and Spotted Sandpiper in Ayrshire.

Scarcity highlights included a Great Grey Shrike, a Yellow-browed Warbler, a Black-bellied Dipper, a Lapland Bunting, four Little Buntings, an American Golden Plover, two Green-winged Teals, four Surf Scoters, 15 Ring-necked Ducks, a Snow Goose, a Taiga Bean Goose, three Tundra Bean Geese, three Black Brants, four Glossy Ibises, four Ring-billed Gulls, 11 Glaucous Gulls and 21 Iceland Gulls.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Thursday 18th March 2021  
 

A first-winter American Herring Gull spent its second day at Newlyn Harbour, Cornwall. There was late news of an Eyebrowed Thrush in east Kent from mid-January to early February.

The Northern Mockingbird continued its stay in Devon, while other rarities still present included the Pied-billed Grebe in Lancashire, Pacific Diver in Co.Mayo, all three Penduline Tits in Somerset, Lesser Yellowlegs in Devon, Dusky Warbler in Merseyside and White-billed Diver in Shetland. 

Among the other highlights from the day's birding were Great Grey Shrike (Derbyshire), Surf Scoter (Lothian), Taiga Bean Goose (Suffolk), Black Brant (East Yorkshire), two Yellow-browed Warblers and Todd's Canada Geese; three Little Buntings, Green-winged Teal and Glossy Ibises; four Ring-billed Gulls and 15 Ring-necked Ducks.
-  David Campbell, RBA
Wednesday 17th March 2021  
  New rarities discovered today comprised a Two-barred Crossbill in Surrey at Crooksbury Common, and a Pacific Diver in County Mayo at Elly Bay.

Lingering rarities confirmed as still present were the Northern Mockingbird and Lesser Yellowlegs in Devon, Double-crested Cormorant in County Kerry, Laughing Gull in Dorset, Pied-billed Grebe in Lancashire, Rustic Bunting in Surrey, Dusky Warbler in Merseyside, Spotted Sandpiper in Ayrshire, Hooded Merganser in Suffolk, White-billed Diver on the Orkney Isles, Bonaparte's Gull in both County Cork and Gloucestershire, and Long-billed Dowitchers in both County Wexford (2) and North Yorkshire.

Scarcities included Yellow-browed Warbler (Buckinghamshire), Kumlien's Gull (County Kerry), Black Brant (East Yorkshire), Taiga Bean Goose (Suffolk), two each of Long-tailed Skua, Ring-billed Gull, and American Wigeon, three of Little Bunting, Great Grey Shrike, and Green-winged Teal, five of Glossy Ibis and Lapland Bunting, and a total of nine Ring-necked Ducks.

Incoming spring migrants included Cuckoo (Suffolk), Willow Warbler (Dorset), White Wagtail (Ayrshire), two each of Ring Ouzel, Garganey, Osprey, and House Martin, eight Swallows, 10 Little Ringed Plovers, 16 Wheatears, and a total of 156 Sand Martins.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Tuesday 16th March 2021  
  The highlight of the day was the reappearance of the Baikal Teal in Hampshire at Ripley. Rarities elsewhere comprised the Northern Mockingbird still in Devon, Pied-billed Grebe still in Lancashire, Laughing Gull in Dorset, Rustic Bunting in Surrey, Spotted Sandpiper in Ayrshire, three Penduline Tits together in Somerset, and on the Shetland Isles both King Eider and White-billed Diver.

Scarcities included American Wigeon (Cleveland), Yellow-browed Warbler (Buckinghamshire), Great Grey Shrike (Suffolk), Black-bellied Dipper (Shetland Isles), two each of Long-tailed Skua, Ring-billed Gull, and Black Brant, three of Little Bunting, Lapland Bunting, and Green-winged Teal, five Glossy Ibises, and a total of 11 Ring-necked Ducks.

Incoming spring migrants included Ring Ouzel (Dorset), Osprey (Leicestershire), Little Ringed Plover (East Sussex), Swallow (Devon), two Garganey, nine White Wagtails, 15 Wheatears, and 37 Sand Martins.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Monday 15th March 2021  
 

There was late news of a Baikal Teal at Ripley in Hampshire yesterday. 

Long-stayers included the Pied-billed Grebe in Lancashire, Laughing Gull in Dorset, the three Penduline Tits in Somerset, Rustic Bunting in Surrey, two Richardson's Cackling Geese in Western Isles, Spotted Sandpiper in Ayrshire, Long-billed Dowitcher in North Yorkshire, White-billed Diver in Orkney and one of the Dusky Warblers in Merseyside.

The day's scarcity highlights comprised Rose-coloured Starling (Borders), Long-tailed Skua (South Yorkshire), American Wigeon (Cleveland); two each of Great Grey Shrike, Surf Scoter, Black Brant, Todd's Canada Goose and Kumlien's Gull; three Ring-billed Gulls and Little Buntings, six Glossy Ibises, seven Green-winged Teal and 18 Ring-necked Ducks. A flock of 10 Waxwings was reported in Co.Westmeath.

The first Common Tern of the year was seen on Scilly.
-  David Campbell, RBA
Sunday 14th March 2021  
  Rarities today comprised the Laughing Gull still in Dorset, Pied-billed Grebe still in Lancashire, Rustic Bunting in Surrey, Dusky Warbler in Merseyside, Lesser Scaup in County Waterford, and three Penduline Tits together in Somerset.

Scarcities included Rose-coloured Starling (Oxfordshire), Taiga Bean Goose (Suffolk), Grey Phalarope (Cambridgeshire), Little Auk (Highland), Kumlien's Gull (County Kerry), two each of American Wigeon, Green-winged Teal, Black Brant, and Leach's Petrel, three of both Little Bunting and Long-tailed Skua, five Glossy Ibises, nine Ring-billed Gulls, 10 Lapland Bunting, and a total of 21 Ring-necked Ducks.

Incoming spring migrants included Tree Pipit (Isle of Wight), House Martin (Kent), two each of both Garganey and Swallow, four White Wagtails, six Little Ringed Plovers, eight Wheatear, and a total of 59 Sand Martins.
-  Chris Batty, RBA