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
Wednesday 7th April 2021  
  Rarities today comprised both the Northern Mockingbird and Lesser Yellowlegs still in Devon, the White-winged Scoter again in Lothian, both American Herring Gull and Western Subalpine Warbler still in Cornwall, Alpine Swift in Pembrokeshire, Long-billed Dowitcher in North Yorkshire, Bonaparte's Gull in Gloucestershire, Dusky Warbler in Merseyside, two Red-rumped Swallows together in Kent, two Richardson's Cackling Geese together on the Western Isles, and three White-billed Divers together on the Orkney Isles.

Scarcities included Buff-breasted Sandpiper (Wiltshire), Purple Heron (Essex), Night Heron (Isle of Wight), Bluethroat (Northumberland), Richard's Pipit (Cheshire), Serin (Cornwall), Wryneck (Pembrokeshire), Sabine's Gull (Moray), Taiga Bean Goose (Suffolk), two each of Little Bunting, Hoopoe, Yellow-browed Warbler, and Great Grey Shrike, three of Grey Phalarope, four of Surf Scoter and Green-winged Teal, five Glossy Ibises, 12 Lapland Buntings, and a total of 13 Ring-necked Ducks.

Incoming spring migrants included Wood Warbler (West Sussex), Little Tern (Hampshire), Nightingale (Kent), Grasshopper Warbler (London), two each of Blue-headed Wagtail and Cuckoo, four Hobbies, five Pied Flycatchers, and a total of 41 Garganey.

Significant late news concerned a Great Spotted Cuckoo sound-recorded at Stroud, Gloucestershire in the early hours of 31st March.
Chris Batty, RBA
Tuesday 6th April 2021  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of two Penduline Tits on the Isles of Wight at Brading Marsh. Rarities elsewhere comprised the Northern Mockingbird and Lesser Yellowlegs both still in Devon, American Herring Gull and Western Subalpine Warbler in Cornwall, Bonaparte's Gull in Gloucestershire, and Long-billed Dowitcher in County Wexford.

Scarcities included Hoopoe (Cornwall), Wryneck (Pembrokeshire), Shorelark (Northumberland), Yellow-browed Warbler (west Sussex), Grey Phalarope (Norfolk), Taiga Bean Goose (Suffolk), two each of Little Bunting, Great Grey Shrike, Green-winged Teal, and Kumlien's Gull, seven Glossy Ibises, 10 Ring-necked Ducks, and 11 Lapland Buntings.

Incoming spring migrants included Turtle Dove (Norfolk), two Hobbies, three Blue-headed Wagtails, four Pied Flycatchers, 17 Ring Ouzels, and a total of 41 Garganey.
Chris Batty, RBA
Monday 5th April 2021  
  New discoveries today included a Western Subalpine Warbler on The Lizard, Cornwall and an Alpine Swift at Slapton, Devon.

Lingering rarities included the Northern Mockingbird in Devon, American Herring Gull in Cornwall, Penduline Tit in Somerset, Lesser Yellowlegs in Devon and County Waterford and Bonaparte's Gull in Gloucestershire.

Scarcity highlights included a Yellow-browed Warbler, three Hoopoes, four Little Buntings, seven Great Grey Shrikes, ten Lapland Buntings, a Leach's Petrel, an American Wigeon, two Surf Scoters, three Green-winged Teal, 12 Ring-necked Ducks, a Taiga Bean Goose, three Tundra Bean Goose, seven Glossy Ibises, two Kumlien's Gulls, three Ring-billed Gulls and 24 Iceland Gulls.
Will Soar, RBA
Sunday 4th April 2021  
  Red-rumped Swallows were found at St Aldhelm's Head, Dorset and at Dungeness, Kent.

Lingering rarities still present included the Northern Mockingbird in Devon, American Herring Gull in Cornwall, White-winged Scoter in Lothian, Penduline Tit in Somerset, Red-rumped Swallow in Sussex, Long-billed Dowitcher in County Wexford and Bonaparte's Gull in Gloucestershire.

Scarcity highlights included a Serin, two Hoopoes, two Yellow-browed Warblers, four Shorelarks, five Great Grey Shrikes, six Little Buntings, 14 Lapland Buntings, six Glossy Ibises, two Surf Scoters, two American Wigeon, three Green-winged Teal, 20 Ring-necked Ducks, a Todd's Canada Goose, a Black Brant, a Taiga Bean Goose, four Tundra Bean Geese, a Ring-billed Gull, a Kumlien's Gull, 11 Glaucous Gulls and 19 Iceland Gulls.
Will Soar, RBA
Saturday 3rd April 2021  
 

A stunning male Citrine Wagtail spent the day at Lynemouth FLash in Northumberland. Three White-billed Divers were found off the Aberdeenshire coast at Portsoy. Red-rumped Swallows appeared over Radipole Lake in Dorset and West Rise Marsh in Sussex.

The day's roll-call of rarities continuing their stays consisted of the Double-crested Cormorant in Co.Kerry, Northern Mockingbird in Devon, White-winged Scoter in Lothian, American Herring Gull in Cornwall, Black Duck in Co.Mayo, Bufflehead in Co.Cork, Dusky Warbler in Norfolk, two Penduline Tits in Somerset, Lesser Yellowlegs in Devon, Bonaparte's Gull in Gloucestershire and White-billed Diver in Orkney.

Two Wrynecks and three Hoopoes were the best of the other spring-flavoured news. Meanwhile, winter treats included Rough-legged Buzzard (Suffolk), Taiga Bean Goose (Suffolk), Todd's Canada Goose (Cumbria), two American Wigeon and Green-winged Teal, three Great Grey Shrikes, four Little Buntings, five Surf Scoters, seven Glossy Ibises and 12 Ring-necked Ducks
David Campbell, RBA
Friday 2nd April 2021  
  A Red-rumped Swallow was found on Portland, Dorset early afternoon.

Lingering rarities present today included the Northern Mockingbird in Devon, Double-crested Cormorant in County Kerry, American Herring Gull in Cornwall, White-winged Scoter in Lothian, King Eider in Orkney, Alpine Swift in Pembrokeshire, three Penduline Tits in Somerset, Dusky Warbler in Norfolk, Ashy-headed Wagtail in Scilly, Bonaparte's Gull in Gloucestershire, Lesser Yellowlegs in Devon and Spotted Sandpiper in Ayrshire.

Scarcity highlights included a Serin, a Wryneck, a Yellow-browed Warbler, a Lapland Bunting, two Great Grey Shrikes, four Hoopoes, five Little Buntings, a Rough-legged Buzzard, an American Wigeon, four Green-winged Teals, five Surf Scoters, 12 Ring-necked Ducks, a Todd's Canada Goose, two Snow Geese, three Tundra Bean Geese, two Glossy Ibises, a Kumlien's Gull, eight Glaucous Gulls and 22 Iceland Gulls.
Will Soar, RBA
Thursday 1st April 2021  
 

April made a suitable entrance with some nice early spring finds. The best was a male Ashy-headed Wagtail on St.Mary's (Scilly), which looked the part and went on to give a series of classic calls. In Pembrokeshire, an Alpine Swift appeared over Skokholm in the early afternoon, before moving over to Skomer for the rest of the day. This went nicely with a Red-rumped Swallow over Cahore Marsh in Co.Wexford in the late afternoon. A young drake King Eider was discovered on Papa Westray in Orkney.

The Northern Mockingbird (Devon), American Herring Gull (Cornwall), Spotted Sandpiper in Ayrshire, Lesser Yellowlegs in Devon and Bonaparte's Gulls in Gloucestershire and Co.Wexford were all still present and correct.

Two Hoopoes were the only extra springlike news, with most of the day's other national news concerning hangers-on from the winter. Namely, further highlights were Rough-legged Buzzard (Suffolk), Sabine's Gull (Sussex), Great Grey Shrike (Gloucestershire), Kumlien's Gull (Cornwall), Little Auk (Western Isles), Surf Scoter (Orkney), Taiga Bean Goose (Suffolk), Todd's Canada Goose (Merseyside), two Green-winged Teal, four Little Buntings and Glossy Ibises, and 14 Ring-necked Ducks.
David Campbell, RBA
Wednesday 31st March 2021  
  A Bonaparte's Gull was found at Cahore Marsh, County Wexford.

Lingering rarities included the Northern Mockingbird in Devon, American Herring Gull in Cornwall, White-winged Scoter in Lothian, Long-billed Dowitchers in Yorkshire and County Wexford, Lesser Yellowlegs in Devon and County Waterford, Bonaparte's Gull in Gloucestershire and two White-billed Divers in Shetland.

Scarcity highlights included a Richard's Pipit, a Wryneck, two Hoopoes, two Great Grey Shrikes, two Yellow-browed Warblers, five Little Buntings, five Lapland Buntings, a Grey Phalarope, an American Wigeon, two Surf Scoters, four Green-winged Teal, ten Ring-necked Ducks, a Taiga Bean Goose, two Tundra Bean Geese, six Glossy Ibises, a Kumlien's Gull, a Ring-billed Gull, eight Glaucous Gulls and 21 Iceland Gulls.
Will Soar, RBA
Tuesday 30th March 2021  
  Rarities today comprised the Northern Mockingbird still in Devon, American Herring Gull still in Cornwall, Pied-billed Grebe in Lancashire, Bonaparte's Gulls in both County Down and Gloucestershire, Dusky Warbler in Merseyside, and three Penduline Tits still together in Somerset.

Scarcities included American Wigeon (County Antrim), Surf Scoter (Conwy), Black Brant (County Dublin), Taiga Bean Goose (Suffolk), two each of Snow Goose and Yellow-browed Warbler, Great Grey Shrike, and Green-winged Teal, four of Little Bunting and Glossy Ibis, six Lapland Buntings, and a total of 13 Ring-necked Ducks.

Incoming spring migrants included Garden Warbler (Somerset), Grasshopper Warbler (Dorset), two each of Pied Flycatcher, Little Tern, Reed Warbler, Hobby, and Whitethroat, three Cuckoo, six Common Terns, 10 Tree Pipits, 11 Redstarts, 23 Yellow Wagtails, 29 Sedge Warblers, 39 Garganey, 43 Ring Ouzels, and a total of 49 Ospreys.
Chris Batty, RBA
Monday 29th March 2021  
  New discoveries today included a Desert Wheatear in Weymouth, Dorset and a Blue-winged Teal at Steart, Somerset.

Lingering rarities seen today included the Northern Mockingbird in Devon, American Herring Gull in Cornwall, Laughing Gull in Dorset, Bonaparte's Gull in Gloucestershire, Rustic Bunting in Surrey, three Penduline Tits in Somerset, Dusky Warbler in Norfolk and Long-billed Dowitcher in County Wexford.

Scarcity highlights included a Shorelark, a Great Grey Shrike, two Hoopoes, two Yellow-browed Warblers, four Little Buntings, seven Lapland Buntings, an American Wigeon, three Green-winged Teal, 17 Ring-necked Ducks, a Taiga Bean Goose, a Tundra Bean Goose, a Black Brant, ten Glossy Ibises, six Glaucous Gulls and 21 Iceland Gulls.
Will Soar, RBA