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
Monday 27th February 2023  
 

Rarities today comprised the Double-crested Cormorant still in County Leitrim, American Herring Gull on the Western Isles, Greater Yellowlegs in County Waterford, Baikal Teal in Gwynedd, Red-breasted Goose in Argyll, Hume's Warbler in Kent, Eastern Yellow Wagtail in Suffolk, Dusky Warbler in Wiltshire, both Long-billed Dowitcher and Ferruginous Duck in Norfolk, White-rumped Sandpiper in Gloucestershire, King Eiders in Cleveland and the Shetland Isles, Richardson's Cackling Goose in Northumberland, White-billed Diver on Shetland, and a Black Kite reported briefly in West Sussex.

Scarcities included Pallas's Warbler (Norfolk), Richard's Pipit (Gloucestershire), Ring-billed Gull (County Fermanagh), Surf Scoter (Conwy), Great Grey Shrike (Hampshire), Green-winged Teal (Highland), two each of American Wigeon and Black Brant, three Lapland Buntings, four Glossy Ibises, 10 Shorelarks, 11 Ring-necked Ducks, and a total of 13 Waxwings.

Incoming summer migrants included a Sand Martin in Somerset.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Sunday 26th February 2023  
 

Discoveries today included an American Herring Gull on the Western Isles on Lewis at Stornoway with a White-billed Diver off Vatersay, and on the Shetland Isles a Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll on Mainland at Hoswick.

Rarities elsewhere comprised White-winged Scoters still in both Lothian and County Mayo, Forster's Tern in County Galway, Greater Yellowlegs in County Waterford, Black Scoter in Northumberland, Baikal Teal in Gwynedd, Hume's Warbler in Kent, Eastern Yellow Wagtail in Suffolk, Dusky Warbler in Wiltshire, Long-billed Dowitcher and two Ferruginous Ducks in Norfolk, White-rumped Sandpiper in Gloucestershire, King Eider in Cleveland, Lesser Scaup in Somerset, Richardson's Cackling Goose in County Mayo, a White-billed Diver in Shetland, and in Dorset the Black Kite showed again at Winterborne Kingston.

Scarcities included Ring-billed Gull (County Louth), Great Grey Shrike (Moray), two each of Pallas's Warbler, Rough-legged Buzzard, Richard's Pipit, Surf Scoter, and American Wigeon, three Green-winged Teals, four of Lapland Bunting and Snow Goose, six Glossy Ibises, 11 Ring-necked Ducks, 13 Shorelarks, and 15 Waxwings.

Incoming summer migrants included Garganey (Somerset), Swallow (Isle of Wight), House Martin (Devon), and Sand Martin (Cornwall).
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Saturday 25th February 2023  
  Lingering rarities still present today included the Isabelline Wheatear in Cornwall, Eastern Yellow Wagtail in Suffolk, Eastern Stonechat species in Yorkshire, Hume's Warblers in Somerset and Kent, Baikal Teal in Gwynedd, King Eider in Cleveland, three Ferruginous Ducks in Norfolk, Lesser Scaup in Somerset, Double-crested Cormorant in County Leitrim, Greater Yellowlegs in County Waterford and White-rumped Sandpiper in Gloucestershire.

Scarcity highlights included a Richard's Pipit, a Little Bunting, a Great Grey Shrike, two Pallas's Warblers, two Lapland Buntings, nine Shorelarks, 19 Waxwings, a Rough-legged Buzzard, 12 Glossy Ibises, an American Wigeon, two Green-winged Teal, seven Surf Scoters, 14 Ring-necked Ducks, a Snow Goose, a Todd's Canada Goose, eight Tundra Bean Geese, a Little Auk, a Kumlien's Gull, two Ring-billed Gulls, nine Glaucous Gulls and 16 Iceland Gulls.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Friday 24th February 2023  
 

Rarities today comprised the White-rumped Sandpiper in Gloucestershire, Long-billed Dowitcher in Cheshire, two Lesser Scaups in Somerset and Western Isles respectively, Eastern Yellow Wagtail in Suffolk, King Eider in Cleveland, three Hume's Warblers, two in Kent and one in Somerset, Penduline Tit in Somerset, Baikal Teal in Gwynedd, Bonaparte's Gull in County Antrim, Greater Yellowlegs in County Waterford, and probable Siberian Stonechat in South Yorkshire.

Scarcities included two Pallas's Warblers, three Green-winged Teal, two Snow Geese, six Ring-billed Gulls, three Lapland Buntings, seven Ring-necked Ducks, 14 Iceland Gulls, seven Glaucous Gulls, six Glossy Ibises, Great Grey Shrikes, Richard's Pipit, four Tundra Bean Geese, Kumlien's Gull, 10 Shorelarks, an American Wigeon, a total of 20 Waxwings, and five Killer Whales.
-  Ben Clark, RBA
Thursday 23rd February 2023  
 

The highlight of the day was the report of an Egyptian Vulture in County Westmeath at Athlone, other new discoveries compromised of a Red-rumped Swallow in County Kerry at Lough Leane, and a probable Siberian Stonechat in South Yorkshire at Totley Moor.

Rarities elsewhere today comprised the Greater Yellowlegs in County Waterford, two Penduline Tits and a Lesser Scaup in Somerset,Eastern Yellow Wagtail in Suffolk Long-billed Dowitcher and a Ferruginous Duck in Norfolk, White-rumped Sandpiper in Gloucestershire, two Hume's Warblers, one in Kent and one in Somerset, Double-crested Cormorant in County Leitrim, Forster's Tern in County Galway, and King Eider in Cleveland.

Scarcities included two Pallas's Warblers, two Green-winged Teal, a Snow Goose, two Surf Scoter, one+ Lapland Bunting, nine Ring-necked Ducks, 17 Iceland Gulls, nine Glaucous Gulls, three Glossy Ibises, three Great Grey Shrikes, six Tundra Bean Geese, three Kumlien's Gulls, seven+ Shorelarks, an American Wigeon, and a total of 24 Waxwings.
-  Ben Clark, RBA
Wednesday 22nd February 2023  
 

The highlight of the day was the discovery of a Hume's Warbler in Kent at Elmstone; the third in that county this year with further birds in Norfolk and Somerset (the latter still present today).

Rarities elsewhere today comprised the Greater Yellowlegs still in County Waterford, two Penduline Tits together in Somerset, Eastern Yellow Wagtail in Suffolk, Long-billed Dowitcher and two Ferruginous Ducks in Norfolk, White-rumped Sandpiper in Gloucestershire, Red-breasted Goose in Argyll, and King Eider in Cleveland.

Scarcities included Pallas's Warbler (County Durham), Snow Goose (County Offaly), two Richard's Pipits, three Green-winged Teals, six Ring-necked Ducks, 10 Glossy Ibises, and a total of 21 Waxwings.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Tuesday 21st February 2023  
 

Rarities today comprised the White-winged Scoter still in County Mayo, Isabelline Wheatear in Cornwall, Hume's Warblers in Kent and Somerset, Eastern Yellow Wagtail in Suffolk, Penduline Tits in Somerset (2) and East Sussex, White-rumped Sandpiper in Gloucestershire, Long-billed Dowitchers in Cheshire and Norfolk, King Eider in Cleveland, Lesser Scaup in Somerset, Richardson's Cackling Goose in Argyll, and three Ferruginous Ducks together in Norfolk.

Scarcities included Pallas's Warbler (County Durham), Richard's Pipit (Gloucestershire), Hoopoe (Pembrokeshire), Great Grey Shrike (Hampshire), American Wigeon (Oxfordshire), Snow Goose (Cumbria), Black Brant (Essex), two each of Ring-billed Gull, Surf Scoter and Green-winged Teal, three Little Buntings, four Lapland Buntings, six Glossy Ibises, eight Ring-necked Ducks, nine Shorelarks, and a total of 15 Waxwings.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Monday 20th February 2023  
 

Rarities today comprised the Black-throated Thrush still in North Yorkshire, Greater Yellowlegs in County Waterford, American Herring Gull and Isabelline Wheatear both still in Cornwall, Hume's Warbler in Somerset, Pallid Harrier, Long-billed Dowitcher, and three Ferruginous Ducks in Norfolk, Eastern Yellow Wagtail in Suffolk, White-rumped Sandpiper in Gloucestershire, King Eider in Cleveland, Lesser Scaups in Somerset, Surrey, and the Western Isles, and Penduline Tits in East Sussex (2) and Somerset (2).

Scarcities included Pallas's Warbler (County Durham), Ring-billed Gull (Cornwall), American Wigeon (Oxfordshire), Great Grey Shrike (Hampshire), Snow Goose (Cumbria), Black Brant (Kent), two each of Richard's Pipit, Surf Scoter, Lapland Bunting, and Green-winged Teal, four Glossy Ibises, nine Shorelarks, 13 Ring-necked Ducks, and a total of 19 Waxwings.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Sunday 19th February 2023  
 

Discoveries today included a Black-throated Thrush in North Yorkshire at Wykeham - the fourth to be located so far this winter - and a Penduline Tit in Somerset at Ham Wall.

Other rarities comprised American Herring Gull and Isabelline Wheatear both still in Cornwall, Forster's Tern in County Galway, Greater Yellowlegs in County Waterford, Black Scoter in Northumberland, Pallid Harrier, Long-billed Dowitcher, and three Ferruginous Ducks in Norfolk, Hume's Warblers in Kent and Somerset, White-rumped Sandpiper in Gloucestershire, Eastern Yellow Wagtail in Suffolk, King Eider Cleveland, and Lesser Scaups in both Somerset and Surrey.

Scarcities included Pallas's Warbler (County Durham), Richard's Pipit (Isles of Scilly), Great Grey Shrike (Hampshire), two each of American Wigeon, Surf Scoter, and Snow Goose, three of Ring-billed Gull and Green-winged Teal, 10 of Shorelark and Glossy Ibis, 16 Ring-necked Ducks, and a total of 27 Waxwings.

Significant late news concerned a Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll present yesterday at Kergord, Shetland.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Saturday 18th February 2023  
  Rarities seen today included the Harlequin Duck, Lesser Scaup and Richardson's Cackling Goose in Western Isles, White-winged Scoter and Richardson's Cackling Goose in County Mayo, Red-breasted Goose and Richardson's Cackling Goose in Argyll, Lesser Scaups in Surrey and Somerset, three Ferruginous Ducks and a Long-billed Dowitcher in Norfolk, White-rumped Sandpiper in Gloucestershire, American Herring Gull in Cornwall, White-billed Diver in Shetland, Hume's Warblers in Somerset and Kent and Eastern Yellow Wagtail in Suffolk.

Scarcity highlights included a Pallas's Warbler, a Richard's Pipit, a Great Grey Shrike, two Little Buntings, nine Shorelarks, 27 Waxwings, 11 Glossy Ibises, an American Wigeon, a Green-winged Teal, three Surf Scoters, 11 Ring-necked Ducks, seven Tundra Bean Geese, 12 Taiga Bean Geese, a Kumlien's Gull, three Ring-billed Gulls, four Glaucous Gulls and 13 Iceland Gulls.
-  Will Soar, RBA