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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Friday 3rd March 2023  
  An American Herring Gull was discovered at Fort William, Highland today.

Lingering rarities included the Baikal Teal in Gwynedd, Lesser Scaup in Oxfordshire, King Eider in Cleveland, Ferruginous Duck and Long-billed Dowitcher in Norfolk, White-rumped Sandpiper in Gloucestershire, Richardson's Cackling Goose in Northumberland, Forster's Tern in County Galway, Eastern Yellow Wagtail in Suffolk and Hume's Warbler in Somerset.

Scarcity highlights included a Pallas's Warbler, two Great Grey Shrikes, two Little Buntings, two Lapland Buntings, seven Shorelarks, eight Waxwings, six Glossy Ibises, two Surf Scoters, three American Wigeon, four Green-winged Teal, nine Ring-necked Ducks, a Todd's Canada Goose, two Black Brants, six Tundra Bean Geese, eight Glaucous Gulls and 14 Iceland Gulls.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Thursday 2nd March 2023  
 

Rarities today comprised the Isabelline Wheatear still in Cornwall, Baikal Teal in Gwynedd, Eastern Yellow Wagtail in Suffolk, Long-billed Dowitcher and two Ferruginous Ducks in Norfolk, White-rumped Sandpiper in Gloucestershire, Lesser Scaup in Oxfordshire (new at Farmoor Reservoir) and the Western Isles, King Eiders in Cleveland and the Shetland Isles, Richardson's Cackling Geese in Argyll and Northumberland, and a White-billed Diver on Shetland.

Scarcities included Pallas's Warbler (Nottinghamshire), Lapland Bunting (Norfolk), two each of Ring-billed Gull, Richard's Pipit, American Wigeon, and Black Brant, three of Surf Scoter and Green-winged Teal, four Glossy Ibises, five Waxwings, eight Ring-necked Duck, and a total of 11 Shorelarks.

Incoming summer migrants included Osprey (Devon), Ring Ouzel (Essex), and an early Whinchat reported (Isles of Scilly).
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Wednesday 1st March 2023  
 

Rarities today comprised of three Richardson's Cackling Geese, two in Argyll and one in Norfolk, Red-breasted Goose in Argyll, Long-billed Dowitcher in Norfolk, two Lesser Scaups in Somerset and Western Isles respectively, Eastern Yellow Wagtail in Suffolk, two Hume's Warblers,in Kent and Somerset respectively, Baikal Teal in Gwynedd, Greater Yellowlegs in County Waterford, two probable American Herring Gulls in Cornwall, and three Ferruginous Ducks in Norfolk.

Scarcities included two Pallas's Warblers, a Surf Scoter, a Snow Goose, five Ring-billed Gulls, five Lapland Buntings, 14 Ring-necked Ducks, six Iceland Gulls, four Glaucous Gulls, four Glossy Ibises, possible two Grey-bellied Brants, a Richard's Pipit, six Tundra Bean Geese, a Kumlien's Gull, 10 Shorelarks, three American Wigeons, two Green-winged Teal, a total of 15 Waxwings, and two+ Killer Whales.
-  Ben Clark, RBA
Tuesday 28th February 2023  
 

Rarities today comprised the Baikal Teal still in Gwynedd, Hume's Warblers in both Kent and Somerset, Eastern Yellow Wagtail in Suffolk, White-rumped Sandpiper in Gloucestershire, Long-billed Dowitcher in Norfolk, and Richardson's Cackling Geese in both Northumberland and the Western Isles.

Scarcities included Pallas's Warbler (Nottinghamshire), Great Grey Shrike (Northumberland), Green-winged Teal (Western Isles), two each of Little Bunting, Richard's Pipit, Ring-billed Gull, American Wigeon, Lapland Bunting, and Black Brant, four Glossy Ibises, six of Ring-necked Duck and Shorelark, four Surf Scoters, and a total of 15 Waxwings.

Incoming summer migrants included Garganey (Somerset) and Wheatear (Isle of Wight).
-  Chris Batty, RBA
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