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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Wednesday 29th March 2023  
 

Rarities today comprised the Ross's Gull still in Aberdeenshire, a Hume's Warbler and four Penduline Tits in Kent, Long-billed Dowitcher in Cheshire, King Eiders in both Cleveland and Lothian, Richardson's Cackling Goose in Northumberland, Lesser Scaups in Clyde and Somerset, Ferruginous Ducks in Norfolk and Staffordshire, and a White-billed Diver in Moray. The Alpine Swift influx continued with 14 logged today across 11 counties comprising eight in Britain and six in Ireland and including four still toegther at Ballycastle, County Antrim.

Scarcities included Serin (Isle of Wight), Rough-legged Buzzard (Shetland Isles), Richard's Pipit (Isles of Scilly), American Wigeon (Oxfordshire), Shorelark (East Yorkshire), Waxwing (Highland), two each of both Hoopoe and Great Grey Shrike, eight Glossy Ibises, and a total of 15 Ring-necked Ducks.

Incoming summer migrants included 15 Garganey, six Yellow Wagtails, five Sedge Warblers, two Common Terns, Ring Ouzel and Tree Pipit.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Tuesday 28th March 2023  
 

Rarities today comprised the Ross's Gull still in Aberdeenshire, three Penduline Tits still together in County Cork, Long-billed Dowitchers in both Norfolk and the Orkney Isles, King Eiders in Cleveland and Lothian, Lesser Scaup in Clyde, Richardson's Cackling Goose in Argyll, and a White-billed Diver in Moray. The Alpine Swift influx continued with 14 logged today across eight counties comprising nine in Ireland and five in Britain and including four toegther at Ballycastle, County Antrim.

Scarcities included Serin (Kent), Rough-legged Buzzard (Shetland Isles), Richard's Pipit (Isles of Scilly), Great Grey Shrike (Kent), Waxwing (Highland), two Hoopoes, three Green-winged Teals, five Glossy Ibises, and a total of 10 Ring-necked Ducks.

Incoming summer migrants included 18 Garganey, four of both Common Tern and Yellow Wagtail, two Sedge Warblers, and a Ring Ouzel.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Monday 27th March 2023  
 

Rarities today comprised the Lesser Kestrel still on the Isles of Scilly, Forster's Tern still in County Galway, Ross's Gull in Aberdeenshire, Black Scoter and Richardson's Cackling Goose both in Northumberland, two Hume's Warblers in Kent, Eastern Yellow Wagtail in Suffolk, Long-billed Dowitchers in Cheshire and Norfolk, King Eiders in Cleveland and Lothian, Lesser Scaups in Clyde, Oxfordshire and Somerset, and a White-billed Diver in Moray. The Alpine Swift influx continued with 17 logged today across 12 counties comprising 10 in Britain and seven in Ireland and including new birds in Argyll, Cornwall, and London.

Scarcities included Little Bunting (Cornwall), American Wigeon (Oxfordshire), Waxwing (Highland), two each of both Hoopoe and Great Grey Shrike, three Green-winged Teals, eight Ring-billed Gulls, nine Glossy Ibises, and a total of 14 Ring-necked Ducks.

Incoming summer migrants included 14 Garganey, four Yellow Wagtails, two of both Reed Warbler and Sedge Warbler, and single Whinchat, Tree Pipit, and Ring Ouzel.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Sunday 26th March 2023  
 

Rarities today comprised the Lesser Kestrel still on the Isles of Scilly, Double-crested Cormorant still in County Leitrim, both Black Scoter and Richardson's Cackkling Goose in Northumberland, Red-breasted Goose in Argyll, Long-billed Dowitchers in Cheshire and Norfolk, King Eiders in Cleveland and Lothian, Ferruginous Duck in Norfolk, Lesser Scaups in Clyde, Oxfordshire, and Somerset, and in County Cork the part of three Penduline Tits were relocated at Lough Beg. The Alpine Swift influx continued with 20 logged today across 10 counties comprising 14 in Britain and six in Ireland and including new birds in County Armagh, London, and Staffordshire.

Scarities included Richard's Pipit (Scilly), Little Bunting (Cornwall), two each of Hoopoe, Great Grey Shrike, Ring-billed Gull, American Wigeon, and Surf Scoter, four Green-winged Teals, eight Glossy Ibises, nine Shorelarks, 12 Ring-necked Ducks, and a total of 15 Waxwings.

Incoming summer migrants included 23 Garganey, three each of Ring Ouzel and Yellow Wagtail, and a Sedge Warbler.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Saturday 25th March 2023  
 

Rarities today included the Lesser Kestrel still on the Isles of Scilly, Forster's Tern still in County Galway, Ross's Gull in Aberdeenshire, Black Scoter and Richardson's Cackling Goose both in Northumberland, Hume's Warbler and three Penduline Tits in Kent, Long-billed Dowitchers in Cheshire, Norfolk, and the Orkney Isles, King Eider in Cleveland, and Lesser Scaups in Clyde, Oxfordshire, and Somerset. The Alpine Swift influx continued with 34 logged today across 14 counties comprising 23 in Britain and 11 in Ireland

Scarcities included Richard's Pipit (Scilly), two each of both Little Bunting and Hoopoe, three of Lapland Bunting and Green-winged Teal, four of Ring-billed Gull, Surf Scoter, and Great Grey Shrike, 10 of Ring-necked Duck and Shorelark, 16 Glossy Ibises, and a total of 28 Waxwings.

Incoming summer migrants included 18 Garganey, three Hobbies, two Arctic Skuas, Ring Ouzel, Redstart, Sedge Warbler, and Yellow Wagtail.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Friday 24th March 2023  
 

The highlight of the day was the discovery of a Great Spotted Cuckoo in Suffolk at Easton Bavents.

Rarities elsewhere included the Lesser Kestrel still on the Isles of Scilly, Ross's Gull still in Aberdeenshire, Black Scoter and Richardson's Cackling Goose both in Northumberland, Pallid Harrier and Long-billed Dowitcher in Norfolk, four Penduline Tits together in Kent at Elmley, King Eider in Cleveland, Lesser Scaup in Oxfordshire, and White-billed Diver in Moray. The Alpine Swift influx continued with 37 logged today across 16 counties comprising 29 in Britain and eight in Ireland.

Scarcities included Richard's Pipit (Scilly), Surf Scoter (Argyll), two each of American Wigeon, Little Bunting, Lapland Bunting, and Great Grey Shrike, three Green-winged Teals, six each of Glossy Ibis and Waxwing, seven Shorelarks, and eight Ring-necked Ducks.

Incoming summer migrants included 13 Garganey, six Ospreys, Ring Ouzel, Reed Warbler, Hobby, and Yellow Wagtail.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Thursday 23rd March 2023  
 

The highlight of the day was the discovery of an adult male Lesser Kestrel on the Isles of Scilly on St Mary's; the third individual on that island this millennium following others in 2002 and 2020.

The Alpine Swift influx continued with 41 logged today across 15 counties comprising 24 in Britain, 16 in Ireland, and one on the Isle of Man. In Britain birds were in Argyll, Devon (5), HertfordshireKent (4), Lincolnshire (3), Lothian (3), North Yorkshire (2), Norfolk (4), and Suffolk, and in Ireland in County Antrim, County Cork (3), County Down (2), County Dublin (2), County Waterford (3), and County Wicklow (5).

Other rarities included the Ross's Gull still in Aberdeenshire, Black Scoter and Richardson's Cackling Goose in Northumberland, Pallid Harrier in Norfolk, Coues's Arctic Redpoll in County Antrim, two Penduline Tits together in Kent, Long-billed Dowitchers in both Cheshire and Norfolk, King Eider in Cleveland, and Lesser Scaups in Argyll, Oxfordshire, and Somerset.

Scarcities included Serin (Kent), Richard's Pipit (Scilly), Little Bunting (Hertfordshire), Ring-billed Gull (County Antrim), American Wigeon (Northumberland), Great Grey Shrike (Highland), Shorelark (East Yorkshire), two each of both Rough-legged Buzzard and Lapland Bunting, three Green-winged Teals, 10 of both Ring-necked Duck and Glossy Ibis, and a total of 14 Waxwings.

Incoming summer migrants included 12 Garganey, four Ospreys, three Ring Ouzels, two each of both Hobby and Arctic Skua, and a Yellow Wagtail.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Wednesday 22nd March 2023  
 

The Alpine Swift influx continued with 37 logged today across 18 counties comprising 25 in Britain, 11 in Ireland, and one on the Isle of Man. In Britain birds were in East Yorkshire (3), Devon (2), Dumfries and Galloway (2), Ceredigion, Flintshire, Isle of Wight, Kent, Lincolnshire, Lothian, Northumberland, Norfolk, Somerset, and Wirral, and in Ireland in County Cork (3), County Dublin (2), County Galway (2), and County Wicklow (4).

Other rarities comprised the Ross's Gull still in Aberdeenshire, Baikal Teal in Gwynedd, Hume's Warbler in Kent, Pallid Harrier in Norfolk, Long-billed Dowitchers in both Cheshire and Norfolk, Eastern Yellow Wagtail in Suffolk, Richardson's Cackling Goose in Northumberland, King Eiders in Cleveland and Lothian, and Lesser Scaups in Argyll and Oxfordshire.

Scarcities included Little Bunting and Ring-billed Gull (Cornwall), Richard's Pipit (Isles of Scilly), Hoopoe (Pembrokeshire), Green-winged Teal (Essex), three Great Grey Shrikes, seven Shorelarks, eight Ring-necked Ducks, nine Glossy Ibises, and a total of 15 Waxwings.

Incoming summer migrants included 11 Garganey, six Ring Ouzels, Stone Curlew (Kent), Sedge Warbler (Norfolk), and Yellow Wagtail (Essex).
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Tuesday 21st March 2023  
  The star bird today was a Short-toed Eagle in Suffolk/Norfolk that flew over Santon Downham mid-morning, as well as this a White-billed Diver was seen in Fife at Elie Ness, the Alpine Swift influx continued on, with new birds in Kent at Cliftonville, North Foreland, Norfolk at Winterton, Devon at Eastdon (four), London at London Bridge, East Sussex at Eastbourne (three), West Sussex at Bosham, North Chailey, County Kerry at Blennerville, County Antrim at Rathlin Island, East Yorkshire at Thornwick Bay, Lothian at Dunbar. Birds lingered in Norfolk, Isle of Man, East Yorkshire, Devon, County Cork, County Dublin, and Lincolnshire.

Continuing rarities included the Richardson's Cackling Goose in Northumberland, Long-billed Dowitchers in Norfolk and Cheshire, Eastern Yellow Wagtail in Suffolk, King Eider in Cleveland, Ross's Gull in Aberdeenshire, Lesser Scaup in Oxfordshire, Cornwall, and Argyll, Baikal Teal in Gwynedd, Penduline Tit in Kent, Pallid Harrier in Norfolk.

Scarcity highlights included two Little Buntings, Lapland Bunting, Great Grey Shrike, 21 Waxwings, White Stork, eight Glossy Ibises, four Green-winged Teal, American Wigeon, Surf Scoter, four Shorelarks, Purple Heron, seven Ring-necked Ducks, Black Brant, Kumlien's Gull, two Tundra Bean Geese, two Glaucous Gulls, nine Iceland Gulls, and four White-beaked Dolphins.
-  Ben Clark, RBA
Monday 20th March 2023  
  The Alpine Swift influx continued to gather pace, with new birds in Kent at Shuart, Norfolk at Sheringham (two), Sidestrand, Cley Marshes, Devon at Teignmouth (three), Lincolnshire at Chapel Six Marshes (two), Kent at Oare Marshes (two), Glamorgan at Porthcawl, County Dublin at Blackrock (eight), County Armagh at Oxford Island, County Cork at Rosscarbery, Cork (two), Isle of Wight at Brading, Dumfries and Galloway at Rockcliffe. Birds lingered in Yorkshire, County Cork, County Waterford, County Dublin, Devon, Lincolnshire, Kent. A Lesser Scaup in Argyll was the only other new rarity.

Lingering rarities included the Black Duck in County Mayo, Long-billed Dowitchers in Norfolk and Orkney, Lesser Scaup in Somerset, King Eider in Cleveland, Pallid Harrier in Norfolk, two Penduline Tits in Kent, three Hume's Warblers in Kent.

Scarcity highlights included a Hoopoe, Little Auk, two Little Buntings, Great Grey Shrike, Waxwing, Dutch-ringed White Stork, eight Glossy Ibises, Rough-legged Buzzard, three Green-winged Teal, two American Wigeon, Surf Scoter, 12 Ring-necked Ducks, Kumlien's Gull, two Tundra Bean Geese, Ring-billed Gull, five Glaucous Gulls and 11 Iceland Gulls.
-  Ben Clark, RBA