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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Monday 18th December 2006  
  Bonaparte's Gulls were the main news of the day, with an adult being found at Blennerville, Co Kerry and belated news of an adult found yesterday at Walmsley Sanctuary, Cornwall, but not seen today. Another Falcated Duck was found, this time a drake in Kent, at Higham Bight, Cliffe. On the Shetland Isles, a probable Gyr was seen at Baltasound on Unst in the morning. Other new birds included a female Surf Scoter found at Langstone Harbour in Hampshire and two Northern Long-tailed Tits seen briefly at Tenterden in Kent. The Pallas's Warbler continued to show well at Holyhead on Anglesey.

The Ross's Gull was still at Loch Caolisport in Argyll and in Angus the Bonaparte's Gull was again at Ferryden. Both the Barrow's Goldneye in Forth and the Falcated Duck in Devon continued to perform, as did the Spotted Sandpiper in Cornwall and the Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler in Aberdeenshire. Both Lesser Scaups were seen on North Uist, Western Isles today.

The Balearic Shearwater continued to linger off Cley, Norfolk. Good numbers of Great Northern Divers continued to be seen at inland sites, with 17 present over the last couple of days, and Great Grey Shrikes were in Suffolk and Clyde today.
-  Pete Hayman, RBA
Sunday 17th December 2006  
  New rarities today included a White-billed Diver that flew south past three different coastal locations in Northeast England and a Great White Egret in Warwickshire. The Lesser Scaup was seen again Co Dublin (for the first time in two weeks), and on Shetland the drake Bufflehead was relocated on Unst.

Lingering rarities included the Ross's Gull, Argyll and Barrow's Goldeneye, Forth. Indeed, most of the rarities seen on Saturday were located again today, although there was no sign of the Black-eared Kite in Norfolk, the Long-billed Dowitcher in Kent nor the possible Redhead in Co Westmeath. Of note, four new Ring-necked Ducks and a Green-winged Teal have been found in Ireland in the past few days.

Wintering warblers seem to be benefiting from the mild conditions so far this winter, with a Pallas's Warbler found on Anglesey today adding to the tallies of seven Siberian Chiffchaffs, six Yellow-browed Warblers, single Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, Garden Warbler and Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler all seen in the last ten days. A Whinchat, Swallow and Turtle Dove are also among the summer migrants choosing to remaining in the British Isles.
-  Simon Mitchell, RBA
Saturday 16th December 2006  
  A possible first-winter drake Redhead was reported from County Westmeath in Ireland with two Ring-necked Ducks, whilst a Ferruginous Duck was found in County Armagh. In Britain easily the best new rarity was a first-winter Laughing Gull found in Conwy. Considering last year's influx it is perhaps surprising that this was yet another new bird rather than a returning individual.

In Ayrshire there was disappointment for many when the Ivory Gull was not relocated, but virtually all of the other long-staying rarities were still present today including most notably the Ross's Gull in Argyll, Black-eared Kite in Norfolk and Black Scoter in Conwy.

Several Caspian, Glaucous and Iceland Gulls were seen at scattered locations nationwide.
-  Simon Mitchell, RBA
Friday 15th December 2006  
  As would normally be expected in  for a weekday in late December there were no new true rarities, although a Snow Goose was found in Aberdeenshire and the White-rumped Sandpiper was seen again in Norfolk.

The majority of rarities from previous days were seen again including the Barrow's Goldeneye in Forth, the Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler in Aberdeenshire, the Ivory Gull in Ayrshire and the Ross's Gull in Argyll. Other rarities which also continued included the Bonaparte's Gull on Scilly and the Spotted Sandpiper in Cornwall. However there were no sightings of the Black-eared Kite in Norfolk nor of the incredibly long-staying Little Auk at Snettisham.
-  Simon Mitchell, RBA
Thursday 14th December 2006  
  Two new rarities were found during an otherwise quiet day. A 1st-winter Ross's Gull was at Lochgilphead, Argyll and a Black Duck was found on The Mullet, Co.Mayo. The Ivory Gull continued to be seen in Ayrshire, as did the Barrow's Goldeneye in Forth. Three very good rarities in a fairly small area means that a weekend trip to Scotland may prove tempting for many. Also in Scotland the Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler was still in Aberdeenshire.

Further south it was an exceptionally quiet day, although the Long-billed Dowitcher, Kent, Spotted Sandpiper in Cornwall and Black-eared Kite in Norfolk were all seen again, as was the Bonaparte's Gull on the Isles of Scilly
-  Simon Mitchell, RBA
Wednesday 13th December 2006  
  The undoubted highlight of an otherwise quiet day was an excellent 1st-winter Ivory Gull found at Greenan Ayrshire. The bird performed well throughout the afternoon, and looks set to draw a fair crowd over coming days if it remains in the area. Also in Scotland the Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler was confirmed at Donmouth.

The two Barrow's Goldeneyes were both seen again in Forth and County Down, as was the Falcated Duck in Devon, and the Black-eared Kite in Norfolk. Elsewhere several long-staying rarities were either not reported or appeared to have gone missing, but this may have been due, in part at least, to seemingly few birders in the field.
-  Simon Mitchell, RBA
Tuesday 12th December 2006  
  A probable Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler at Donmouth, Aberdeenshire, was the find of the day; following a blank autumn for this species, it may prove to be a popular attraction as the year draws to a close.

With the Leach's Petrel extravaganza largely over (apart from in Northwest England) it was left to the long-staying rarities to provide the rest of today's news. The juvenile Black-eared Kite in Norfolk was still the most popular attraction, but Marbled Duck in Essex, Bonaparte's Gull on Isles of Scilly, Snowy Owl on Lewis, Red-breasted Geese in Lincolnshire, Barrow's Goldeneye in Forth and Glossy Ibis in Lancashire also received attention.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Monday 11th December 2006  
  The highlight of the day was the continued presence of the juvenile Black-eared Kite at Snettisham, Norfolk. On the Isles of Scilly the first-winter Bonaparte's Gull was seen again on St Mary's.

In Scotland the Snowy Owl remained on Lewis, Western Isles as did the King Eider at Peterhead, Aberdeenshire and Lesser Scaups at both Caerlaverock, Dumfries and Galloway and North Uist, Western Isles.

Leach's Petrels continued to be seen from some coasts with the 52 reported from nine counties including maximum site counts of fifteen off Workington, Cumbria and at least seven passing Rossall Point, Lancashire.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Sunday 10th December 2006  
  Two new rarities were found today a White-billed Diver past Flamborough Head, Yorkshire and a Bonaparte's Gull in Co.Cork.

Other news included the re-appearance of the Glossy Ibis in Lancashire, and the continuing presence of all the major rarities including the Barrow's Goldeneye in Forth, Falcated Duck in Devon and Black-eared Kite in Norfolk. Rarities which also continued to be seen included Lesser Scaups in County Down and Dumfries and Galloway, the Spotted Sandpiper in Cornwall and the Cattle Egret in Devon.

The Leach's Petrel influx seems to have tailed off for the time being, with only a few birds reported today. In the last few days somewhere in the region of 2000 have been seen, making this the biggest wreck since 1989. At least 20 Great Northern Divers are still present at scattered inland reservoirs.
-  Simon Mitchell, RBA
Saturday 9th December 2006  
  A possible female Lesser Scaup reported in County Down was the only new rarity, though a Ring-necked Duck in Buckinghamshire was also noteworthy. The Black-eared Kite in Norfolk, Barrow's Goldeneye in Forth and Falcated Duck in Devon continued to be the headline birds.

Other rarities continuing to be seen included the Spotted Sandpiper in Cornwall, the Long-billed Dowitcher in Kent and the returning Ferruginous Duck in Kent. Also seen were the Great White Egret in Hampshire, the Cattle Egret in Devon and the Red-breasted Geese in Lincolnshire.

Leach's Petrels continue to be seen, mostly on the coast or sadly picked up dead inland. The peak counts today were 190 past Crosby Marina, Lancashire and 91 past St. Ives, Cornwall. Good numbers of Great Northern Divers continue to be seen at inland sites.
-  Simon Mitchell, RBA