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 17th January 2007  
  A quiet day today, with no new rarities being reported. The highlight again has to be the juvenile Black-eared Kite still roaming North Norfolk seen today over Blakeney Point and Thornham where the Lesser Yellowlegs was also again present.

Elsewhere the 1st-winter Laughing Gull was still in Newton Abbot at various locations throughout the morning, also in Devon the Cattle Egret was also still present. The adult Bonaparte's Gull was still in Angus this morning with 1st winters still on the Isles of Scilly and in Co. Antrim, while in Cornwall the Spotted Sandpiper was also noted again today on the Hayle. In Bedfordshire the female Ferruginous Duck was seen again as was the 1st-winter Long-billed Dowitcher in Kent, however only one of the Red-breasted Geese was seen today in Lincolnshire.
-  Keith Langdon, RBA
Tuesday 16th January 2007  
  One of the highlights of the day was the reappearance of the Black-eared Kite between Cley and Blakeney, Norfolk. Elsewhere, the Ross's Gull continued in Argyll, as did the Laughing Gull in Devon, Red-breasted Geese in Lincolnshire and American Herring Gull in Co Galway. A Lesser Scaup was a new discovery on Benbecula, Western Isles.

Overwintering Nearctic vagrants continued to be well represented with Bonaparte's Gulls in Co Antrim and the Isles of Scilly, Long-billed Dowitchers in Kent and Co Louth, Spotted Sandpiper in Cornwall and Lesser Yellowlegs in Norfolk.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Monday 15th January 2007  
  A Bonaparte's Gull near Dingle, Co Kerry was a new discovery whilst other Bonaparte's Gulls remained on the Isles of Scilly and in Co Antrim. Highlights from elsewhere in Ireland included the Bufflehead still in Co Clare and the American Herring Gull again showing well in Co Galway.

The increasingly mobile Barrow's Goldeneye was seen again near Callander, Forth and, in Norfolk, the Black-eared Kite relocated again; being present at Snettisham during the morning before being seen over Holkham and Warham Greens late in the afternoon. In Devon the Laughing Gull continued to show well in Newton Abbot.

The Lesser Yellowlegs that remains in Thornham Harbour, Norfolk headlined today’s cast of Nearctic waders, with the Spotted Sandpiper still in Cornwall and single Long-billed Dowitchers still in Anglesey, Kent and Co Louth.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Sunday 14th January 2007  
  At least one male Penduline Tit joined the female at Rainham Marshes RSPB, London, this afternoon, but both were typically elusive in the wind-battered reedbed. A busy Sunday also saw the reappearance of a couple of old friends. The adult female Ferruginous Duck returned to Elstow Claypits, Bedfordshire, for its 8th winter and in Co Galway the American Herring Gull returned to Nimmo's Pier - this time sporting fourth winter plumage.

In Norfolk the confiding Lesser Yellowlegs remained at Thornham, and the (much) less confiding Black-eared Kite was again showing on and off between Snettisham and Dersingham Bog. In the southwest region Devon hosted the Laughing Gull in the Newton Abbot/ Teign Estuary area and the Bonaparte's Gull was again in Plymouth. The Spotted Sandpiper was still in Cornwall and on Scilly the Bonaparte's Gull reappeared, this time on Tresco. On Anglesey the Long-billed Dowitcher was relocated on the Inland Sea and yet another Bonaparte's Gull remained at Ferryden, Angus, but apart from this long-stayer Scotland was devoid of rarities.

Ireland held several long-stayers including the Red-throated Pipit in Co Dublin, Bufflehead in Co Clare, Bonaparte's Gull in Co Antrim and Long-billied Dowitcher in Co Louth. In Co Galway, as well as the returning American Herring Gull, Nimmo's Pier held three Ring-billed Gulls, a second-winter Kumlien's Gull, seven Iceland Gulls and two Glaucous Gulls - nothing short of a mouth-watering gull-fest.

An adult white morph Snow Goose (presumably the Lesser Snow Goose from Norfolk) was noted with a large Pink-footed Goose movement over Frampton Marsh, Lincolnshire, Girton, Nottinghamshire and finally Poolsbrook, Derbyshire - next stop Lancashire.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Saturday 13th January 2007  
  An excellent day today, with three new rarities found. A Lesser Yellowlegs was an excellent find at Thornham Harbour, Norfolk and will likely be much appreciated by birders visiting nearby Norfolk hotspots in coming days. In Devon another great find was a 1st-winter Laughing Gull found at the River Teign Estuary though later seen upstream in Newton Abbot. In Kent a Great White Egret was seen briefly from Capel Fleet.

Other rarities still present included the Snowy Owl on Lewis, the Ross's Gull seen again in Argyll, and the elusive Gyr Falcon on Fetlar, Shetland. More accessible rarities included the Penduline Tit at Rainham Marshes RSPB, Essex, the Long-billed Dowitcher at Oare Marshes NR, Kent and the Ferruginous Duck at New Hythe, Kent.
-  Simon Mitchell, RBA
Friday 12th January 2007  
  No new rarities were found today, but it continues to be a busy winter period, with plenty to keep birders occupied in all parts of the country.

The ever popular Black-eared Kite was seen again around Snettisham in Norfolk. Other rarities continued to impress including the Long-billed Dowitcher in Kent, Cattle Egret in Devon and Bonaparte's Gull in Angus. In Ireland the Dowitcher sp. at Dundalk Docks, County Louth that was previously reported as Short-billed now appears to be a Long-billed Dowitcher. Also in Ireland the Bonaparte's Gull continued at Whitehead, County Antrim. Interesting late news was received that an adult Forster's Tern (presumably the returning bird from previous years) was seen at Nimmo's Pier, County Galway on 6th January.
-  Simon Mitchell, RBA
Thursday 11th January 2007  
  The first-winter drake Falcated Duck and Cattle Egret both remained in Devon, at Exminster Marshes RSPB and Otterton respectively. In Hampshire the Great White Egret reappeared at Blashford Lakes HWT and in Scotland the Bonaparte's Gull in Angus, Snowy Owl on Lewis and adult drake Barrow's Goldeneye in Forth were all still available.

Across the Irish Sea, the dowitcher species, probably a Short-billed Dowitcher, was still at Dundalk Docks, Co Louth, whilst the first-winter Bonaparte's Gull continued to show well at Whitehead, Co Antrim.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Wednesday 10th January 2007  
  A reasonable selection of rarities were spread around Britain and Ireland today. In Scotland the Barrow's Goldeneye was still at Loch Venachar, Forth, the Ross's Gull remained in Argyll and the Bonaparte's Gull was again at Ferryden, Angus. Away from the Mainland the Snowy Owl remained on Lewis and the Bufflehead continued its stay on Unst. Much further south were the pair of Red-breasted Geese in Lincolnshire, Cattle Egret and Falcated Duck in Devon, Lesser Scaup in Oxfordshire, Long-billed Dowitcher in Kent and Spotted Sandpiper in Cornwall.

In Ireland yesterday's probable Short-billed Dowitcher was seen again at Dundalk Docks, Co Louth (but the identification has yet to be clinched), the Bonaparte's Gull remained in Co Antrim, the drake Barrow's Goldeneye was still at Quoile Pondage NR, Co Down, and the Red-throated Pipit continued to frequent stubble fields at Rogerstown Estuary, Co Dublin.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Tuesday 9th January 2007  
  The two new rarities discovered today were both in Ireland: a first-winter Bonaparte's Gull at Whitehead, Co Antrim and, potentially of much greater significance, a dowitcher - believed to be a Short-billed Dowitcher (but not heard to call) - a Dundalk, Co Louth.

Elsewhere many of the long-staying rarities remained with the Black-eared Kite still at Snettisham, Norfolk, Barrow's Goldeneye at Loch Venachar, Forth, Bufflehead at Lough Atedaun, Co Clare, Ross's Gull at Ormsary Water, Argyll and two Red-breasted Geese still with Dark-bellied Brent Geese at Donna Nook, Lincolnshire.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Monday 8th January 2007  
  Both of the recently present Buffleheads were still showing today; a male on Unst, Shetland and a female at Lough Atedaun, Co Clare. The Black-eared Kite was seen again over Snettisham, Norfolk, whilst in Argyll the Ross's Gull continued to show well at Ormsary Water.

Other wintering rarities seen today included the Red-throated Pipit in Co Dublin, Penduline Tit in London, Lesser Scaup in Oxon, Bonaparte's Gull in Angus and Cattle Egret in Devon.
-  Chris Batty, RBA