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| Saturday 27th January 2007 | ||
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| The American Robin was predictably today's star attraction and the
bird performed well for the weekend crowds. Otherwise it was business as usual,
with several long staying rarities spread around the country. These included the
Barrow's Goldeneye in Forth, Lesser Scaup in Oxfordshire,
Long-billed Dowitchers in Anglesey and Kent, Red-breasted Goose in
Hampshire (the bird previously in neighbouring Dorset), Ferruginous Ducks
in Bedfordshire and Kent, Black-eared Kite and Lesser Yellowlegs
in Norfolk, Cattle Egret in Devon, Spotted Sandpiper in Cornwall
and Penduline Tit in London.
The Bufflehead remained in situ in Co Clare, as did the Lesser Scaup in Co Down and adult Forster's Tern in Co Galway. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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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 26th January 2007 | ||
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| Although no new rarities were discovered, there was still plenty to keep
birders entertained. The American Robin in West Yorkshire continued to be
rightly popular. This is the first ever record for Yorkshire, and only the
second truly inland record (following one in Surrey in 1966). In Norfolk the Lesser
Yellowlegs and Black-eared Kite were also crowd-pleasers. The
Penduline Tit put in a brief appearance at Rainham Marshes RSPB, Essex, but
there was no sign of the Long-billed Dowitcher at Oare Marshes, Kent. A
possible Arctic Redpoll was reported from the Manchester area. This
combined with a probable at Kilnsea, East Yorkshire on Wednesday means it may be
time to start checking local Redpoll flocks, as more could be on the way.
Other rarities still present included Spotted Sandpiper, Cattle Egret and Bonaparte's Gull in the South-west, the Ferruginous Duck in Bedforshire, and the Forster's Tern in County Galway, Ireland |
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| - Simon Mitchell, RBA | ||
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| Thursday 25th January 2007 | ||
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| The first-winter American Robin continued to show well on and off in
Bingley, West Yorkshire, and along with a Firecrest in the same area, entertained an
appreciative mid-week crowd. No doubt that Saturday will see a significant
influx of birders into the area if the Nearctic beauty is still present
tomorrow.
Elsewhere an extraordinary January record concerned an unseasonal Temminck's Stint at Slimbridge WWT, Gloucestershire, where the long-staying party of three Tundra Bean Geese also remained in situ. Rarities were still widespread today, with the highlights including Lesser Yellowlegs and Black-eared Kite in Norfolk, Laughing Gull in Devon, Spotted Sandpiper in Cornwall, Barrow's Goldeneye in Forth, Lesser Scaup in Oxfordshire and Black Scoter in Conwy. In Ireland the adult Forster's Tern returned to Nimmo's Pier, where an impressive gull-cast was headlined by the fourth-winter American Herring Gull. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Wednesday 24th January 2007 | ||
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| News of the presence of a first-winter American Robin in Bingley, West Yorkshire,
was released today, to the delight of both Yorkshire and year listers. This
first for the county was actually discovered about three weeks ago by
non-birders, but the report was only taken seriously after a local birdwatcher
was shown a photograph of the delightful thrush. The bird was soon located early
this morning and after the news was eventually released at 11am, it
intermittently showed well in gardens and on wasteground into the late
afternoon.
Elsewhere the Black-eared Kite and Lesser Yellowlegs were both still in Norfolk and three Penduline Tits were seen at Rainham Marshes RSPB, London. How many are actually lurking in the reedbeds at this site? In Devon the first-winter Laughing Gull reappeared, this time at Stover Country Park and long-stayers included the Barrow's Goldeneye in Forth, Spotted Sandpiper in Cornwall, Cattle Egret in Devon and Lesser Scaup in Oxfordshire. On Shetland, the released adult dark morph Rough-legged Hawk remains at large on Mainland, being seen at Channerwick this afternoon. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Tuesday 23rd January 2007 | ||
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| Interest was maintained by many long-staying rarities including the Black-eared Kite and
Lesser Yellowlegs in Norfolk, Bufflehead in Co Clare, Penduline Tit in London,
Spotted Sandpiper in Cornwall, Bonaparte's Gull in Angus, Red-breasted Goose in Lincolnshire and
Lesser Scaup in Oxfordshire. More Iceland Gulls and Glaucous Gulls were seen, perhaps associated with same northerly winds that produced a trickle of Little Auks and a few Blue Fulmars along the English east coast. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Monday 22nd January 2007 | ||
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| Although there were no new discoveries reported today, a Great White Egret at Walberswick, Suffolk showed for the first time in a week and interest was maintained by the continued presence of several rarities. The
Black-eared Kite remained around Snettisham, Norfolk, as did the Barrow's Goldeneye in Callander, Forth. The
Lesser Yellowlegs continued to show well at Thornham Harbour, Norfolk and likewise the
Spotted Sandpiper on the Hayle Estuary, Cornwall, Long-billed Dowitcher
at Oare Marshes, Kent and Cattle Egret at Otterton, Devon. More northern white-winged gulls were reported with peak counts of Iceland Gulls including 15 on the Shetland Isles and 12 at Galway, Co Galway, with the fourth-winter American Herring Gull remaining at the latter site alongside four adult Ring-billed Gulls and two Glaucous Gulls. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Sunday 21st January 2007 | ||
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| A busy Sunday produced little in the way of new crowd-pullers, but there were
still plenty of long-staying rarities to entertain the January crowds. The most
popular attractions included the showy Lesser Yellowlegs at Thornham,
Norfolk, Penduline Tit at Rainham Marshes RSPB, London, Spotted
Sandpiper at Hayle Estuary, Cornwall and Cattle Egret at Otterton,
Devon. Black-eared Kite in Norfolk, Red-breasted Geese in
Lincolnshire and Dorset, Ferruginous Ducks in Bedfordshire and Kent,
Bonaparte's Gull in Angus, Barrow's Goldeneye in Forth, Great
White Egret in Hampshire and two first-winter drake Lesser Scaups on
the Western Isles were all still available.
Across the Irish Sea, Blue-winged Teal in Co Dublin, Bufflehead in Co Clare, Bonaparte's Gull in Co Antrim and Lesser Scaup in Co Down created the headlines. The description of a thrush, seen for only 2-3 seconds at Forest Farm, Glamorgan, best fitted an Eyebrowed Thrush - finding a Mega in a winter thrush flock is truly the stuff of dreams - if anything more comes of this record, the finder will become very popular indeed! |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Saturday 20th January 2007 | ||
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| A drake Falcated Duck discovered late in the day at Strumpshaw Fen
RSPB, Norfolk, is likely to spark more debate on the origin of the recent individuals in
Britain. Hopefully it should be possible to work out whether it is one of the
two drakes seen until recently in Kent and Devon. Other rare wildfowl included
the Blue-winged Teal in County Dublin (reported today for the first time
in two weeks), the Barrow's Goldeneyes in County Antrim and Forth, and
the drake Bufflehead on Shetland.
Rarities in the South-west of England were comprised of the Laughing Gull, Cattle Egret, American Golden Plover and Spotted Sandpiper which all remained. In Essex the Penduline Tit at Rainham Marshes RSPB was once again supported by the re-appearing Grey Phalarope. Nearby in Kent, the Ferruginous Duck was present at New Hythe and another more recently discovered bird was still at Elstow Clay Pits in Bedfordshire. The popular Lesser Yellowlegs was still at Thornham Harbour, Norfolk. |
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| - Simon Mitchell, RBA | ||
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| Friday 19th January 2007 | ||
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| The good spell for new rarities continued with the exciting discovery of
1st-winter Franklin's Gull at Aberystwyth Harbour, Ceredigion, which
could possibly be linked to the storms. Also newly located was an
American Golden Plover near Bude, Cornwall.
Other rarities still remaining included the Barrow's Goldeneye in Forth, the Lesser Yellowlegs in Norfolk and the Red-breasted Geese in Lincolnshire. In Ireland the Red-throated Pipit was seen again in County Dublin, but there was again no sign of the Long-billed Dowitcher there. The 1st-winter Laughing Gull was seen again in Devon, as was the Spotted Sandpiper in Cornwall and the elusive Penduline Tit in Essex. |
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| - Simon Mitchell, RBA | ||
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| Thursday 18th January 2007 | ||
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| Gale force winds kept most people indoors today, but those who did venture
out were rewarded with the continuing presence of several rarities. These
included the Lesser Yellowlegs at Thornham, Norfolk, Barrow's
Goldeneye in Forth, Bufflehead on Unst, Shetland, Red-breasted Goose
on the Lincolnshire coast and Spotted Sandpiper in Cornwall.
Surprisingly the strong winds did not produce much seabird action, but a lone Leach's Petrels was logged off Milford-on-Sea, Hampshire. White-winged gulls are starting to appear in larger numbers, mainly in the usual Irish and Western Scotland locations. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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