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| Tuesday 6th February 2007 | ||
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| No new rarities were reported today and consequently lingering wildfowl
proved very popular. The wintering Barrow's Goldeneye was again near
Callander in Forth, the Bufflehead was still in Co.Clare and the
returning Black Scoter was again off Llanfairfechan, Conwy. Also Lesser
Scaups were still in Dumfries & Galloway and Oxfordshire as were Ferruginous
Ducks in Bedfordshire & Kent.
Elsewhere American Robin was still at Bingley in West Yorkshire showing on & off, while a single Penduline Tit showed well this morning at Rainham Marshes RSPB in London, while the Forster's Tern was again noted in Co.Cork. Lesser Yellowlegs in Norfolk, Long-billed Dowitcher in Kent and Spotted Sandpiper in Cornwall were also still present today. However, there was no sign of the Black-throated Thrush on Bute, Argyll or the Red-breasted Goose in Forth. |
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| - Keith Langdon, 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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| Monday 5th February 2007 | ||
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| Following the yesterday’s departure of the Pacific Diver from Farnham, North Yorkshire, today saw the Pembrokeshire individual follow suit with it leaving to the southwest mid morning. Other major rarities remained with highlights consisting of
Black-eared Kite in Norfolk, Barrow's Goldeneye in Forth, American Robin in West Yorkshire,
Black-throated Thrush in Argyll and Red-breasted Goose in Forth. Other long staying rarities still present today included the Black Scoter in Conwy, Forster's Tern in Co Galway, Spotted Sandpiper in Cornwall, Cattle Egret in Devon, Lesser Yellowlegs in Norfolk and both Long-billed Dowitcher and Ferruginous Duck in Kent. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Sunday 4th February 2007 | ||
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| In Pembrokeshire the juvenile Pacific Diver remained for its third day at Llys-y-Fran
Resr, but in North Yorkshire the Sunday show ended prematurely when the
Pacific Diver left Farnham Gravel Pits just after 9am. Nearby, the
American Robin was still present at Bingley, West Yorkshire, to console
those who arrived at Farnham just a little bit too late.
Scotland received plenty of attention today; the Black-throated Thrush continued to frequent gardens on Isle of Bute, the Red-breasted Goose and Barrow's Goldeneye remained in Forth, two Lesser Scaups were on Benbecula, Western Isles and the Bonaparte's Gull reappeared at Ferryden, Angus. However, a Killer Whale, present in the Firth of Forth for several days, probably attracted more attention than all the Scottish rarities put together! Elsewhere the Black-eared Kite and Lesser Yellowlegs continued to attract birders to Norfolk, whilst the southwest offered the Spotted Sandpiper in Cornwall and Conwy continued to host the Black Scoter, which was showing reasonably well on the calm sea. A first-winter Laughing Gull discovered in Torbay, Devon, was probably the bird recently in the Kingsteignton area and the Red-breasted Goose in Hampshire was relocated at Needs Ore. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Saturday 3rd February 2007 | ||
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| In Pembrokeshire a juvenile diver present for its second day
at Llys-y-Fran Reservoir appears to be a Pacific Diver! The bird lacks a white flank patch, has a pale grey hind-neck, a 'vent-strap' and
apparently appears to be small and delicately built. Although there is no
indication of a chin strap, this may not be that significant in juvenile
plumage. So, unlikely as it may be, it appears there may be two Pacific
Divers currently in Britain - how many more are lurking undetected in
secluded Scottish bays!?
The juvenile Pacific Diver in North Yorkshire delighted weekend crowds throughout the day at Farnham Gravel Pits. Nearby the American Robin remained at Bingley, West Yorkshire, allowing diver twitchers to enjoy a superb Nearctic-double. A Red-breasted Goose was located with Pink-footed Geese just east of Stirling, Forth late in the afternoon, but the flock soon departed to the east. Elsewhere there was a fine selection of birds on offer. One of the most popular was the Little Bunting at Amwell Gravel Pits in Hertfordshire. It was superbly found on Wednesday, but today was the first day is was twitchable. The southeast region also offered a Penduline Tit at Rainham Marshes, London, Falcated Duck and Long-billed Dowitcher in Kent and two Ferruginous Ducks, in Kent and Bedfordshire. The Spotted Sandpiper was still in Cornwall and the Bonaparte's Gull showed again in Devon. In Scotland the Black-throated Thrush on Bute, Argyll and Barrow's Goldeneye in Forth were both still available and in Norfolk the Lesser Yellowlegs and Black-eared Kite were still on show. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Friday 2nd February 2007 | ||
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| The juvenile Pacific Diver continued to perform at Farnham Gravel
Pits, North Yorkshire and often showed well to a still sizeable following.
Elsewhere the American Robin was still on show in West Yorkshire, the
Lesser Yellowlegs and Black-eared Kite were still available in
Norfolk and the Isle of Bute, Argyll, continued to host the Black-throated
Thrush. In Southwest England the Bonaparte's Gulls in Devon and Isles
of Scilly and Spotted Sandpiper in Cornwall were the star birds, whilst
Kent continued to hold the Long-billed Dowitcher at Oare and Falcated
Duck at Cliffe.
Late news from yesterday involved a report of a Cattle Egret flying over Pulborough Brooks RSPB, West Sussex and on Wednesday a Little Bunting was discovered at Amwell Gravel Pits, Hertfordshire. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Thursday 1st February 2007 | ||
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| The juvenile Pacific Diver continued to attract plenty of attention at
Farnham Gravel Pits, North Yorkshire and not far away in West Yorkshire, the
first-winter American Robin remained in Bingley. A fine scattering of
long-staying rarities across the British Isles included the Black-throated
Thrush on Bute, Barrow's Goldeneye in Forth, Black-eared Kite
and Lesser Yellowlegs in Norfolk, Bonaparte's Gull on Otter
Estuary, Devon, Lesser Scaup in Oxfordshire and Spotted Sandpiper
in Cornwall.
In Ireland the Bufflehead was still in Co Clare, and further north in Co Galway, the adult Forster's Tern was still at Nimmo's Pier. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Wednesday 31st January 2007 | ||
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| Once again Yorkshire dominated the headlines with the both the Pacific Diver at Farnham and
American Robin at Bingley showing well throughout the day. The Gyr was seen again near Padstow, Cornwall and the
Black-throated Thrush remained on the Isle of Bute, Argyll but both birds proved very elusive today. Two White-billed Divers at Kirkabister, Shetland Isles was a new discovery, as was a Bonaparte's Gull on the Otter Estuary, Devon. Elsewhere, the Black-eared Kite remained at Snettisham, Norfolk as did the Bufflehead in Co Clare, Forster's Tern in Co Cork, Spotted Sandpiper in Cornwall, Lesser Yellowlegs in Norfolk and Long-billed Dowitchers in Kent and Co Louth. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Tuesday 30th January 2007 | ||
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| For many birders the highlight of the day was the continued presence of both the
Pacific Diver at Farnham, North Yorkshire and American Robin at Bingley, West Yorkshire - two fantastic Nearctic rarities within twenty miles of each other! Breaking news came from Cornwall of a white morph Gyr at Stepper Point, Padstow where it has apparently been present for several weeks. Elsewhere, the Barrow's Goldeneye remained in Callander, Forth as did the Black-eared Kite at Snettisham, Norfolk, Black-throated Thrush on the Isle of Bute, Argyll, Bufflehead at Lough Atedaun, Co Clare and Forster's Terns in both Co Cork and Co Galway. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Monday 29th January 2007 | ||
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| The highlight today was breaking news of a juvenile Pacific Diver - the North American form of Black-throated Diver,
pacifica - at Farnham, Knaresborough in North Yorkshire. This is the first record of this form
for both the British Isles and the Western Palearctic. The bird has been present at this site for over two weeks and,
after initially being presumed to be a Black-throated Diver, the exact identity was not realised until recent days. Despite attempts to suppress the
occurrence, news was broadcast widely this morning and allowed everyone the chance to see this extreme rarity. Pacific Diver is
not currently not classified as a full species by the British Ornithologists' Union but is granted
full species status by many other taxonomic authorities. An excellent selection of major rarities remaining in situ comprised the Black-throated Thrush on the Isle of Bute, Argyll, American Robin in Bingley, West Yorkshire, Black-eared Kite at Snettisham, Norfolk, Bufflehead in Co Clare and Forster's Tern in Co Galway, whilst a Penduline Tit was a new discovery at Swanscombe, Kent. Other over wintering American birds included Long-billed Dowitchers in Kent, Co Louth and Anglesey, Lesser Scaups in Oxon and Western Isles and the Spotted Sandpiper in Cornwall. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Sunday 28th January 2007 | ||
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| In West Yorkshire the stunning first-winter American Robin continued
to attract plenty of attention at Bingley, where the Firecrest also
remained. Late in the evening news of a Black-throated Thrush on Bute,
Argyll, seeped out - the bird has been present since Wednesday, but in
gardens in Rothesay, to which access has been denied. Hopefully a viewing
solution will be worked out in the next day or two.
The best of the rest was much the same as yesterday, with Lesser Yellowlegs and Black-eared Kite in Norfolk, Ferruginous Ducks in Bedfordshire and Kent, Cattle Egret in Devon, Spotted Sandpiper in Cornwall and Red-breasted Goose in Hampshire all proving popular. In Ireland Forster's Terns were the flavour of the day; an adult at Pilmore Strand, Co Cork was presumably last year's returning bird, and in Co Galway another site-faithful adult continued to show well at Nimmo's Pier. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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