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 16th February 2007  
  Yesterday's probable Lesser Scaup was today seen well, and confirmed as such. Up to ten different Lesser Scaups have been present across the British Isles since the turn of the year, with Scotland and Ireland producing lion's share.

Other rarities still present included the Barrow's Goldeneye in Forth, Spotted Sandpiper in Cornwall and Cattle Egret in Devon. Also present again were the newly-relocated Glossy Ibis in Lancs and the Long-billed Dowitcher on Anglesey.
-  Simon Mitchell, RBA
Thursday 15th February 2007  
  Today's highlight, causing some late afternoon excitement, was the reappearance of the Glossy Ibis near Lytham St Annes in Lancashire.  Belated reports of two new Lesser Scaups, one on Loch Leven yesterday and a probable at Cotswold Water Park on Tuesday, were also received today.

Elsewhere, the Lesser Scaups at Caerlaverock and Sonning Eye Gravel Pits were both still present today as was the Barrow's Goldeneye in Callander and the Ferruginous Duck at New Hythe Gravel Pits. The Bonapartes Gull was again near Montrose at Ferryden. Ross's Gull was also seen today again at Loch Fyne, but in very poor conditions, which may account for the Black-throated Thrush on Bute not making an appearance when searched for this morning.  In Norfolk, at Snettisham, the Black-eared Kite continued to show distantly and at London's Rainham Marshes the female Penduline Tit was showing again this morning before it flew off high from this site.

The Long-billed Dowitcher at Oare Marshes and the Spotted Sandpiper on the Hayle were again both present, but there was no sign of the Snowy Owl on Lewis.
-  Keith Langdon, RBA
Wednesday 14th February 2007  
  Argyll hosted a superb duo in the form of a first-winter Ross's Gull at Portavadie and Black-throated Thrush on Isle of Bute. The former was first reported on Sunday and is presumably the same bird that frequented nearby Loch Caolisport until 14th January. Elsewhere in Scotland the Snowy Owl once again reappeared on Lewis, Western Isles, whilst the Barrow's Goldeneye remained in Forth and the Lesser Scaup was still in Dumfries & Galloway.

Over in Ireland the Bufflehead was still in Co Clare and Long-billed Dowitcher still frequented Dundalk Docks, Co Louth. Southwest England produced both the Bonaparte's Gull on Isles of Scilly and Spotted Sandpiper in Cornwall.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Tuesday 13th February 2007  
  Plenty of long staying rarities were available today, including the American Robin in West Yorkshire, Black-eared Kite in Norfolk, Barrow's Goldeneye in Forth, Lesser Scaup in Oxfordshire, Bonaparte's Gulls in Angus and Co Cork, Forster's Tern in Co Galway and Long-billed Dowitcher in Kent. The best of the rest were the Little Bunting in Hertfordshire and American Wigeons in Pembrokeshire and Norfolk, the latter apparently present since the 30th January.

Belated news from Sunday related to the report of a first-winter Ross's Gull at Portavadie, Argyll and yet another Night Heron (of suspect origin) in the Northeast, this time at Mickletown in West Yorkshire.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Monday 12th February 2007  
  Long stayers included the American Robin in West Yorkshire, Barrow's Goldeneye in Forth, Bonaparte's Gull in Angus, Lesser Scaup in Dumfries & Galloway, Spotted Sandpiper in Cornwall, Ferruginous Duck in Bedfordshire and the King Eider remained in Highland. In Norfolk a first-winter drake American Wigeon was located at Buckenham Marshes RSPB and on the east coast of England several small flocks of Waxwings have been on show in recent days.

Ireland continued to host the Snowy Owl in Co Mayo, whilst Nimmo's Pier held the usual list of crackers, including the Forster's Tern and American Herring Gull.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Sunday 11th February 2007  
  In Co Mayo the Snowy Owl (last seen on 12th October) reappeared on Termon Mill, The Mullet whilst elsewhere in Ireland the Barrow's Goldeneye and Lesser Scaup remained in Co Down, Bufflehead in Co Clare and Long-billed Dowitcher in Co Louth whilst the American Herring Gull showed again in Co Galway as did the Bonaparte's Gull in Co Cork.

In Britain major rarities included the American Robin still in West Yorkshire, Black-eared Kite in Norfolk, Barrow's Goldeneye in Forth and Black-throated Thrush in Argyll. Other wintering British rarities reported today comprised three Lesser Scaups, a King Eider and a Bonaparte’s Gull in Scotland, two Ferruginous Ducks and a Spotted Sandpiper in England.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Saturday 10th February 2007  
  In West Yorkshire the increasingly elusive American Robin remained in Bingley, whilst in Argyll the Black-throated Thrush on Isle of Bute was equally elusive. Elsewhere in Scotland, Red-breasted Goose and Barrow's Goldeneye in Forth, Bonaparte's Gull in Angus, Lesser Scaup in Dumfries and Galloway and King Eider in Highland were all still on offer.

Further south, England produced several long-stayers, including Black-eared Kite in Norfolk, Spotted Sandpiper in Cornwall, Ferruginous Duck in Kent, Little Bunting in Hertfordshire, Penduline Tit in London and Long-billed Dowitcher in Kent whilst the Bonaparte's Gull put in another brief appearance on Scilly.

Ireland produced a whole host of goodies; Nimmo's Pier, Co Galway, alone held the fourth-winter American Herring Gull, Forster's Tern, six Ring-billed Gulls, at least twenty Iceland Gulls and a couple of Glaucous Gulls - quite a haul! Elsewhere, the Barrow's Goldeneye remained in Co Down, whilst Bufflehead in Co Clare, Lesser Yellowlegs and Surf Scoter in Co Cork and Hoopoe in Co Kerry were all available. Northern white-winged gulls were widespread.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Friday 9th February 2007  
  A relatively quiet day still managed to produce one new rarity, in the form of a drake King Eider at Clachtoll, Highland. Several long-stayers remained on show, chief of which was the American Robin in Bingley, West Yorkshire, whilst the Bonaparte's Gull in Angus was also notable. In Ireland, Lesser Yellowlegs and Forster's Tern in Co Cork and Bufflehead in Co Clare were all still available.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Thursday 8th February 2007  
  Long-staying rarities included the American Robin in Bingley, West Yorkshire, Barrow's Goldeneye at Loch Venachar and Red-breasted Goose near Stirling, Forth, Spotted Sandpiper at Hayle, Cornwall, Ferruginous Duck at New Hythe Gravel Pits, Kent, Lesser Scaup at Caerlaverock WWT, Dumfries & Galloway and Bonaparte's Gull at Ferryden, Angus. A report of a Laughing Gull also came from the latter site.

Two long-staying Surf Scoters remained on the south coast (off Beer, Devon and Penzance, Cornwall), whilst a couple were off the south coast of Ireland (in Co Cork and Co Wexford). Other quality wintering birds included the Richard's Pipit in Ceredigion, two American Wigeons together in Cornwall, Ring-necked Ducks in East Sussex and Suffolk and fine scattering of northern white-winged gulls.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Wednesday 7th February 2007  
  Although no new rarities were reported today, lingering species continued to perform well. The Barrow's Goldeneye in Forth was once again the top rarity but was supported by an excellent cast of species. Rare thrushes were represented by the American Robin in West Yorkshire and the Black-throated Thrush in Argyll. Rare wildfowl were comprised of the Black Scoter in North Wales, and several Green-winged Teal and American Wigeon across the British Isles.

A pod of Killer Whales in the Firth of Forth have also proven popular in recent days with at least one individual present today, and as many as 5 present during the last week.
-  Simon Mitchell, RBA