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 26th February 2007  
  Belated news from yesterday related to an adult White-billed Diver in Hayle Harbour, Cornwall - a superb find, especially in southwest England. Unfortunately there was no sign of the bird today. However, the extremely elusive white morph Gyr in the Stepper Point area was intermittently on show, and the county also produced the Dusky Warbler at Newquay and Spotted Sandpiper at Hayle, where an Osprey also flew over. 

Elsewhere long-staying rarities included the Black-eared Kite in Norfolk, Pacific Diver in Pembrokeshire, Lesser Scaups in Dumfries and Galloway and Oxfordshire, Bonaparte's Gull in Angus, Barrow's Goldeneye in Forth, Cattle Egret in Devon and Ferruginous Duck in Kent. The immature White-tailed Eagle made another appearance at Loch of Strathbeg, Aberdeenshire.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Sunday 25th February 2007  
  Today was a day of more of the same. Two birds found in recent days, the Dusky Warbler in Cornwall and the Laughing Gull in Devon, both put in appearances. In Argyll, in west Scotland, both the Ross's Gull and the Black-throated Thrush were to be seen and both Pacific Divers, in Cornwall and south Wales, remained.

Two White-billed Divers on Lewis, at Tiumpan Head, may have been the birds seen yesterday at Skigersta, or maybe there are four birds now in the area. In Perth and Kinross, a second Lesser Scaup joined the long staying bird at Loch Leven. Many other long staying rarities could be found around the country, including two Barrow's Goldeneyes, the Bufflehead in Ireland and the Black-eared Kite in Norfolk.

Other interesting records included a Rough-legged Buzzard at Snettisham in Norfolk, an Avocet on Mainland Orkney and an arrival of Mealy Redpolls on the Northern Isles. A Grey Phalarope remained on the Thames in London and a Temminck's Stint remained at Slimbridge in Gloucestershire, with a large number of 'white-winged' gulls now present in Ireland.
-  Pete Hayman, RBA
Saturday 24th February 2007  
  More new rarities were discovered today, with a Dusky Warbler in Cornwall and 2.White-billed Divers seen off Lewis. The now-expected records of White-billed Diver from the Western Isles appear to be occurring over a greater time-span than was first realised with most birds in previous years found during April.

The Laughing Gull performed well Devon, though it had moved slightly from yesterday. Also popular in the South-west were the Cattle Egret in Devon and Spotted Sandpiper in Cornwall. Plenty of other rarities were still present including the two Barrow's Goldeneyes the Black-eared Kite still in Norfolk and the Long-billed Dowitcher in Kent 
-  Simon Mitchell, RBA
Friday 23rd February 2007  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of a 1st-winter Laughing Gull at Exmouth in Cornwall. This is presumably the same bird which was last seen in Kingsteignton last month. The other main news was the continued presence of both Pacific Divers in Cornwall and Pembrokeshire. A Ross's Gull was also reported in County Cork

Other rarities still present included the Glossy Ibis in Lancashire, the Bonaparte's Gull on Scilly, and the Spotted Sandpiper in Cornwall. The one of the two Snowy Owls on Lewis continued to be co-operative, allowing birders to successfully twitch it from the mainland.
-  Simon Mitchell, RBA
Thursday 22nd February 2007  
  The only new birds today were in Ireland, where a Great White Egret was reported from Broad Lough in County Wicklow and there was a possible American Herring Gull at Rossaveal in County Galway. Also at Rossaveal were 21 Iceland Gulls, a Glaucous Gull and 2 Ring-billed Gulls. Elsewhere, both Pacific Divers, the juvenile in south Wales and the adult in Cornwall, remained, but the latter was somewhat elusive. Also in Cornwall, there was another unconfirmed report of a Gyr near Padstow.

Several long-stayers could still be found, including the Barrow's Goldeneye in Forth, the Bufflehead in County Clare, Lesser Scaups in Dumfries & Galloway and Oxfordshire, the Spotted Sandpiper in Cornwall, the Cattle Egret in Devon and the Long-billed Dowitcher in County Louth. In Hertfordshire, the Litte Bunting remained at Amwell Gravel Pits, but continued to be best viewed early in the morning.

The first Sand Martin of the year flew over Slimbridge WWT reserve in Gloucestershire.
-  Pete Hayman, RBA
Wednesday 21st February 2007  
  The main news today concerned the two Pacific Divers, the juvenile at Llys-y-Fran Reservoir in Pembrokeshire and the adult at Penzance in Cornwall, which both remained and continued to attract interest.

In Scotland an untagged immature White-tailed Eagle was at Loch of Strathbeg RSPB reserve in Aberdeenshire until early afternoon when it flew south, and in Argyll the Ross's Gull was still at Loch Fyne and the Black-throated Thrush remained on Bute, whilst in Ireland, in County Kerry, the drake Black Duck was found again at Ventry Harbour. The juvenile Black-eared Kite was still to be seen to the south of Snettisham RSPB reserve in Norfolk and the two Snowy Owls remained on Lewis in the Western Isles along with the two Lesser Scaup on Benbecula.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Tuesday 20th February 2007  
  Expert opinion confirmed the identity of both Pacific Divers although, whilst the juvenile showed well at Llys-y-Fran Reservoir, Pembrokeshire, the adult at Penzance, Cornwall proved more elusive

Two Snowy Owls together on Lewis, Western Isles was a surprise whilst, elsewhere in Scotland, the Barrow's Goldeneye remained in Forth and the Bonaparte's Gull in Angus. 

In Wales the Black Scoter showed again off Conwy whilst in England the Penduline Tit remained in London as did the Spotted Sandpiper in Cornwall. The mobile Glossy Ibis made a brief appearance on Merseyside and plenty of other long-staying rarities included five Lesser Scaups, three Long-billed Dowitchers, a Lesser Yellowlegs and a Ferruginous Duck.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Monday 19th February 2007  
  Headline birds seen today included the Black-throated Thrush in Argyll, Glossy Ibis in Lancashire, Black-eared Kite in Norfolk, Penduline Tit in London, Lesser Scaup in Gloucestershire and both possible Pacific Divers (the adult in Cornwall and juvenile in Pembrokeshire) were still on show.

Other long stayers included the Spotted Sandpiper in Cornwall and Ferruginous Duck in Kent, whilst in Ireland Co Galway offered the Forster's Tern, and in Co Louth continued to host the Long-billed Dowitcher.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Sunday 18th February 2007  
  Divers dominated the headlines with a juvenile White-billed Diver a new discovery off Unst, Shetland Isles and the two possible Pacific Divers both remaining; the juvenile at Llys-y-Fran Reservoir, Pembrokeshire and the adult at Penzance, Cornwall. The identity of both these birds remains unclear at present.

Elsewhere, the Black-eared Kite, Glossy Ibis and Spotted Sandpiper remained in England, Snowy Owl, Forster's Tern, Long-billed Dowitcher and Lesser Yellowlegs in Ireland, Black Scoter and Long-billed Dowitcher in Wales and both Barrow's Goldeneye and Bonaparte's Gull in Scotland.

Waxwings continued to be seen in eastern Britain with at least ninety birds recorded, including over twenty in Cleveland, Norfolk and Northumberland.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Saturday 17th February 2007  
  Two sightings today are likely to stimulate debate more than all the others put together. The first concerns the re-appearance of the bird considered by some to be a Pacific Diver at Llyns-y-Fran Reservoir, Pembrokeshire. Even more surprising, another possible Pacific Diver (this time an adult) was seen throughout the day off Penzance, Cornwall. Hopefully high quality photographs of both will emerge in due course, which should allow definite identification of both birds. 

Long-staying rarities elsewhere provided birders with plenty to keep them busy. The Black-eared Kite undertook a bizarre early morning sortie across the wash to Gibraltar Point NNR, Lincolnshire where it was then seen to head back south before being relocated around Dersingham Bog, Norfolk . Wildfowl were well represent with the Barrow's Goldeneye still present in Forth, at least 6 Lesser Scaups reported, as well as the female Bufflehead in County Clare and the Black Scoter in Conwy. Rare waders also continued to delight including the Spotted Sandpiper in Cornwall and Long-billed Dowtichers in Kent, Anglesey and County Louth.
-  Simon Mitchell, RBA