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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Sunday 18th March 2007  
  Strong north-west winds across much of the country somewhat put the brakes on spring migration, but despite this, a Hoopoe was found at Knighton in north Somerset, and a Purple Heron was reported at Doxey Marshes in Staffordshire. The winds brought in some very unseasonal seabirds with 33 Little Auks past The Butt of Lewis on the Western Isles and Leach's Petrels recorded in Aberdeenshire, Argyll (seven birds) and Conwy. Kittiwakes appeared inland in Herefordshire and Berkshire, and a Fulmar was found by gull watchers inland at Wheldrake Ings in Yorkshire.

Although no new rarities were found, the Black-throated Thrush was seen again on the Isle of Bute, the two Snowy Owls were again on Lewis and the Lesser Scaup was relocated near Belturbet in County Cavan. Two American Herring Gulls were reported in Cornwall, with two others still on Lewis and in County Galway. Regulars still present included the Pacific Diver in Pembrokeshire, the two Red-breasted Geese in Norfolk, Lesser Scaup at Blagdon Lake in Somerset, White-billed Diver in Cornwall and Laughing Gull near Exeter in Devon.
-  Pete Hayman, RBA
Saturday 17th March 2007  
  Three new rarities were located today though all three were difficult to access. On Shetland a fine drake King Eider was seen for the first time since early Jan off Symbister, Whalsay and on the Outer Hebridies a probable 1st-winter American Herring Gull was on Lewis. In London a  Ferrugious Duck was reported from William Girling Reservoir but access here is restricted.

 The Red-breasted Geese performed well again in Norfolk, as did the Long-billed Dowitcher in Essex. The Lesser Scaup was seen again in Somerset and Cornwall continued to host a superb cast of  American Herring Gull, Spotted Sandpiper, White-billed Diver and Gyr Falcon.

Over 75 Iceland Gulls were reported from across the UK and Ireland (50 of these at Killybegs in Donegal) and there were also at least 15 Glaucous Gulls. These numbers look set to increase even more next week with strong Northerly and North-westerly winds expected. Hopefully one or two rarer arctic gulls may also be drifted south.
-  Simon Mitchell, RBA
Friday 16th March 2007  
  Two new rarities were found today a White-billed Diver seen close inshore from Whalsay, Shetland and yet another Lesser Scaup in Ireland, this time a drake at Lough Erne in County Cavan.

The Red-breasted Geese were seen again in Norfolk for the first time in a couple of days. The Pacific Diver was also seen again in Pembrokeshire and the Snowy Owl on Lewis was also located for the first time in a few days. Other long-staying rarities included the elusive Gyr Falcon, the White-billed Diver, Spotted Sandpiper and Dusky Warbler all still in Cornwall and the Laughing Gull in Devon. Away from the South-west the Long-billed Dowitcher remained in Essex, as did the Glossy Ibis in Lancashire.

Spring migrants continue to arrive with Sand Martins and Chiffchaffs now being recorded on most local patches southwards from the midlands. A notable arrival of Wheatears today included at least 20 at Portland, Dorset. 
-  Simon Mitchell, RBA
Thursday 15th March 2007  
  A quieter day today with no new rarities being reported, though plenty of commoner spring migrants continue to arrive. Chiffchaff and Sand Martin are both now abundant, there are plenty of Wheatears, White Wagtails and Little Ringed Plovers, while Ospreys, Swallows, House Martins, Willow Warblers and the odd Ring Ouzel are also being reported.

On the rarity front, Cornwall is still leading the way with the White-billed Diver and Spotted Sandpiper both still on the Hayle Estuary, the Gyr is still present, though it is now roosting at Pentire Point and the American Herring Gull roosted again on St.Clement's Island.

Elsewhere, the Long-billed Dowitchers were again on the Stour estuary on the Essex/Suffolk border and in Dundalk docks in Co.Louth, the Laughing Gull was still at Matford Pools in Devon and the Glossy Ibis was again at Ballam in Lancashire.  In Scotland, the Barrow's Goldenye was today in the centre Callander in Forth and the White-tailed Eagle was once more at the Loch of Strathbeg RSPB in Aberdeenshire.
-  Keith Langdon, RBA
Wednesday 14th March 2007  
  A Rustic Bunting was a surprise find at Saltfleetby, Lincolnshire. An American Herring Gull was a more predictable discovery at Killybegs, Co Donegal with the continued presence of other American Herring Gulls confirmed at Mousehole, Cornwall and Nimmo's Pier, Co Galway. Additional evidence of early spring movement by vagrants came from six Green-winged Teals, two American Wigeons together in East Yorkshire and a Common Crane in Oxfordshire.

In Cornwall the Gyr was reported again but, unlike the White-billed Diver, Spotted Sandpiper and Dusky Warbler in the same county, it managed to avoid the many visiting birders.

Over-wintering rarities included the Glossy Ibis in Lancashire, Long-billed Dowitcher on Anglesey and Red-breasted Geese in Norfolk. The Laughing Gull showed again in Devon as did the White-tailed Eagle in Aberdeenshire and the Long-billed Dowitcher on the Essex/Suffolk border.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Tuesday 13th March 2007  
  Another day of warm weather produced further arrivals of Chiffchaffs, Sand Martins and Wheatears, along with one or two early Willow Warblers. With these came an adult Night Heron on St.Mary's on the Scillies, the second of the year, following one in south Devon on Sunday. The Long-billed Dowitcher remained on the Essex/Suffolk border at Mistley Walls and, in Norfolk, the two adult Red-breasted Geese continued to entertain at Wells. The first winter Laughing Gull put in another appearance near Exeter, this time at Countess Wear, and the drake Lesser Scaup remained at Blagdon Lake in Somerset. However, at Caerlaverock, only one Lesser Scaup remained, the long-staying female.

The Gyr put in another brief appearance near Polzeath in north Cornwall, but the White-billed Diver remained more confiding on the Hayle Estuary. Elsewhere long-stayers included the Dusky Warbler at Newquay, the White-tailed Eagle in Aberdeenshire, the Glossy Ibis in Lancashire, the Black-eared Kite in Norfolk, the Little Bunting in Hertfordshire and the Grey Phalarope on the River Thames in London.
-  Pete Hayman, RBA
Monday 12th March 2007  
  A male Lesser Scaup at Caerlaverock, Dumfries and Galloway was a new arrival and joined the long-staying female at this site. A Great White Egret put in a brief appearance at the Camel Estuary, Cornwall where the white Gyr, Dusky Warbler and American Wigeon all remained.

The Pacific Diver reappeared at Lly-y-Fran Reservoir, Pembrokeshire whilst over-wintering rarities included the Barrow's Goldeneye in Forth, Glossy Ibis in Lancashire, American Herring Gull in Co Galway and Spotted Sandpiper in Cornwall.

The White-billed Diver continued to show well at Hayle, Cornwall as did the pair of Red-breasted Geese at Wells, Norfolk, the White-tailed Eagle in Aberdeenshire, Lesser Scaup in Somerset and Long-billed Dowitcher in Suffolk.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Sunday 11th March 2007  
  Two new rarities were found today: a drake Lesser Scaup was at Blagdon Lake, Somerset and an Alpine Swift was reported flying north over Martin Mere WWT, Lancashire. Aside from these much of the focus of the day involved the first big arrivals of Sand Martins with numbers passing through over twenty sites. A total of 6 Wheatears were also recorded and large numbers of Chiffchaffs were heard singing across the country.

The two recently relocated Red-breasted Geese in Norfolk were deservedly popular, as was the Long-billed Dowitcher in Essex. Elsewhere the South-west continued to dominate the rarity headlines with White-billed Diver, Gyr Falcon, Spotted Sandpiper and Dusky Warbler all still present in Cornwall.
-  Simon Mitchell, RBA
Saturday 10th March 2007  
  Two Red-breasted Geese with Dark-bellied Brent Geese at Warham Greens, Norfolk was an interesting discovery and seem most likely to be the pair found in the Netherlands in early autumn 2006 before relocating to coastal Lincolnshire and spending the period 12th October to 23rd January 2007 there with a flock of over wintering Dark-bellied Brent Geese.

In Cornwall the white Gyr was again only seen at dawn whilst the White-billed Diver, Spotted Sandpiper and Dusky Warbler showed throughout the day. Elsewhere in England the Long-billed Dowitcher crossed the Suffolk-Essex border on several occasions and in Devon the Laughing Gull relocated to Bowling Green Marsh.

In Scotland Barrow's Goldeneye, Snowy Owl, White-tailed Eagle, Lesser Scaup all remained and in Wales the Black Scoter was seen again at Llanfairfechan, Conwy.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Friday 9th March 2007  
  Highlights today include the news that there are now two Snowy Owls on the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides and the discovery of a Long-billed Dowitcher on the Essex/Suffolk border near Manningtree. The Desert Wheatear at Irlam, Greater Manchester attracted a lot attention this morning though its stay was unfortunately brief.

In Cornwall the Gyr was again seen to roost at Stepper Point having left very early this morning. Also in Cornwall, the White-billed Diver continued to show well on the Hayle Estuary, where the Spotted Sandpiper remained and nearby the probable Central Asian Lesser Whitethroat (form halimodendri) was still in Lelant. Also, the Dusky Warbler was again seen on and off in Newquay.

In Devon Cattle Egret was present again today at Budleigh Salterton and the Laughing Gull was at Exeminster Marshes RSPB this morning. The Black-eared Kite was again around Dersingham Bog in Norfolk, the Pacific Diver was seen this morning again on Llys-y-Fran Reservoir, Pembrokeshire and the long-staying Long-billed Dowitcher was again at Oare Marshes in Kent. In Scotland, the Black-throated Thrush on Bute, Barrow's Goldeneye on Loch Venachar, untagged White-tailed Eagle at Loch of Strathbeg RSPB and Lesser Scaups at Caerlaverock and Benbecula were all still present.
-  Keith Langdon, RBA