Daily News Summaries
This page gives you access to all of RBA's daily news summaries (since April 13, 2006), 10 days at a time. The most recent are shown, or you can select a specific date to show (along with the previous 10 days). Prior to April 13, 2006 you can find weekly reviews, located in articles.
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Thursday 13th December 2007  
  A late Pallas's Warbler was located in Suffolk, in Warrenhouse Wood, Gunton this afternoon. Cattle Egrets numbered twelve in the south west, and a Great White Egret lingered at Ladywalk Nature Reserve, Warwickshire all afternoon.

Longer staying rarities included the Desert Wheatear in Yorkshire, Long-billed Dowitcher in Devon, Lesser Yellowlegs in Angus, two King Eiders in Aberdeen, Glossy Ibis in Lancashire, Laughing Gull on Shetland, and Red-breasted Geese in Sussex and Cumbria, which was presumably relocating from Dumfries and Galloway.
Will Soar, RBA
Wednesday 12th December 2007  
  Another quiet December day, with one interesting discovery being a Barred Warbler at the Ouse Washes in Cambridgeshire - unusual in both it's late date and inland location (the first in that county since 1979). In west Wales a Great White Egret was found over the high tide at Aber Ogwen.

Otherwise the interest was all in the form of long staying rarities: with the Desert Wheatear remaining near Burniston in North Yorkshire; the Finnish-ringed White-tailed Eagle seen again in Hampshire; the Lesser Scaup still at Draycote Water in Warwickshire; the Lesser Yellowlegs still at the Montrose Basin in Angus; two King Eiders still at Aberdeen and the Red-breasted Goose remaining at Chichester Harbour in West Sussex. There were still ten Cattle Egrets scattered around the west country and in Northumberland the Short-toed Lark remained on show near Seahouses. In Suffolk there was a high count of 450 Great Crested Grebes off Minsmere.
Pete Hayman, RBA
Tuesday 11th December 2007  
  Cattle Egrets once again featured highly today, with fifteen birds seen in the south west. The Yorkshire Desert Wheatear remained at Cromer Point, but there was no news on the long staying Norfolk bird.

The Lesser Scaup was seen in Warwickshire, the Red-breasted Goose was in Sussex and the Ferruginous Duck was showing well in County Down. The White-tailed Eagle made a brief appearance in Hampshire, as did the Spotted Sandpiper in Glamorgan, and one of the Richardson's Canada Geese was photographed in County Sligo.
Will Soar, RBA
Monday 10th December 2007  
  The adult Pacific Diver reappeared again in Mounts Bay, Cornwall, with a second bird reported in St.Austell Bay, off Porthpean. Nearby, ten Cattle Egrets were seen in the south-west and along the south coast.

In Ireland, the returning American Herring Gull, now an adult, was seen at Nimmo's Pier, County Galway. The Great White Egret was still in County Derry, at Lough Beg, American Buff-bellied Pipit in County Cork at Red Barn Strand, with the two Cattle Egrets still present at the same site. The Barrow's Goldeneye was still at Quoile Pondage, County Down, yesterday.

Both Desert Wheatears were still present in Yorkshire and Norfolk, as were the two King Eiders in Aberdeenshire, the Lesser Yellowlegs in Angus, Lesser Scaup in Warwickshire, and a Richardson's Canada Goose was seen on North Uist, at Oban Trumisgarry.
Will Soar, RBA
Sunday 9th December 2007  
  Another new Cattle Egret was found today, in Gloucestershire, making the total of the day seven birds in the south-west. An American Golden Plover in County Cork was the only other new rarity.

Lingering rarities included both Desert Wheatears in Yorkshire and Norfolk, and the female King Eider returned to join the drake at Girdle Ness, Aberdeenshire. The Bonaparte's Gull remained nearby, at Peterhead, with another at Ferryden, Angus. The Lesser Scaup was still in Warwickshire, and Spotted Sandpiper and Great White Egret were both still available.
Will Soar, RBA
Saturday 8th December 2007  
  The Great Blue Heron on Scilly failed to show, leaving the few birders who managed to get to the islands very disheartened. New birds today included a Lesser Scaup in Perth and Kinross at Loch Leven, and a Laughing Gull on Shetland, at Firths Voe.

Lingering rarities included the two long staying Desert Wheatears in Norfolk and Yorkshire, six Cattle Egrets in the south west, Great White Egrets in Hampshire and Lancashire, Long-billed Dowitcher in Devon, King Eider in Aberdeen, Spotted Sandpiper in Glamorgan, Lesser Scaup in Warwickshire and Bonaparte's Gull in Aberdeen.
Will Soar, RBA
Thursday 6th December 2007  
  The Thayer's or Kumlien's Gull showed well from 11am onwards, but the identification is still unconfirmed either way. Four Cattle Egrets continue to grace the south coast, with a new bird in Devon today. The drake King Eider is still in Aberdeenshire, and the two Desert Wheatears continue to show well in Norfolk and Yorkshire.

The Lesser Scaup is still at Draycote Water, Warwickshire, and the Long-billed Dowitcher was seen this afternoon at Bowling Green Marsh, Devon. Elsewhere, gulls continued to feature highly, with good numbers of Glaucous Gulls and a few Iceland Gulls in roosts across the country.
Will Soar, RBA
Wednesday 5th December 2007  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of what may prove to be Britain’s first Thayer's Gull at Dix Pit, Stanton Harcourt, Oxfordshire. As always with this form, the separation of this juvenile individual from Kumlien's Gull may prove problematic. There are currently five accepted records of Thayer's Gull from Ireland with further European records of this Canadian breeder from Denmark, Iceland and Norway.

Lingering rarities comprised an American Buff-bellied Pipit in County Cork, Desert Wheatears in both Norfolk and North Yorkshire, White-tailed Eagle in Hampshire, Forster's Tern in County Louth, Long-billed Dowitcher in Devon, King Eider in Aberdeenshire, Lesser Scaup in Warwickshire, American Golden Plover in Gloucestershire, Great White Egret in Lancashire, Cattle Egret in Dorset and seven Cattle Egrets in Cornwall.
Chris Batty, RBA
Tuesday 4th December 2007  
  Once again the breaking the news concerned Cattle Egrets with another four discovered today in Cornwall, this time at Siblyback Lake, with a further three remaining today in west Cornwall with one still in Dorset. Whilst it is not possible to eliminate duplication, the past month has seen 28 Cattle Egrets recorded between England and Ireland comprising 12 in Cornwall, eight in Dorset, four in County Cork and singles in County Wicklow, Devon, East Yorkshire, Glamorgan, Greater Manchester and the Isles of Scilly. 

Other lingering rarities today consisted of single Desert Wheatears in Norfolk and North Yorkshire, Lesser Scaup in Warwickshire, American Golden Plover in Gloucestershire, Long-billed Dowitcher in Devon and the White-tailed Eagle – now confirmed as a juvenile ringed this summer in northern Finland - still in Hampshire. In Scotland the Lesser Yellowlegs was seen again in Angus and in Northern Ireland the Great White Egret remained in County Londonderry as did the Ferruginous Duck in County Down.
Chris Batty, RBA
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