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 20th January 2008  
  An adult Franklin's Gull seen briefly at Chew Valley Lake, Somerset this afternoon was probably the same bird observed last Sunday at nearby Torr Reservoir, and possibly the same bird that visited Poole Harbour, Dorset last week.

The Norfolk White-crowned Sparrow headlined an impressive line-up of rarities on show today - these included Pacific Diver, Long-billed Dowitcher, Glossy Ibis, Forster's Tern, Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler, Red-breasted Goose, Bonaparte's Gull, Barrow's Goldeneye, Lesser Scaup, King Eider, Lesser Yellowlegs and, of course, Cattle Egrets galore.

A Kentish Plover was an excellent winter discovery at Landguard NR, Suffolk and a Richard's Pipit in Angus was also noteworthy.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Saturday 19th January 2008  
  In Norfolk, the adult White-crowned Sparrow continued to show for much of the day with, nearby, a Lesser Snow Goose at Saxlingham and a Waxwing at Cromer. Scottish rarities today included three Bonaparte's Gulls, King Eider, Lesser Yellowlegs and a Spotted Sandpiper.

The other Lesser Yellowlegs was again on Southwold Town Marshes, Suffolk, the other Spotted Sandpiper was still in Glamorgan at Lisvane Reservoir and the Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler was seen again in Cornwall.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Friday 18th January 2008  
  An otherwise very quiet day surprisingly yielded three new rarities. A first winter American Herring Gull, the first new bird since the recent split of this species, was found on Lewis, Western Isles, with an adult Bonaparte's Gull nearby on South Uist. A first winter drake Lesser Scaup was found in County Sligo, most likely representing the first record for this county.

The White-crowned Sparrow is still at Cley, Norfolk, and the Pacific Diver is still in Pembrokeshire. Good numbers of Cattle Egrets are still present in southern England, and the Lesser Yellowlegs is still in Angus. Another unseasonal Richard's Pipit was reported from Angus for its second day.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Thursday 17th January 2008  
  The Pacific Diver, now a second winter, has returned to Llys-y-Fran Reservoir, Pembrokeshire, and now shows a full black chin strap. Other highlights today include an adult or second winter Franklin's Gull in the roost in Wareham Channel, Dorset, and the continued presence of the superb adult White-crowned Sparrow at Cley, Norfolk.

Other lingering rarities include King Eider in Shetland, Wilson's Snipe on Scilly, Lesser Scaup on Benbecula, Lesser Yellowlegs in Angus and still good numbers of both Cattle Egrets and Great White Egrets across the southern half of the country.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Wednesday 16th January 2008  
  Pembrokeshire provided the hot news today - the Pacific Diver returned to Llys-y-Fran Reservoir, having previously spent the majority of February and March 2007 at the site.

Lingering rarities included the White-crowned Sparrow in Norfolk, Bonaparte's Gull in Glamorgan, Red-breasted Goose in West Sussex, Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler in Cornwall, Long-billed Dowitcher in Devon, and several Cattle Egrets in southwest England.

In Co Cork a Glossy Ibis flew over Youghal and in Co Clare another Cattle Egret was reported, this time near Kilshanny.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Tuesday 15th January 2008  
  Two Nearctic gulls were located today - an adult Bonaparte's Gull at Ogmore-by-Sea, Glamorgan and an adult Laughing Gull at Bideford, Devon.

The adult White-crowed Sparrow continued to attract a steady stream of birders to Cley, Norfolk and elsewhere at least twenty Cattle Egrets were dotted around the country. Hume's Yellow-browed Warblers remained at Beachy Head, East Sussex and Cot Valley, Cornwall, the Lesser Yellowlegs was still in Angus and a King Eider continued to linger off the Aberdeenshire coastline.

In Ireland the American Buff-bellied Pipit was still at Red Barn, Co Cork.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Monday 14th January 2008  
  Once again the adult White-crowned Sparrow in Cley, Norfolk was the star attraction. East Anglia also produced Richard's Pipit, Lesser Yellowlegs, Great White Egret, several Black Brants, both Ross's and Lesser Snow Geese, Taiga and Tundra Bean Geese, Great Grey Shrike and a Waxwing.

Elsewhere Hume's Yellow-browed Warblers remained on show in Cot Valley, Cornwall and on Beachy Head, East Sussex, a Red-breasted Goose was again at West Wittering, West Sussex, the first-winter drake King Eider was still off Girdle Ness, Aberdeenshire and at least twenty six Cattle Egrets were noted.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Sunday 13th January 2008  
  An adult Franklin's Gull spent a few minutes at Torr Reservoir, Somerset, but flew off towards Chew Valley Lake.

The adult White-crowned Sparrow remained in Cley, and, elsewhere in Norfolk, at least two Ross's Geese were seen, along with a Lesser Snow Goose, Richard's Pipit and Waxwing. Other lingering rarities included King Eider, Lesser Yellowlegs, Spotted Sandpiper and Lesser Scaup in Scotland, and Long-billed Dowitcher in Devon, Hume's Yellow-browed Warblers in Cornwall and Sussex, Wilson's Snipe on Scilly and White-tailed Eagle in Hampshire.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Saturday 12th January 2008  
  The continued presence of the adult White-crowned Sparrow at Cley enabled most of the weekend birders to connect today.

Other rarities included the White-tailed Eagle in Hampshire, Lesser Scaups in Oxfordshire, Warwickshire and Western Isles, Glossy Ibis in Lancashire, Long-billed Dowitcher in Devon, King Eider in Aberdeenshire, Lesser Yellowlegs in Angus, two Hume's Yellow-browed Warblers on the south coast and a new White-billed Diver on Shetland.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Friday 11th January 2008  
  The adult White-crowned Sparrow at Cley, Norfolk, was still present, and still attracting large crowds. Other birds in the county include both Snow Geese and Ross's Geese, Black Brant, Waxwing, several Lapland Buntings, Richard's Pipit and Great Grey Shrike.

Other rarities today included Long-billed Dowitcher in Devon, King Eiders in Aberdeenshire and on Shetland, Lesser Yellowlegs in Angus, Spotted Sandpiper in Forth, Lesser Scaups on Western Isles and in Oxfordshire and around 21 Cattle Egrets.
-  Will Soar, RBA