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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Wednesday 12th March 2008  
  The hot news today related to a presumed Sooty or a Bridled Tern that flew north past Troon harbour headland, Ayrshire this morning - there has never been a March record of either species. A drake King Eider also remained in Troon harbour.

Elsewhere the Glossy Ibis remained in Lincolnshire, the Yellow-browed Warbler was still in Plymouth and the probable American Night Heron continued to attract attention at Mere Sands Wood LWT, Lancashire.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Tuesday 11th March 2008  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of a King Eider at Troon, Ayrshire. Presumably this is same drake King Eider that has returned to the Ayrshire coast in spring or summer in most years since 2003, and the same as that seen off the Mull of Kintyre, Argyll in recent weeks.

Lingering rarities included the White-crowned Sparrow and Ross's Goose both in Norfolk, Wilson's Snipe on the Isles of Scilly, Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler in Cornwall, Ross's Goose in Lancashire, Lesser Scaup in Dumfries and Galloway, both Long-billed Dowitcher and Falcated Duck in Devon, Glossy Ibises in both Lincolnshire and Merseyside and Great White Egrets in both Cambridgeshire and Wiltshire.

Cattle Egret reports comprised eighteen in Cornwall, two in West Sussex and singles in each of Devon, Dorset, Glamorgan, Hampshire, Lincolnshire and Somerset.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Monday 10th March 2008  
  A Cattle Egret circled over Wheldrake Ings YWT, North Yorkshire this afternoon and in Devon a Cattle Egret arrived at Axmouth.

The White-crowned Sparrow remained on show in Cley, Norfolk, as did the probable American Night Heron in Lancashire, Long-billed Dowitcher in Devon, Lesser Scaup in Dumfries & Galloway and Hoopoe in Conwy. Marshside RSPB, Merseyside hosted the Glossy Ibis, Great White Egret and Green-winged Teal and in Lincolnshire the Glossy Ibis remained near Howden's Pullover. Intense storms in southern Britain produced a few Balearic and Manx Shearwaters, Bonxies and Pomarine Skuas.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Sunday 9th March 2008  
  Highlights included the White-crowed Sparrow in Norfolk, Glossy Ibis in Lancashire/Merseyside and Lincolnshire, Ross's Geese in Norfolk and Lancashire, Red-breasted Goose in Dumfries & Galloway, Spotted Sandpiper in Glamorgan, Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler in Cleveland and King Eider in Devon.

Thirty three Cattle Egrets were logged (with seven more in Ireland) and the reappearance of the Night Heron (thought to be of the American form) at Mere Sands Wood LWT, Lancashire proved popular. A Hoopoe in Conwy attracted plenty of attention and the Rose-coloured Starling in Pembrokeshire was still available.

In Ireland the most notable sightings included the Barrow's Goldeneye, Forster's Tern and Lesser Scaup all in Co Down.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Saturday 8th March 2008  
  Rarities today included the Barrow's Goldeneye at Quoile Pondage, County Down, with the adult Forster's Tern nearby at Killyleagh harbour, Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler still in Norton churchyard, Cleveland, Glossy Ibises in Lincolnshire and Lancashire and the long staying White-crowned Sparrow at Cley, Norfolk, although this bird is becoming very erratic in its appearance in the seeded paddock.

Sand Martins are being seen across the southern half of the country now, and another spring migrant included a Hoopoe in north Wales, and Llanrwst, Conwy.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Friday 7th March 2008  
  Rarity highlights included the White-crowned Sparrow in Norfolk, Glossy Ibises in Lincolnshire and Lancashire, King Eider in Devon, Spotted Sandpiper in Glamorgan, Red-breasted Goose in Dumfries & Galloway and Falcated Duck in Devon. In Lancashire the Ross's Goose (initially found in late January) relocated to Aldcliffe Marsh this afternoon, after being rediscovered on Rawcliffe Moss on Wednesday following a month under the radar in the Lancashire Pink-footed Goose flocks. Another Ross's Goose remains on Holkham Freshmarsh, Norfolk.

In Ireland the American Buff-bellied Pipit, five Cattle Egrets and various white-winged and Ring-billed Gulls were on show.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Thursday 6th March 2008  
  The Shetland Killdeer last seen on 4th November 2007 reappeared at Virkie this evening with a flock of Ringed Plovers. Rarity highlights around the rest of the country included the White-crowned Sparrow in Norfolk (which has recently been more erratic in its appearances), Red-breasted Geese in Hampshire/West Sussex and Cumbria, King Eider in Devon, Lesser Yellowlegs in Angus, Spotted Sandpiper in Glamorgan, Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler in Cleveland and Glossy Ibis in Lincolnshire.

A Little Bunting was at Porth Farm National Trust, Cornwall (for at least its second day), and the same county also hosted a Hoopoe. Other scarcities included Pallas's Warbler in Dorset, Rose-coloured Starling in Pembrokeshire and a couple of Yellow-browed Warblers in Devon.

Irish highlights consisted of a Black Duck in Co Kerry and the usual selection of white-winged gulls.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Wednesday 5th March 2008  
  The Lesser Scaup in Warwickshire has moved location, being seen at Brandon Marsh Nature Reserve today. Other notable news today concerned a belated report of a Snowy Owl, photographed on 16th February in Moray.

The long staying White-crowned Sparrow was reported again, with other rarities including the King Eider again in Devon, two American Herring Gulls still at Nimmo's Pier, County Galway with the Forster's Tern still nearby, Glossy Ibises in Lincolnshire and Lancashire, Red-breasted Goose in West Sussex, Ross's Goose in Norfolk and still good numbers of Cattle Egrets.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Tuesday 4th March 2008  
  Lingering rarities confirmed as still present today in Britain included both the White-crowned Sparrow and Ross's Goose in Norfolk, Wilson's Snipe on the Isles of Scilly, Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler in Cornwall, Glossy Ibis in Lincolnshire, Red-breasted Goose in West Sussex, Great White Egret in Cambridgeshire and single Lesser Scaups in both Dumfries and Galloway and Warwickshire.

In Ireland both the Barrow's Goldeneye and Forster's Tern remained in County Down as did the American Buff-bellied Pipit in County Cork, Ferruginous Duck in County Armagh and both American Herring Gull and Forster's Tern still together in County Galway.

Cattle Egret reports comprised fifteen in Cornwall, two in Devon and singles in both Cheshire and Glamorgan.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Monday 3rd March 2008  
  In Britain lingering rarities confirmed as still present today comprised the White-crowned Sparrow and Ross's Goose in Norfolk, Wilson's Snipe on the Isles of Scilly, Glossy Ibis in Lincolnshire, Ross's Goose in Cumbria, Lesser Scaup in Warwickshire, Great White Egret in Cambridgeshire, Hume's Yellow-browed Warblers in both Cleveland and Cornwall and the Red-breasted Goose between Hampshire and West Sussex.

In Ireland both the American Buff-bellied Pipit and Lesser Yellowlegs remained in County Cork as did an American Herring Gull in County Galway and a Richardson's Canada Goose in County Sligo. In County Down the Barrow's Goldeneye, Forster's Tern and Lesser Scaup were all seen again.

Cattle Egret reports concerned fifteen in Cornwall, two each in both Devon and West Sussex with singles in Cheshire, Dorset and Glamorgan.
-  Chris Batty, RBA