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| Saturday 22nd March 2008 | ||
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| A 1st-winter Bonaparte's Gull was located at Cheddar Reservoir,
Somerset and the 2nd-winter Franklin's Gull remained in the same county.
A Penduline Tit was heard at Minsmere RSPB, Suffolk and in Forth a
Lesser Scaup was at Vale of Coustry for its fourth day.
In Pembrokeshire the Black Duck was still on show, as was the long-staying Rose-coloured Starling. Other long-stayers included Hume's Yellow-browed Warblers in Cornwall and Cleveland, King Eider in Devon, Lesser Scaups in Dumfries and Galloway, Western Isles and Somerset and a Ross's Goose in Lancashire. An adult Bonaparte's Gull reappeared in Aberdeenshire, as did a probable Eastern Yellow Wagtail in Cornwall. At least twenty one Cattle Egrets were still present in southern Britain. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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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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| Friday 21st March 2008 | ||
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| Good Friday failed to produce any new rarities but several long-stayers were
still on show. These included the Black Duck in Pembrokeshire,
Franklin's Gull and Lesser Scaup in Somerset, Long-billed
Dowitcher in Devon, Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler in Cornwall,
Falcated Duck in Devon, Red-breasted Goose in Cumbria and Ross's
Geese in Lancashire and Norfolk. At least twenty one Cattle Egrets
were reported from various locations in southern Britain.
Three Surf Scoters lingered off the English south coast - singles off Devon, Dorset and East Sussex. Four Ring-billed Gull were available (in Pembrokeshire, Glamorgan, Anglesey and Essex), the male Rose-coloured Starling was still in Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire and the Pallas's Warbler in Weymouth, Dorset continued to sing. A couple of Common Cranes in Northumberland were well received. In Ireland the American Buff-bellied Pipit remained on Red Barn Strand, Co Cork. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Thursday 20th March 2008 | ||
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| Lingering rarities confirmed as still being present today included the Black Duck
in Pembrokeshire, Franklin's Gull and Great White Egret in Somerset,
Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler in Cornwall, American Herring Gull and
Forster's Tern together in County Galway, Forster's Tern in County Down and single
Ross's Geese in both Cumbria and Norfolk. Cattle Egret reports comprised twelve in Cornwall, two in West Sussex and singles in both Ceredigion and Dorset. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Wednesday 19th March 2008 | ||
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| Headline rarities included the Black Duck in Pembrokeshire and Franklin's Gull in Somerset - both remained on show all day. Long-stayers came in the form of Hume's Yellow-browed Warblers in Cleveland and Cornwall, Barrow's Goldeneye in Co Down, Glossy Ibis in Lincolnshire, Spotted Sandpiper in Forth and at least nineteen Cattle Egrets spread between various locations (a flock of at least thirteen remains near Sancreed, Cornwall). | ||
| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Tuesday 18th March 2008 | ||
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| The female Black Duck continued her stay at Marloes Mere,
Pembrokeshire, and appears to be paired with a drake Mallard. In Somerset, the
second-winter Franklin's Gull was located at Keynsham early afternoon,
and was still present late afternoon.
Long staying rarities included the King Eiders in Devon, off Northam Burrows Country Park, and on Shetland in Mousa Sound. Two Hume's Yellow-browed Warblers were in Cornwall and Cleveland, with Lesser Scaups in Dumfries and Galloway, on the Western Isles and in County Down. Also in County Down, both the Barrow's Goldeneye and the Forster's Tern were seen. The Long-billed Dowitcher remained in Devon, at Bowling Green Marsh, and 18 Cattle Egrets were reported across the UK today. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Monday 17th March 2008 | ||
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| The confirmation of the female Black Duck in Pembrokeshire was the
undoubted highlight today. The bird was present all day, but became elusive
later on. A new Great White Egret was seen, and photographed well, at
Bintree Mill, Norfolk, but was not seen after early morning. There was also
belated news of an Alpine Swift in Cornwall, on Saturday.
Elsewhere, the King Eider remained in Devon, with the Long-billed Dowitcher still nearby, Glossy Ibis in Lincolnshire and still good numbers of Cattle Egrets. A small movement of Rough-legged Buzzards was noted, particularly in the south west. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Sunday 16th March 2008 | ||
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| The Franklin's Gull reappeared in Somerset again today, but was in an area with no
public access. In Aberdeenshire, a Bonaparte's Gull was seen at Loch of
Strathbeg RSPB this a'noon, whilst a possible Pacific Diver was seen in
Dumfries and Galloway. A Lesser Scaup was confirmed today, at Blagdon
Lake, Somerset and a probable Black Duck was seen in Pembrokeshire at
dusk.
Long staying rarities include the King Eider in Devon, Hume's Yellow-browed Warblers in Cornwall and Cleveland, Glossy Ibises in Lancashire and Lincolnshire, Long-billed Dowitcher in Devon and Spotted Sandpipers in Glamorgan and Forth. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Saturday 15th March 2008 | ||
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| The first day of major spring migration saw very good numbers of Wheatears
in the southern half of Great Britain, with records spreading far inland.
Sand Martins continue to arrive, with smaller numbers of Swallows and
House Martins also reported. A small movement of Avocets occurred,
with two migrating Spoonbills in the east.
On the rarity front, a Franklin's Gull was seen in Somerset this afternoon, with lingering rarities including Hume's Yellow-browed Warblers in Cleveland and Cornwall, Barrow's Goldeneye in County Down, Glossy Ibises in Lancashire and Lincolnshire, Lesser Scaups in County Sligo and County Down, King Eider in Devon, Spotted Sandpiper in Glamorgan and both rarer species of egret still in good numbers. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Friday 14th March 2008 | ||
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| The drake Lesser Scaup in Warwickshire was, once again, relocated
today, this time at Alvecote Pools NR, where it showed well all day. The King
Eider in Devon also reappeared in the Northam Burrows area, but the Ayrshire
bird wasn't seen.
Hume's Yellow-browed Warblers were seen in Cleveland and Cornwall, Glossy Ibises in Lancashire and Lincolnshire, two Ross's Geese are still in Norfolk, Long-billed Dowitcher in Devon, Spotted Sandpiper in Glamorgan and still plenty of Cattle Egrets in the south west. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Thursday 13th March 2008 | ||
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| A Great White Egret in Leicestershire at Watermead Country Park and a brief
Black Kite in Lincolnshire near Digby represented new discoveries. Lingering rarities comprised the Spotted Sandpiper in Glamorgan, Hume's Yellow-browed Warblers in both Cleveland and Cornwall, King Eiders in both Ayrshire and Devon, Lesser Scaups in both Dumfries and Galloway and Perth and Kinross and single Ross's Geese in both Lancashire and Norfolk. Cattle Egret reports concerned nine in Cornwall with singles in each of Ceredigion, Hampshire and Gloucestershire. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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