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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Saturday 27th December 2008  
  Northern species in the south continued to entertain today, with the Snowy Owl still near Zennor, Cornwall, and the white morph Gyr reappeared on Isles of Scilly, ranging between St Martin's and Tresco.

In Scotland, the highlight was the Desert Wheatear at Durness, Highland, together with the King Eider at Elie, Fife and Lesser Scaup at Hogganfield Loch, Clyde. Other Lesser Scaups were present at Holme Pierrepont, Nottinghamshire, Cosmeston lakes Country Park, Glamorgan, Enniskillen, County Fermanagh and Lough Arrow, County Sligo. The Great White Egret was still at Blashford Lakes HWT, Hampshire, and the Cackling Canada Goose was relocated again at Redkirk Point, Dumfries and Galloway.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Friday 26th December 2008  
  The headline news related to a male Desert Wheatear at Balnakeil in Highland, present on the beach there for its third day. The King Eider along remained in Scotland, off the Fife coastline. In Glamorgan a Lesser Scaup was discovered at Cosmeston Lakes Country Park and a Lesser Scaup also remained in Nottinghamshire, whilst at least two were at Lough Arrow in Sligo and another was discovered in Co Fermanagh.

In Cornwall the Snowy Owl continued sit by the trig point at Sperris Quoit, a Ross's Goose was seen again in East Norfolk, seven Cattle Egrets remained in Pembrokeshire and the Hooded Merganser was still present in Dorset.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Thursday 25th December 2008  
  A King Eider was today's headline discovery; a drake was found off the Fife coastline between Earlsferry and West Vow, just to the west of Elie.

Elsewhere the Snowy Owl remained in Cornwall, Lesser Scaups were still in Nottinghamshire, Clyde and Sligo and Cattle Egret reports included seven in Pembrokeshire, two in Co Cork and one in Lancashire. In Ayrshire the Lesser Snow Goose was still at Martnaham Loch, the Night Heron remained in Kent and excellent numbers of Waxwings lingered, including flocks of 81 in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, 55 near Clackmannan, Forth, 30 in Hessle, East Yorkshire, 25 in Rendlesham, Suffolk, 25 in north Glasgow, Clyde and 24 near Belvide Reservoir, Staffordshire.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Wednesday 24th December 2008  
  The Snowy Owl in Cornwall remained on show today near Zennor. Elsewhere rarities came in the form of an adult American Herring Gull in Galway and Lesser Scaups in Sligo and in Clyde. Cattle Egrets were seen in Somerset (6), Pembrokeshire (4+) and Cornwall. In Kent the Night Heron remained in West Hythe, a Richard's Pipit put in another appearance in Parkgate, Cheshire and a Lesser Snow Goose was still in Ayrshire.

Waxwings were still abundant, with flocks of 100 in Derry City, Co Derry, 70 in Ayr, Ayrshire, 70 in Leeds and 40 in Hunslet, West Yorkshire and 40 in Bray, Co Wicklow being the most notable counts.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Tuesday 23rd December 2008  
  Once again, the lingering Snowy Owl at Zennor, Cornwall proved to be the highlight of the day. In Pembrokeshire seven Cattle Egrets were located, whilst the Ross's Goose reappeared in Norfolk and the Lesser Scaup remained in Nottinghamshire, as did the Great White Egret in Hampshire.

Scarcities recorded today included Night Heron in Kent, Rough-legged Buzzard in East Yorkshire, Ring-necked Duck in Buckinghamshire, Snow Geese in Ayrshire, Highland and Moray and Great Grey Shrikes in Hampshire and Surrey.

Waxwing reports totaled 452 birds in 26 counties including maximums of 59 in Suffolk, 52 in Nottinghamshire, 41 in Ayrshire, 40 in County Antrim and 28 in Lothian.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Monday 22nd December 2008  
  The highlight of the day was the continued presence of the Snowy Owl in west Cornwall near Zennor. Elsewhere, the Lesser Scaup returned to Torr Reservoir, Somerset, the American Herring Gull showed again in Galway, County Galway, as did the Lesser Yellowlegs at Southwold, Suffolk.

The Great White Egret remained in Hampshire, and popular scarcities included a Serin again in London, Surf Scoter in Devon, Rough-legged Buzzard in East Yorkshire, American Wigeon in Berkshire, Ring-necked Duck in Buckinghamshire and single Great Grey Shrikes in Norfolk, Suffolk and Wrexham.

Waxwing reports totaled 713 birds in 26 counties with maximums of 250 in Clyde, 160 in West Yorkshire, 61 in East Yorkshire, and 34 in both Derbyshire and Lothian.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Sunday 21st December 2008  
  A juvenile Snowy Owl in Cornwall, discovered near Zennor this afternoon is presumably the same bird that frequented the Isles of Scilly from 29th October until at least 6th December. In Wiltshire a drake Lesser Scaup returned to Stourhead NT and elsewhere rarities included Red-breasted Goose and Great White Egret in Hampshire, two Cattle Egrets in Pembrokeshire and in Co Cork, Lesser Scaups in Clyde and Nottinghamshire and Ferruginous Duck in Norfolk.

The Richard's Pipit remained at Parkgate, Cheshire, a Yellow-browed Warbler was still at Fareham, Hampshire, the Night Heron was still in West Hythe, Kent and Rough-legged Buzzards were seen again in Kent, Cambridgeshire and East Yorkshire.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Saturday 20th December 2008  
  Lingering rarities confirmed as still present today comprised two Penduline Tits in London, Red-breasted Goose in Hampshire, Richardson's Canada Goose on the Western Isles, Lesser Scaup in Nottinghamshire, Ferruginous Duck in Norfolk, Cattle Egrets in both County Cork (2) and Pembrokeshire, single Great White Egrets in both Hampshire and Somerset and Hooded Merganser in Dorset.

Scarcities included Night Heron in Kent, American Wigeon in Berkshire, Richard's Pipit in Cheshire, Surf Scoter in Devon, Yellow-browed Warblers in Cornwall and Hampshire, Rough-legged Buzzards in Cambridgeshire and East Yorkshire and Ring-necked Ducks in Ayrshire and Norfolk.

Waxwing reports totaled 1,180 birds in 31 counties including maximums of 319 in West Yorkshire, 125 in South Yorkshire, 121 in County Durham, 88 in North Yorkshire and 79 in Clyde.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Friday 19th December 2008  
  Lingering rarities confirmed as still present today included the American Buff-bellied Pipit in County Londonderry, two Penduline Tits in London, Red-breasted Goose in Hampshire, Lesser Scaup in Nottinghamshire, Hooded Merganser in Dorset, Cattle Egrets in both Cornwall and Pembrokeshire and single Great White Egrets in both Hampshire and Somerset.

Popular scarcities included the Night Heron in Kent, American Wigeon in Berkshire, Rough-legged Buzzard in Cambridgeshire, Yellow-browed Warbler in Hampshire, Ring-necked Ducks in Ayrshire and Hampshire and confiding Ring-billed Gulls in Angus, Glamorgan and London.

Waxwing reports totaled 1,171 in 25 counties with maximums of 455 in West Yorkshire, 162 in Clyde, 120 in Lothian, 81 in Ayrshire and 50 in County Durham.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Thursday 18th December 2008  
  An American Golden Plover on Unst, Shetland, was today's top new discovery and the Gyr in Cornwall relocated to the Marazion area, where it showed on and off all afternoon. Lingering rarities included the Spotted Sandpiper at Tittesworth Reservoir, Staffordshire, Lesser Scaup at Hogganfield Loch, Clyde, Lesser Yellowlegs at Southwold, Suffolk and Cattle Egret at West Angle Bay, Pembrokeshire.

Elsewhere a Serin was in Glandford, Norfolk, the Yellow-browed Warbler in Hampshire and Night Heron in Kent both remained in situ and a Green-winged Teal appeared at Blacktoft Sands RSPB, East Yorkshire.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA