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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Tuesday 6th January 2009  
  The Glaucous-winged Gull made another appearance in Cleveland being seen intermittently throughout the day at Saltholme Pools and Dorman's Pool.

Other lingering rarities confirmed as still present today included two Penduline Tits in London, American Herring Gull in County Cork, Red-breasted Goose in Hampshire, Lesser Scaups in Glamorgan and Nottinghamshire, King Eiders in Fife and County Sligo (2), single Great White Egrets in Hampshire and Somerset, Ferruginous Duck in Lincolnshire, Cackling Canada Goose in Dumfries and Galloway and Hooded Merganser in Dorset.

Cattle Egret reports totaled 27 birds in five counties comprising 12 in County Cork, nine in Cornwall, three in Devon, two on the Isles of Scilly and one in Hampshire.

Significant late news concerned a female Steller's Eider present on the sea at Morfa Nefyn, Gwynedd on 3rd-4th January, unfortunately a later afternoon search today failed to located the bird.
Chris Batty, RBA
Monday 5th January 2009  
  A Ferruginous Duck at Whisby, Lincolnshire was a new discovery, as was a brief Great White Egret in Norfolk at Welney.

Lingering rarities included the Snowy Owl in Cornwall, Gyr on the Isles of Scilly, two Penduline Tits in London, Long-billed Dowitcher in County Louth, King Eiders in Fife and County Sligo (2), single Lesser Scaups in both Glamorgan and Nottinghamshire, Great White Egret in Hampshire and a Small Canada Goose in Dumfries and Galloway.

Cattle Egret reports totalled 34 birds in six counties comprising 14 in Cornwall, 12 in County Cork, three in County Waterford, two each in both Devon and the Isles of Scilly and one in Essex.
Chris Batty, RBA
Saturday 3rd January 2009  
  The highlight of the day was the continued presence of the Glaucous-winged Gull at Cowpen Bewley and Holme Fleet, Cleveland, where - although elusive - it was present for much of the day.

New discoveries included two King Eiders together in County Sligo at Lissadell, a Falcated Duck in Northamptonshire at Earls Barton, a Ferruginous Duck in Nottinghamshire at Girton and a brief Great White Egret at Capel, Surrey.

Lingering rarities included the Gyr on the Isles of Scilly, Snowy Owl in Cornwall, White-billed Diver in Highland, Red-breasted Goose in Hampshire, King Eider in Fife, single Lesser Scaups in both County Fermanagh and Glamorgan, Ross's Goose in Norfolk, Hooded Merganser in Dorset and Cackling Canada Goose in Dumfries and Galloway.

Cattle Egret reports totalled 33 birds in nine counties comprising ten in County Cork, eight in both Cornwall and Devon, two in Dorset and singles in Hampshire, Oxfordshire, Pembrokeshire, Isle of Scilly and County Waterford.
Chris Batty, RBA
Friday 2nd January 2009  
  The days news was dominated by the confirmation of Britain's second Glaucous-winged Gull at Cowpen Bewley in Cleveland. It is an adult bird but, as it is unringed, is a different individual to that present in the winter of 2006/7. It was present on and off in the morning and again in mid afternoon.

Elsewhere, a White-billed Diver was found at John O'Groats harbour in Highland, five new Cattle Egrets were in Devon and a Richardson's Canada Goose was found at Caerlaverock along with the Taverner's that has been present for a while. The Snowy Owl remained in Cornwall, King Eiders were still to be found in Fife and on the Shetlands, and the Forster's Tern was still in County Galway.

A Short-toed Lark was an unseasonal find at Arbroath in Angus.
Pete Hayman, RBA
Thursday 1st January 2009  
  Exciting breaking news this evening concerns an adult gull in Cleveland that appears to be a strong candidate for Britain's second Glaucous-winged Gull. First photographed yesterday at Saltholme Pools, it was seen again late this afternoon at nearby Cowpen Bewley but the true identity was not suspected until the photographs were posted on the internet and outside opinions sought.

All other newly discovered rarities were in Ireland where an American Herring Gull was found in County Cork at Bantry, a Lesser Scaup in County Westmeath at Lough Owel, and - most significantly of all - a Snowy Owl at Foxford, County Mayo; although, sadly, it was found injured and had to be destroyed.

Lingering rarities included the Snowy Owl in Cornwall, Gyr on the Isles of Scilly, two Penduline Tits in London, Forster's Tern in County Galway, White-billed Diver and King Eider on the Shetland Isles, King Eider in Fife, Cackling Canada Goose in Dumfries and Galloway, Richardson's Canada Goose on the Western Isles, Hooded Merganser in Dorset, Red-breasted Goose and Great White Egret in Hampshire and single Lesser Scaups in both Glamorgan and Nottinghamshire.

Cattle Egret reports totalled 21 birds in seven counties comprising five each in both Cornwall and County Cork, three each in County Waterford and Somerset, two in the Isles of Scilly and Pembrokeshire and one in Oxfordshire.
Chris Batty, RBA
Tuesday 30th December 2008  
  The highlights of the day were the continued presence of both the Snowy Owl at Zennor, Cornwall and the Gyr on Tresco, Isles of Scilly.

Other lingering rarities included two Penduline Tits in London, the American Herring Gull in County Galway, King Eider in Fife, Red-breasted Goose and Great White Egret in Hampshire, Lesser Scaups in both Clyde and Glamorgan, Cackling Canada Goose in Dumfries and Gallway, Ross's Goose in Norfolk and Hooded Merganser in Dorset. Seventeen Cattle Egrets comprised five in County Cork, four in Cornwall, three in both County Waterford and the Isles of Scilly and singles in Oxfordshire and Pembrokeshire.

Popular scarcities on show were the Night Heron and Rough-legged Buzzard in Kent, single American Wigeons in both Berkshire and Dumfries and Galloway and confiding Ring-billed Gulls in Angus, Cornwall (2), Glamorgan and Hampshire.

Waxwing reports totaled 962 birds in 32 counties with maximums of 240 in County Antrim, 90 in Staffordshire, 81 in Northumberland and 60 each in County Donegal, Essex and Nottinghamshire.
Chris Batty, RBA
Monday 29th December 2008  
  On Scilly the white morph Gyr made a welcome re-appearance, whilst on mainland Cornwall the Snowy Owl near Zennor continued to be admired by many.

Today also saw a notable arrival of Cattle Egrets in the west, with 5 or 6 new birds on Scilly, 4 at Stradbally in County Waterford and singles in Hampshire and Cornwall. With at least 3 still in Pembrokeshire, does this mean we could have large numbers wintering in the west again as we did last winter?

A Ferruginous Duck was a new find at Westbere in Kent, and in Ireland, the Black Duck was found again at Ventry in County Kerry. The King Eider remained in Fife as did the Ross's Goose in east Norfolk. A surprise report was of a Great Shearwater which spent a while off Filey Brigg.
Pete Hayman, RBA
Sunday 28th December 2008  
  The Snowy Owl continued to attract admirers at Zennor in Cornwall today, but the Gyr Falcon was not seen on the Scillies. The Desert Wheatear remained at Durness in Highland and the drake King Eider was still to be found off Earlsferry in Fife, with a drake Surf Scoter still in nearby Largo Bay. Five Lesser Scaups were noted today, in Glamorgan, Nottinghamshire, Clyde, County Fermanagh and County Down, and, also in Ireland, the Forster's Tern was seen again at Nimmo's Pier in County Galway.

In Norfolk the Ross's Goose was again with Pinkfeet near Acle, and in Berkshire the American Wigeon was still near Newbury. Both Cackling and Taverner's Canada Geese were seen at Caerlaverock in Dumfries and Galloway and in Lothian a lone Richardson's Canada Goose was at Aberlady Bay.The Night Heron remained near Hythe in Kent.
Pete Hayman, RBA
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