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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Wednesday 25th February 2009  
  A first winter drake King Eider was found at Flamborough Head late this a'noon but other new rarity reports were all in the form of Cattle Egrets: nine were at the Hayle Estuary in Cornwall and there was one at Fethard-on-Sea in County Wexford. This brought the day total of Cattle Egrets reported to eighteen. Two, possibly three, Great White Egrets were in Cambridgeshire, with another at Thurlby in Lincolnshire.

Long staying rarities included the Snowy Owl in Cornwall, the Penduline Tit in Devon, the King Eider in Fife, Lesser Scaups in Nottinghamshire and Glamorgan, and Dark-breasted Barn Owl and Black-bellied Dipper in Norfolk.

Two Rough-legged Buzzards were together at North Wootton in Norfolk, with another bird in Lincolnshire and there was the usual smattering of Waxwings and Glaucous and Iceland Gulls. In Hampshire there came a report of a Little Ringed Plover yesterday at Romsey - possibly an early sign of spring.
Pete Hayman, RBA
Tuesday 24th February 2009  
  Lingering rarities confirmed as still present today included the Snowy Owl in Cornwall, Penduline Tit in Devon, Red-breasted Goose in West Sussex, Long-billed Dowitcher in County Louth, King Eider in Fife, Lesser Scaups in both Glamorgan and Nottinghamshire, Great White Egrets in Cambridgeshire (2) and Lincolnshire and, in Norfolk, both Ross's Goose and Dark-breasted Barn Owl.

Cattle Egret reports totaled twelve birds in five counties: six in Cornwall, three in Devon and singles in Norfolk, Isle of Scilly and the Isle of Wight.

Scarcities included an Amercian Wigeon, two Rough-legged Buzzards, three Green-winged Teals, four each of Black Brant and Kumlien's Gull and six each of Ring-necked Duck, Great Grey Shrike and Caspian Gull.
Chris Batty, RBA
Sunday 22nd February 2009  
  Today’s rarities were headlined by single Penduline Tits in Devon and Norfolk, Red-breasted Goose in West Sussex, Lesser Scaup in both County Down and Nottinghamshire, Ross's Goose in Norfolk, Cackling Canada Goose in Dumfries and Galloway and Hooded Merganser in Dorset.

Cattle Egret reports totaled twelve birds in six counties comprising six in Devon, two in Cornwall and one each in Norfolk, Pembrokeshire, Isles of Scilly and the Isle of Wight.

Scarcities included eight Great Grey Shrikes, six Black Brants, four each of Ring-billed Gull and Green-winged Teal, three each of Rough-legged Buzzard and Ring-necked Duck, two Surf Scoters and single Lapland Bunting and Lesser Snow Goose.

Significant late news concerned the reappearance yesterday of both the Gyr in Pembrokeshire and the Snowy Owl on the Orkney Islands. The report of a King Eider in Lothian yesterday proved to be erroneous, as did all reports of a Pacific Diver on the Isles of Scilly.
Chris Batty, RBA
Saturday 21st February 2009  
  Rarities confirmed as still present today in England comprised the Snowy Owl and two Cattle Egrets in Cornwall, Penduline Tit, Cattle Egret, Black-bellied Dipper and Ross's Goose all in Norfolk, Red-breasted Goose in West Sussex, Lesser Scaup in Nottinghamshire, Ferruginous Duck in Essex, three Cattle Egrets in Devon, single Great White Egrets in Cambridgeshire, Cleveland and Oxfordshire and the Hooded Merganser in Dorset.

Highlights in Scotland included single King Eiders in both Fife and Lothian and, in Dumfries and Galloway, a Cackling Canada Goose showed again. In Ireland the American Herring Gull reappeared in County Galway, two King Eiders remained in County Sligo and six Cattle Egrets were recorded in both County Cork and County Waterford. In Wales the Lesser Scaup returned to Glamorgan.

Scarcities located around the British Isles included twelve Great Grey Shrikes, eight Ring-billed Gulls, five Green-winged Teals, three Ring-necked Ducks, three Kumlien's Gulls, two each of Surf Scoter, Rough-legged Buzzard and Black Brant and one each of White Stork, Snow Goose and Lapland Bunting.
Chris Batty, RBA
Friday 20th February 2009  
  New discoveries today included a Dark-breasted Barn Owl on the Blyth Estuary, Suffolk and a Great White Egret at Otmoor, Oxfordshire.

Lingering rarities comprised the Pacific Diver on the Isles of Scilly (and perhaps another in Cornwall), Snowy Owl in Cornwall, American Herring Gull in Devon, Red-breasted Goose in West Sussex, two King Eiders in County Sligo, Lesser Scaup in Nottinghamshire, Black-bellied Dipper in Norfolk and a Cackling Canada Goose in Dumfries and Galloway.

Cattle Egret reports totaled twelve birds in five counties comprising five in Cornwall, four in Devon and singles on the Isle of Man, Norfolk and the Isles of Scilly.

Scarcities included six each of Great Grey Shrike and Ring-billed Gull, four Green-winged Teals, two each of Black Brant, Ring-necked Duck and Rough-legged Buzzards and single Snow Goose and Surf Scoter.
Chris Batty, RBA
Thursday 19th February 2009  
  The adult Pacific Diver remained off the Isles of Scilly, although it is once again becoming distant. On Orkney, a female Snowy Owl was seen this afternoon on Shapinsay, and has probably been around the islands for several weeks. The Cornish bird remained in-situ, on Amalveor Downs.

Lingering rarities include the Red-breasted Goose in West Sussex, the Lesser Scaup in Perth and Kinross, Cackling Canada Goose in Dumfries and Galloway and Cattle Egrets were in Norfolk, Devon (4), County Cork (6), on the Isle of Man and on the Isles of Scilly.
Will Soar, RBA
Wednesday 18th February 2009  
  On the Isles of Scilly, the adult Pacific Diver remained off St Mary's. Nearby, the Snowy Owl was still on Amalveor Downs, Cornwall, the Penduline Tit was at Clennon Valley, Devon, and the Red-breasted Goose was at West Wittering, Sussex.

Further north, the Black-bellied Dipper was seen again at Letheringsett, Norfolk, with the Cattle Egret nearby at Matlaske. Other Cattle Egrets were on the Isles of Scilly, Isle of Man and in Devon and Cornwall.

Late news from yesterday concerned the Gyr in Pembrokeshire, seen near Marloes briefly.
Will Soar, RBA
Monday 16th February 2009  
  After being seen briefly yesterday evening, the identity of the returning Pacific Diver to Llys-y-Fran Reservoir, Pembrokeshire was confirmed this morning, although it wasn't seen after 8am. Another possible Pacific Diver was seen again off St Mary's, Isles of Scilly.

A second Penduline Tit joined the long staying bird at Strumpshaw Fen RSPB, Norfolk, with the Devon bird still in place near Paignton. The Snowy Owl remained on Amalveor Downs, Cornwall, with other lingering rarities including Lesser Yellowlegs in Suffolk, Black-bellied Dipper in Norfolk, Red-breasted Goose in West Sussex. Great White Egrets were in Suffolk (2) and Somerset, and Cattle Egrets were in Devon (7), Cornwall (2) and County Cork (5).
Will Soar, RBA
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