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| Wednesday 25th February 2009 | ||
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| 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. |
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| - Pete Hayman, 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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| Tuesday 24th February 2009 | ||
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| 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. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Monday 23rd February 2009 | ||
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| Lingering rarities included the Penduline Tit in Devon, Snowy Owl
in Cornwall, King Eiders in Fife and Sligo (2) and Red-breasted Goose
in West Sussex. Nine Cattle Egrets were logged, in as well as three Great
White Egrets.
In Devon a Rose-coloured Starling was discovered at Northam Burrows Country Park and in Gloucestershire a first-winter male American Wigeon was found amongst Wigeon at Slimbridge WWT. Five Ring-necked Ducks, four Green-winged Teals, two Rough-legged Buzzards and two Surf Scoters were also reported. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Sunday 22nd February 2009 | ||
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| 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. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Saturday 21st February 2009 | ||
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| 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. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Friday 20th February 2009 | ||
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| 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. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Thursday 19th February 2009 | ||
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| 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. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Wednesday 18th February 2009 | ||
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| 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. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Tuesday 17th February 2009 | ||
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| Highlight of the day was the confirmation of the adult Pacific Diver
on Isles of Scilly, where it lingered distantly off the northeast coast of St
Mary's.
Penduline Tits were still on show at Strumpshaw Fen RSPB, Norfolk and Clennon Valley, Devon, the Snowy Owl lingered in Cornwall, the Red-breasted Goose was still in West Sussex and nine Cattle Egrets included a new bird on the Isle of Man. Elsewhere the second-winter male Rough-legged Buzzard was seen again in Hampshire, Black Brants were located in Devon and Norfolk, the Ross's Goose lingered with Pink-footed Geese in the latter county and five Great Grey Shrikes and five Green-winged Teals were logged. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Monday 16th February 2009 | ||
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| 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). |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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