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 7th March 2009  
  On the Isles of Scilly, the juvenile Gyr once again toured the islands, being present on St Mary's, Bryher and Tresco. Further possible Gyrs were reported from Norfolk and Cornwall. Single American Herring Gulls were still present in Devon and County Galway, and the Ivory Gull remained in County Cork.

King Eiders were in Fife and County Sligo (2), with other rare wildfowl consisting of Lesser Scaup in Nottinghamshire and Ferruginous Duck in Surrey. A White-billed Diver was seen on Mull, Argyll, and the Red-breasted Goose was still at East Head, Sussex. Good numbers of Cattle Egrets and Great White Egrets were still present around the country.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Friday 6th March 2009  
  On the Isles of Scilly the juvenile Gyr relocated to Tresco this afternoon, with the Cattle Egret remaining on St Mary's. In Devon, the American Herring Gull was again on the Otter Estuary at Budleigh Salterton, with the adult again at Nimmo's Pier, County Galway. Also in Ireland, the Ivory Gull continued its stay in Baltimore Harbour, County Cork.

Other lingering rarities included the Red-breasted Goose in Sussex and Lesser Scaup in Nottinghamshire, with Cattle Egrets in Cornwall (4), Norfolk, Scilly and on the Isle of Wight, and Great White Egrets in Sussex and Clyde.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Thursday 5th March 2009  
  The star bird today must be the juvenile Gyr on the Isles of Scilly, watched for almost an hour at very close range, feeding on a domestic duck on a lawn. In County Galway, the adult Forster's Tern reappeared at Claddagh Beach, Galway, after an absence of almost a month. Also in Ireland, the juvenile Ivory Gull continued to show well at Baltimore, County Cork.

In Norfolk, the Black-bellied Dipper put on its best show yet, remaining at Hunworth all day. The Siberian Thrush nearby at Glandford was not located, so the Dipper provided a welcome distraction. Other lingering rarities included Lesser Scaup in Nottinghamshire, Red-breasted Goose in Sussex and several Cattle Egrets and Great White Egrets.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Wednesday 4th March 2009  
  The hot news today related to the finding of a first-winter male Siberian Thrush in Glandford, Norfolk. The bird was picked up in a bedraggled state and taken into care, where it recovered in an aviary before being released mid afternoon. The bird, the third for Norfolk, then showed well on and off until dusk.

Elsewhere lingering rarities included Ivory Gull at Baltimore harbour, Co Cork, Lesser Scaup in Nottinghamshire, two King Eiders in Co Sligo and 18 Cattle Egrets were recorded, including seven together in Co Cork. In Norfolk the Black-bellied Dipper was still at Hunworth and four Ring-necked Ducks and three American Wigeons were logged.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Tuesday 3rd March 2009  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of the first Ivory Gull in Ireland in a decade. Found at Baltimore, County Cork, this juvenile bird showed well into the evening and appears likely to be the same bird as earlier present 600 miles to the southeast on the Atlantic coast of France at Gujan-Mestras, Gironde between 21st January and 26th February 2009. Gull news from elsewhere included the American Herring Gull still in County Galway and totals of 42 Glaucous Gulls (including 21 on the Western Isles), 34 Iceland Gulls (including 16 in County Galway), eight Ring-billed Gulls, four Caspian Gulls and three Kumlien's Gulls.

Lingering rarities included the Lesser Scaup in Glamorgan, Black-bellied Dipper in Norfolk, Cackling Canada Goose and Taverner's Canada Goose together in Dumfries and Galloway, and a Great White Egret in Suffolk.

Cattle Egret reports totaled eleven birds in seven counties comprising five in Devon and one each in Norfolk, Pembrokeshire, Wiltshire, Isle of Man, Isles of Scilly and the Isle of Wight.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Monday 2nd March 2009  
  Rarity headlines included the Snowy Owl still in Cornwall, Penduline Tits in Devon and Norfolk (2), Lesser Scaups in both Glamorgan and Nottinghamshire, Great White Egrets in Cambridgeshire, Hampshire and Suffolk and the Hooded Merganser remained in Dorset.

Cattle Egret reports totaled twenty birds in eight counties comprising seven in County Cork, five in Devon, three in Cornwall and singles in Norfolk and Wiltshire and on the Isle of Man, Isles of Scilly and the Isle of Wight.

Scarcities included eight each of Ring-billed Gull and Great Grey Shrike, seven Caspian Gulls, three each of Black Brant and Green-winged Teal, two each of American Wigeon and Rough-legged Buzzard and singles of Ring-necked Duck, Lesser Snow Goose and Lapland Bunting.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Sunday 1st March 2009  
  Rarity headlines today were a White-billed Diver in Argyll, American Herring Gull in County Galway, Red-breasted Goose in West Sussex, Long-billed Dowitcher in County Louth, King Eiders in Fife and County Sligo (2), Great White Egrets in Cambridgeshire (2) and Suffolk (2), single Lesser Scaups in Glamorgan, County Meath, Nottinghamshire and County Westmeath and the Hooded Merganser in Dorset.

Cattle Egret reports totaled 26 birds in nine counties comprising seven each in County Cork and Cornwall, six in Devon and singles in Norfolk, Pembrokeshire and Wiltshire and on the Isle of Man, Isles of Scilly and the Isle of Wight.

Scarcities included eleven Great Grey Shrikes, seven Ring-billed Gulls, six each of Ring-necked Duck and Green-winged Teal, three each of American Wigeon and Black Brant and two each of Surf Scoter, Rough-legged Buzzard and Kumlien's Gull.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Saturday 28th February 2009  
  Lingering rarities included the Snowy Owl in Cornwall, Penduline Tit in Devon, sixteen Cattle Egrets (the largest flock totalled nine in Cornwall and a second bird arrived on the Isle of Man) and four Great White Egrets (including two together in Cambridgeshire).

Rare and scarce wildfowl came in the form of Lesser Scaups in Nottinghamshire and Glamorgan, King Eiders in Fife and Sligo (2), Red-breasted Goose in West Sussex, Hooded Mergansers in Essex and Dorset, American Wigeons in Gloucestershire, Tipperary and Western Isles, Ring-necked Duck in Dorset, Green-winged Teals in Ayrshire (2), Leicestershire and Forth and Surf Scoters in Devon and Fife.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Friday 27th February 2009  
  At Nimmo's Pier, County Galway, the American Herring Gull was seen again, along with good numbers of other quality gulls. The Snowy Owl remained in Cornwall, as did single King Eiders in East Yorkshire and Fife, Penduline Tit in Devon and Lesser Scaup in Nottinghamshire.

Cattle Egrets were present in Pembrokeshire, Norfolk, Cornwall, Devon, Isles of Scilly, Isle of Man and Isle of Wight, whilst a Great White Egret was still in Cambridgeshire.

Early migrants included two Sand Martins in Sussex, whilst a House Martin was in Northamptonshire for its second day.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Thursday 26th February 2009  
  The first-winter drake King Eider remained off Flamborough Head, East Yorkshire today, with the second-winter drake again at Earlsferry, Fife. Other rare wildfowl included the Lesser Scaup in Nottinghamshire and Ferruginous Duck in Essex, whilst, in Cornwall, the Snowy Owl was seen on Amalveor Downs.

Single Cattle Egrets were in Norfolk, Pembrokeshire, Wiltshire, Isles of Scilly and Isle of Man and two were in Devon. Two Great White Egrets were still in Cambridgeshire, with another still in Somerset.
-  Will Soar, RBA