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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Friday 17th December 2010  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of a Ferruginous Duck in Suffolk at Leathes Ham, Lowestoft. Elsewhere, lingering rarities comprised the Northern Harrier still in Norfolk, Long-billed Dowitcher in Dorset, King Eider in Moray and Ross's Goose in Dumfries and Galloway.

Scarcities included eight Lapland Buntings, seven Tundra Bean Geese (together in Worcestershire), four Caspian Gulls, three each of both Green-winged Teal and Glaucous Gull, two Iceland Gulls and single Ring-necked Duck (West Midlands), Ring-billed Gull (West Yorkshire), Great Grey Shrike (Forth), Great White Egret (Nottinghamshire) and Black Brant (Essex).
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Thursday 16th December 2010  
  A quieter day than recently, the only rarities confirmed as still present today were the Long-billed Dowitcher at Lodmoor RSPB, Dorset, and the Lesser Scaup at Cardiff Bay, Glamorgan. The possible Eastern Yellow Wagtail also remained at Colyford, Devon.

Scarcity highlights included a Pomarine Skua in Essex, a Ring-billed Gull in Hampshire, a Surf Scoter in Devon, two Great Grey Shrikes and three Rough-legged Buzzards.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Wednesday 15th December 2010  
  In Central Norfolk, the adult Lesser White-fronted Goose remained with the flock of Taiga Bean Geese, being seen briefly mid afternoon before flying out of view again. In North Norfolk, the juvenile male Northern Harrier was seen again at Thornham Marsh mid morning. On the south coast, the Long-billed Dowitcher was at Lodmoor RSPB, Dorset, and both the Glossy Ibis and possible Eastern Yellow Wagtail remained in Devon.

Scarcity highlights included a Grey Phalarope, a Surf Scoter, two Rough-legged Buzzards, two Great Grey Shrikes and two Ring-billed Gulls.

The highest count of Waxwing was a flock of over 1,400 at Pegwell Bay, Kent.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Tuesday 14th December 2010  
  In Norfolk the Lesser White-fronted Goose remained at Buckenham Marshes RSPB with the wintering flock of Taiga Bean Geese. In North Norfolk the juvenile male Northern Harrier lingered on Thornham Marsh, whilst in Ireland the juvenile Northern Harrier was still at Tacumhin (Co Wexford).

In Devon the Glossy Ibis remained at Budleigh Salterton and the possible Eastern Yellow Wagtail was trapped at Colyford. On Orkney the Lesser Scaup lingered on Mainland.

Scarcities included the American Wigeon in Leicestershire, Rough-legged Buzzards in Lincolnshire and Norfolk (3), Great White Egret in Kent, Surf Scoter in Devon and Green-winged Teal in Dumfries & Galloway.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Monday 13th December 2010  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of a Lesser White-fronted Goose in Norfolk. Present in the Yare Valley between Buckenham Marshes and Cantley Marshes with Taiga Bean Geese it represents the first record of this species accompanying wild geese in Britain since 2003, and the first in Norfolk since 1997.

In Hampshire a Black-throated Thrush briefly visited a garden in Old Basing and elsewhere, lingering rarities included Northern Harriers in Co Wexford and Norfolk, Long-billed Dowitcher in Dorset and Glossy Ibis in Devon. 

The best of the comprised American Wigeon in Leicestershire, Rough-legged Buzzard in Lincolnshire, Surf Scoter in Devon, Cattle Egret in Somerset, Great White Egret in Kent, and of course, excellent numbers of Waxwings throughout Britain.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Sunday 12th December 2010  
  The highlight of the day was the continued presence of the Pied-billed Grebe in County Cork at Little Island. Elsewhere, the Northern Harrier remained in Norfolk, as did the Forster's Tern in County Galway, Long-billed Dowitcher in Dorset, two King Eiders together on the Shetland Isles, Glossy Ibis in Berkshire, Richardson's Canada Goose in County Sligo and Ross's Goose in Dumfries and Galloway.

Scarcities included a White-tailed Eagle that migrated west from West Sussex to Hampshire, single American Wigeon (Leicestershire), Hoopoe (Dorset), Little Auk (Orkney Isles) and Grey Phalarope (Essex), two each of Green-winged Teal and Black Brant, three each of Surf Scoter, Rough-legged Buzzard and Great White Egret, four Caspian Gulls, five each of Ring-billed, Glaucous and Iceland Gulls, 20 Balearic Shearwaters (together in Cornwall) and 23 each of both Shorelark and Lapland Bunting.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Saturday 11th December 2010  
  A Pied-billed Grebe at Little Island, County Cork, represents the fourth record for the county, and the first since 2000. This continues 2010's run of the species, following six blank years since 2003. Other new rarities today included a Glossy Ibis back at Exminster Marshes RSPB, Devon, a Richardson's Canada Goose back at Raghly, County Sligo and a Ross's Goose back at Caerlaverock WWT, Dumfries and Galloway.

In Norfolk, the juvenile male Northern Harrier reappeared at Burnham Overy mid to late afternoon, whilst also being reported flying west at Titchwell this afternoon. Other long staying rarities included the American Coot in County Mayo, House Crow in County Cork, Lesser Scaup in Glamorgan and Glossy Ibis in Devon (with another still in Berkshire). The possible Eastern Yellow Wagtail also remained at Colyford, Devon.

Waxwings, of course, made up the bulk of today's 532 messages, and included birds as far south-west as Cornwall. Other scarcity highlights included a White-tailed Eagle in Sussex, a Hoopoe in Dorset, a Ring-billed Gull in Yorkshire, an American Wigeon in Leicestershire, two Surf Scoters, four Rough-legged Buzzards and ten Great Grey Shrikes.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Friday 10th December 2010  
  Rarities included American Coot and Black Duck still in County Mayo, Lesser Scaup on the Orkney Isles, Ross's Goose in Norfolk and single Glossy Ibises in both Berkshire and Devon.

Scarcities included 38 Lapland Buntings, 24 Shorelarks, five Glaucous Gulls, four Caspian Gulls, three Rough-legged Buzzards, two each of Surf Scoter, Ring-necked Duck and Iceland Gull, and single Hoopoe, Great Grey Shrike, Snow Goose, American Wigeon, Ring-billed Gull, Green-winged Teal and Grey Phalarope.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Thursday 9th December 2010  
  A Glossy Ibis found near Hungerford in Berkshire today was the first in the county since 1793, and that bird was the first recorded in Britain! Another Glossy Ibis was also still to be found at Monknash in Glamorgan. In Dorset, the Long-billed Dowitcher remained on The Fleet and the American Coot could still be found at the Mullet in County Mayo.

An American Wigeon was found at Rutland Water in Leicestershire and the unseasonal Hoopoe continued to overwinter at Longham Lakes in Dorset. The possible Eastern Yellow Wagtail remained at Colyford sewage works, Devon, and in Lothian, the Grey Phalarope remained at Dunbar and the Green-winged Teal remained at Aberlady Bay.

There were four scattered Great Grey Shrikes and three Ring-billed Gulls, and amongst the large numbers of Waxwings came some more records from Cornwall, with two birds in Truro and two in Hayle.
-  Pete Hayman, RBA
Wednesday 8th December 2010  
  In Glamorgan, a Glossy Ibis was found near Llantwit Major on a pool by the road at Monknash. The Little Bunting remained at Saxmundham, Suffolk, whilst the Long-billed Dowitcher in Dorset was relocated on The Fleet at Butterstreet Cove late afternoon. Long staying rarities seen today included the Forster's Tern in County Galway, Blue-winged Teal in Dumfries and Galloway and Glossy Ibis in Devon. The possible Eastern Yellow Wagtail remained at Colyford sewage works, Devon.

Scarcity highlights included a Hoopoe, a Surf Scoter, a Pomarine Skua, a Grey Phalarope, a Green-winged Teal, two Rough-legged Buzzards, three Ring-necked Ducks, three Ring-billed Gulls, three Great Grey Shrikes and at least three Great White Egrets.
-  Will Soar, RBA