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 26th March 2013  
  A male Black-throated Thrush in an Aberdeenshire garden was the undoubted highlight of the day. Present in Ash Tree Road, Banchory for the last three days, it showed very well today when news was released. A white morph Gyr was seen on Fetlar, Shetland.

Lingering rarities seen today included Pied-billed Grebe at Ham Wall RSPB, Somerset, Lesser Scaups at Freiston Shore RSPB, Lincolnshire, Cardiff Bay, Glamorgan and Siblyback Lake, Cornwall, Ferruginous Duck at Otmoor RSPB, Oxfordshire, Black-bellied Dipper in Thetford, Norfolk, Desert Wheatear at Rattray Head, Aberdeenshire, Lesser Yellowlegs in Plymouth, Devon and Red-breasted Goose at Farlington Marshes HWT, Hampshire.
Will Soar, RBA
Sunday 24th March 2013  
  Lingering rarities confirmed as still present were the Harlequin Duck on the Western Isles, Pied-billed Grebe in Somerset, Forster's Tern in County Galway, Desert Wheatear in Aberdeenshre, Red-breasted Goose in Hampshire, Bonaparte's Gull in Glamorgan, Lesser Yellowlegs in Devon, Northern Harrier in County Wexford, Glossy Ibis in Pembrokeshire, two Black-bellied Dippers together in Norfolk, and single Lesser Scaups in County Armagh, Clyde, Cornwall, Glamorgan, Herefordshire and Lincolnshire.

Scarce migrants included a White-spotted Bluethroat in Dorset at Portland, with a Kentish Plover nearby at Ferrybridge, and in Cornwall a Serin at Porthgwarra. Around Britain totals of 11 Garganey, 18 Ring Ouzels and 43 Black Redstarts were logged.

Winter scarcities comprised Rose-coloured Starling (Devon), Surf Scoter (Fife), American Wigeon (Orkney Isles), Temminck's Stint (Somerset), Great Grey Shrike (Bedfordshire, Hampshire and Surrey), and Ring-billed Gull (one in Hampshire, and six in Ireland).
Chris Batty, RBA
Saturday 23rd March 2013  
  Despite the atrocious cold conditions and easterly winds across much of the country, there were enough southerlies in the south west to bring in one or two new spring rarities. On Scilly there was a Red-rumped Swallow on St.Mary's and a Hoopoe on St.Agnes, as well as an exceptionally early Common Swift. In Dorset a White-spotted Bluethroat was trapped at Portland Bill.

Both Black-bellied Dippers were still to be found at Thetford in Norfolk. On North Uist the Harlequin Duck was still at Balranald, in Somerset the Pied-billed Grebe continued it's stay at Ham Wall and in Aberdeenshire the Desert Wheatear continued to overwinter at Rattray Head. Lesser Scaups were still to be found in Lincolnshire, Herefordshire, Clyde and Cornwall. Other long staying rarities included the Forster's Tern in County Galway, Red-breasted Goose in Hampshire, Bonaparte's Gull in Glamorgan, Long-billed Dowitcher in Pembrokeshire, Lesser Yellowlegs in Devon and Northern Harrier in County Wexford.

The easterlies brought a Grey Phalarope and three Little Auks to Lothian and a small smattering of, mostly adult, Little Gulls along the east coast, whilst in the south west a small arrival of summer migrants included a number of Ring Ouzels.
Pete Hayman, RBA
Friday 22nd March 2013  
  Lingering rarities confirmed as still present today were the Pied-billed Grebe in Somerset, Desert Wheatear in Aberdeenshire, Red-breaedted Goose and Glossy Ibis in Hampshire, two Black-bellied Dippers together in Norfolk, and single Lesser Scaups in Clyde, Lincolnshire and Herefordshire.

Scarcities included Pallas's Warbler (Berkshire), Rose-coloured Starling (Devon), Great Grey Shrike (Dorset), Lapland Bunting (two in East Yorkshire) and American Wigeon (Devon), whilst notable gulls included Ring-billed, four Glaucous, and two each of Kumlien's, Iceland and Caspian.

Summer migrants continued to arrive with six Garganey noted, along with three each of both Ring Ouzel and Osprey, and Little Ringed Plover, Arctic Skua, Common Tern, House Martin, Sand Martin, Swallow, White Wagtail, and a total of 61 Wheatears.
Chris Batty, RBA
Thursday 21st March 2013  
  The most interesting discovery on an otherwise cold, quiet day was a second Black-bellied Dipper at Thetford in Norfolk, both birds being seen together during the day. A possible African Chaffinch was reported yesterday on Stronsay on Orkney.

Long stayers included the Harlequin Duck and Richardson's Canada Goose on North Uist, the Pied-billed Grebe in Somerset, Blue-winged Teal in Dumfries and Galloway, Desert Wheatear in Aberdeenshire and Red-breasted Goose in Hampshire.

There was a good scattering of Spoonbill records today with 13 birds spread between the south coast and Cumbria, with one inland in Derbyshire.
Pete Hayman, RBA
Wednesday 20th March 2013  
  Lingering rarities confirmed as still present today were the Harlequin Duck on the Western Isles, Pied-billed Grebe and Ferruginous Duck together in Somerset, Forster's Tern in County Galway, Desert Wheatear in Aberdeenshire, Red-breasted Goose in Hampshire, Lesser Scaups in both County Armagh and Clyde, and the Black-bellied Dipper in Norfolk.

Scarcities included Pallas's Warbler (Berkshire), Temminck's Stint (Somerset), Rough-legged Buzzard (two together in Norfolk), Great Grey Shrike (Dorset, Hampshire and Hertfordshire), Lapland Bunting (19 together in Cornwall), Snow Goose (Argyll and Western Isles), American Wigeon (Lincolnshire), Surf Scoter (County Meath (2) and Pembrokeshire), and Ring-necked Duck (Isles of Scilly (3), Somerset and Western Isles). Notable gulls included eight Ring-billed, seven Iceland, and two each of both Glaucous and Caspian.

Significant late news concerned a White-throated Sparrow present at Churchstanton, Somerset from 23rd January until 3rd March 2013.
Chris Batty, RBA
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