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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Wednesday 2nd April 2014  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of both King Eider and a White-billed Diver together in Moray at Burghead. Rarities elsewhere comprised the American Coot still in Highland, Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler in Kent, Dusky Warbler in Suffolk, two Two-barred Crossbills in South Yorkshire, Bonaparte's Gull in Glamorgan, Blue-winged Teal in Northamptonshire, Red-breasted Goose in Dorset, and Ferruginous Duck in London.

Scarcities included Purple Heron (Cornwall), Hoopoe (County Cork, Devon and Kent), American Wigeon (Cambridgeshire), Ring-necked Duck (Shetland Isles), Surf Scoter (Cornwall and Lothian), and five Glossy Ibises.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Tuesday 1st April 2014  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of a Blue-winged Teal in Northamptonshire at Stanwick. Rarities elsewhere comprised the Baikal Teal still in Cambridgeshire, American Coot in Highland, Pied-billed Grebe on the Western Isles, Two-barred Crosbills in both Greater Manchester and South Yorkshire (2), Dusky Warbler and Ferruginous Duck in Suffolk, Red-breasted Goose in Dorset, Lesser Yellowlegs in Hampshire, Bonaparte's Gull in Glamorgan and White-billed Diver again on the Orkney Isles.

Scarcities included five Hoopoes, three Serins, White Stork (Lincolnshire), American Wigeon (Cambridgeshire), Rough-legged Buzzard (Norfolk), Shorelark (East Yorkshire), Lapland Bunting (Pembrokeshire), Yellow-browed Warbler (Somerset), two each of both Ring-necked Duck and Kumlien's Gull, three Surf Scoters, four Glossy Ibises and eight Great Grey Shrikes.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Monday 31st March 2014  
  Rarity highlights included American Coot in Highland, Baikal Teal in Cambridgeshire, Ferruginous Duck and Dusky Warbler in Suffolk, Long-billed Dowitcher and Lesser Yellowlegs in Hampshire, Bonaparte's Gull in Glamorgan, Red-breasted Goose in Dorset, two White-billed Divers in Western Isles and Two-barred Crossbills in Shropshire (3) and Greater Manchester.

The best of rest included Glossy Ibises in West Sussex (2), Co Sligo (2), Cornwall and West Midlands, Hoopoes in Cornwall, West Sussex and Kent, American Wigeon in Cambridgeshire and Cattle Egrets in Buckinghamshire and Cornwall.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Sunday 30th March 2014  
  New discoveries today included the first spring record of Red-flanked Bluetail for Fair Isle, Shetland, single White-billed Divers off Point of Stoer and Achnahaird, both Highland, a female Ferruginous Duck at Dagenham Chase, London and a second adult Bonaparte's Gull joined the long staying individual in Cardiff Bay, Glamorgan.

The Baikal Teal proved very popular in Cambridgeshire, where it remained all day at Fen Drayton Lakes RSPB, whilst the Wood Duck also remained in situ on South Uist, Western Isles. Other lingerers included the American Coot in Highland, Pied-billed Grebe on the Western Isles, Forster's Tern in County Galway, Dusky Warbler in Suffolk, Coues's Arctic Redpoll in Cheshire, Two-barred Crossbill in Norfolk, Long-billed Dowitcher and Lesser Yellowlegs in Hampshire, Lesser Scaup in Highland and Red-breasted Goose in Dorset.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Saturday 29th March 2014  
  Highlight of the day was the discovery of a smart drake Baikal Teal at Fen Drayton Lakes RSPB in Cambridgeshire. It has apparently been present for a couple of weeks, but news wasn't released until it was found independently today.

Lingering rarities also seen today included the American Coot in Highland, Pied-billed Grebe in the Western Isles, Dusky Warbler in Suffolk, two Hume's Yellow-browed Warblers in Kent, Coues's Arctic Redpoll in Cheshire, Two-barred Crossbills in Norfolk (four) and Yorkshire (two), Long-billed Dowitcher and Lesser Yellowlegs in Hampshire, ten White-billed Divers in Aberdeenshire, Bonaparte's Gull in Glamorgan, single King Eiders in County Mayo and Lothian and Ferruginous Duck in Suffolk. A new Lesser Scaup was also in County Sligo.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Friday 28th March 2014  
  A white Gyr was seen at Balranald RSPB on North Uist, Western Isles.

Lingering rarities included the American Coot in Highland, Wood Duck on the Western Isles, Dusky Warbler and Ferruginous Duck in Suffolk, Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler in Kent, Coues's Arctic Redpoll in Cheshire, Two-barred Crossbills in Yorkshire (three) and Norfolk (two), Red-breasted Goose in Dumfries and Galloway and Lesser Yellowlegs in Hampshire.

Scarcity highlights included a Serin, a Richard's Pipit and two Hoopoes.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Thursday 27th March 2014  
  A drake Wood Duck was discovered on South Uist (Western Isles) this morning.

Lingering rarities included Olive-backed Pipit, Dusky Warbler and Ferruginous Duck in Suffolk, Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler in Kent, Coues's Arctic Redpoll in Cheshire, American Coot in Highland, Lesser Yellowlegs in Hampshire, Lesser Scaup in Staffordshire and Two-barred Crossbills in Norfolk (5+) and South Yorkshire (1+).

The best of the rest included Hoopoes in Kent and Isles of Scilly, Cattle Egret in Buckinghamshire, Richard's Pipit in Norfolk and Yellow-browed Warbler in Worcestershire.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Wednesday 26th March 2014  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of 10 White-billed Divers together in Aberdeenshire at Portsoy, a regular site for this species. In Suffolk a Ferruginous Duck was new at Minsmere.

Lingering rarities confirmed as still present were the Dusky Warbler in Suffolk, two Hume's Yellow-browed Warblers in Kent, Bonaparte's Gulls in both Glamorgan and Highland, King Eider in County Donegal and Lothian, Richardson's Cackling Goose in Argyll, and Two-barred Crossbills in Norfolk (4), Surrey and South Yorkshire (3).

Scarcities included Serin (Isles of Scilly), Yellow-browed Warbler (Worcestershire), Lesser Snow Goose (Angus), Ring-necked Duck (Argyll), two each of both Hoopoe and Surf Scoter, three Lapland Buntings, and four Glossy Ibises. Notable gulls included 16 Iceland, nine Glaucous, four Kumlien's and two Ring-billed.

Incoming migrants included 14 Garganey, 13 Ospreys, three Ring Ouzels, more Sedge Warblers, both Yellow and White Wagtail, and a Whinchat in Cambridgeshire.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Tuesday 25th March 2014  
  Rarities today comprised both the American Coot and Black Duck both still in Highland, Forster's Tern in County Galway, Dusky Warbler in Suffolk, Coues's Arctic Redpoll in Cheshire, Lesser Yellowlegs in Hampshire, Bonaparte's Gull in Glamorgan, King Eider in Lothian, Lesser Scaup in Staffordshire, and Two-barred Crossbills in Norfolk and South Yorkshire (3).

Scarcities included Purple Heron (Isles of Scilly), Richard's Pipit (Norfolk), Ring-necked Duck (County Waterford), two each of Hoopoe, Shorelark and Surf Scoter, four Lapland Buntings, and five each of both Glossy Ibis and Green-winged Teal. Gulls totaled 11 Glaucous, 10 Iceland, five Kumlien's, three Caspian and a Ring-billed.

Newly arrived spring migrants included 13 Garganey, more Willow Warblers and Ospreys, Ring Ouzel and White Wagtail, with reports of Redstart, Hobby, Cuckoo and Nightingale
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Monday 24th March 2014  
  In Essex a Snowy Owl was at Mucking Flats this morning before it flew inland.

Lingering rarities included American Coot and Lesser Scaup in Highland, Coues's Arctic Redpoll in Cheshire, Dusky Warbler in Suffolk and Two-barred Crossbills in South Yorkshire (5), Norfolk (3), Kent and Surrey. In Cornwall an American Herring Gull was reported at Colliford Lake and in Dorset a Red-breasted Goose was reported in Poole Harbour.

The best of the rest included Hoopoes in Kent and Isles of Scilly, Cattle Egrets in Suffolk and Buckinghamshire, Yellow-browed Warbler in Worcestershire, White-tailed Eagle in Suffolk and Glossy Ibises in Co Sligo (2), Cambridgeshire (2), Perth and Kinross, Somerset and Nottinghamshire.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA