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.

Choose a starting date
Saturday 3rd January 2015  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of a Gyr in Clyde. Initially at Dumbarton, it was later relocated briefly at West Ferry.

Rarities elsewhere comprised the Blyth's Pipit still in West Yorkshire, Ivory Gull in Highland, American Coot in County Kerry and the Western Isles, Eastern Black Redstart on the Isles of Scilly, Bonaparte's Gull in Devon, King Eider in Fife, White-billed Diver on the Orkney Isles, Lesser Yellowlegs in County Clare, County Dublin and Lothian, Ferruginous Duck in Gloucestershire and Hampshire, and Lesser Scaup in Ayreshire, Cornwall and County Galway.

Scarcities included Glossy Ibis (Devon), Lapland Bunting (Lincolnshire), two Cattle Egrets (Kent), three each of Richard's Pipit and Yellow-browed Warbler, four of American Wigeon and Ring-necked Duck, five Waxwings, six Rough-legged Buzzards, seven Great Grey Shrikes, eight Ring-billed Gulls and 12 Shorelarks.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Friday 2nd January 2015  
  New discoveries included Lesser Yellowlegs in East Sussex and Lothian, White-billed Diver in Orkney and Long-billed Dowitcher in Co Wexford.

In East Yorkshire the Little Bustard had left its Fraisthorpe field, but elsewhere lingering rarities comprised Blyth's Pipit (West Yorkshire), Ivory Gull (Highland), Ferruginous Ducks (Hampshire and Gloucestershire), Laughing Gull (Co Cork), American Coot and Lesser Scaup (Co Kerry), Forster's Tern (Co Galway), Lesser Yellowlegs (Co Dublin), Pacific Diver and Lesser Scaup (Cornwall) and Penduline Tits (Devon).

The best of the rest included Waxwing (Forth), two Cattle Egrets, two American Wigeons, two Glossy Ibises, three Surf Scoters, at least three Yellow-browed Warblers, five Richard's Pipits, nine Ring-necked Ducks and 11 Rough-legged Buzzards.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Thursday 1st January 2015  
  The highlight of the day was the continued presence of the Little Bustard at Fraisthorpe, East Yorkshire, where it showed all day. Rarities elsewhere comprised the Blyth's Pipit still in West Yorkshire, Ivory Gull in Highland, Spotted Sandpiper in Aberdeenshire, Laughing Gull in County Cork, Bonaparte's Gull in Devon, Eastern Black Redstart on the Isles of Scilly, Ferruginous Ducks in both Gloucestershire and Hampshire, and Lesser Scaups in Ayrshire, Cornwall, Glamorgan and Powys.

Scarcities included Pallas's Warbler (Kent), Surf Scoter (Essex), Glossy Ibis (Cambridgeshire), two Cattle Egrets (Kent), three Ring-necked Ducks, four each of Richard's Pipit, Yellow-browed Warbler and Shorelark, six of both American Wigeon and Rough-legged Buzzard, and seven Great Grey Shrikes.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Wednesday 31st December 2014  
  The highlight of the day was another Little Bustard, today at Fraisthorpe, East Yorkshire. Discovered early in the morning and confirmed late morning, the bird continued to show until dark.

Rarities elsewhere comprised the Ivory Gull still in Highland, Blyth's Pipit in West Yorkshire, two Penduline Tits in Devon, Eastern Black Redstart on the Isles of Scilly, Bonaparte's Gull in Argyll, Lesser Scaup in Cornwall and Powys, Ferruginous Duck in Gloucestershire, and an Azorean Yellow-legged Gull reported on Valentia Island, County Kerry.

Scarcities included Surf Scoter (Lothian), two each of Richard's Pipit, Ring-necked Duck and Cattle Egret, three American Wigeons, four Yellow-browed Warblers, seven Rough-legged Buzzards, eight Great Grey Shrikes, 12 Shorelarks and 27 Tundra Bean Geese, whilst gulls included 15 Iceland, 14 Glaucous, nine Caspian, five Ring-billed and three Kumlien's.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Tuesday 30th December 2014  
  A Little Bustard was found in Sussex at East Guldeford Levels mid morning, but it flew south and wasn't relocated. The is the second bustard the finder has discovered in Britain, the previous being a Great Bustard at High Halstow, Kent in 1981.

In County Cork a White-billed Diver flew over Ballycotton, where the Laughing Gull also remained. Other lingering rarities included the Blyth's Pipit in West Yorkshire, American Coot in the Western Isles, Ivory Gull in Highland, Penduline Tits in Bedfordshire and Devon (3), single Bonaparte's Gulls in Devon and Argyll, single Lesser Yellowlegs' in Sussex and County Dublin, Lesser Scaup in Glamorgan, Ferruginous Duck in Gloucestershire and Eastern Black Redstart in the Isles of Scilly.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Monday 29th December 2014  
  A female Ferruginous Duck was found today at Slimbridge WWT reserve in Gloucestershire and there was late news from the weekend of the returning Lesser Scaup at Dozmary Pool in Cornwall. A Gyr was reported in Aberdeenshire in the mountains around Glen Ey.

In West Yorkshire, there was no sign today of the Thayer's Gull at Mirfield nor Pugneys Country Park, but the Blyth's Pipit remained faithful to the grassland at Calder Park, Wakefield. The Ivory Gull was still at Uig on the Isle of Skye.

Other long staying rarities included Penduline Tits in Bedfordshire and Devon (3), the American Coot and Richardson's Cackling Goose on the Outer Hebrides, Lesser Yellowlegs in East Sussex, King Eider in Fife and Bonaparte's Gull in Devon.
-  Pete Hayman, RBA
Sunday 28th December 2014  
  The fourth Penduline Tit for Bedfordshire was discovered this afternoon at Priory Country Park.

In West Yorkshire, the Blyth's Pipit and Thayer's Gull ended the day just 2/3 mile apart, with the former remaining in its favoured grass at Calder Park, and the latter roosting at nearby Pugneys Country Park. The gull had also been seen a few times during the day at Ravensthorpe, seven miles to the west.

Other lingering rarities present today included the Pacific Diver in Cornwall, Ivory Gull in Highland, Laughing Gull in County Cork, single Lesser Yellowlegs' in Sussex and County Dublin, Spotted Sandpiper in Aberdeenshire, King Eider in Moray, single Lesser Scaups in Glamorgan and Powys and Eastern Black Redstart in the Isles of Scilly.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Saturday 27th December 2014  
  The highlight of the day was the identification of a juvenile Thayer's Gull, which was photographed at Mirfield, West Yorkshire today.

Lingering rarities included the Blyth's Pipit in West Yorkshire, American Coot in the Western Isles, Forster's Tern in County Galway, three Penduline Tits and a Bonaparte's Gull in Devon, Spotted Sandpiper in Aberdeenshire, single Lesser Yellowlegs' in County Dublin and East Sussex, King Eider in Fife, Lesser Scaup in Glamorgan and Eastern Black Redstart in the Isles of Scilly.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Friday 26th December 2014  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of a White-rumped Sandpiper in County Antrim at Jordanstown. Rarities elsewhere comprised the Blyth's Pipit still in West Yorkshire, Eastern Black Redstart on the Isles of Scilly, Lesser Yellowlegs in East Sussex, and single Lesser Scaups in both Ayrshire and Powys.

Scarcities included Barred Warbler (Dorset), American Wigeon (Cornwall), two each of Cattle Egret, Surf Scoter and Ring-billed Gull, three each of both Richard's Pipit and Ring-necked Duck, four of Rough-legged Buzzard, Shorelark and Lapland Bunting, seven of Iceland Gull and Glaucous Gull, and nine each of Great Grey Shrike and Tundra Bean Goose.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Thursday 25th December 2014  
  The highlight of the day was a Lesser Yellowlegs reported at Pett Level, East Sussex. Rarities elsewere comprised the Blyth's Pipit still in West Yorkshire, and the Eastern Black Redstart still on the Isles of Scilly.

Scarcities included Barred Warbler in Dorset, Yellow-browed Warblers in Devon and Dorset, Richard's Pipit in East Sussex, Surf Scoter in Suffolk, American Wigeon in Cornwall, Ring-necked Duck in Northamptonshire, and thee scattered Rough-legged Buzzards.
-  Chris Batty, RBA