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.


Saturday 30th January 2016

	A Franklin's Gull was found in the roost at Fen Drayton Lakes RSPB, Cambridgeshire this evening. Lingering rarities included the Hudsonian Whimbrel, Pacific Diver, American Herring Gull and Lesser Scaup in Cornwall, Glaucous-winged Gull in County Cork, Black Scoter, Coues's Arctic Redpoll, and Long-billed Dowitcher in Northumberland, two Penduline Tits in Gloucestershire, Pallid Harrier in Norfolk, two King Eiders in County Sligo (present for the last eight days), Bonaparte's Gull in County Wexford, Ferruginous Duck in County Durham and another Lesser Scaup in Glamorgan.
- Will Soar, RBA


Friday 29th January 2016

	A Bonaparte's Gull was discovered in Dunnet Bay, Highland. Lingering rarities seen today included the Glaucous-winged Gull in County Cork, Pallid Harrier in Norfolk, Lesser Scaup in Glamorgan and Ferruginous Duck in Hampshire. Scarcity highlights included a Rose-coloured Starling, a Yellow-browed Warbler, a Kumlien's Gull, a Waxwing, a Cattle Egret, two Richard's Pipits and two Glossy Ibises.
- Will Soar, RBA


Thursday 28th January 2016

	Lingering rarities included Black Scoter and Long-billed Dowitcher (Northumberland), Hudsonian Whimbrel, American Herring Gull and Lesser Scaup (Cornwall), Lesser Scaup (Glamorgan), Lesser Yellowlegs and Pallid Harrier (Norfolk), Franklin's Gull (Co Kerry) and Penduline Tits (Gloucestershire). The best of the rest included three Richard's Pipits (East Yorkshire), Serin (Norfolk), Hoopoe (West Midlands/Staffordshire) and Yellow-browed Warblers (Cornwall and Hampshire).
- Stuart Piner, RBA


Wednesday 27th January 2016

	Headline birds included Black Scoter and Coues's Arctic Redpoll (Northumberland), Hudsonian Whimbrel and Lesser Scaup (Cornwall), Ferruginous Duck (Co Durham), King Eider (Fife), Gyr (Western Isles) and Pallid Harrier (Norfolk). The best of the rest included American Wigeon (Somerset), Hoopoe (West Midlands/ Staffordshire) and Shorelark (Co Durham).
- Stuart Piner, RBA


Tuesday 26th January 2016

	Lingering rarities confirmed as present today were the Hudsonian Whimbrel and Lesser Scaup both still in Cornwall, Franklin's Gull and Azorean Yellow-legged Gull together in County Kerry, both Pallid Harrier and Lesser Yellowlegs in Norfolk, Long-billed Dowitcher in Northumberland, and Lesser Scaup in Glamorgan. Scarcities included Hoopoe (Staffordshire), Serin and Rough-legged Buzzard (both Norfolk), Surf Scoter (North Yorkshire), American Wigeon (Northumberland), Glossy Ibis and Cattle Egret (both Suffolk), Ring-necked Duck (Ayrshire and Berkshire), and a total of four Ring-billed Gulls. Significant late news concerned a Bufflehead reported in Cumbria on 24th January at Grune Point.
- Chris Batty, RBA


Monday 25th January 2016

	Headline birds included Glaucous-winged Gull (Co Cork), Pallid Harrier (Norfolk), Ferruginous Duck (Hampshire), Long-billed Dowitcher and Coues's Arctic Redpoll (Nothumberland), Forster's Tern and Lesser Scaup (Co Galway), Black-bellied Dipper (Shetland), Lesser Scaup (Glamorgan), Penduline Tits (Gloucestershire), Dusky Warbler (Somerset), Lesser Yellowlegs (Norfolk) and Hudsonian Whimbrel and Lesser Scaup (Cornwall). The best of the rest included Rose-coloured Starling (Cornwall), Hoopoe (West Midlands/ Staffordshire), Serin (Norfolk), Richard's Pipit (Kent) and Yellow-browed Warbler (London).
- Stuart Piner, RBA


Sunday 24th January 2016

	New discoveries today included a Franklin's Gull at Cashen, County Kerry, a Long-billed Dowitcher on Stronsay, Orkney and a Lesser Scaup near Oranmore, County Galway. Lingering rarities included the Glaucous-winged Gull in County Cork, Hudsonian Whimbrel in Cornwall, Pallid Harrier and Lesser Yellowlegs in Norfolk, Long-billed Dowitcher and Coues's Arctic Redpoll in Northumberland, Penduline Tits in Gloucestershire (two) and Kent, Dusky Warbler in Somerset, Black-bellied Dipper in Shetland, Gyr in the Western Isles, King Eider and Richardson's Cackling Goose in County Sligo (with other King Eiders still in County Wexford and Fife), single Lesser Scaups in Cornwall and Glamorgan and single Ferruginous Ducks in Hampshire and County Durham.
- Will Soar, RBA


Saturday 23rd January 2016

	Rarities today included both the Hudsonian Whimbrel and Lesser Scaup still in Cornwall, Pallid Harrier and Lesser Yellowlegs in Norfolk, Penduline Tits in both Gloucestershire (2) and Hampshire (2), Dusky Warbler in Somerset, Long-billed Dowitcher in Northumberland, Bonaparte's Gull in Devon, King Eider in Fife, Ferruginous Duck in Hampshire, Lesser Scaup in Glamorgan, Cackling Goose in Argyll, and Black-bellied Dipper on the Shetland Isles. In Ireland a Bonaparte's Gull was discovered at Hook Head, County Wexford, with a King Eider remaining nearby, another King Eider still in County Sligo, and the Azorean Yellow-legged Gull again in County Kerry. Scarcities included Rose-coloured Starling (Hampshire), Serin (Norfolk), Hoopoe (West Midlands), Yellow-browed Warbler (Hampshire), Richard's Pipit (East Yorkshire (3 together) and Kent), Ring-necked Duck (Staffordshire), Ring-billed Gull (Strathclyde), American Wigeon (Fife, Lancashire and Northumberland), Surf Scoter (Lothian, North Yorkshire and the Isles of Scilly), and a total of 19 Glossy Ibises.
- Chris Batty, RBA


Friday 22nd January 2016

	Lingering rarities seen today included the Hudsonian Whimbrel, Pacific Diver and Lesser Scaup in Cornwall, Thayer's Gull (or Kumlien's Gull) in Aberdeenshire, Azorean Yellow-legged Gull in County Kerry, two Penduline Tits in Gloucestershire, single King Eiders in County Sligo and County Wexford and Lesser Scaup in Glamorgan. Scarcity highlights included a Hoopoe (West Midlands/Staffordshire), a Yellow-browed Warbler (Cornwall), a Serin, a Grey Phalarope, a Rough-legged Buzzard and two Lapland Buntings (all Norfolk), three Richard's Pipits (Yorkshire), a Little Auk (County Durham), two Cattle Egrets, a Surf Scoter (Cleveland), two Green-winged Teals, four American Wigeon, five Ring-necked Ducks, five Great Grey Shrikes and sixteen Glossy Ibises. Gulls included a Sabine's Gull (County Galway), at least two Kumlien's Gulls, six Ring-billed Gulls, 20 Iceland Gulls, 21 Glaucous Gulls and 28 Caspian Gulls.
- Will Soar, RBA


Thursday 21st January 2016

	Lingering rarities included Thayer's Gull (Aberdeenshire), Lesser Yellowlegs (Norfolk), two Penduline Tits (Gloucestershire), Northern Harrier (Orkney), King Eider (Co Sligo), Lesser Scaup (Cornwall) and Bonaparte's Gull (Devon). The best of the rest included Serin (Norfolk), Little Bunting (Devon), Hoopoe (West Midlands/ Staffordshire), four Richard's Pipits and seven Shorelarks.
- Stuart Piner, RBA