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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Saturday 9th April 2016  
  A Black-headed Wagtail was discovered at Swillington Ings, West Yorkshire.

Lingering rarities seen today included the Hudsonian Whimbrel in Cornwall, Gyr and American Herring Gull in the Western Isles, single Long-billed Dowitchers in Hampshire and Northumberland, Ross's Goose in Lothian and Lesser Scaup in Glamorgan.

Scarcity highlights included a Pallas's Warbler, a Yellow-browed Warbler, a Purple Heron, two Serins and four Hoopoes.

A Phylloscopus warbler singing at Howick Cross, Lancashire may be an Iberian Chiffchaff.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Friday 8th April 2016  
  A Long-billed Dowitcher was discovered at Sandwich Bay, Kent.

Lingering rarities included the Hudsonian Whimbrel, Pacific Diver and American Herring Gull in Cornwall, Gyr in the Western Isles, Penduline Tit in Norfolk, Long-billed Dowitcher in Northumberland, Bonaparte's Gull in Devon, Lesser Scaup in Glamorgan, White-billed Diver in Moray and Ross's Goose in Lothian.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Thursday 7th April 2016  
  Rarity highlights included the Gyr on Western Isles, Glaucous-winged Gull in Co Cork, King Eider in Co Wexford, Long-billed Dowitcher in Northumberland, Ross's Goose in Lothian,White-billed Diver in Moray and Penduline Tit in Norfolk.

The best of the rest included Purple Heron (Essex), Hoopoes (Cornwall and Dorset), Cattle Egret (Suffolk), White Stork (Somerset), Richard's Pipits (East Yorkshire) and Pallas's Warbler (Dorset).
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Wednesday 6th April 2016  
  Lingering rarities included Gyr and American Herring Gull (Western Isles), Pacific Diver and Hudsonian Whimbrel (Cornwall), White-billed Diver (Orkney), Bonaparte's Gull (Devon), Ross's Goose (Lothian) and Long-billed Dowitchers (Leicestershire and Northumberland).

The best of the rest included Purple Heron (Essex), Hoopoes and Rose-coloured Starling (Cornwall), Yellow-browed Warbler (London), White Stork (Somerset), two Cattle Egrets and four Glossy Ibises.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Tuesday 5th April 2016  
  New discoveries today included a Bonaparte's Gull in Cardiff Bay, Glamorgan and a Northern Long-tailed Tit at Gorleston-on-Sea, Norfolk.

Lingering rarities included the Hudsonian Whimbrel in Cornwall, Gyr and American Herring Gull in the Western Isles, single Long-billed Dowitchers in Leicestershire and Northumberland, single White-billed Divers in Orkney and Moray, King Eider in County Wexford and Ross's Goose in Lothian.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Monday 4th April 2016  
  In Cornwall a Snowy Owl arrived at St Just, just a day after a Gyr was seen in the same area. Elsewhere lingering rarities included Hudsonian Whimbrel (Cornwall), Richardson's Cackling Goose (Co Sligo), American Herring Gull, Gyr and three White-billed Divers (Western Isles), Penduline Tit (Norfolk) and Long-billed Dowitcher (Leicestershire).

The best of the rest included Woodchat Shrike and Hoopoe (Cornwall), Ring-necked Duck (Western Isles, Co Kerry [3] and Co Down), Pallas's Warbler (Dorset), two Richard's Pipits (East Yorkshire), Cattle Egrets (Co Sligo and Suffolk) and Wryneck (East Sussex).
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Sunday 3rd April 2016  
  A Slate-coloured Junco was discovered at Point of Ayre, Isle of Man early afternoon, where it was still present and showing very well early evening. Other new discoveries today included a white morph Gyr in west Cornwall, initially over St Just then just east of Pendeen and finally at Men-an-Tol late afternoon, an American Herring Gull at Cahermore, County Cork, a Lesser Yellowlegs at Carlton Marshes, Suffolk, a Black Kite over Hythe, Kent and a Ross's Goose at Bathgate, Lothian.

Lingering rarities included the Hudsonian Whimbrel in Cornwall, Glaucous-winged Gull in County Cork, American Herring Gull in the Western Isles, Penduline Tit in Norfolk, single Long-billed Dowitchers in Leicestershire and Northumberland, White-billed Diver in Moray, King Eider in Fife and single Lesser Scaups in County Sligo and Glamorgan.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Saturday 2nd April 2016  
  Rarities today comprised the Hudsonian Whimbrel still in Cornwall, the Gyr and three White-billed Divers on the Western Isles, Penduline Tit in Norfolk, King Eider in Fife, White-billed Diver in Moray, Lesser Scaups in both Glamorgan and County Sligo, and the Baltic Gull again in Leicestershire.

Scarcities included Woodchat Shrike (Cornwall), White Stork (Devon), Pallas's Warbler (Dorset), Richard's Pipit (Kent), American Wigeon (County Donegal), Ring-billed Gull (County Antrim), Cattle Egret (Kent), Serin (Dorset and the Isles of Scilly), two Lapland Buntings (Norfolk), three each of Ring-necked Duck and Glossy Ibis, and nine of Surf Scoter (all together in County Mayo) and Great Grey Shrike.

Significant late news from Kent concerns a Western Rufous Turtle Dove present in Oxted last week, where it was first seen on 18th February.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Friday 1st April 2016  
  The highlight of the day was the first confirmed Alpine Swift of the year; briefly over Old Moor, South Yorkshire. Rarities elsewhere comprised the Gyr still on the Western Isles, Penduline Tit in Norfolk, Lesser Scaup in Glamorgan, and Long-billed Dowitchers still in Hampshire, Leicestershire and Northumberland.

Scarcities included Pallas's Warbler (Dorset), Rough-legged Buzzard (Essex), Great Shearwater (at sea off the Western Isles), two each of Surf Scoter, Ring-necked Duck, Shorelark, Lapland Bunting and Glossy Ibis, four Cattle Egrets, and seven Great Grey Shrikes.

Arriving summer migrants included 20 Garganey, five Ring Ouzels and the first Redstart and Reed Warbler.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Thursday 31st March 2016  
  Rarities today comprised the Pacific Diver still in Cornwall, the Gyr on the Western Isles, Penduline Tit in Norfolk, King Eiders in both Fife and County Wexford, and single Long-billed Dowitchers in Hampshire, Leicestershire and Northumberland.

Scarcities included Pallas's Warbler (Dorset), Hoopoe (west Midlands), Yellow-browed Warbler (Devon), Night Heron (South Yorkshire), Rough-legged Buzzard (Norfolk), Ring-billed Gull (Cornwall), two each of Ring-necked Duck, Cattle Egret, Shorelark and Lapland Bunting, three each of American Wigeon and Glossy Ibis, four Surf Scoters and eight Great Grey Shrikes.
-  Chris Batty, RBA