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.


Monday 2nd January 2017

	A Black-throated Thrush was discovered in Northumberland, whilst the Pine Bunting (Shropshire), Blue Rock Thrush (Gloucestershire), Dusky Thrush (Derbyshire), Ferruginous Duck (Norfolk), Hooded Merganser (Clyde), Eastern Black Redstarts (Cleveland and Cornwall), Hudsonian Whimbrel and Lesser Scaup (Cornwall), Bonaparte's Gull and Desert Wheatear (Devon), Lesser Yellowlegs (Dorset), Pallid Harrier (East Yorkshire), Stejneger's Stonechat (Kent), Black Scoter (Northumberland), Lesser Scaup (Orkney), Killdeer (Shetland) and American Coot (Western Isles). The best of the rest included Temminck's Stint (Staffordshire), two Rose-coloured Starlings, three Richard's Pipits and sixteen Yellow-browed Warblers.
- Stuart Piner, RBA


Sunday 1st January 2017

	The headline discovery on New Year's Day was a Pine Bunting at Venus Pool NR, Shropshire. Elsewhere the Dusky Thrush (Derbyshire), Blue Rock Thrush (Gloucestershire), Killdeer (Shetland), Stejneger's Stonechat (Kent), Pallid Harrier (East Yorkshire), American Coot (Western Isles), Lesser Yellowlegs (Dorset), Desert Wheatear and Bonaparte's Gull (Devon), Eastern Black Redstarts (Cornwall and Cleveland), Pacific Diver and Hudsonian Whimbrel (Cornwall), King Eider (Co Sligo), Lesser Scaup (Co Galway) and Hooded Merganser (Clyde) all made it into 2017. The best of the rest included two Rose-coloured Starlings and nine Yellow-browed Warblers.
- Stuart Piner, RBA


Saturday 31st December 2016

	Rarity highlights included the Blue Rock Thrush (Gloucestershire), Dusky Thrush (Derbyshire), Black-throated Thrush (Denbighshire), Blyth's Pipit (Somerset), Northern Harrier (Orkney), Black Scoter (Northumberland), Stejneger's Stonechat (Kent), Pallid Harrier (East Yorkshire), Desert Wheatear (Devon), Lesser Yellowlegs (Dorset), Pacific Diver, Lesser Scaup and Hudsonian Whimbrel (Cornwall) and Eastern Black Redstarts (Cornwall and Cleveland). The best of the rest included Little Bunting (Cornwall), Richard's Pipit (Gloucestershire), Surf Scoter (Leicestershire) and two Rose-coloured Starlings (Dorset and West Sussex).
- Stuart Piner, RBA


Friday 30th December 2016

	Lingering rarities still present today included the Blue Rock Thrush in Gloucestershire, Dusky Thrush in Derbyshire, Black-throated Thrush in Denbighshire, Stejneger's Stonechat in Kent, Killdeer in Shetland, Black Scoter in Northumberland, Hudsonian Whimbrel and Pacific Diver in Cornwall, Desert Wheatear in Devon, single Eastern Black Redstarts in Cleveland and Cornwall, Red-breasted Goose in Norfolk, King Eider in County Sligo, Pallid Harrier in Yorkshire, Lesser Yellowlegs in Dorset and Richardson's Cackling Goose in Argyll. Scarcity highlights included a Pallas's Warbler, a Rose-coloured Starling, a Surf Scoter, a Little Auk, a Kumlien's Gull, two Green-winged Teals, two American Wigeon, two Snow Geese, four Ring-billed Gulls, four Iceland Gulls, five Great Grey Shrikes, five Ring-necked Ducks, nine Glaucous Gulls, 25 Lapland Buntings, 28 Shorelarks and 49 Cattle Egrets.
- Will Soar, RBA


Thursday 29th December 2016

	The highlight of the day was the discovery of a Black Scoter in Northumberland at Goswick, perhaps the same individual as that seen nearby in both 2011 and 2015. Elsewhere, a Lesser Yellowlegs was new in County Limerick at Adare. Lingering rarities confirmed as still present today were the Blue Rock Thrush in Gloucestershire, Dusky Thrush in Derbyshire, Blyth's Pipit in Somerset, Black-throated Thrush in Denbighshire, Pacific Diver, Hudsonian Whimbrel and Eastern Black Redstart in Cornwall, Stejneger's Stonechat in Kent, Pallid Harrier in East Yorkshire, Desert Wheatear and Bonaparte's Gull in Devon, Eastern Black Redstart in Cleveland, Lesser Yellowlegs in Dorset, Red-breasted Goose in Norfolk, Hooded Merganser in Clyde, and both King Eider and Lesser Scaup in County Sligo. Scarcities included Rose-coloured Starling (Dorset), Serin (East Sussex), two each of Richard's Pipit, Surf Scoter and Glossy Ibis, three of American Wigeon and Lapland Bunting, eight Ring-necked Ducks, 10 Great Grey Shrikes, 11 Ring-billed Gulls, 39 Shorelarks, 45 Cattle Egrets, and a total of 82 Tundra Bean Geese.
- Chris Batty, RBA


Wednesday 28th December 2016

	The highlight of the day was the contiuned presence of the Blue Rock Thrush in Gloucestershire at Stow-on-the-Wold where it showed well all day. Elsewhere, the Stejneger's Stonechat remains in Kent at Dungeness where it was first been noted on 8th November before being identified by DNA analysis, and in County Clare a Snowy Owl was new at Luogh. Other lingering rarities confirmed as still present today were the Dusky Thrush in Derbyshire, Blyth's Pipit in Somerset, Pacific Diver, Hudsonian Whimbrel and Eastern Black Redstart in Cornwall, Black-throated Thrush in Denbighshire, Pallid Harrier in East Yorkshire, Red-breasted Goose in Norfolk, Desert Wheatear in Devon, Eastern Black Redstart in Cleveland, Lesser Yellowlegs in Dorset, Hooded Merganser in Clyde and Lesser Scaup in Dumfries and Galloway. Scarcities included Serin (West Sussex), Richard's Pipit (Gloucestershire), Glossy Ibis (Devon), two of both Rose-coloured Starling and American Wigeon, three Surf Scoters (including one inland in Leicestershire), four of Ring-billed Gull and Lapland Bunting, 11 Ring-necked Ducks, 17 Shorelarks, 42 Cattle Egrets, and a total of 56 Tundra Bean Geese.
- Chris Batty, RBA


Tuesday 27th December 2016

	The main news of the day was the identification of a male Blue Rock Thrush in a garden in Stow-on-the-Wold in the Cotswolds, Gloucestershire. Having been present for about a week, the observer uploaded some photos to social media at lunchtime today, and the bird was successfully twitched by a fortunate few after it was located mid afternoon. Other lingering rarities still present today included the Dusky Thrush in Derbyshire, Black-throated Thrush in Denbighshire, Blyth's Pipit in Somerset, single Eastern Black Redstarts in Cornwall and Cleveland, Desert Wheatear in Devon, Snowy Owl in County Galway, American Coot in Western Isles, Hooded Merganser in Clyde, King Eider in County Sligo, single Lesser Scaups in Dumfries and Galloway and County Galway, Red-breasted Goose in Norfolk, Richardson's Cackling Goose in County Sligo, five White-billed Divers in Orkney, Hudsonian Whimbrel in Cornwall, Lesser Yellowlegs in Dorset, Long-billed Dowitcher in County Wexford and Bonaparte's Gull in Devon.
- Will Soar, RBA


Monday 26th December 2016

	Lingering rarities included Dusky Thrush (Derbyshire), Black-throated Thrush (Denbighshire), Blyth's Pipit (Somerset), Pallid Harrier (East Yorkshire), Masked Wagtail (Pembrokeshire), Hudsonian Whimbrel (Cornwall), Lesser Yellowlegs (Dorset), Eastern Black Redstarts (Cornwall and Cleveland), King Eider (Co Sligo) and Snowy Owl (Co Galway). The best of the rest included Serin (East Sussex), two Ring-necked Ducks, two Glossy Ibises, three Richard's Pipits, three American Wigeons and 32 Cattle Egrets.
- Stuart Piner, RBA


Sunday 25th December 2016

	Christmas Day rarity sightings included Red-breasted Goose (Norfolk), two Lesser Scaups (Dumfries & Galloway), Eastern Black Redstarts (Cleveland and Cornwall), Hooded Mergaser (Clyde) and Pallid Harrier (East Yorkshire). The best of the rest included ten Cattle Egrets, three Richard's Pipits and two Glossy Ibises.
- Stuart Piner, RBA


Saturday 24th December 2016

	Rarity highlights comprised Dusky Thrush (Derbyshire), Black-throated Thrush (Denbighshire), Blyth's Pipit (Somerset), Red-breasted Goose (Norfolk), Lesser Yellowlegs (Dorset), Eastern Black Redstarts (Cornwall and Cleveland), Hudsonian Whimbrel (Cornwall), American Coot (Western Isles), King Eider (Co Sligo) and Desert Wheatear (Devon). The best of the rest included Pallas's Warbler (Essex), Serin (East Sussex) and Richard's Pipit (Gloucestershire).
- Stuart Piner, RBA