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 15th March 2017  
  A smart drake Ferruginous Duck was found at Gosforth Park NR, Northumberland.

Lingering rarities included the Blue Rock Thrush in Gloucestershire, Eastern Black Redstart in Cleveland, Northern Harrier in Orkney, Pallid Harrier in Norfolk, Pacific Diver in Northumberland and single Bonaparte's Gulls in Cornwall and County Kerry.

Scarcity highlights included a White-tailed Eagle (in Yorkshire), a Bluethroat, a Little Bunting, a Yellow-browed Warbler, a Surf Scoter, a Todd's Canada Goose, two American Wigeon, two Ring-billed Gulls, four Ring-necked Ducks, five Glossy Ibises, five Lapland Buntings and 16 Great Grey Shrikes.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Tuesday 14th March 2017  
  Rarities today comprised the Blue Rock Thrush still in Gloucestershire, Pacific Diver in Northumberland, Eastern Black Redstart in Cleveland, Bonaparte's Gull in County Kerry, and both Bonaparte's Gull and Lesser Scaup in Cornwall.

Scarcities included Serin (Kent), Bluethroat (Lincolnshire), Lesser Snow Goose (Lancashire), Surf Scoter and Glossy Ibis (both Devon), two Green-winged Teals, three each of American Wigeon, Ring-billed Gull and Yellow-browed Warbler, six Lapland Buntings, seven Ring-necked Ducks, 13 Great Grey Shrikes, 20 Cattle Egrets and 67 Shorelarks.

Incoming spring arrivals included a total of 15 Garganey, seven Swallows, four House Martins, a Quail in Suffolk and a Ring Ouzel in North Yorkshire.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Monday 13th March 2017  
  Rarities today comprised the Black-throated Thrush still in Lancashire although proving very elusive, the Blue Rock Thrush still in Gloucestershire, Pacific Diver in Northumberland, Pallid Harrier in Norfolk, Eastern Black Redstart in Cleveland, and both Bonaparte's Gull and Lesser Scaup in Cornwall.

Scarcities included Rose-coloured Starling (West Sussex), Surf Scoter (Lothian), Glossy Ibis (Somerset), Kumlien's Gull (County Kerry), two Lapland Buntings, three each of Ring-necked Duck, Green-winged Teal and Yellow-browed Warbler, four American Wigeons, five Ring-billed Gulls, 15 Cattle Egrets, 17 Great Grey Shrikes, and a total of 42 Shorelarks.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Sunday 12th March 2017  
  The highlight of the day was a Black-throated Thrush found in Fulwood, Lancashire, the first county record. Meanwhile in Leicestershire the first county record of Bonaparte's Gull was discovered at Swithland Reservoir.

Lingering rarities confirmed as still present were the Blue Rock Thrush in Gloucestershire, Pacific Diver in Northumberland, Forster's Tern in County Galway, both Hume's Warbler and Lesser Yellowlegs in Dorset, Eastern Black Redstart in Cleveland, Long-billed Dowitcher in County Wexford, Bonaparte's Gulls in both Cornwall and County Kerry, and Lesser Scaup in Cornwall.

Scarcities included Bluethroat (Lincolnshire), Rose-coloured Starling (West Sussex), Little Bunting (Bedfordshire), Rough-legged Buzzard (Norfolk), two Yellow-browed Warblers, three Surf Scoters, five American Wigeons, six Glossy Ibises, seven Ring-necked Ducks, eight Ring-billed Gulls and 26 Shorelarks.

Amonst the spring migrants Sand Martin and Wheatear are now widespread, along with a total of 31 Garganey, eight Swallows, seven White Wagtails, five each of Little Ringed Plover and House Martin, Ring Ouzel (Wirral) and Willow Warbler (East Sussex).
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Saturday 11th March 2017  
  An Alpine Swift was over Dungeness RSPB, Kent briefly mid morning, whilst a Bonaparte's Gull was at Kenmare, County Kerry.

Lingering rarities included the Blue Rock Thrush in Gloucestershire, Pine Bunting in Yorkshire, Eastern Black Redstart in Cleveland, Hume's Warbler and Lesser Yellowlegs in Dorset, Long-billed Dowitcher in County Wexford, Bonaparte's Gulls in Cornwall and County Cork, Pacific Diver in Northumberland, White-billed Diver in Orkney, Black Duck in Highland, King Eider in County Kerry and Lesser Scaup in Cornwall.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Friday 10th March 2017  
  The biggest news of the day was of a Baillon's Crake in Cornwall. It was seen at Porthchapel Beach, St Levan this morning before flying off west. The first Alpine Swift of the year was over Midleton, County Cork briefly.

Lingering rarities included the Blue Rock Thrush in Gloucestershire, Pine Bunting in Yorkshire, Northern Harrier in Orkney, Pallid Harrier in Norfolk, Eastern Black Redstart in Cleveland, Pacific Diver in Northumberland and Lesser Scaup and Bonaparte's Gull in Cornwall.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Thursday 9th March 2017  
  Lingering rarities still present today included the Blue Rock Thrush in Gloucestershire, Eastern Black Redstart in Cleveland, Pine Bunting in Yorkshire, Pacific Diver in Northumberland, Pallid Harrier in Norfolk, single Bonaparte's Gulls in Cornwall, Clyde and County Cork and Lesser Scaup in Cornwall.

Scarcity highlights included a Bluethroat, a Little Bunting, a Richard's Pipit, a Rose-coloured Starling, a Kumlien's Gull, two Glossy Ibises, two American Wigeon, three Yellow-browed Warblers, four Ring-necked Ducks, four Green-winged Teals, five Ring-billed Gulls, five Lapland Buntings and ten Great Grey Shrikes.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Wednesday 8th March 2017  
  A Snowy Owl was at Tarmon Hill, The Mullet, County Mayo, today.

Lingering rarities included the Blue Rock Thrush in Gloucestershire, Pine Bunting in Yorkshire, Eastern Black Redstart in Cleveland, Northern Harrier in Orkney, Black Scoter and Pacific Diver in Northumberland, Pallid Harrier in Norfolk, Lesser Yellowlegs in Dorset, single Bonaparte's Gulls in Clyde and County Cork and Ferruginous Duck in Hampshire.

Scarcity highlights included a Bluethroat, a Little Bunting, two Yellow-browed Warblers, two Kumlien's Gulls, three Surf Scoters, three Ring-necked Ducks, four Green-winged Teals, four American Wigeons and four Great Grey Shrikes.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Tuesday 7th March 2017  
  The highlight of the day was the reappearance of the Pacific Diver in Devon at Brixham. Elsewhere, lingering rarities comprised the Blue Rock Thrush still in Gloucestershire, Pine Bunting in North Yorkshire, Pacific Diver still in Northumberland, Northern Harrier on the Orkney Isles, Pallid Harrier in Norfolk, Desert Wheatear in Devon, Eastern Black Redstart in Cleveland, Hume's Warbler in Dorset, and Bonaparte's Gulls in Clyde, County Cork and Cornwall.

Scarcities included Bluethroat (Lincolnshire), Rose-coloured Starling (West Sussex), Little Bunting (Bedfordshire), Richard's Pipit (Gloucestershire), Rough-legged Buzzard (Norfolk), Surf Scoter (Lothian), Glossy Ibis (Somerset), two each of Ring-billed Gull and Ring-necked Duck, three of American Wigeon and Yellow-browed Warbler, seven Lapland Buntings, nine Great Grey Shrikes, 32 Cattle Egrets and a total of 46 Shorelarks.

Arriving spring migrants included 12 Sand Martins, five Wheatears, Little Ringed Plover in Surrey, White Wagtail in Lincolnshire, Swallow in Somerset, Willow Warbler reported in London and Osprey reported in Cheshire.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Monday 6th March 2017  
  Rarities today comprised the Pine Bunting still in North Yorkshire, Northern Harrier on the Orkney Isles, Pacific Diver in Northumberland, Pallid Harrier in Norfolk, Desert Wheatear in Devon, Eastern Black Redstart in Cleveland, Lesser Yellowlegs in Dorset, Bonaparte's Gull in Clyde, and both Bonaparte's Gull and Lesser Scaup in Cornwall.

Scarcities included Bluethroat (Lincolnshire), Little Bunting (Bedfordshire), Rose-coloured Starling (West Sussex), two each of Yellow-browed Warbler, Ring-billed Gull, Shorelark and Lapland Bunting, three of both Surf Scoter and American Wigeon, five Ring-necked Ducks, 13 Great Grey Shrikes and a total of 20 Cattle Egrets.

Incoming migrants included 16 Sand Martins including one in Merseyside, four Wheatears including two in Norfolk, two Swallows including one in Aberdeenshire, two White Wagtails including one in Norfolk and a Little Ringed Plover in Norfolk.
-  Chris Batty, RBA