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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Friday 27th March 2020  
  Today's best new discovery was a Black Kite over Cuckmere Haven and Seaford Head (East Sussex). Lingering rarities comprised West Siberian Stonechat (Cheshire), Black-throated Thrush (Lincolnshire) and Lesser Kestrel (Isles of Scilly).

The best of the rest included Ring-necked Duck (Bedfordshire), White-tailed Eagles over Buckinghamshire, Kent and Suffolk, Ring-billed Gull (Co Dublin), Kumlien's Gull (Co Kerry), Snow Goose (Western Isles), three Iceland Gulls (Shetland, Co Wexford and Western Isles) and Glaucous Gull (Western Isles).
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Thursday 26th March 2020  
  Lingering rarities seen today included the Lesser Kestrel in Scilly, Black-throated Thrush in Lincolnshire, Siberian Stonechat in Cheshire and Ferruginous Duck in West Midlands.

Scarcity highlights included a Hoopoe, a Richard's Pipit, two Shorelarks, a Red-necked Phalarope, a Rough-legged Buzzard, a Ring-necked Duck, three Surf Scoters, three Glaucous Gulls and five Iceland Gulls.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Wednesday 25th March 2020  
  Lingering rarities seen today included the Lesser Kestrel in Scilly, Black-throated Thrush in Lincolnshire and Long-billed Dowitcher in County Wicklow.

Scarcity highlights included a Serin, two Lapland Buntings, an American Wigeon, a Ring-necked Duck, two Green-winged Teal, a Black Brant, two Iceland Gulls and three Glaucous Gulls.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Tuesday 24th March 2020  
  Rarities today comprised the Lesser Kestrel on the Isles of Scilly, Black-throated Thrush in Lincolnshire, and Ferruginous Duck in the West Midlands.

Scarcities included Ring-necked Duck (Bedfordshire), Green-winged Teal (North Yorkshire), Glossy Ibis (Gwent), and Serins (Dorset and Isle of Wight).

Incoming summer migrants included five each of Ring Ouzel, Garganey and Osprey, three House Martins, and an Arctic Skua.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Monday 23rd March 2020  
  The highlight of the day was a grey morph Gyr on the Orkney Isles at Birsay Moors, Mainland, where it has been present in the vicinity for at least thirteen days although misidentified as a Saker.

Lingering rarities confirmed as still present were the Tengmalm's Owl on the Shetland Isles, Lesser Kestrel on the Isles of Scilly, Eastern Yellow Wagtail in Northumberland, West Siberian Stonechat in Cheshire, Blue-winged Teal in Devon, Lesser Yellowlegs in North Yorkshire, Long-billed Dowitcher in County Wicklow, and Ferruginous Duck in the West Midlands.

Scarcities included Hoopoe (County Waterford), Rough-legged Buzzard (Lincolnshire), Surf Scoter (Lothian), Yellow-browed Warbler (London), two each of Green-winged Teal and American Wigeon, four Ring-necked Ducks, and a total of five Great Grey Shrikes.

Arriving summer migrants included 19 Garganey, 11 Ring Ouzels, three Ospreys, two each of Hobby and House Martin, and singles of Arctic Skua and Yellow Wagtail.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Sunday 22nd March 2020  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of a Long-billed Dowitcher in Cumbria, inland at Wedholme Flow. Rarities elsewhere comprised both the Tengmalm's Owl and Snowy Owl still on the Shetland Isles, Lesser Kestrel on the Isles of Scilly, Forster's Tern in County Galway, Laughing Gull in Somerset, Black-throated Thrush in Lincolnshire, West Siberian Stonechat in Cheshire, Saker on the Orkney Isles, Bonaparte's Gull and Long-billed Dowitcher in County Wexford, Kentish Plover in Devon, Lesser Yellowlegs in North Yorkshire, and Ferruginous Duck in the West Midlands, whilst White-billed Divers were recorded in Aberdeenshire near Portsoy (2), and Moray at Cullen (4).

Scarcities included Hoopoe (Dorset), Ring-billed Gull (County Antrim), American Wigeon (Northumberland), Yellow-browed Warbler (London), Lapland Bunting (Highland), Glossy Ibis (Gwent), two Green-winged Teals, three each of both Rough-legged Buzzard and Great Grey Shrike, five Ring-necked Ducks, and a total of eight Surf Scoters.

Incoming spring migrants included 25 Garganey, 10 Ring Ouzels, seven each of both Willow Warbler and House Martin, five Swallows, three each of Yellow Wagtail and Osprey, and singles of both Hobby and Whinchat.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Saturday 21st March 2020  
  A Kentish Plover was found at Dawlish Warren NNR, Devon, and a White-billed Diver was off Portsoy, Aberdeenshire.

Lingering rarities included the Lesser Kestrel in Scilly, Siberian Stonechat in Cheshire, Black-throated Thrush in Lincolnshire, Laughing Gull in Somerset, Bonaparte's Gull and Long-billed Dowitcher in County Wexford, Long-billed Dowitcher in County Wicklow, Lesser Yellowlegs in Yorkshire, Blue-winged Teal in Devon, Ferruginous Duck in West Midlands and King Eider in Highland.

Scarcity highlights included a Richard's Pipit, four Great Grey Shrikes, a Purple Heron, a Glossy Ibis, two Rough-legged Buzzards, two Green-winged Teals, two American Wigeon, two Ring-necked Ducks, ten Surf Scoters, a Todd's Canada Goose, a Tundra Bean Goose, two Snow Geese, a Kumlien's Gull, 13 Iceland Gulls and 15 Glaucous Gulls.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Friday 20th March 2020  
  Lingering rarities comprised Lesser Kestrel (Isles of Scilly), Short-toed Treecreeper (Kent), Laughing Gull and Kentish Plover (Somerset), Pied-billed Grebe (Argyll), West Siberian Stonechat (Cheshire), Forster's Tern (Co Galway), Lesser Scaup (Dumfries & Galloway), King Eider (Highland) and two Richardson's Cackling Geese (Western Isles), whilst in North Yorkshire a second Lesser Yellowlegs reportedly joined the long-staying bird at Nosterfield NR.

The best of the rest included Richard's Pipit (East Yorkshire),Yellow-browed Warbler (London), American Wigeon (Northumberland), Snow Goose (Western Isles), Glossy Ibis (Gwent), Todd's Canada Goose (Argyll), Green-winged Teal (Devon), two Rough-legged Buzzards and Tundra Bean Geese, three Lapland Buntings, four Ring-necked Duck, five Surf Scoters and Shorelarks and seven Great Grey Shrikes.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Thursday 19th March 2020  
  In Kent, the Short-toed Treecreeper reappeared at Dungeness, in the Old Lighthouse garden. Further north, four White-billed Divers flew south past Brora, Highland.

Lingering rarities seen today included the Lesser Kestrel in Scilly, Black-throated Thrush in Lincolnshire, Siberian Stonechat in Cheshire, Laughing Gull in Somerset, Blue-winged Teal in Devon, Lesser Scaup in Cornwall, Lesser Yellowlegs in Yorkshire, Long-billed Dowitchers in County Wicklow and County Wexford, Bonaparte's Gull in County Wexford and White-billed Diver in Shetland.

Scarciy highlights included a Rose-coloured Starling, a Yellow-browed Warbler, four Great Grey Shrikes, a Purple Heron, two Rough-legged Buzzards, two American Wigeon, three Ring-necked Ducks, four Green-winged Teal, four Surf Scoters, a Black Brant, a Bean Goose sp, two Todd's Canada Geese, two Ring-billed Gulls, seven Glaucous Gulls and 13 Iceland Gulls.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Wednesday 18th March 2020  
  Lingering rarities confirmed as still present today were the Tengmalm's Owl on the Shetland Isles, Lesser Kestrel on the Isles of Scilly, White-winged Scoter in Lothian, Kentish Plover in Somerset, Blue-winged Teal in Devon, Lesser Yellowlegs in North Yorkshire, and Long-billed Dowitchers in both County Wexford and County Wicklow.

Scarcities included Rose-coloured Starling (Anglesey), Rough-legged Buzzard (Norfolk), Glossy Ibis (Gwent), two American Wigeons, three Surf Scoters, four each of both Great Grey Shrike and Green-winged Teal, and a total of six Ring-necked Ducks.

Incoming spring migrants included 10 Garganey, six Willow Warblers, two each of Osprey, Ring Ouzel and House Martin, and singles of Sedge Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, and Swallow.
-  Chris Batty, RBA