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 4th December 2020  
  Lingering rarities still present today included the Crag Martin in Kent, Sociable Lapwing and Pacific Diver in Cornwall, Belted Kingfisher in County Cork, Pied-billed Grebe in Shropshire, King Eider in Pembrokeshire, Eastern Yellow Wagtail in Somerset, Rustic Bunting in Surrey, Dusky Warbler in Scilly, Lesser Yellowlegs in Norfolk, Yorkshire and County Waterford and Spotted Sandpiper in County Dublin.

Scarcity highlights included a Little Bunting, a Richard's Pipit, a Red-breasted Flycatcher, a Great Grey Shrike, two Rose-coloured Starlings, three Lapland Buntings, five Yellow-browed Warblers, six Waxwings, seven Glossy Ibises, 12 Little Auks, eight Ring-necked Ducks, two Black Brants, a Taiga Bean Goose, 23 Tundra Bean Geese, a Ring-billed Gull, three Glaucous Gulls and seven Iceland Gulls.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Thursday 3rd December 2020  
  A Spotted Sandpiper at Balbriggan, County Dublin was a new discovery today.

Lingering rarities included the Double-crested Cormorant in County Kerry, Belted Kingfisher in County Cork, Sociable Lapwing and Pacific Diver in Cornwall, Hudsonian Godwit in Fife, Pied-billed Grebe in Shropshire, Eastern Yellow Wagtail in Somerset, Dusky Warbler in Scilly, Long-billed Dowitcher in Cumbria, Lesser Yellowlegs in Norfolk and Yorkshire and White-billed Diver in Shetland.

Scarcity highlights included a Red-breasted Flycatcher, a Rose-coloured Starling, a Shorelark, two Waxwings, four Yellow-browed Warblers, nine Lapland Buntings, two Grey Phalaropes, a Surf Scoter, a Green-winged Teal, eight Ring-necked Ducks, a Snow Goose, three Black Brants, 29 Tundra Bean Geese, a Glossy Ibis, a Ring-billed Gull, two Glaucous Gulls and ten Iceland Gulls.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Wednesday 2nd December 2020  
  Lingering rarities still present today included the Belted Kingfisher in County Cork, Double-crested Cormorant in County Kerry, Sociable Lapwing in Cornwall, Crag Martin in Kent, Eastern Yellow Wagtail in Somerset, Rustic Bunting in Surrey, Pied-billed Grebe in Shropshire, Lesser Yellowlegs in Norfolk and Yorkshire, Long-billed Dowitcher in Yorkshire, White-winged Scoter in Lothian and two King Eiders in County Donegal.

Scarcity highlights included a Richard's Pipit, a Red-breasted Flycatcher, a Rose-coloured Starling, a Great Grey Shrike, two Little Buntings, three Waxwings, seven Yellow-browed Warblers, 11 Lapland Buntings, nine Glossy Ibises, a Little Auk, two Grey Phalaropes, two Ring-necked Ducks, five Black Brants, 57 Tundra Bean Geese, a Ring-billed Gull, a Glaucous Gull and 12 Iceland Gulls.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Tuesday 1st December 2020  
  The highlight of the day was news of a Slate-coloured Junco in London at Hammersmith where it has been present already for a week. 

Lingering rarities confirmed as still present were the Belted Kingfisher in County Cork, Crag Martin in Kent, Sociable Lapwing and Pacific Diver in Cornwall, White-winged Scoter in Lothian, Pied-billed Grebe in Shropshire, Snowy Owl on the Western Isles, Rustic Bunting in Surrey, King Eider in Pembrokeshire, Eastern Yellow Wagtail in Somerset, Dusky Warbler on the Isles of Scilly, White-billed Diver on the Shetland Isles, and in North Yorkshire both Long-billed Dowitcher and Lesser Yellowlegs.

Scarcities included Red-breasted Flycatcher and Ring-billed Gull (Cornwall), Rose-coloured Starling (Anglesey), Surf Scoter (Lothian), Parrot Crossbill (Northamptonshire), two each of Pallas's Warbler, Little Bunting, Great Grey Shrike, Waxwing, and Grey Phalarope, five of Ring-necked Duck, Lapland Bunting, and Black Brant, six Glossy Ibises, and a total of 10 Yellow-browed Warblers.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Monday 30th November 2020  
  Rarities today comprised both Sociable Lapwing and Pacific Diver still in Cornwall, Crag Martin in Kent, Pied-billed Grebe in Shropshire, Rustic Bunting in Surrey, Eastern Yellow Wagtail in Somerset, Lesser Yellowlegs in both Norfolk and North Yorkshire, and Dusky Warblers in Kent and the Isles of Scilly (2).

Scarcities included Pallas's Warbler (Dorset), Sabine's Gull (Kent), Kumlien's Gull (Cambridgeshire), Grey Phalarope (Merseyside), Black-bellied Dipper (Shetland Isles), two each of Little Bunting, Rose-coloured Starling, and Green-winged Teal, three of both Great Grey Shrike and Ring-necked Duck, six Lapland Buntings, and a total of 11 Glossy Ibises.

Significant late news from yesterday concerned a Pine Bunting in Argyll on Tiree at Balephuil, and a Bufflehead in County Clare.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Sunday 29th November 2020  
  Rarities today comprised both Sociable Lapwing and Pacific Diver still in Cornwall, Crag Martin in Kent, Pied-billed Grebe in Shropshire, Eastern Yellow Wagtails in both Somerset and Suffolk, Rustic Bunting in Surrey, Dusky Warbler in Somerset, and Lesser Yellowlegs in Norfolk.

Scarcities included Red-breasted Flycatcher (Cornwall), Barred Warbler (Dorset), Rough-legged Buzzard (Suffolk), Red-necked Phalarope (Kent), two each of Pallas's Warbler, Little Bunting, Richard's Pipit, Rose-coloured Starling, Great Grey Shrike and Waxwing, and Black-bellied Dipper, three of Surf Scoter, Ring-necked Duck, and Green-winged Teal, 10 Glossy Ibises, and 30 Lapland Buntings.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Saturday 28th November 2020  
  A Dusky Warbler was trapped and ringed at Chew Valley Lake, Somerset.

Lingering rarities included the Sociable Lapwing in Cornwall, Crag Martin in Kent, Hudsonian Godwit in Fife, Pied-billed Grebe in Shropshire, Pacific Golden Plover in Moray, Long-billed Dowitcher in Cumbria, Lesser Yellowlegs in County Waterford, Pacific Diver in Cornwall, Rustic Bunting in Surrey, Dusky Warbler in Scilly and two King Eiders in County Donegal.

Scarcity highlights included a Pallas's Warbler, a Barred Warbler, a Red-breasted Flycatcher, a Richard's Pipit, two Little Buntings, two Great Grey Shrikes, two Rose-coloured Starlings, three Waxwings, 30 Lapland Buntings, a Little Auk, a Grey Phalarope, nine Glossy Ibises, a Surf Scoter, two American Wigeon, three Green-winged Teal, four Ring-necked Ducks, a Tundra Bean Goose, two Black Brants, eight Glaucous Gulls and 18 Iceland Gulls.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Friday 27th November 2020  
  The first Sociable Lapwing in Britain since 2008 was discovered at St Buryan, Cornwall today. A Rustic Bunting was present for its second day at Thursley Common, Surrey, joining the long staying Little Bunting, a Radde's Warbler was at Easington, Yorkshire, a Bonaparte's Gull was at Budle Bay, Northumberland and a Red-flanked Bluetail was present in Norfolk but the location has not been disclosed.

Lingering rarities included the Crag Martin in Kent, Hudsonian Godwit in Fife, Pied-billed Grebe in Shropshire, White-winged Scoter in Lothian, Eastern Yellow Wagtail in Suffolk, Dusky Warblers in Essex and Scilly, Pacific Diver in Cornwall, White-billed Diver in Shetland, Lesser Yellowlegs in Norfolk and Yorkshire and Long-billed Dowitcher in Cumbria.

Scarcity highlights included a Barred Warbler, a Pallas's Warbler, a Bluethroat, a Shorelark, a Parrot Crossbill, two Little Buntings, two Rose-coloured Starlings, two Great Grey Shrikes, three Waxwings, ten Lapland Buntings, a Grey Phalarope, three Little Auks, six Glossy Ibises, two Green-winged Teal, two Surf Scoters, four Ring-necked Ducks, 19 Tundra Bean Geese, ten Iceland Gulls and 15 Glaucous Gulls.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Thursday 26th November 2020  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of a Pied-billed Grebe in Shropshire at Chelmarsh Reservoir.

Rarities elsewhere comprised the Double-crested Cormorant still at an undisclosed site in County Kerry, the Hudsonian Godwit still in Fife, Crag Martin in Kent, Eastern Yellow Wagtail in Suffolk, Long-billed Dowitcher in both Cumbria and North Yorkshire, Lesser Yellowlegs in Norfolk, North Yorkshire and County Waterford, King Eider in County Donegal (2) and Pembrokeshire, Kentish Plover in Somerset, four White-billed Divers together on the Orkney Isles, and Dusky Warblers in each of Cornwall, Essex and the Isles of Scilly (4).

Scarcities included Barred Warbler (County Durham), Ring-necked Duck (Glamorgan), Grey Phalarope (Merseyside), Green-winged Teal (County Kerry), Black-bellied Dipper (Shetland Isles), two each of both Red-breasted Flycatcher and Rose-coloured Starling, three of Pallas's Warbler and Little Bunting, four of Great Grey Shrike and Waxwing, nine Glossy Ibises, and a total of 16 Lapland Buntings.

Significant late news concerned a Black-throated Thrush present yesterday in Weybourne, Norfolk.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Wednesday 25th November 2020  
 

At long last a Double-crested Cormorant was found, at an undisclosed location in Co.Kerry. Two female King Eiders were off St.John's Point in Co.Donegal. In Cornwall, the Pacific Diver returned to Mount's Bay for yet another winter. Two Dusky Warblers were found in the Nanjizal Valley in Cornwall. The Eastern Yellow Wagtail in Suffolk was confirmed.

Lingering rarities included the Belted Kingfisher in Co.Cork, Hudsonian Godwit in Fife, Crag Martin in Kent, Pacific Golden Plover in Moray, Eastern Yellow Wagtail in Kent, Snowy Owl in Western Isles, Lesser Yellowlegs in Norfolk and North Yorkshire, Dusky Warbler in Scilly.

Among other highlights were Red-breasted Flycatcher (Cornwall), Little Bunting (Nottinghamshire), Richard's Pipit (Suffolk), Ring-billed Gull (Pembrokeshire), Rough-legged Buzzard (Lincolnshire), three Pallas's Warblers, Rose-coloured Starling, Barred Warbler (Co.Durham), Surf Scoter (Co.Meath), four Green-winged Teal, eight Ring-necked Ducks, Black Brant (Essex), Todd's Canada Goose (Lancashire), Grey Phalarope (Merseyside), Sabine's Gull (Kent) and seven Glossy Ibises.
-  David Campbell, RBA