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.

Choose a starting date
Wednesday 14th December 2022  
 

Rarities today comprised the Stejneger's Scoter and Black-throated Thrush both still in Lothian, Hooded Merganser in County Mayo, Eastern Yellow Wagtail in Highland, Pallid Harrier, Hume's Warbler, Long-billed Dowitcher, and three Ferruginous Ducks in Norfolk, Olive-backed Pipit in Devon, Dusky Warbler in Wiltshire, two Penduline Tits together in Kent, and two Richardson's Cackling Geese together in Argyll.

Scarcities included Little Bunting (London), Rose-coloured Starling (Somerset), Hoopoe (East Yorkshire), Rough-legged Buzzard (Kent), Great Grey Shrike (Hampshire), Lapland Bunting (Lincolnshire), American Wigeon (Northumberland), Green-winged Teal (Kent), Black Brant (Hampshire), Glossy Ibis (Lancashire), two each of both Ring-billed Gull and Yellow-browed Warbler, five Surf Scoters, six Ring-necked Ducks, 11 Shorelarks, and a total of 82 Waxwings.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Tuesday 13th December 2022  
  In Kent two Penduline Tits were at Elmley NNR, with at least one having been present for the previous three days.

The Stejneger's Scoter and Black-throated Thrush both remained in Lothian. Other lingering rarities included two Penduline Tits in East Sussex, Long-billed Dowitcher, Pallid Harrier and Hume's Warbler in north Norfolk, King Eider in Cleveland, Dusky Warbler in Wiltshire and Olive-backed Pipit in Devon.

The Little Bunting remained in London. There were over 120 Waxwings, 24 Little Auks, nine Ring-necked Ducks, 19 Tundra Bean Geese, a Great Grey Shrike, a Green-winged Teal, a Glossy Ibis, a Ring-billed Gull and a Glaucous Gull.
-  Pete Hayman, RBA
Monday 12th December 2022  
  An Olive-backed Pipit was found in Devon today, showing until dusk at Phear Park, Exmouth.

Lingering rarities seen today included the Stejneger's Scoter and Black-throated Thrush in Lothian, Hume's Warbler, Long-billed Dowitcher and two Ferruginous Ducks in Norfolk, Hume's Warbler in Northumberland, Dusky Warbler in Wiltshire and King Eider in Cleveland.

Scarcity highlights included a Little Bunting, a Yellow-browed Warbler, 96 Waxwings, six Glossy Ibises, two Surf Scoters, three Green-winged Teal, six Ring-necked Ducks, two Taiga Bean Geese, 17 Tundra Bean Geese, a Ring-billed Gull, three Iceland Gulls and seven Little Auks.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Sunday 11th December 2022  
 

Rarities today comprised both Stejneger's Scoter and Black-throated Thrush in Lothian, Eastern Yellow Wagtail in Highland, Hume's Warblers in both Norfolk and Northumberland, Spotted Sandpiper in Essex, King Eider in Cleveland, Dusky Warbler in Wiltshire, two Ferruginous Ducks together in Norfolk, and on the Western Isles Lesser Scaup and Cackling Goose.

Scarcities included Serin (Cornwall), American Golden Plover (Western Isles), Rough-legged Buzzard (Northumberland), Ring-billed Gull (County Louth), American Wigeon (Northumberland), Great Grey Shrike (West Sussex), two Glossy Ibises, three Yellow-browed Warblers, four Lapland Buntings, five Green-winged Teals, 10 Ring-necked Ducks, and a total of 184 Waxwings.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Saturday 10th December 2022  
  The first Stejneger's Scoter for Britain was discovered off Gullane Point, Lothian late afternoon, before it flew towards Aberlady. Another Hume's Warbler was in Northumberland at Newbiggin, and a Bonaparte's Gull flew south past Hartlepool Headland, Cleveland.

Lingering rarities included the Double-crested Cormorant in County Leitrim, Black-throated Thrush in Lothian, Hume's Warblers in Norfolk and Northumberland, Dusky Warbler in Wiltshire, Pallid Harrier in Norfolk, Spotted Sandpiper in Essex, King Eider in Cleveland, Lesser Scaups in Western Isles and County Donegal, Richardson's Cackling Goose in County Mayo, Forster's Tern in County Galway and Bonaparte's Gull in County Antrim.

Scarcity highlights included a Pallas's Warbler, two Yellow-browed Warblers, three Shorelarks, 239 Waxwings, a Dotterel, a Surf Scoter, an American Wigeon, five Green-winged Teal, five Ring-necked Ducks, a Todd's Canada Goose, two Snow Geese, two Black Brants, two Taiga Bean Geese, 15 Tundra Bean Geese, three Glossy Ibises, 13 Little Auks and a Glaucous Gull.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Friday 9th December 2022  
  New discoveries today included a Black-throated Thrush in a garden in Haddington, Lothian and a Red-flanked Bluetail at West Leake, Nottinghamshire.

Lingering rarities still present included the Pallid Harrier, Long-billed Dowitcher, three Ferruginous Ducks and Hume's Warbler in Norfolk, Hume's Warbler in Northumberland, Dusky Warbler in Wiltshire, Spotted Sandpiper in Essex, Bonaparte's Gull in County Antrim, King Eider in Cleveland, Lesser Scaup in Western Isles and Cackling Goose in County Mayo.

Scarcity highlights included a Great Grey Shrike, a Lapland Bunting, four Yellow-browed Warblers, seven Shorelarks, around 232 Waxwings, three Glossy Ibises, three Green-winged Teal, 12 Ring-necked Ducks, a Taiga Bean Goose, 12 Tundra Bean Geese, two Black Brants, 16 Little Auks, an Iceland Gull and a Glaucous Gull.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Thursday 8th December 2022  
 

Rarities today comprised the Eastern Yellow Wagtail still in Highland, Hooded Merganser still in County Mayo, Pallid Harrier, two Hume's Warblers, Long-billed Dowitcher, and Ferruginous Duck in Norfolk, Spotted Sandpiper in Essex, King Eider in Cleveland, Bonaparte's Gull in County Antrim, Ferruginous Duck in Staffordshire, and Dusky Warblers on the Isles of Scilly (2) and in Wiltshire.

Scarcities included Little Bunting (Cornwall), American Wigeon (Somerset), Green-winged Teal (Kent), Lapland Bunting (East Yorkshire), two Black Brants, three each of both Great Grey Shrike and Glossy Ibis, four Yellow-browed Warblers, five Ring-necked Ducks, and a total of 136 Waxwings.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Wednesday 7th December 2022  
 

Rarities today comprised Pallid Harrier, Hume's Warbler, Long-billed Dowitcher, and Ferruginous Duck all still in Norfolk, Hume's Warbler still in Northumberland, Spotted Sandpiper in Essex, King Eider in Cleveland, and Dusky Warbler in Wiltshire.

Scarcities included American Golden Plover (County Wexford), Snow Goose (Dumfries and Galloway), American Wigeon (Somerset), Black Brant (Hampshire), two each of Little Bunting, Yellow-browed Warbler, and Lapland Bunting, three Green-winged Teals, five Glossy Ibises, nine Ring-necked Ducks, 12 Shorelarks, and a total of 151 Waxwings.

Significant late news from yesterday concerned a Spotted Sandpiper in Argyll on Seil Island, and in Essex an Arctic Redpoll at Grays.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Tuesday 6th December 2022  
 

Lingering rarities today comprised of the Hooded Merganser in County Mayo, Bonaparte's Gull in County Antrim, Eastern Yellow Wagtail in Highland, Hume's Warbler in Norfolk, Pallid Harrier in Norfolk, Dusky Warbler in Wiltshire, Dusky Warbler on Tresco, King Eider in Cleveland, Lesser Scaup in County Donegal.

Scarcities included two each of Little Bunting, Ring-billed Gull, Taiga Bean Geese, Yellow-browed Warbler, at least three Green-winged Teal, five Ring-necked Ducks, six Glossy Ibises, 12 Shorelarks, and at least 136 Waxwings.
-  Ben Clark, RBA
Monday 5th December 2022  
 

Rarities today comprised the Hooded Merganser still in County Mayo, an Eastern Yellow Wagtail again in Highland, Hume's Warblers in both Norfolk and Northumberland, Long-billed Dowitcher in Norfolk, Dusky Warbler in Wiltshire, King Eider in Cleveland, Lesser Scaup in County Donegal, two Richardson's Cackling Geese in Argyll, and in Lincolnshire an Arctic Redpoll identified at Gibraltar Point.

Scarcities included Surf Scoter (Western Isles), Dotterel (Kent), two each of Little Bunting, Ring-billed Gull, American Wigeon, Green-winged Teal, and Yellow-browed Warbler, seven Ring-necked Ducks, 10 Glossy Ibises, 12 Shorelarks, and a total of 155 Waxwings.
-  Chris Batty, RBA