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 5th April 2023  
 

New discoveries today consisted of a Bonaparte's Gull, six Black-winged Stilts, and a Black Kite in Cornwall, Black-winged Stilt in County Clare, Red-rumped Swallow in East Yorkshire, and a Black Kite in Kent.

Existing rarities today comprised the Ross's Gull in Aberdeenshire, Long-billed Dowitcher in Norfolk, Lesser Scaup in Somerset, and nine Black-winged Stilts in Cornwall, County Cork, and County Clare respectively. The Alpine Swift influx continued with 12 logged today across seven counties comprising 10 in Britain and two in Ireland.

Scarcities included a Night Heron, six Serins, Shorelark, Montagu's Harrier, two Purple Herons, two Great Grey Shrikes, five Hoopoe, seven Glossy Ibises, four Iceland Gulls, Richard's Pipit, Glaucous Gull, Rough-legged Buzzard, White-spotted Bluethroat, Woodchat Shrike, two Green-winged Teal, Black Brant, and 17 Ring-necked Ducks.
-  Ben Clark, RBA
Tuesday 4th April 2023  
 

The spring marches on, with new discoveries today consisting of a Scops Owl in Cornwall, six Black-winged Stilts in County Cork, Black-winged Stilt in Cornwall, Lesser Scaup in Kent, a new total of four White-billed Divers in Moray, Penduline Tit in Hertfordshire.

Existing rarities today comprised the Eastern Yellow Wagtail in Suffolk, Long-billed Dowitcher in Norfolk, King Eider in Cleveland, and two Lesser Scaups in Somerset. The Alpine Swift influx continued with seven logged today across five counties comprising six in Britain and one in Ireland.

Scarcities included five Night Herons, Little Bunting, six Shorelarks, two Tundra Bean Geese, four Purple Herons, two Great Grey Shrikes, six Hoopoe, nine Glossy Ibises, four Iceland Gulls, Richard's Pipit, three Glaucous Gulls, two Rough-legged Buzzards, three White-spotted Bluethroats, Woodchat Shrike, two Green-winged Teal, five Surf Scoter, Black Brant, two Lapland Buntings, 13 Waxwings, and 14 Ring-necked Ducks.
-  Ben Clark, RBA
Monday 3rd April 2023  
 

Rarities today comprised a Penduline Tit still in Kent, Eastern Yellow Wagtail in Suffolk, Long-billed Dowitcher in Norfolk, King Eider in Lothian, White-billed Diver in Moray, three Ferruginous Ducks new in Warwickshire, Lesser Scaups in Clyde, Oxfordshire and the Western Isles, and Alpine Swifts in County Cork, Hampshire, Kent, West Sussex, County Waterford, and North Yorkshire.

Spring scarcities comprised Montagu's Harrier and Night Heron on the Isles of Scilly, Woodchat Shrike in Cornwall, three each of Bluethroat and Purple Heron, and seven Hoopoes, whilst incoming summer migrants included 56 Garganey, three of Ring Ouzel and Redstart, two Whitethroats, and single Quail, Grasshopper Warbler, Turtle Dove, and Hobby.

Lingering winterers included Little Bunting (Cornwall), Rough-legged Buzzard (Shetland Isles), two of both Richard's Pipit and Surf Scoter, three of Great Grey Shrike and Green-winged Teal, nine Shorelarks, 13 Ring-necked Ducks, and a total of 14 Glossy Ibises.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Sunday 2nd April 2023  
 

The new discovery today was a Penduline Tit in Kent.

Existing rarities today comprised the Ferruginous Duck in Norfolk, Penduline Tit in Kent, two Long-billed Dowitchers in Cheshire and Norfolk respectively, King Eiders in both Cleveland and Lothian, Richardson's Cackling Goose in Northumberland, White-billed Diver in Moray, and four Lesser Scaups in Clyde, Western Isles, Oxfordshire, and Somerset. The Alpine Swift influx continued with 20 logged today across 12 counties comprising 13 in Britain and 7 in Ireland.

Scarcities included a Night Heron, Little Bunting, 11 Shorelarks, Tundra Bean Goose, Purple Heron, three Great Grey Shrikes, three Hoopoe, 16 Glossy Ibises, 10 Iceland Gulls, Richard's Pipit, four Glaucous Gulls, Rough-legged Buzzard, two White-spotted Bluethroats, Woodchat Shrike, Green-winged Teal, Todd's Canada Goose, 4 Surf Scoter, Black Brant, Lapland Bunting, 10 Waxwings, and 14 Ring-necked Ducks.

Incoming summer migrants included 31 Garganey, 2 Hobbys, Tree Pipit, Common Swift, three Reed Warblers, 10 Ring Ouzels, six Redstarts, and two Arctic Tern.
-  Ben Clark, RBA
Saturday 1st April 2023  
  New Alpine Swifts today included birds at Par, Cornwall, Dungeness and St Margaret's at Cliffe, both Kent, Bardsey Island, Gwynedd, Long Eaton, Derbyshire/Nottinghamshire border, Hornsea Mere, Yorkshire, Liverpool, Merseyside and Burton-in-Kendal, Cumbria, with lingerers still in Devon (two), County Waterford, County Antrim (seven), Greater Manchester and Conwy. A Red-rumped Swallow was at Lough Aderra, County Cork and a Lesser Scaup was at Dix Pit, Oxfordshire.

Other lingering rarities included two Penduline Tits in Kent, Long-billed Dowitcher in Cheshire, Lesser Scaups in Somerset and Clyde, King Eider in Cleveland, Richardson's Cackling Goose in Northumberland, Red-breasted Goose in Argyll, three White-billed Divers in Shetland and two in Moray.

Scarcity highlights included a Little Bunting, a Richard's Pipit, a Great Grey Shrike, a Shorelark, two Lapland Buntings, two Rough-legged Buzzards, a Night Heron, 11 Glossy Ibises, a Green-winged Teal, three Surf Scoters, 15 Ring-necked Ducks, a Tundra Bean Goose, a Todd's Canada Goose, a Black Brant, a Kumlien's Gull, four Glaucous Gulls and 12 Iceland Gulls.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Friday 31st March 2023  
 

The new discovery today was a Hume's Warbler in Norfolk.

Existing rarities today comprised the Ross's Gull still in Aberdeenshire, three Penduline Tits in County Cork, Double-crested Cormorant in County Leitrim, two Long-billed Dowitchers in Cheshire and Norfolk respectively, King Eiders in both Cleveland and Lothian, Richardson's Cackling Goose in Northumberland, Lesser Canada Goose in Aberdeenshire, White-billed Diver in Moray, and two Lesser Scaups in Clyde and Western Isles. The Alpine Swift influx continued with 10+ logged today across seven counties comprising seven+ in Britain and three in Ireland.

Scarcities included a Night Heron, Little Bunting, three Ring-billed Gulls, Shorelark, Great Shearwater, Tundra Bean Goose, Great Grey Shrike, two Hoopoe, six Glossy Ibises, 12 Iceland Gulls, Kumlien's Gull, five Glaucous Gulls, two Lapland Buntings, 11 Waxwings, and eight Ring-necked Ducks.

Incoming summer migrants included 15 Garganey, Yellow Wagtail, six Ring Ouzels, Redstart, and an Arctic Tern.
-  Ben Clark, RBA
Thursday 30th March 2023  
 

New discoveries today included a Bonaparte's Gull in Herefordshire and two White-billed Divers in Moray.

Existing rarities today comprised the Ross's Gull still in Aberdeenshire, three Penduline Tits in Kent, three Long-billed Dowitchers in Cheshire Norfolk, and Orkney respectively, King Eiders in both Cleveland and Lothian, Richardson's Cackling Goose in Northumberland, and a Lesser Scaup in Clyde. The Alpine Swift influx continued with 19+ logged today across 12 counties comprising 13+ in Britain and six in Ireland and including five still toegther at Ballycastle, County Antrim.

Scarcities included a Night Heron, Green-winged Teal, Ring-billed Gull, Shorelark, Great Grey Shrike, two Hoopoe, eight Glossy Ibises, seven Iceland Gulls, two Glaucous Gulls, two Lapland Buntings, two Surf Scoter, and a total of eight Ring-necked Ducks.

Incoming summer migrants included 12 Garganey, nine Yellow Wagtails, four Common Terns, three Hobbys, four Ring Ouzels, three Redstarts, and a Reed Warbler.
-  Ben Clark, RBA
Wednesday 29th March 2023  
 

Rarities today comprised the Ross's Gull still in Aberdeenshire, a Hume's Warbler and four Penduline Tits in Kent, Long-billed Dowitcher in Cheshire, King Eiders in both Cleveland and Lothian, Richardson's Cackling Goose in Northumberland, Lesser Scaups in Clyde and Somerset, Ferruginous Ducks in Norfolk and Staffordshire, and a White-billed Diver in Moray. The Alpine Swift influx continued with 14 logged today across 11 counties comprising eight in Britain and six in Ireland and including four still toegther at Ballycastle, County Antrim.

Scarcities included Serin (Isle of Wight), Rough-legged Buzzard (Shetland Isles), Richard's Pipit (Isles of Scilly), American Wigeon (Oxfordshire), Shorelark (East Yorkshire), Waxwing (Highland), two each of both Hoopoe and Great Grey Shrike, eight Glossy Ibises, and a total of 15 Ring-necked Ducks.

Incoming summer migrants included 15 Garganey, six Yellow Wagtails, five Sedge Warblers, two Common Terns, Ring Ouzel and Tree Pipit.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Tuesday 28th March 2023  
 

Rarities today comprised the Ross's Gull still in Aberdeenshire, three Penduline Tits still together in County Cork, Long-billed Dowitchers in both Norfolk and the Orkney Isles, King Eiders in Cleveland and Lothian, Lesser Scaup in Clyde, Richardson's Cackling Goose in Argyll, and a White-billed Diver in Moray. The Alpine Swift influx continued with 14 logged today across eight counties comprising nine in Ireland and five in Britain and including four toegther at Ballycastle, County Antrim.

Scarcities included Serin (Kent), Rough-legged Buzzard (Shetland Isles), Richard's Pipit (Isles of Scilly), Great Grey Shrike (Kent), Waxwing (Highland), two Hoopoes, three Green-winged Teals, five Glossy Ibises, and a total of 10 Ring-necked Ducks.

Incoming summer migrants included 18 Garganey, four of both Common Tern and Yellow Wagtail, two Sedge Warblers, and a Ring Ouzel.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Monday 27th March 2023  
 

Rarities today comprised the Lesser Kestrel still on the Isles of Scilly, Forster's Tern still in County Galway, Ross's Gull in Aberdeenshire, Black Scoter and Richardson's Cackling Goose both in Northumberland, two Hume's Warblers in Kent, Eastern Yellow Wagtail in Suffolk, Long-billed Dowitchers in Cheshire and Norfolk, King Eiders in Cleveland and Lothian, Lesser Scaups in Clyde, Oxfordshire and Somerset, and a White-billed Diver in Moray. The Alpine Swift influx continued with 17 logged today across 12 counties comprising 10 in Britain and seven in Ireland and including new birds in Argyll, Cornwall, and London.

Scarcities included Little Bunting (Cornwall), American Wigeon (Oxfordshire), Waxwing (Highland), two each of both Hoopoe and Great Grey Shrike, three Green-winged Teals, eight Ring-billed Gulls, nine Glossy Ibises, and a total of 14 Ring-necked Ducks.

Incoming summer migrants included 14 Garganey, four Yellow Wagtails, two of both Reed Warbler and Sedge Warbler, and single Whinchat, Tree Pipit, and Ring Ouzel.
-  Chris Batty, RBA