Shetland produced a brace of new rarities today with an adult Laughing Gull on Mainland and a Bee-eater on Fair Isle. The gull, that may have been the individual seen on Unst on the 19^th June, flew north over Quendale in the morning but could not be relocated later in the day. Similarly, in Norfolk, a brace of Red-footed Falcons that were reported to have flown in off the sea at Great Yarmouth spent the remainder of the day beyond birders radars.

Lingering rarities comprised of a trio lonely males with the Scops Owl in Oxfordshire, Great Reed Warbler in Angus and King Eider in Ayrshire. A Temminck’s Stint at Upton Warren (Worcs) was the best of the rest although a strong blow in the Irish Sea produced good numbers of Storm Petrels close inshore to many western counties.