Tuesday 11th July 2006
	The highlight of the day was the discovery of the first Stilt Sandpiper for Wales at Conwy RSPB, Conwy in the afternoon. Thanks to an impromptu extension of the reserve opening hours the bird - thought most likely to be a first-summer - showed well until dusk. In East Sussex a first-summer Laughing Gull spent the evening at Arlington Reservoir, no doubt a wandering remnant of the incredible influx into Europe in late autumn 2005. The Black Stork showed again by the Eye Water, Borders and the female Lesser Grey Shrike continued to delight admirers at Shingle Street, Suffolk. However, the Semipalmated Sandpiper at Back Saltholme Pool, Cleveland, having spent an hour calling flew off strongly to the south at dusk.
-  Chris Batty, RBA