Saturday 29th July 2006
	A change in the weather finally injected a little excitement into proceedings. A Marsh Sandpiper at Pagham Harbour, West Sussex, adult Franklin's Gull at Grunty Fen, Cambridgeshire and a Bee-eater over Trunch, Norfolk were all hot finds and the Cattle Egret reappeared at Grove Ferry NR, before it was relocated to Seaton GPs, Kent. In Lincolnshire a Woodchat Shrike was located at Friskney, and Holland Haven, Essex hosted a Pectoral Sandpiper, a species that has been thin on the ground so far this 'autumn'. Across the Irish Sea, the first-summer American Black Tern reappeared at Lady's Island Lake, County Wexford. Seawatchers scored some mouth-watering tallies at several locations; seven Great Shearwaters were logged past Galley Head, County Cork, with singletons past Porthgwarra, Cornwall and Helvick Head, County Waterford. Several impressive Balearic Shearwater counts were made, including 60+ past Porthgwarra and 41 past Berry Head, Devon. Cory's Shearwaters were noted at a few locations, with a single past Seaton Sluice, Northumberland being the most notable record. Long-staying rarities included the adult White-rumped Sandpiper at Seaton Snook, Cleveland, Long-billed Dowitcher and Lesser Yellowlegs at Gibraltar Point NNR, Lincolnshire and Ferruginous Duck at Loch Gelly, Fife.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA