Thursday 31st August 2006
	The Scottish Islands stole the limelight today, and probably not for the last time this autumn, with an Arctic Warbler on Fetlar, in the Shetlands, and a Booted Warbler on Tiree, in Argyll. The latter island also still hosted both an American Golden Plover and a Pacific Golden Plover. The Snowy Owl remained on North Uist, in the Western Isles, with a Buff-breasted Sandpiper and a possible American Herring Gull on South Uist. A Melodious Warbler remained on Fair Isle, Shetlands, while in the Orkneys there was some good seawatching with 44 Great Shearwaters and 2 Cory's Shearwaters past North Ronaldsay. Not to be outdone, south-west Ireland produced another Fea's Petrel, this one past Cape Clear Island in County Cork. Elsewhere, a White-rumped Sandpiper was on Tresco in The Scillies, and Great White Egrets were again at Chigborough in Essex and Sturminster in Dorset. Two Long-tailed Skuas went past Dungeness, Kent, eight Spoonbills were together at Havergate Island in Suffolk, a Wryneck was in London at Bushy Park and inland Temminck's Stints were at Foxcote Reservoir, Buckinghamshire and Lound in Nottinghamshire.
-  Pete Hayman, RBA