Wednesday 6th December 2006
	Leach's Petrels once again created the headlines in an otherwise quiet day. Numbers were lower than in previous days, but south west England and Wales still produced some decent totals. The most popular Leach's Petrel was an individual found at Startop's End Reservoir, where it spent all afternoon straddling the Hertfordshire/ Buckinghamshire border. Another was at Farmoor Reservoir, Oxfordshire, but was sadly attacked and killed by a Carrion Crow. The supporting cast along the coast came in the form 7 Little Auks, a Grey Phalarope. 3 Pomarine Skuas, a couple of Sabine's Gulls and impressive December totals of Balearic Shearwaters off the Cornish coast. In Devon both the Falcated Duck and Cattle Egret were still present, and on Lewis, Western Isles, the Snowy Owl reappeared outside Oceancrest. The White-rumped Sandpiper continued its (long) stay at Cley NWT, Norfolk and what was thought probably to be the juvenile Black-eared Kite was once again seen briefly at Snettisham RSPB.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA