Sunday 14th January 2007
	At least one male Penduline Tit joined the female at Rainham Marshes RSPB, London, this afternoon, but both were typically elusive in the wind-battered reedbed. A busy Sunday also saw the reappearance of a couple of old friends. The adult female Ferruginous Duck returned to Elstow Claypits, Bedfordshire, for its 8th winter and in Co Galway the American Herring Gull returned to Nimmo's Pier - this time sporting fourth winter plumage. In Norfolk the confiding Lesser Yellowlegs remained at Thornham, and the (much) less confiding Black-eared Kite was again showing on and off between Snettisham and Dersingham Bog. In the southwest region Devon hosted the Laughing Gull in the Newton Abbot/ Teign Estuary area and the Bonaparte's Gull was again in Plymouth. The Spotted Sandpiper was still in Cornwall and on Scilly the Bonaparte's Gull reappeared, this time on Tresco. On Anglesey the Long-billed Dowitcher was relocated on the Inland Sea and yet another Bonaparte's Gull remained at Ferryden, Angus, but apart from this long-stayer Scotland was devoid of rarities. Ireland held several long-stayers including the Red-throated Pipit in Co Dublin, Bufflehead in Co Clare, Bonaparte's Gull in Co Antrim and Long-billied Dowitcher in Co Louth. In Co Galway, as well as the returning American Herring Gull, Nimmo's Pier held three Ring-billed Gulls, a second-winter Kumlien's Gull, seven Iceland Gulls and two Glaucous Gulls - nothing short of a mouth-watering gull-fest. An adult white morph Snow Goose (presumably the Lesser Snow Goose from Norfolk) was noted with a large Pink-footed Goose movement over Frampton Marsh, Lincolnshire, Girton, Nottinghamshire and finally Poolsbrook, Derbyshire - next stop Lancashire.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA