Thursday 1st May 2008
	The outstanding discovery of a Caspian Plover on Fair Isle, Shetland Isles was the highlight of the day. Only the sixth individual of this species to be recorded in Britain following two in Norfolk in 1890 and singles in both the Isles of Scilly and Lothian in 1988 and the Shetland Isles in 1996. Elsewhere, two Black-winged Stilts appeared briefly mid morning in Northamptonshire at Earls Barton, they were later relocated seventeen miles to the southeast at Willington, Bedfordshire. On the Isles of Scilly a Western Subalpine Warbler was discovered on St Mary's and three Bee-eaters toured the islands. In Co Mayo a Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll was found at Annagh Marsh. Lingering rarities comprised both Pallid Swift and Lesser Yellowlegs on the Isles of Scilly, Ross's Gull and Glossy Ibis in Lancashire, Black-winged Stilts in Glamorgan and Cheshire (2), Black Duck in Pembrokeshire, White-billed Diver in Moray, King Eider in Devon, Lesser Scaup in Somerset and the presumed Spanish Wagtail in Conwy. Cattle Egret reports concerned five in Devon, three in Cornwall, two in both Gloucestershire and West Sussex and singles in Dorset and Hampshire. Notable scarcities included Woodchat Shrikes in Cornwall (2) and the Isles of Scilly, Serin in Dorset, Richard's Pipit in Norfolk, Hoopoe in County Wexford and Wryneck on the Shetland Isles.
-  Chris Batty, RBA