Sunday 7th September 2008
	An impressive East coast arrival of scarce migrants was headlined by a Great Snipe at South Gare, Cleveland, a Subalpine Warbler at South Shields, Co Durham and six Greenish Warblers (four in Northumberland, and singles in Co Durham and Cleveland). Most of the supporting cast also made landfall in Northeast England - plenty of Icterine Warblers and Wrynecks were joined by a few Ortolan Buntings, Barred Warblers, Red-breasted Flycatchers and Red-backed Shrikes. Away from the East coast, an American Golden Plover in Co Cork, Baird's Sandpipers in Co Kerry and Co Mayo, Red-rumped Swallow in Essex and White-winged Black Tern in Kent were all new discoveries and Pacific Golden Plovers lingered in Dumfries and Galloway and Orkney, the Baird's Sandpiper was still in Cambridgeshire and the juvenile Hudsonian Whimbrel continued to give birders the run around on Isles of Scilly. Grey Phalaropes continued to grace inland patches, Norfolk seawatchers had a good day, recording a handful of Cory's Shearwaters, Long-tailed Skuas and Sabine's Gulls. A number of juvenile Dotterels (including an especially confiding bird at Newbiggin, Northumberland) were popular and a Red-necked Phalarope remained in Essex.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA