Thursday 25th September 2008
	An excellent day headlined by several extremely rare eastern vagrants along the coast between the Northern Isles and East Anglia. The highlight for many was the lingering Brown Shrike that showed all day at Flamborough Head, East Yorkshire. The Shetland Isles hosted Siberian Thrush, Arctic Warbler and Brown Flycatcher on Fair Isle (albeit only briefly in the case of the latter), Sykes's Warbler at Sumburgh, Red-flanked Bluetail, Eastern Olivaceous Warbler and Blyth's Reed Warbler on Foula and, on the Out Skerries, what was probably a Thick-billed Warbler was seen fleetingly. In Lincolnshire a Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler was seen briefly at Donna Nook, in Norfolk a Lesser Grey Shrike, Siberian Stonechat and two Radde's Warblers were seen and on the Orkney Isles a Red-flanked Bluetail was found on North Ronaldsay. Rarities elsewhere comprised the Stilt Sandpiper in Cumbria, Hudsonian Whimbrel on the Isles of Scilly, Red-footed Falcon in East Yorkshire, Baird’s Sandpiper in County Kerry, American Golden Plover on the Western Isles, Red-throated Pipit in Cornwall, White-winged Black Tern in Greater Manchester, Black Kite in Hampshire, Cattle Egret in Somerset, Ferruginous Duck in Somerset and single Great White Egrets in both Hampshire and Suffolk. Scarce landbirds included 86 Yellow-browed Warblers, 20 Red-breasted Flycatchers, ten Lapland Buntings, nine Great Grey Shrikes, seven Red-backed Shrikes, four Rose-coloured Starlings, three each of Bluethroat, Rose-coloured Starling, Barred Warbler and Wryneck, two Richard's Pipits and single Ortolan Bunting, Marsh Warbler and Hoopoe.
-  Chris Batty, RBA