Wednesday 1st October 2008
	Fair Isle continued its excellent run of form, producing a White's Thrush (hot on the heels of last week's Siberian Thrush), Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler and Arctic Redpoll. Elsewhere on Shetland Hornemann's Arctic Redpolls were discovered on Foula and Unst and a Rustic Bunting was unearthed at Voe, Mainland. Three new Baird's Sandpipers were found, all in Ireland (in Co Kerry, Co Wexford and Co Mayo) and a Citrine Wagtail arrived on Barra - the Citrine Wagtail on North Uist also remained in situ. Lingering rarities included the Gull-billed Tern on Tiree, Glossy Ibis in Cambridgeshire, Stilt Sandpiper and Rustic Bunting in Cumbria and Red-footed Falcon in East Yorkshire. Seawatching was the highlight of the day for many -  north westerly winds pushed many Leach's Petrels past Merseyside and Wirral, with counts including 120 past Hilbre Island and 107 past Seaforth LWT. Irish headlands also produced the goods, with Kilcummin Head and Portacloy in Co Mayo, Bloody Foreland and Melmore Head in Co Donegal and Bridges of Ross in Co Clare all scoring impressive passages of Pomarine Skuas and Grey Phalaropes, as well as several Leach's Petrels, Long-tailed Skuas and Sabine's Gulls. Back across the Irish Sea, Pendeen Watch and St Ives Island in Cornwall and Strumble Head in Pembrokeshire all produced a great haul of seabirds.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA