Saturday 4th October 2008
	Quality rather than quantity today, with a Pechora Pipit on North Uist, Western Isles, King Eider on Shetland, the returning Forster's Tern in County Louth, with a Long-billed Dowitcher and White-rumped Sandpiper also in Ireland. An unseasonal Broad-billed Sandpiper was identified this evening at Wallasea Island, Essex, and is present for its third day. Two Taverner's Canada Geese were reported from Caerlaverock WWT, joining the Cackling Canada Goose already present with the Barnacle Goose hordes. Further south, a Ross's Goose was found with the Pink-footed Geese at Martin Mere WWT, Lancashire. Potential megas involved a probable Little Shearwater in Somerset, and a belated report of a probable juvenile Little Blue Heron on 24th September in County Galway. The American Buff-bellied Pipit remained on North Ronaldsay, Orkney, as did Siberian Stonechat in Devon, Glossy Ibis in Cambridgeshire, Ferruginous Duck in Buckinghamshire and a Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll on Yell, Shetland.
-  Will Soar, RBA