Friday 24th October 2008
	Following the first record of Little Blue Heron for Britain and Ireland in County Galway earlier in the month, came surprising news today of another (or possibly the same bird) at Kidwelly in South Wales. The bird was seen on the Gwendraeth Estuary and later on the Coed Bach marshes, and it may have been present in the area for up to two weeks. In Scilly a Wilson's Snipe showed well at Porth Hellick Pool on St.Mary's. A new White-rumped Sandpiper was found at the Mullet in County Mayo, with one to two birds remaining on Scilly. Also on Scilly were a Blyth's Reed Warbler along with various of the usual scarce migrants such as Yellow-browed Warblers, Common Rosefinches, Barred Warblers and Red-breasted Flycatchers. In Scotland, the two Lesser Scaups remained at Hogganfield Loch in Clyde and Ferruginous Ducks were still to be found in Hertfordshire and Somerset. A Great White Egret flew over the M60 in Greater Manchester and there was an unconfirmed report of a Siberian Thrush near Rhayader in Powys.
-  Pete Hayman, RBA