Sunday 26th October 2008
	Another exciting day was headlined by the identification of a first-winter Brown Shrike on St Mary's, Isles of Scilly this evening. The bird was found earlier in the day but just like the 2001 Scilly Brown Shrike, it was initially identified as a Red-backed Shrike. A Grey-cheeked Thrush and American Golden Plover were also discovered on St Mary's and the Blyth's Reed Warbler was still on St Agnes. In Kent the first-winter Green Heron showed well at West Hythe - the bird has probably been present since Thursday. Continuing the recent run of 'unconfirmed reports', a Northern Flicker was reported in New Milton, Hampshire today, but a vigil in the area throughout the afternoon failed to locate anything of interest. Other new discoveries included a White-rumped Sandpiper (and Pectoral Sandpiper) at Goldcliff Lagoons, Gwent, Great White Egret at Astley Green, Greater Manchester and Cattle Egret at Drift Reservoir, Cornwall. In Argyll an Islay goose-fest consisted of a Taverner's, Todd's and two Richardson's Canada Geese all with the Barnacle Geese. Lingering rarities included the adult Ross's Goose in Lancashire, two Lesser Scaups in Clyde, King Eider in Devon, Glossy Ibis in West Yorkshire and Great White Egrets in Suffolk and Hampshire. The best of the rest came in the form of four Serins at Rainham Marshes RSPB, London, Bluethroat at Land's End Cornwall and a wreck of Grey Phalaropes in northern Scotland.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA