Monday 29th December 2008
	On Scilly the white morph Gyr made a welcome re-appearance, whilst on mainland Cornwall the Snowy Owl near Zennor continued to be admired by many. Today also saw a notable arrival of Cattle Egrets in the west, with 5 or 6 new birds on Scilly, 4 at Stradbally in County Waterford and singles in Hampshire and Cornwall. With at least 3 still in Pembrokeshire, does this mean we could have large numbers wintering in the west again as we did last winter? A Ferruginous Duck was a new find at Westbere in Kent, and in Ireland, the Black Duck was found again at Ventry in County Kerry. The King Eider remained in Fife as did the Ross's Goose in east Norfolk. A surprise report was of a Great Shearwater which spent a while off Filey Brigg.
-  Pete Hayman, RBA