Wednesday 31st December 2008
	The Snowy Owl in Cornwall and a couple of Penduline Tits in London were the star attractions on New Years Eve. Elsewhere Red-breasted Goose in Hampshire, Lesser Scaups in Glamorgan, Nottinghamshire, Clyde and Co Fermanagh, King Eider in Fife and Forster's Tern in Galway were all recorded. Eleven Cattle Egrets were logged, six in Co Cork, four in Co Waterford and a lone bird in Oxfordshire. In East Sussex a Great White Egret flew over Lewes Brooks, whilst the long staying bird remained in Hampshire at Blashford Lakes HWT. The Night Heron was still in Kent, the Hooded Merganser was ever present at Radipole Lakes RSPB and Rough-legged Buzzards lingered in Kent and Cambridgeshire. The most significant Waxwing counts included 93 at Chasewater, Staffordshire, 91 in Aberdeen, 90 in Edinburgh, Lothian, 60 in Newcastle, Northumberland and 50 in Leeds, West Yorkshire.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA