Thursday 1st January 2009
	Exciting breaking news this evening concerns an adult gull in Cleveland that appears to be a strong candidate for Britain's second Glaucous-winged Gull. First photographed yesterday at Saltholme Pools, it was seen again late this afternoon at nearby Cowpen Bewley but the true identity was not suspected until the photographs were posted on the internet and outside opinions sought. All other newly discovered rarities were in Ireland where an American Herring Gull was found in County Cork at Bantry, a Lesser Scaup in County Westmeath at Lough Owel, and - most significantly of all - a Snowy Owl at Foxford, County Mayo; although, sadly, it was found injured and had to be destroyed. Lingering rarities included the Snowy Owl in Cornwall, Gyr on the Isles of Scilly, two Penduline Tits in London, Forster's Tern in County Galway, White-billed Diver and King Eider on the Shetland Isles, King Eider in Fife, Cackling Canada Goose in Dumfries and Galloway, Richardson's Canada Goose on the Western Isles, Hooded Merganser in Dorset, Red-breasted Goose and Great White Egret in Hampshire and single Lesser Scaups in both Glamorgan and Nottinghamshire. Cattle Egret reports totalled 21 birds in seven counties comprising five each in both Cornwall and County Cork, three each in County Waterford and Somerset, two in the Isles of Scilly and Pembrokeshire and one in Oxfordshire.
-  Chris Batty, RBA