Wednesday 7th January 2009
	The highlight of the day was a female Canavasback on Islay, Argyll. First located amongst a flock of Scaup on Loch Indaal yesterday, the bird was not confidently identified until this morning, before it promptly disappeared. Other mega news concerned the continued presence of the Glaucous-winged Gull between Cowpen Bewley and Dorman's Pool, Cleveland and the, disappointing, continued absence of the Steller's Eider at Morfa Nefyn, Gwynedd. A Penduline Tit was a new arrival at Slapton Ley, Devon whilst lingering rarities were represented by the Snowy Owl in Cornwall, American Herring Gull in County Galway, two Penduline Tits in London, Red-breasted Goose in Hampshire, Lesser Scaup in Glamorgan and Hooded Merganser in Dorset. Cattle Egret reports totaled seventeen birds in four counties comprising eight on County Cork, four in Devon, two on the Isles of Scilly and one in Hampshire.
-  Chris Batty, RBA