Sunday 1st March 2009
	Rarity headlines today were a White-billed Diver in Argyll, American Herring Gull in County Galway, Red-breasted Goose in West Sussex, Long-billed Dowitcher in County Louth, King Eiders in Fife and County Sligo (2), Great White Egrets in Cambridgeshire (2) and Suffolk (2), single Lesser Scaups in Glamorgan, County Meath, Nottinghamshire and County Westmeath and the Hooded Merganser in Dorset. Cattle Egret reports totaled 26 birds in nine counties comprising seven each in County Cork and Cornwall, six in Devon and singles in Norfolk, Pembrokeshire and Wiltshire and on the Isle of Man, Isles of Scilly and the Isle of Wight. Scarcities included eleven Great Grey Shrikes, seven Ring-billed Gulls, six each of Ring-necked Duck and Green-winged Teal, three each of American Wigeon and Black Brant and two each of Surf Scoter, Rough-legged Buzzard and Kumlien's Gull.
-  Chris Batty, RBA