Saturday 11th April 2009
	The highlight of the day was a White-throated Sparrow in Hampshire at Old Winchester Hill. Discovered by birders early this morning, it later transpired that it has been present at this site since 8th November 2008. This is only the fifth instance of this species wintering in the British Isles. Elsewhere, new rarities comprised a Bonaparte's Gull in Oxfordshire, Alpine Swifts in both Essex and West Sussex, a Red-rumped Swallow in Leicestershire, Subalpine Warblers on the Isle of Scilly and in Couunty Cork (2), White-billed Divers in Ayrshire and Highland (2) and single Great White Egrets in both Ceredigion and Norfolk. Lingering rarities included the Forster's Tern in County Galway, American Golden Plover in Norfolk, Lesser Scaup in Nottinghamshire, Great White Egret in Clyde, Hooded Merganser in Dorset and Cattle Egrets in Cheshire, Cornwall (3), Dorset (2) and Pembrokeshire.
-  Chris Batty, RBA