Sunday 31st May 2009
	The highlight of day was the discovery of a Black-winged Pratincole near Holme, Norfolk, although unfortunately is disappeared before it’s true identity was confirmed. Elsewhere, a singing male Iberian Chiffchaff was found on South Uist, Western Isles and brief encounters included a Red-footed Falcon in Kent, Alpine Swift in Clyde, single Red-rumped Swallows in both County Cork and Norfolk, Black Kites in Hampshire and Suffolk and Bee-eaters in Lincolnshire and South Yorkshire. Lingering rarities included the Forster's Tern still in County Wexford, Squacco Heron in Cambridgeshire and Great White Egret in Norfolk, whilst in Devon the Gull-billed Tern showed again briefly at the Clyst Estuary. On the Shetland Isles a River Warbler joined the Great Reed Warbler on Fair Isle, a Great Reed Warbler remained on Out Skerries and other birds around the archipelago included a Lesser Scaup, four Marsh Warblers and a Bluethroat. Scarcities elsewhere included four migrant Golden Orioles, three Icterine Warblers and three Marsh Warblers, two each of Purple Heron, Serin, Bluethroat and Red-backed Shrike and single Woodchat Shrike (Cornwall), Common Rosefinch (Gloucestershire), American Wigeon (Lancashire), Surf Scoter (Aberdeenshire) and Grey-headed Wagtail (Orkney Isles).
-  Chris Batty, RBA