Tuesday 2nd June 2009
	Hot news today related to the discovery of a 1st-summer male Eastern Black-eared Wheatear on St Agnes, Isles of Scilly. After initially being photographed as an odd wheatear, the bird soon 'firmed up' as the first confirmed Black-eared Wheatear to be found in Britain since 2002. The excellent run of Laughing Gull records continued with an adult on Coll, Argyll, whilst in Oxfordshire a Black Kite flew over Wootton and in Hampshire a Red-rumped Swallow was observed at Portsdown Hill. A Spotted Sandpiper was discovered on the Cefni Estuary, Anglesey. Lingering rarities included Black-winged Pratincole in Norfolk, Squacco Heron in Cambridgeshire, Great Reed Warbler and Lesser Scaup on Shetland, Pallid Swift in Merseyside, Black Duck in Cornwall and Red-breasted Goose in Aberdeenshire. Scarcity highlights included a male Common Rosefinch in Gloucestershire, Red-backed Shrikes on Isles of Scilly and Isle of Man and Icterine Warbler on Orkney.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA