Thursday 20th August 2009
	Seawatching provided the days highlights with a Little Shearwater and five Wilson's Petrels passing the Bridges of Ross, County Clare, and a Wilson's Petrel - along with what was most probably a Madeiran Petrel - seen from Pendeen Watch, Cornwall. Supporting cast to the rarities included nine Cory's Shearwaters (including six off Cornwall), nine Great Shearwaters (including four off Cornwall), ten Long-tailed Skuas (all off County Clare, twenty Sabine's Gulls (nineteen off County Clare), Leach's Petrel and a total of 29 Balearic Shearwaters seen from seven counties. Other rarities comprised the Snowy Owl still in County Mayo, single Semipalmated Sandpipers in both Northumberland and the Western Isles, Lesser Yellowlegs in Lothian and the Isles of Scilly and Great White Egrets still in both Kent and Somerset. Notable scarcities included a Melodious Warbler in Gwynedd, a Sabine's Gull in Worcestershire, Spotted Crakes in both Kent and South Yorkshire and Common Rosefinch and Pectoral Sandpiper together on the Shetland Isles.
-  Chris Batty, RBA