Sunday 4th October 2009
	Shetland continued to be the place to be - the Taiga Flycatcher, two Veerys, five Pechora Pipits, Olive-backed Pipit, Savi's Warbler, Arctic Warbler, two Blyth's Reed Warblers, four Hornemann's Arctic Redpolls and three probable Eastern Yellow Wagtails were all recorded on the archipelago today, along with a decent selection of scarce migrants. Elsewhere new discoveries included Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler on St Kilda, American Golden Plover on Berneray (Western Isles) and Blue-winged Teal in Co Wexford. Lingering rarities away  from Shetland comprised Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll on Barra (Western Isles), American Golden Plover on Mainland Orkney, White-rumped Sandpiper at Abberton Reservoir (Essex), American Buff-bellied Pipit in Co Clare, Lesser Yellowlegs at Aberlady Bay (Lothian), Long-billed Dowitchers on Tresco (Isles of Scilly), South Uist (Western Isles) and Inner Marsh Farm RSPB (Cheshire), Lesser Scaup at Draycote Water (Warwickshire), King Eider at Freiston Shore RSPB (Lincolnshire) and Snowy Owl in Co Mayo. At least eleven Glossy Ibises, six Cattle Egrets and four Great White Egrets were logged.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA