Sunday 28th August 2011
	New rarities identified today were a Booted Warbler on Unst, Shetland Isles (where it has been present, unidentified, for six days), a Citrine Wagtail in Merseyside at Seaforth, and a Semipalmated Sandpiper on the Bann Estuary, County Londonderry: the fifth record of this species in Ireland this week. Lingering rarities confirmed as still present were the Sharp-tailed Sandpiper in County Clare, Pallid Harrier on the Shetland Isles, Western Bonelli's Warbler in Norfolk, two Semipalmated Sandpipers and a White-rumped Sandpiper together in County Wexford, Black Scoter with two Surf Scoters in Aberdeenshire, Bonaparte's Gull in County Durham, Blue-winged Teal in Cleveland, Black Kite in Cornwall, and the Bee-eater on the Isles of Scilly. Scarcities included seven Wrynecks, four Common Rosefinches (all on the Shetland Isles), two each of Barred Warbler, Red-backed Shrike and Temminck's Stint, and single Woodchat Shrike (Isle of Scilly), Icterine Warbler (Gwynedd), Serin (Kent), Hoopoe (Pembrokeshire), Buff-breasted Sandpiper (County Wexford), Spotted Crake (Somerset), Red-necked Phalarope (Norfolk), and Pectoral Sandpiper (Staffordshire). Seawatching highlights were eight Long-tailed Skuas, three Cory's Shearwaters and a Sabine's Gull (off Cornwall).
-  Chris Batty, RBA