Thursday 13th October 2011
	The highlight of the day was the discovery of five Red-flanked Bluetails: two together in County Durham at Whitburn, two in Suffolk (Minsmere and Orford Ness) and one at Flamborough Head, East Yorkshire. Elsewhere, a Forster's Tern was returned to Cruisetown Strand, County Louth, a Spotted Sandpiper was found in County Cork at Rosscarbery, Olive-backed Pipits on the Orkney Isles at North Ronaldsay and in Lincolnshire at Wroot, Glossy Ibis in East Yorkshire, a brief Red-throated Pipit in Kent, Little Bunting in Suffolk, White-rumped Sandpiper in Perth and Kinross, and a Ross's Goose in Dumfries and Galloway. Lingering rarities included the Upland Sandpiper still in County Mayo, Black Scoter in Northumberland, Spotted Sandpipers in both Devon and Somerset, Long-billed Dowitchers in Ayrshire, Dumfries and Galloway, Somerset (2) and County Wexford, American Golden Plover on the Western Isles, two Black Kites together and a Glossy Ibis in Cornwall, and single Ferruginous Ducks in both Lincolnshire and Somerset. Around the Isles of Scilly the Northern Waterthrush remained alongside the Wilson's Snipe, Least Sandpiper, two each of Lesser Yellowlegs, Red-throated Pipit, Rose-coloured Starling and Common Rosefinch, three Wrynecks and single Subalpine Warbler, Short-toed Lark, Bluethroat, Spotted Crake, Pectoral Sandpiper, Yellow-browed Warbler, Lapland Bunting. Meanwhile, on the Shetland Isles a Lanceolated Warbler arrived on Fair Isle, as did a Semipalmated Sandpiper on Foula, whilst American Buff-bellied Pipit, Pallid Harrier, Daurian Shrike and Yellow-browed Warbler lingered around the archipelago. Significant late news concerned a Yellow-billed Cuckoo found moribund yesterday in Liverpool, Merseyside.
-  Chris Batty, RBA