Sunday 20th May 2012
	The highlight of the day was the startling discovery of a Cream-coloured Courser late this evening at Bradnor Hill, Herefordshire; constituting the first mainland record since 1984, and the first ever to be recorded in spring. Elsewhere, new rarities included a White-throated Sparrow in Highland on the Isle of Skye, Thrush Nightingale on the Shetland Isles on Fair Isle, Subalpine Warbler in Borders at St Abb's Head, Savi's Warbler in Hertfordshire at Wilstone Reservoir, and a Bee-eater in Norfolk around Glandford, whilst brief encounters included a Red-rumped Swallow in Dorset, single Black Kites in both Cornwall and West Sussex, Bee-eaters in both Cornwall and South Yorkshire, Tawny Pipit in West Sussex and Ortolan Bunting in Northumberland. Lingering rarities confirmed as still present included Greater Yellowlegs and King Eider in Aberdeenshire, Forster's Tern, American Golden Plover and Red-rumped Swallow together in County Wexford, Citrine Wagtail in East Yorkshire, Bonaparte's Gull in London, Great Reed Warbler in Somerset, Red-throated Pipit and Little Bunting on the Isles of Scilly, White-rumped Sandpiper in Northumberland, Savi's Warbler in Norfolk, and Glossy Ibises in both Pembrokeshire (4) and West Sussex. Scarce migrants included 12 Dotterel, eight each of Bluethroat and Temminck's Stint, seven Red-backed Shrikes, five Golden Orioles, three Wrynecks, two each of Icterine Warbler, Woodchat Shrike and Hoopoe, and single Red-breasted Flycatcher (Norfolk), Serin (Suffolk), Common Rosefinch (Shetland Isles), Red-necked Phalarope (Gloucestershire), Kentish Plover (East Yorkshire) and Pectoral Sandpiper (County Londonderry).
-  Chris Batty, RBA