Friday 24th August 2012
	The highlight of the day was a Spanish Sparrow in Suffolk; photographed at Landguard mid morning, it was not relocated later in the day. Elsewhere, a Fea's Petrel passed Porthgwarra, Cornwall, a Wilson's Phalarope arrived in County Cork at Rosscarbery, a Glossy Ibis was found on the Ouse Washes, Cambridgeshire, and a Thrush Nightingale was trapped on Fair Isle, Shetland Isles. Lingering rarities confirmed as still present were the Baird's Sandpiper in Pembrokeshire, Long-billed Dowitcher in Gloucestershire, Ortolan Bunting on the Orkney Isles, and single White-rumped Sandpipers in both County Kerry and County Wicklow. Scarcities included eight Barred Warblers, seven Wrynecks, two each of Icterine Warbler, Hoopoe, White-winged Black Tern (together in Hampshire), Spotted Crake and Ring-billed Gull, and single Kentish Plover and Purple Heron (Kent), Rose-coloured Starling (Cornwall), Woodchat Shrike and Cattle Egret (Dorset), Red-necked Phalarope (Lincolnshire), Pectoral Sandpiper (North Yorkshire).
-  Chris Batty, RBA