Wednesday 12th September 2012
	The highlight of the day was the discovery of the first Nearctic landbird of the autumn: a Red-eyed Vireo on Unst, Shetland Isles. This is the first record for the Shetland Isles, and the earliest record of this species in Britain, following one on the Isles of Scilly on 13th September 2011. Nearctic waders remained in evidence with Short-billed Dowitchers still in both Dorset and the Isles of Scilly, Semipalmated Sandpiper in Dumfies and Galloway, Baird's Sandpiper in Cleveland, Spotted Sandpiper in County Kerry, Long-billed Dowitcher in Gloucestershire, Lesser Yellowlegs in Cornwall, American Golden Plover in County Clare, White-rumped Sandpipers in both Cambridgeshire and County Wexford, five Buff-breasted Sandpipers and 12 Pectoral Sandpipers. Other rarities comprised the Baillon's Crake still in London, Greenish Warbler in Pembrokeshire, Citrine Wagtail and two Ortolan Buntings on the Isles of Scilly, Ortolan Bunting in County Galway, and single Glossy Ibises in Cambridgeshire, Pembrokeshire and County Wexford. Scarcities included 20 Lapland Buntings, three each of both Common Rosefinch and Wryneck, two each of Spotted Crake and Ring-billed Gull, and single Melodious Warbler (Gwynedd), Marsh Warbler (Shetland Isles), Barred Warbler (Norfolk), Ring-necked Duck (South Yorkshire) and Cattle Egret (Leicestershire). Seawatch totals included 14 Long-tailed Skuas, seven Sabine's Gulls and 69 Leach's Petrels; including 38 passing Ramore Head, County Antrim.
-  Chris Batty, RBA