Friday 12th October 2012
	A pale morph South Polar Skua which flew past Mizen Head, County Cork was the first Mega discovery of the day. On the north-east mainland coast were both a Lanceolated Warbler and a Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler. The former was found in an area with no general access at Long Nab, Yorkshire, and was therefore untwitchable, but the latter was in Marsden Quarry, County Durham, where a few lucky birders watched it early afternoon. Further south, a Solitary Sandpiper arrived on Bryher, Isles of Scilly. Back in the north, a Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler was at Cambois, Northumberland, with an Olive-backed Pipit in the same county on the Farne Islands. Another Olive-backed Pipit was on North Ronaldsay, whilst a Dusky Warbler, Blyth's Reed Warbler and Little Bunting were all found on nearby Shetland. A Greenish Warbler was at Old Head of Kinsale, County Cork. Lingering rarities included the American Buff-bellied Pipit in County Kerry, Paddyfield Warbler in Cornwall, Lesser Yellowlegs' in Somerset and County Dublin, Long-billed Dowitchers in Lincolnshire and Gloucestershire, American Golden Plovers in Shetland, Isles of Scilly and County Wexford, Olive-backed Pipit in Shetland, Black Duck in County Mayo, King Eider in Moray and Lesser Scaup in Somerset.
-  Will Soar, RBA