Friday 5th July 2013
	The highlight of the day was the appearance of a species most birders probably thought would never reappear in Britain. A juvenile Ascension Frigatebird was found and photographed sitting on the harbour wall at Bowmore, Islay, Argyll mid morning. It was seen for around twenty minutes before flying off. Later in the day it was apparently seen on and around a fishing boat south-west of Portnahaven, before reappearing only a few miles away, in Loch Indaal, at 4pm, when it flew over Carnain. The only previous British and Western Palaearctic record of Ascension Frigatebird was, coincidentally, also in Argyll, on nearby Tiree in 1953, but was accepted as a Magnificent Frigatebird until 2003 when it was re-identified. In Northumberland the adult Bridled Tern reappeared, this time on the mainland. It was found at Cresswell Pond NWT early afternoon, and remained in the Druridge Bay area until mid evening at least. The next potential highlight of the day was a possible Great Black-headed Gull reported yesterday at Titchwell RSPB, Norfolk. A promising description was relayed to the RSPB staff today, but the bird wasn't seen during a thorough search. Another new discovery today was of at least one new 'barking' male Little Bittern at Ham Wall RSPB, Somerset, where the breeding pair are still showing regularly. The only other lingering rarities seen today were the two Gull-billed Terns at Tacumshin, County Wexford.
-  Will Soar, RBA