Saturday 27th July 2013
	Another surprisingly busy day for this time of year. Overnight on Shetland a Swinhoe's Petrel was trapped and ringed at Fair Isle during the petrel ringing session, presumably the bird heard at this site five days ago. In County Cork, in Ireland, a Mongolian Sand Plover was found this evening at Ballymacoda. It seems quite likely that this is the bird seen in Moray several days ago. The arrival of Two-barred Crossbills continued with new birds being found today at Salthouse Heath in Norfolk, whilst on Shetland there were three at Tresta on Mainland, two on a boat at sea to the west and one at Noss, as well as belated news of another on Tuesday at Trondra. A single bird was still at Kelling Heath in Norfolk. Also on Shetland a Gull-billed Tern was on Mainland at Scatness. In Northumberland a summer plumaged Spotted Sandpiper was a new discovery near Alnmouth. The Caspian Tern continued to commute between Acre Nook Sand Quarry in Cheshire and Rudyard Lake in Staffordshire and was much admired by many. Long staying rarities included the Little Bitterns in Somerset, Lesser Yellowlegs in Carmarthenshire, and Bonaparte's Gull in Lancashire.
-  Pete Hayman, RBA