Monday 28th October 2013
	Two Mega rare American land birds were discovered today: a Mourning Dove on the Isle of Rhum, Highland, and a Myrtle Warbler on Lundy, Devon. Despite being just the third record for Britain, the Mourning Dove is perhaps the slightly less sought after of the two, after the last individual (in 2007) stayed on North Uist, Western Isles for ten days. The last of 17 Myrtle Warblers seen in Britain was in 2003 when one spent a week on Orkney, with three short staying birds before that, following the last long staying bird (12 days) on the Isles of Scilly back in 1995. The Mourning Dove is, however, the only one which is likely to prove twitchable if it lingers, as there are no boats to Lundy, and the helicopter only runs on Monday and Friday. In County Cork, negative news came from Cape Clear Island, where there was no sign of the Ruby-crowned Kinglet. Only two other rarities were discovered today, both of which were White-billed Divers. One was in Sandy Bay, County Kerry, and one returned to Bluemull Sound, Shetland. Lingering rarities included the Cape May Warbler and Dusky Warbler in Shetland, White's Thrush, Sora and Subalpine Warbler on the Isles of Scilly, Sardinian Warbler in Borders, Western Bonelli's Warbler and Dusky Warbler in Cleveland, Pallid Swift in Kent, American Golden Plover in County Down, Red-breasted Goose in Hampshire, three Blue-winged Teals in Lincolnshire, Lesser Scaup in Glamorgan. Glossy Ibises were seen in Kent, Norfolk, Somerset (two), Cleveland and the Western Isles (five).
-  Will Soar, RBA