Saturday 21st December 2013
	The higlight of the day was an American Buff-bellied Pipit at Burton Marsh, Cheshire; first suspected yesterday, the identification was confirmed this morning and the bird showed well throughout the afternoon. Elswehere, a Falcated Duck in Oxfordshire at Stanton Harcourt, is presumably the bird present at nearby Farmoor Reservoir on 9th-13th December 2012. Elsewhere, rarities comprised the Ivory Gull still in East Yorkshire at Patrington Haven, a King Eider in Lothian, five Two-barred Crossbills together in South Yorkshire, and Glossy Ibises in County Cavan, Cornwall, County Kerry, Lancashire, Orkney Isles, Suffolk, Western Isles (2) and the West Midlands. Scarcities included Rose-coloured Starling (Norfolk and the Isles of Scilly), Hoopoe (Conwy), Surf Scoter (Lothian), Ring-necked Duck (Devon), Cattle Egret (Devon, County Waterford (2) and County Wexford), and Parrot Crossbill (8 in Norfolk, and 14 in Nottinghamshire).
-  Chris Batty, RBA