Wednesday 5th February 2014
	Highland logged the major rarities of today, with the reappearance of the Black Duck on Loch Sunart at Strontian - where it was first noted here on 16th June 2007, a white morph Gyr seen briefly at Wick - near where one had been reported on 22nd January 2014, and the American Coot remained at Loch Flemington. Lingering rarities elsewhere comprised the Red-flanked Bluetail still on the Gloucestershire/Wiltshire border, Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler in Warwickshire, Black Duck and King Eider in County Mayo, and a Lesser Scaup in Staffordshire. Scarcities included Richard's Pipit (Isles of Scilly), Ring-necked Duck (Ayrshire), Surf Scoter (Western Isles), two each of both American Wigeon and Shorelark, three Glossy Ibises, and eight Parrot Crossbills (Norfolk). Notable gulls totalled 32 Glaucous, 15 Iceland, five Caspian, four Kumlien's and a single Ring-billed.
-  Chris Batty, RBA