Tuesday 4th October 2016
	Another epic day for rare birds was headlined by the discovery of an Eastern Crowned Warbler at Bempton Cliffs RSPB (East Yorkshire); originally suspected to be an Arctic Warbler, the identification puzzle was finally solved this evening. Today's record constitutes the fourth for Britain, following birds in Durham (2009), Hertfordshire (2011), and Cleveland (2014). Nearby the Flamborough Head area hosted Siberian Stonechat and Radde's Warbler, whilst a Greenish Warbler (Norfolk), Red-flanked Bluetail (Northumberland), Blyth's Reed Warbler (Devon) and Semipalmated Sandpiper (Co Kerry) were also discovered today. The Shetland Isles produced Black-throated Thrush and Swainson's Thrush, Pechora Pipit, Olive-backed Pipit, Lanceolated Warbler, Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll and two Blyth's Reed Warblers, whilst Isles of Scilly hosted Sora, Blyth's Pipit and Subalpine Warbler. The best of the rest in terms of lingering rarities comprised Booted Warbler (Conwy), Dalmatian Pelican (Devon), Baird's Sandpiper and Hudsonian Whimbrel (Cornwall), Lesser Yellowlegs (Dorset), Black Duck (Highland) and Western Purple Swamphen (Lincolnshire).
-  Stuart Piner, RBA