Thursday 29th December 2016
	The highlight of the day was the discovery of a Black Scoter in Northumberland at Goswick, perhaps the same individual as that seen nearby in both 2011 and 2015. Elsewhere, a Lesser Yellowlegs was new in County Limerick at Adare. Lingering rarities confirmed as still present today were the Blue Rock Thrush in Gloucestershire, Dusky Thrush in Derbyshire, Blyth's Pipit in Somerset, Black-throated Thrush in Denbighshire, Pacific Diver, Hudsonian Whimbrel and Eastern Black Redstart in Cornwall, Stejneger's Stonechat in Kent, Pallid Harrier in East Yorkshire, Desert Wheatear and Bonaparte's Gull in Devon, Eastern Black Redstart in Cleveland, Lesser Yellowlegs in Dorset, Red-breasted Goose in Norfolk, Hooded Merganser in Clyde, and both King Eider and Lesser Scaup in County Sligo. Scarcities included Rose-coloured Starling (Dorset), Serin (East Sussex), two each of Richard's Pipit, Surf Scoter and Glossy Ibis, three of American Wigeon and Lapland Bunting, eight Ring-necked Ducks, 10 Great Grey Shrikes, 11 Ring-billed Gulls, 39 Shorelarks, 45 Cattle Egrets, and a total of 82 Tundra Bean Geese.
-  Chris Batty, RBA