Saturday 29th July 2017
	Seabirds dominated the headlines again with a total of nine Wilson's Petrels seen from Cornwall, 26 Cory's Shearwaters reported between County Cork and Devon, 109 Great Shearwaters between County Cork and Cornwall, and two Sabine's Gulls passed County Cork. The four Two-barred Crossbills present today - three on the Shetland Isles and one still in Fife on the Isle of May - brings the influx total to seven individuals since the 21st July. Other rarities comprised a White-rumped Sandpiper new on the Western Isles on North Uist, the Forster's Tern still in County Louth, Marsh Sandpiper, Bonaparte's Gull and 11 Black-winged Stilts in Kent, two Black-winged Stilts still in Norfolk and at least four Bee-eaters still in Nottinghamshire. Scarcities included White-winged Black Tern (Lincolnshire), Rose-coloured Starling (Highland), Glossy Ibis (Suffolk), Red-backed Shrike (East Yorkshire and North Yorkshire), three Pectoral Sandpipers and eight Cattle Egrets.
-  Chris Batty, RBA