Saturday 12th August 2017
	The highlight of the day was the reappearance of the Snowy Owl in County Mayo at Tarmon Hill; first seen here on 9th September 2006 and then present intermittently there until 8th March 2017. Another reoccurence was the Alpine Swift in East Yorkshire again at Bempton Cliffs, whilst a Bonaparte's Gull in Cardiff, Glamorgan is in an area with periodic sightings of this species since 2004. Lingering rarities confirmed as still present were the American White-winged Scoter in Aberdeenshire, Long-billed Dowitcher, Bonaparte's Gull and three Black-winged Stilts in Kent, Bonaparte's Gull in Dorset, King Eider in Ceredigion, White-rumped Sandpipers in both Northumberland and County Wexford, three Black-winged Stilts in Essex and seven Bee-eaters in Leicestershire. Notable seabirds continued to show with Wilson's Petrels at sea off County Cork (16), Cornwall (3) and the Isles of Scilly and two seen from land at Bridges of Ross, County Clare. Cory's Shearwater reports totaled 171 with 120 Great Shearwaters and seven Sabine's Gulls reported. Scarcities included Melodious Warbler (Dorset), Rose-coloured Starling and Common Rosefinch (Highland), Red-necked Phalarope (Suffolk), Pectoral Sandpiper (County Mayo), Dotterel (South Yorkshire), Glossy Ibis (Norfolk), two each of both White-winged Black Tern and Cattle Egret, and three Surf Scoters.
-  Chris Batty, RBA