Monday 7th May 2018
	Mediterranean rarities today comprised Iberian Chiffchaffs in both Norfolk at Ringstead Downs and continuing on the Wirral, territorial Savi's Warbler and a brief Red-rumped Swallow in Suffolk, Black-winged Stilts in Cambridgeshire and Essex (2), and in Cornwall a Bee-eater seen briefly at Goonhilly Downs. Rarities from elsewhere comprised the territorial American Bittern still in Suffolk, Green Heron in Pembrokeshire, American White-winged Scoter in Lothian, Snowy Owl on Western Isles, Hooded Merganser in Cleveland, Laughing Gull on the Isles of Scilly, King Eider in Aberdeenshire, White-billed Divers in Moray and the Orkney Isles, and in Norfolk a Red-throated Pipit flew over Sheringham. Scarcities included Short-toed Lark (Norfolk), White-winged Black Tern (Suffolk), Hoopoe (Cornwall), Temminck's Stint (London), American Wigeon (Northumberland), Grey-headed Wagtail (Lothian), two Surf Scoters, three each of Purple Heron, Ring-necked Duck and Glossy Ibis, and five migrant Dotterel.
-  Chris Batty, RBA