Tuesday 18th May 2021
	Rarities discovered today comprised a White-throated Sparrow on the Shetland Isles on Unst, a Franklin's Gull in West Yorkshire at Swillington Ings, Red-rumped Swallows in both East Yorkshire at Spurn and Kent at Lade, and at least three Bee-eaters flew over Brighton, East Sussex. Elsewhere, the Caspian Tern showed again in Norfolk, the Double-crested Cormorant remained in County Kerry, as did the Pied-billed Grebe in Argyll, Baltic Gull in Northamptonshire, both King Eider and Bonaparte's Gull in Highland, and territorial Savi's Warblers continued in both Carmarthenshire and North Yorkshire. Scarcities included Woodchat Shrike (Dorset), Serin (Norfolk), Hoopoe (Northamptonshire), Purple Heron (Isle of Wight), Pectoral Sandpiper (Suffolk), Red-necked Phalarope (Northumberland), Ring-necked Duck (Shetland), Kumlien's Gull (Leicestershire), four Grey-headed Wagtails, five each of Golden Oriole, Temminck's Stint, and Glossy Ibis, and a total of 19 Long-tailed Skuas counted passing the Western Isles.
-  Chris Batty, RBA