Weekly birding round-up: 3 - 9 Oct 2023

Although it was always going to be a struggle to keep up the frenetic pace of recent weeks, the 3rd-9th October was another exciting period in British and Irish birding with six mega-alerts and five new species recorded for the year, in order of appearance, Mourning Dove, White's Thrush, Eyebrowed Thrush, Swainson's Thrush, and Pied Wheatear bringing the running total for 2023 to 449 species of which 407 have been twitchable to some extent. For reference, 452 species were recorded during the whole of 2022.

Nearctic landbirds continued to be discovered with the fifth Irish record of Mourning Dove on Inishmore, County Galway briefly on 3rd, the fifth Black-and-white Warbler of the autumn trapped and ringed at Nanjizal, Cornwall on 4th, where following release it was on view until 6th albeit it remaining very elusive.

A first-winter White-crowned Sparrow was found at Houbie, Fetlar on 8th-9th and continued the incredible recent run of this species on the Shetland Isles, this being the fourth there in the last seven autumns, and on 9th a Swainson's Thrush was at Castlebay, Barra, Western Isles and a new Red-eyed Vireo on Lundy, Devon.

Lingering from last week were the Veery on Shetland at Lunna, Mainland and the Yellow Warbler in Argyll on Tiree both until 3rd, up to two Bobolinks on St Mary's, Isles of Scilly until 7th, the Cape May Warbler on Achill Island, County Mayo until 8th, and Red-eyed Vireos on Tiree, Argyll, and the Calf of Man, Isle of Man until 3rd, and on St Agnes, Scilly until 6th.





On the Isles of Scilly a speculative trip to the Bishop Rock on 8th to search for the first-summer white morph Red-footed Booby last seen there on 15th September (and already checked for multiple times since) yielded dividends and allowed all those currently staying on the islands a chance to connect with this second for Britain that has been present there since 7th August. In north Kent a Brown Booby flew east past Birchington on 8th mirroring the first record for Britain photographed 10 miles to the west passing Swalecliffe on 19th August 2019. The adult Double-crested Cormorant was still at Doon Lough, County Leitrim on 8th.
Scarce seabirds included 4,350 Cory's Shearwater bird days logged with, other than one passing North Ronaldsay, Orkney Isles on 7th, all being seen between Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly where 787 passed St Agnes on 6th, 800 were seen from St Mary's on 7th, and on 9th 300 at sea near Bishop Rock and 209 counted from the bows of the Scillonian III. 725 Great Shearwater bird days were logged with, other than one passing North Ronaldsay, Orkney on 7th, all seen between Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly (just like Cory's Shearwater!) where 80 were seen from a pelagic north of the islands on 4th, 60 were seen from the Scillonian III on 5th and 351 were counted passing St Agnes on 6th. Exactly 100 Balearic Shearwater bird days included singles passing Cley, Norfolk on 3rd and Fife Ness, Fife on 7th, then two off both North Foreland, Kent on 8th and Kettleness, North Yorkshire the following day, but the only counts over a score were 25 passing Downderry, Cornwall on 5th and 22 off Portland Bill, Dorset on 7th. Leach's Petrel records totalled 25 bird days including 11 on 3rd alone when seven passed North Uist, Western Isles, with all records from western coasts except for one passing Dungeness Point, Kent on 7th.
Notable skuas comprised four Long-tailed Skuas with singles passing Sheigra, Highland on 3rd and Spurn, East Yorkshire on 8th, and two juveniles moving west together at Knott End, Lancashire on 4th, whilst there was 48 Pomarine Skua bird days including three passing both Bridges of Ross, County Clare and North Uist, Western Isles on 3rd, five off Annagh Head, County Mayo on 4th, and nine logged at North Ronaldsay, Orkney on 7th.
Five early Little Auks were noted comprising two off North Ronaldsay, Orkney on 7th, singles at Thorpeness, Suffolk and Out Skerries, Shetland on 8th and one off Portobello, Lothian on 9th.
A juvenile Squacco Heron discovered at Ham Wall on 5th and was then on show to all there on 8th-9th; the first in Somerset since May 2012 and the first at the heron Mecca that is the Somerset Levels since October 2011. The juvenile Purple Heron remained in Cornwall at Marazion Marsh until 8th.
The lingering juvenile Black Stork was reported as still present in Lincolnshire at Holbeach Marsh on 4th but not since and what seems likely to have been the same individual flew over Lydd, Walland Marsh, and finally south over Dungeness, Kent on 4th October before perhaps crossing the English Channel. The first-summer Black Stork present in Kent earlier in the autumn between 11th-19th August relocated to Hampshire on 22nd-28th August and has not been reported since.
A total of 60 Glossy Ibis was seen including a flock of nine on Barra, Western Isles on 6th-9th, seven in flight over Wadebridge, Cornwall on 6th, up to four at both Titchfield Haven, Hampshire and Lady's Island Lake, County Wexford, and three each in Kent, Lincolnshire, Suffolk, and East Yorkshire. Just one each of Spotted Crake and Corncrake were seen this week: the former at Porth Hellick, St Mary's, Scilly on 6th and the latter on North Ronaldsay, Orkney on 9th.
The adult Red-breasted Goose remained in Northumberland with Svalbard Barnacle Geese at Budle Bay throughout and the same flock was accompanied by a Todd's Canada Goose until at least 4th. A Richardson's Cackling Goose arrived in Argyll with Greenland Barnacle Geese on Islay at Loch Gruinart on 9th with two Todd's Canada Geese also there, whilst three Snow Geese with Pink-footed Geese comprised adult white morphs reported at Udale Bay, Highland on 3rd, in Lothian at Carrington on 8th, and an adult blue morph Lesser Snow Goose on Pilling Marsh, Lancashire again on 8th.
In Forth 44 Taiga Bean Geese were located on the Slamannan Plateau on 6th probably including the 10 seen arriving over North Queensferry, Fife on 3rd with five more seen in flight over Holy Island, Northumberland on 9th when another was reported on Islay, Argyll. Three single Tundra Bean Geese were noted: with Pink-footed Geese in Udale Bay, Highland on 5th, still with naturalised geese in Worcestershire at Upper Bittell Reservoir on 7th, and at Kergord, Mainland, Shetland on 8th-9th.

In respect to determining likely provenance Hooded Merganser is the quintessential problem bird for the British Birds Rarities Committee with no obvious roadmap to differentiating vagrants from escapes. The record that got the species across the line and onto Category A of the British List was that at Oban Trumisgarry, North Uist, Western Isles on 23rd October to 1st November 2000 and the individual found at Loch Ardvule, South Uist, Western Isles on 9th currently has the best credentials – i.e. a late autumn arrival on the Western Isles - since the first official record. Other notable diving ducks were the male Ferruginous Duck in Bedfordshire at Broom throughout, a total of 10 Ring-necked Ducks that were all singletons and included new birds in Aberdeenshire at Loch of Strathbeg and on Loch an Ail, Barra, Western Isles from 6th, at The Loons, Mainland, Orkney from 7th, and at Hornsea Mere, East Yorkshire on 8th. A juvenile Surf Scoter remained inland at Corbally Road Reservoir, County Antrim until 8th with another on Yell, Shetland on 8th-9th.
Rare dabbling ducks comprised the Black Duck still at Cross Lough, The Mullet, County Mayo on 3rd, two Blue-winged Teals still together at Tophill Low, East Yorkshire throughout, three eclipse male American Wigeons with lingering birds on Inishmore, County Galway until 4th and at Kilnsea, East Yorkshire throughout with another on Sanday, Orkney on 6th, whilst a male Green-winged Teal at Eoligarry, Barra, Western Isles on 8th-9th was the first to be detected in Britain or Ireland since 19th June.

The rarest waders were a Great Snipe on Shetland flushed at North Roe, Mainland on 3rd and promptly lost, two separate Upland Sandpipers on 9th when one headed south over Cot Valley, Cornwall in the morning and another was on Cape Clear, County Cork in the afternoon, and the juvenile Stilt Sandpiper still present at Loch Paible, North Uist, Western Isles on 3rd.
Calidris sandpipers were represented by the juvenile Baird's Sandpiper still on Tiree, Argyll on 4th, four Semipalmated Sandpipers comprising new birds in Aberdeenshire at Longhaven on 5th, in County Cork at Ballycotton on 8th, in County Kerry at Caherfealane Marsh on 8th-9th, and at Frampton Marsh, Lincolnshire where it remained throughout with an adult White-rumped Sandpiper, with other White-rumped Sands on Orkney on Sanday on 4th, and at Myroe Levels, County Londonderry on 8th. The three Buff-breasted Sandpipers were all present throughout; in County Clare at Loop Head, in Lincolnshire at Frampton Marsh, and on St Agnes, Isles of Scilly, whilst the most notable of 18 Pectoral Sandpipers were two together at both Aldeburgh Town Marshes, Suffolk on 6th-8th October and Buckroney Marsh, County Wicklow on 9th, and singles inland at Bodymoor Heath, Warwickshire until 3rd, and at Frampton Marsh, Lincolnshire (where else?) on 9th.
A respectable seven Long-billed Dowitchers included new birds in County Waterford at The Cunnigar on 3rd, and on Shetland on Bressay and in County Wexford at Cahore Marsh on 9th, whilst long-stayers remained in County Cork, Norfolk, Orkney, and County Wicklow. The Spotted Sandpiper was still at Balscadden Bay, County Dublin on 3rd and there were four Lesser Yellowlegs this week: in Lincolnshire at Frampton Marsh, the Western Isles at Loch Stiapabhat, Lewis, and in Ireland in County Cork at Rosscarbery, and new in County Louth at Dundalk then Lurgangreen on 3rd-6th.
A total of 26 American Golden Plovers were all singles except for two together at Port Nis, Lewis, Western Isles on 9th and included new birds on 8th in Gloucestershire at Slimbridge, Lancashire at Banks Marsh, and Pembrokeshire at St Govan's Head. Six Dotterel comprised up to three birds on Bryher, Scilly throughout and singles in Cornwall, Shetland, and East Yorkshire.

A full house of phalaropes again this week with the first-winter Wilson's Phalarope present in Norfolk throughout, relocating from North Point, Wells to Stiffkey Fen on 4th, the first-winter Red-necked Phalarope at Cors Ddyga, Anglesey until 8th, and 55 Grey Phalaropes including six passing Bridges of Ross, County Clare on 3rd, four at Stinky Bay, Benbecula, Western Isles on 4th, and five from the Scillonian III on 7th whilst inland were singles at Chasewater, Staffordshire and Hemingbrough, North Yorkshire on 3rd-5th, Coniston Water, Cumbria on 5th, Valley, Anglesey on 8th-9th, and Chelford, Cheshire throughout.
Rare gulls were restricted to Azorean Yellow-legged Gulls with an adult still on The Mullet, County Mayo on 8th and third-winter at Skewjack, Cornwall on 8th-9th was presumably the individual earlier present at nearby Sennen on 27th-20th August. Otherwise, unusual gulls were were an adult Ring-billed Gull in County Kerry at Blennerville on 3rd-8th, Glaucous Gulls at Hartlepool, Cleveland and Lurgangreen, County Louth on 7th, Iceland Gulls on the Western Isles on Barra on 3rd and Lewis on 7th, and 13 Sabine's Gull bird days including four passing Bridges of Ross, County Clare on 3rd and two south at North Foreland, Kent on 8th. The second-winter Forster's Tern was still at Arne, Dorset on 8th and, despite their beleaguered situation, Roseate Terns put in a good October showing in the English North Sea with up to four in Northumberland at Budle Bay until 6th, one at Gibraltar Point, Lincolnshire on 8th, and in Norfolk at least five different individuals noted between Blakeney Point and Waxham between 3rd-8th.
I couldn't resist heading back to the Lizard this evening for seconds of the Northern Harrier, which eventually did the decent thing and showed at point blank range for about 10 seconds at sunset before disappearing again pic.twitter.com/GBE5qmYkbq
— Finley Hutchinson (@FinleyHutchins2) October 9, 2023
The juvenile Northern Harriers remained on The Mullet, County Mayo until 5th and on Goonhilly Downs, Cornwall throughout, whilst four juvenile Pallid Harriers were located: in Kent at Dungeness throughout, Orkney on Sanday on 3rd-5th, on Shetland on South Mainland until 4th, and in Essex on Wallasea Island until 7th. Six Honey Buzzards were recorded during the week across Bedfordshire, Dorset (2), London, Norfolk and Shetland; the latter seen over Sound, Mainland on 6th, whilst a juvenile Rough-legged Buzzard in Norfolk at Sculthorpe will - following a dearth of this species last winter - be well-received if it lingers. The Snowy Owl was still on Shetland at Ronas Hill, Mainland on 3rd.
Of the Old World passerines rare thrushes provided the headlines with a well-received White's Thrush on Shetland at Gorie, Bressay from 4th-9th - a first for that island (as was a Magpie at the same location on 5th) - a brief garden Eyebrowed Thrush at The Shunan, Mainland, Orkney on 7th October, and a female Black-throated Thrush in Easington, East Yorkshire briefly on 8th October, the latter only the ninth for Yorkshire but the second there this year, yet only the second ever there in autumn following one inland at the Pennines vismig hotspot of Redmires Reservoir on 13th November 1995.

There are now 41 autumn records of White's Thrush on Shetland with the majority found between 29th September and 10th October but only 11 staying there for more than a day and this is the joint second longest-stayer with one at Kergord, Mainland 13th-18th October 2008, following one at Swining, Mainland between 10th-22nd October 2004.

A five shrike week with the adult male Turkestan Shrike remaining on Fair Isle throughout, the first-winter Lesser Grey Shrike atop Caradon Hill, Pensilva, Cornwall until 7th with another on 9th on Islay, Argyll being the first for that island, the first-winter Woodchat Shrike in Cornwall at Marazion until 6th, a first-winter Red-backed Shrike on Bryher, Scilly from 6th with another on Orkney at St Margaret's Hope, South Ronaldsay on 9th, and the first Great Grey Shrikes of the autumn were seen on 8th at Scampton, Lincolnshire, and Burnham Overy Staithe, Norfolk.
A male Pied Wheatear on Shetland at Northdale, Unst on 9th was the clear highlight amongst the chats. Otherwise, Eastern Stonechat species were on Shetland at Lunna, Mainland throughout (probably Siberian Stonechat), at Sandness on 5th-6th (thought probably to be a Stejneger's Stonechat), on Fair Isle on 9th, and on Orkney on Sanday on 7th and North Ronaldsay on 9th.
Following one on Yell, Shetland on 7th Red-flanked Bluetails arrived en-masse on 8th with seven located: in Borders at St Abb's Head, Fife on the Isle of May, Lothian at Barns Ness, Norfolk at Sea Palling, Northumberland on Holy Island, Orkney on North Ronaldsay, and North Yorkshire at Filey, with the last two both joined by second birds on 9th. Half of the 22 Red-breasted Flycatchers were on Shetland with others in Lothian, Norfolk (2), Scilly (2), County Kerry, County Waterford, and County Cork (where three included two on Cape Clear on 7th), whilst six Bluethroats were all on either Shetland or Orkney except for one on the Isle of May, Fife on 8th-9th.

A Tawny Pipit at Happisburgh, Norfolk on 8th was where one had been seen on 16th September and was presumably the same individual especially given the rarity of this species here now; there has been only one other Tawny Pipit in Britain so far this year.

Other rare pipits were brief Red-throated Pipits on Barra, Western Isles on 4th, St Mary's, Scilly on 5th, and Longhoughton Steel, Northumberland on 9th, and six Olive-backed Pipits with singles remaining on Shetland at Voxter, Mainland until 4th and on Foula until 7th and then four located on the 9th, on Inner Farne, Farne Islands, Northumberland, on the Isle of May, Fife, on North Ronaldsay, Orkney, and on Fair Isle, Shetland. Ten Richard's Pipits were seen during the week most notable of which were on Whalsay, Shetland on 3rd-4th, in London migrating over Dagenham Chase on 8th, and three on Scilly on 9th: two together on St Mary's and one on St Agnes. Single Short-toed Larks remained on St Agnes, Scilly and at Scatness, Mainland, Shetland until 3rd whilst three records of Shorelark were potentially all the same individual: passing south at Spurn, East Yorkshire and Gibraltar Point, Lincolnshire on 8th and then present at Minsmere, Suffolk the following day.
Rare grass warblers were the first Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler for Fife on the Isle of May on 7th, the River Warbler on Shetland that remained at Brae, Mainland until 3rd October (where it had first been found on 30th September), whilst a Lanceolated Warbler remained on Fair Isle, at Setter where it had first been found on 24th September, with another new 'Lancey' on North Ronaldsay, Orkney on 8th October.
Reed and bush warblers included Melodious Warbler lingering on Bryher, Scilly until 8th when another was discovered in Aberdeenshire at St Cyrus, a first-winter Marsh Warbler at Quendale, Mainland, Shetland until 7th, and six Blyth's Reed Warblers comprising five located on Shetland Mainland between 3rd-7th and one on the Isle of May, Fife on 8th. The first-winter (presumed?) Eastern Subalpine Warbler was still at Wester Quarff, Mainland, Sherland on 7th whilst of 36 Barred Warblers 21 were on Shetland and most notable among the rest were singles in Forth at Skinflats, Gloucestershire at Slimbridge, and Highland at John o' Groats, and two together on the Isle of May, Fife all on 9th.
Rare leaf warblers were headlined by five Radde's Warblers on the English east coast on 8th-9th, from north to south: Northumberland at Holy Island, Cleveland at South Gare, North Yorkshire at Sandsend, East Yorkshire at Thornwick Bay, and Lincolnshire at Wolla Bank, whilst on the same dates the only Dusky Warblers were two in northern Scotland; both on Unst, Shetland. Six Arctic Warblers were logged during the period with two on Shetland - on Unst on 4th-5th and at Levenwick, Mainland on 5th - on Holy Island, Northumberland on 7th-9th, at Spurn, East Yorkshire and Holme Dunes, Norfolk on 8th, and on the Western Isles at Ardmhor, Barra on 8th-9th. A Greenish Warbler a Patrington, East Yorkshire was a notable find so far up the Humber. A total of 303 Yellow-browed Warbler bird days during the week included an inland bird at Burgh Castle, Norfolk on 8th and site maximums of 11 on Fair Isle on 5th, and then on 8th four at Whitburn, County Durham, and in East Yorkshire 12 at Spurn and seven at Flamborough Head.

An Arctic Redpoll on Shetland at Esha Ness, Mainland on 7th October was followed by two confirmed Hornemann's Arctic Redpolls together nearby at Norwick, Unst on 9th. A total of 25 Common Rosefinches included two together on St Mary's, Scilly on 3rd-4th, Fair Isle, Shetland on 3rd-5th, at Bornish, South Uist, Western Isles on 5th-8th, and on Out Skerries, Shetland on 6th-8th, with three at Norwick, Unst, Shetland on 4th-7th, but the only Serin report was of one in flight at Ventnor, Isle of Wight on 5th.
Buntings included a late Ortolan Bunting on Lundy, Devon on 7th-8th, four Rustic Buntings all on Shetland Mainland: at Bigton on 3rd, Hoswick and Sandwick on 4th, and Ronas Voe on 8th, 22 Little Buntings consisting of birds in County Cork, Fife (4), Lincolnshire at Saltfleet on 9th, Northumberland (3), East Yorkshire (3), Scilly on St Mary's on 7th-8th, and nine on Shetland, and 30 Lapland Buntings including one inland at Byron Edge, West Yorkshire and two on North Ronaldsay, Orkney on 4th, three on Fair Isle, Shetland on 5th and at Saltwick Nab, North Yorkshire on 8th, and in Lincolnshire lingering singles at Gibraltar Point on 4th-8th and at Frampton Marsh throughout.
Eighteen Wrynecks were all singles except for two together at Maypole, St Mary's, Scilly on 3rd-8th, and all were coastal other than one at Llanbedr, Gwynedd on 8th. Hoopoes were seen in Cornwall at Marazion on 3rd and Coverack on 9th, in Gwent at Caldicot on 6th, and in Glamorgan at Rhoshirwaun on 8th whilst six juvenile Rose-coloured Starlings consisted of singles on The Lizard, Cornwall on 3rd-5th, at Landguard, Suffolk on 8th, and Cape Clear, County Cork throughout, whilst on Scilly individuals were on St Agnes, St Mary's, and St Martin's. A Treecreeper, presumed to be a Northern Treecreeper - nominate subspecies familiaris - was at Wester Quarff, Mainland, Shetland on 5th-6th whilst also on Shetland a single Waxwing at Norwick, Unst on 8th-9th was a harbinger of winter.
Honourable mentions go to Monarch butterflies seen in Cornwall on The Lizard on 7th and at St Ives on 9th.

The highlight of the period in Europe was the juvenile Dark-sided Flycatcher in Norway at Øygarden, Hordaland on 5th-9th: a national first and only the second accepted record* for the Western Palearctic following one belatedly identified from photographs taken on 1st October 2012 at Höfn, Iceland. Also in Norway a Red-eyed Vireo in Askvol at Værøy on 4th.
In France a second Yellow Warbler joined the first on Ouessant, Finistère on 8th with Scarlet Tanager and Baltimore Oriole there the following day when a Sociable Lapwing was inland at Indre-et-Loire at Villandry. Another Sociable Lapwing on 9th was in the Netherlands in Groningen at Wildervank with in Germany an Eyebrowed Thrush in Schelswig-Holstein on Helgoland on 8th. In Spain the Belted Kingfisher remained in the Basque Country at Lekeito throughout and seawatching along the north coast continued to produce with a Cape Verde Shearwater passing Estaca de Bares, Galicia on 5th and a South Polar Skua off Punta de la Vaca, Asturias on 9th.

On the Azores Corvo dominated as always with the now expected fantasy-level October log call: White-eyed Vireo, two Philadelphia Vireos, seven Red-eyed Vireos, Scarlet Tanager, American Redstart, two Ovenbirds, Northern Waterthrush, Yellow Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, three Black-and-white Warblers, Myrtle Warbler, Cliff Swallow, Baltimore Oriole, Northern Harrier, Semipalmated Plover, Taiga Merlin, and three American Buff-bellied Pipits. On neighbouring Flores the Yellow-crowned Night Heron remained throughout at Ponta Delgada and a Great Blue Heron was at São Pedro with three Hudsonian Whimbrels and 21 White-rumped Sandpipers also logged. A Myrtle Warbler was on Faial on 3rd.
*an earlier record from Germany at Helgoland, Schleswig-Holstein on 16th August 1982 is considered to have been an escape from captivity
10th-16th October is still a peak period in the calendar for new species to be added to national and regional lists with memorable additions in this week in history including:
- 10th Plain Leaf Warbler (Western Palearctic, Sweden 1991) and Philadelphia Vireo (Britain 1987)
- 11th Daurian Starling (Western Palearctic, Netherlands 2005) and Green Heron (Ireland 2005)
- 12th Connecticut Warbler (Western Palearctic, Azores 2019), Eastern Orphean Warbler (Britain 2017), and Scarlet Tanager (Ireland 1963)
- 13th Western Kingbird (Western Palearctic, Azores 2018), Grey-tailed Tattler (Britain 1981), and American Redstart (Ireland 1968)
- 14th Tennessee Warbler (Western Palearctic, Iceland 1956), and White-rumped Swift (Britain 2018), and Cedar Waxwing (Ireland 2009)
- 15th Tickell's Thrush (Western Palearctic, Germany 1933), Chestnut-eared Bunting (Britain 2004), and Citrine Wagtail (Ireland 1968)
- 16th Yellow-throated Warbler (Western Palearctic, Azores 2013), Northern Parula (Britain 1966), and Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (Ireland 1988)
In this bumper western autumn the most regular Nearctic landbirds species 'missing' so far are Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Grey-cheeked Thrush, Blackpoll Warbler, Myrtle Warbler, and Rose-breasted Grosbeak, and although some of these species are associated more with later in October, they have all previously occurred here as early as September so can be expected now. However, with a Dark-sided Flycatcher we are reminded to switch our attention from the west to the east and other species that would be new for Britain and Ireland that have been recorded as vagrants to northern Europe during October in this millennium (and so will surely will reach here) are Mugimaki Flycatcher* (Norway 2017), Pied Bush Chat (Finland 2010), Mongolian Finch (Norway 2018 and Sweden 2020), and Grey-necked Bunting (Netherlands 2004, Finland 2006, and Germany 2009). More routine fare may be provided by any of Daurian Shrike, Brown Shrike, Blyth's Pipit, Pechora Pipit, or Siberian Rubythroat all of which will also be new for the year.
*an earlier record at Stone Creek, East Yorkshire on 16th-17th November 1991 is on Category D of The British List
Chris Batty
10 October 2023
Many thanks to all this week's contributors for your photos and videos
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