LEAST SANDPIPER joins the cast on Scilly

On the Isles of Scilly, the NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH trapped and ringed at the weekend on Porthellick Pool is back once more at its favoured locality of Higginson's Pool by the Dump Clump on Lower Moors, where it is showing well early mornings. This same pool is also playing host to the juvenile SOLITARY SANDPIPER and juvenile LESSER YELLOWLEGS, whilst elsewhere on St Mary's, the grassy airstrip still has 4 juvenile BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPERS in residence.

On neighbouring Tresco, a juvenile LEAST SANDPIPER is showing well for a second day in the Abbey Pool and South Beach areas as well as at the SE end of the Great Pool, with another juvenile LESSER YELLOWLEGS and 3 PECTORAL SANDPIPERS at the opposite NW end of the pool. The Least Sandpiper represents only the third ever record for the archipelago following singles on St Agnes on 6 October 1962 and on Tresco Great Pool on 24 August 1965. A HONEY BUZZARD is also lingering on Tresco, with a mobile BLACK KITE about St Mary's.

In Cornwall, a juvenile SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER is showing particularly well with Ringed Plovers on the runway and grass sidings at Davidstow Airfield, mainly in the area of the old concrete control tower, with a GLOSSY IBIS present for a second day at Stithians Reservoir. A juvenile RED-BACKED SHRIKE remains at Porthgwarra Moor (Cornwall), with the 3 BLACK KITES still ranging the Drift Reservoir area.

In Suffolk, the adult SANDHILL CRANE continues to show well, favouring the two large recently tilled fields SE of Boyton at the end of Mill Lane (at TM 388 461), whilst all 3 juvenile GLOSSY IBISES remain at Stanpit Marsh, Christchurch Harbour (Dorset) and another on the Ogmore Estuary (Glamorgan)..

SPOTTED SANDPIPERS remain at Chew Valley Lake (Avon) and at the north end of the Plym Estuary at Marsh Mills, Plymouth (South Devon), whilst the crowd-pleasing juvenile SOLITARY SANDPIPER in Lancashire continues SW of Garstang and SE of Nateby at Humblescough Farm (at SD 472 438). LONG-BILLED DOWITCHERS can still be found at Baron's Haugh RSPB (Clyde), Kidwelly Quay (Carmarthenshire) and Freiston Shore RSPB (Lincs), with a juvenile AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVER still on Barra (Outer Hebrides).

On Shetland, a LITTLE BUNTING remains in the iris bed above the dam at Quendale, with the first-winter DAURIAN ISABELLINE SHRIKE still showing well at Levenwick and a first-winter CITRINE WAGTAIL at the south end of Boddam in the farmyard at Fleck. In the extreme north, an OLIVE-BACKED PIPIT continues on Unst at Baltasound School.

The adult AZOREAN ATLANTIC GULL roosted on Grafham Water (Cambs) last night, whilst in North Lincolnshire, the juvenile NORTH AMERICAN BLACK TERN was still present at Covenham Reservoir yesterday evening.

PALLID HARRIERS still include up to 4 different individuals on Shetland (one badly oiled) and the Burpham bird (West Sussex), whilst a 'new' juvenile was seen in the Gamlingay area (Cambs) and near Little Tempsford (Beds) on 2-3 October.

IRELAND

A BLYTH'S REED WARBLER was a pleasant surprise in Cotter's Garden, Cape Clear Island (Co. Cork), with the SUBALPINE WARBLER still at Marconi at Crookhaven (Co. Cork) and RED-EYED VIREO at Mizen Head (Co. Cork).

The juvenile WHITE-WINGED BLACK TERN continues to linger at Tacumshin (Co. Wexford), along with 9 remaining BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPERS, with SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS at Inch Lake (Co. Donegal) and elsewhere in County Mayo and AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVERS at Truska Marsh, Ballyconneelly, and at Black Rock Strand.

The COMMON CRANE is still to be found on the North Slob (Co. Wexford), whilst GLOSSY IBISES have increased to an impressive flock of 15 birds at Courtmacsherry.