Long-billed Dowitcher

27 October - The Scillies were fogbound, so the highlight was excellent views of the juvenile Long-billed Dowitcher at Bowling Green Marsh, Topsham - the north end of the Exe estuary in Devon. Seen very well feeding, preening and in flight - white oval on back, plain wings and tail, dark underwings. Snipe-like in profile. A good selection of waders present - Greenshank, Avocet, Black-tailed Godwit and Common Sandpiper as well as Curlew and Redshank. the above photo is a record shot from the internet.

Spotted Sandpiper at Lisvane

21 October - a morning visit to Lisvane Reservoir, nr Cardiff, gave excellent views of a juvenile Spotted Sandpiper, feeding actively but confiding at times. Shorter-tailed, slightly shorter-legged than Common Sandpiper - legs brighter yellow, and pinkish bill base. The plain tertial fringes on the wing could be seen. In flight, the white wing-bar only just extends onto the secondaries.

White-billed Diver at Selsey

13 October - a visit to Selsey Bill, West Sussex, gave good but distant views of a summer-plumaged White-billed Diver - extremely rare on the south coast. It was diving actively, but when on the surface, through the 'scope, the distinctive "banana bill" could be seen, together with the dappled upperparts and neck ring. A couple of Mediterraneam Gulls also around the beach.

Buff-bellied Pipit at Farmoor!

9 October - a lunchtime dash to Farmoor in the rain gave brief but good views of the American Buff-bellied Pipit identified there the previous evening! Seen feeding on the causeway - buffish underparts, small bill, dark pink legs, pale lores, slightly smaller than accompanying Rock pipits.

Farmoor again

6 October - another quick visit to Farmoor produced some reasonable photographic opportunities - juv Little Stint, juv Dunlin and a Rock Pipit.

Flamborough Head

4 October - excellent views of the Brown Flycatcher at Flamborough Head this morning, seen perched up in the sun - a potential first for Britain. Also there, a Yellow-browed Warbler, a Merlin hunting the stubble field and Redwings and Bramblings overhead. Then, a couple of miles up the road, the Isabelline Shrike was also seen well around the coastal scrub at Buckton.