Like John Davis I too saw the Black Redstart at the old college in Aberystwyth at about midday. I attempted to take a decent photo of it. Its at times like this that I wish I had a fancy camera with a decent telephoto lens! How many years has this species wintered at this location? I remember looking out for them with Bill Condry many years ago. He too introduced me to the Purple Sandpipers. Again I endeavoured to get a good photo of them. Where are they from I wonder? Russia, Norway, Iceland or perhaps even Arctic Canada! (Baffin Island) apparently according to the BTO Migration Atlas I referred to its all down to bill lenght. Anyway I didn't have a tape measure with me so your guess is as good as mine! There were several of them on the rocks below the old college on the ebbing tide but then some of them flew to the rocks adjacent to the monument where the photo was taken. As Mike Hayward said there was an exceptionally high tide today. I stopped off at Glandfi this morning on my way to Aber. I saw a Common Sandpiper halfway between station house and Dyfi junction (Montgomery side - just about!). There were Goldeneye and Goosander too and a Raven feeding on a sheep carcass washed up with the tide intensely watched by 2 buzzards. A third buzzard was on the perch on the 'Osprey nest' platform (lets hope it doesn't take up permanent residence!). I spoke to Jim Marshall last night and he had watched a bitch Otter and her two well grown cubs from his house (Ty Bont next to the railway bridge) on yesterday mornings flood tide.