This July issue of British Birds contains the 40th report of the Rare Breeding Birds Panel documents the status of 91 rare or scarce species that were recorded breeding, or potentially breeding, in the UK in 2013. The spring of 2013 was much colder than normal and led to lower numbers of, for example, breeding Corn Crakes and Stone-curlews. More encouragingly, the return of milder winters since 2011 seems to have aided the recovery of some resident passerines such as Bearded Tit and Cetti’s Warbler. Another new record total was set for Eurasian Bitterns, Little Egrets bred at over 100 sites for the first time, while Little Bitterns and Great White Egrets were proved breeding again in Somerset.