This is the 54th annual report of the to submit any well-documented older records British Birds Rarities Committee. The year 2011 was an exceptional one for rare birds, perhaps surpassed only by 2008 for the range of taxa recorded. A number of potential ‘firsts’ from 2011 are still under consideration, including White-winged Scoter Melanitta deglandi, Slaty-backed Gull Larus schistisagus, Asian Red-rumped Swallow Cecropis daurica daurica/japonica and Eastern Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochruros phoenicuroides – but even in the absence of these mega rarities the report includes a mouth-watering variety of avian strays from around the globe. The Eastern Black Redstarts are particularly interesting because, in addition to considering the well-watched birds in autumn 2011, we are reviewing a record from Kent in 1981. This reassessment follows the provision of new images, showing details of the wing formula that were not available in the original submission (see Brit. Birds 105: plates 262 & 263).