Wednesday, January 1, 2003 - Year report - 2002
42 lifers for the year. 164 in total
In 2002 I started to venture further afield, both in the UK and abroad.
A short trip to Pulborough Brooks (en route to buy a new bed!) in January added the following:
# 123: Grey Plover - Pluvialis squatarola
# 124: Common Redshank - Tringa totanus
# 125: Eurasian Curlew - Numenius arquata
# 126: Black-tailed Godwit - Limosa limosa
# 127: Common Snipe - Gallinago gallinago
# 128: Pale-Bellied Brent Goose - Branta bernicla hrota
February we went skiing to Italy, and I had my first experiences of real alpine species:
# 129: Alpine Accentor - Prunella collaris: Single birds seen at restaurants on slopes
# 130: White-winged Snowfinch - Montifringilla nivalis: Small flocks seen occasionally on slopes
# 131: Yellow-billed Chough - Pyrrhocorax graculus: Large flocks seen across slopes
# 132: Spotted Nutcracker - Nucifraga caryocatactes: Single birds seen on slopes
# 133: Hooded Crow - Corvus corone cornix: Birds seen at airport
UK
# 134: Great Bittern - Botaurus stellaris: Single bird seen at close quarters in reed bed at Wilstone, Tring in February
# 135: Red Crossbill - Loxia curvirostra: Large flock seen at Hedgerley in February whilst looking for the White-winged Crossbill
# 136: White-winged Crossbill - Loxia leucoptera: Amongst a large number of birders and even more Red Crossbills, I finally located the male bird, showing extremely well amongst the pines
# 137: Ring Ouzel - Turdus torquatus: May, male and female showing well at Ivinghoe
# 138: Tree Pipit - Anthus trivialis: During same visit to Ivinghoe, single birds performing well, flying up and singing from small trees
# 139: Willow Warbler - Phylloscopus trochilus: Small number seen, and more often heard at Ivinghoe
# 140: Greater Whitethroat - Sylvia communis: Male and female birds seen at LMGP in May
# 141: Great White Pelican - Pelecanus onocrotalus: Single bird of questionable origin in fields close to Wilstone, Tring seen in September
# 142: Black Tern - Chlidonias niger: Bird seen in flight at Wilstone, Tring early September
In September we took a holiday to Cuba and stayed at Guardalavaca on the North East coast. The majority of species seen were in the hotel grounds or passing by the beach. A boat trip up an estuary into the countryside proved more varied.
# 143: Yellow-faced Grassquit - Tiaris olivacea: Single bird seen in hotel grounds
# 144: Greater Antillean Grackle - Quiscalus niger: Common in hotel grounds
# 145: Cuban Blackbird - Dives atroviolacea: Seen occasional whilst on route
# 146: Tawny-shouldered Blackbird - Agelaius humeralis: 2 birds in the hotel grounds
# 147: Cuban Martin - Progne cryptoleuca: Single bird from the harbour near to Holguin
# 148: Northern Mockingbird - Mimus polyglottos: Single bird on path at beach
# 149: Grey Kingbird - Tyrannus dominicensis: Breeding birds at the hotel, next visible from hotel room
# 150: Turkey Vulture - Cathartes aura: Common all over the island
# 151: Brown Pelican - Pelecanus occidentalis: Young bird in harbour
# 152: Tricolored Heron - Egretta tricolour: Single bird on estuary
# 153: Snowy Egret - Egretta thula: Common on route across island
# 154: Cattle Egret - Bubulcus ibis: Common on route across island
# 155: Great Egret - Ardea alba: Common on route across island
# 156: Anhinga - Anhinga anhinga: Single bird overhead at hotel
# 157: Royal Tern - Sterna maxima: 3 birds passed at sea
# 158: Least Tern - Sterna antillarum: 3 birds passed at sea
# 159: Laughing Gull - Larus atricilla: Single bird seen at sea on occasions
# 160: Black-necked Stilt - Himantopus mexicanus: 3 birds on estuary
# 161: Mourning Dove - Zenaida macroura: Common dove in and around hotel
# 162: Antillean Palm-Swift - Tachornis phoenicobia: Single bird through hotel grounds
France
# 163: Red-crested Pochard - Netta rufina: Pair on pond at hotel in France in October
UK
# 164: Arctic Loon - Gavia arctica: Juvenile bird seen at Taplow lakes in December
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