Monthly Archives: November 2009

Year report – 2009

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12 lifers year to date, 334 in total

 

# 323: Firecrest – Regulus ignicapillus: 15th March, 2 males seen in Douglas Firs at Cliveden early morning.

# 324: Osprey – Pandion haliaetus: 29th March, an adult bird reported at Latimer over a couple of days was found in dead tree at the lakes below Latimer House. It sat patiently for about half an hour before flying downstream offering excellent views as it disappeared on its journey North. 

# 325: Northern Shrike – Lanius excubitor: 2nd April. Single bird showing extremely well at Wishmoor Bottom.

# 326: Willow Tit – Poecile montanus: 13th April. Single bird spotted at Carsington Water

# 327: Wood Lark – Lullula arborea: 22nd May. 2 day trip to Norfolk. First stop at Dersingham Bog. There were a few birds heard but were extremely difficult to find. Finally one bird heard and then seen on a tree top, offering very good views

# 328: Collared Pratincole – Glareola pratincola: 2nd lifer of the day, this bird had been present at Cley for about a week and thankfully hung around into the afternoon. The views were fairly distant but still very clear, including some time in the air

# 329: Short-toed Treecreeper – Certhia brachydactyla: 26th June whilst in Louveciennes in Paris, small family very mobile in tree tops

# 330: European Marsh Warbler – Acrocephalus palustris: 1st July, single singing male finally showed giving great views at Otmoor, Oxon

# 331: Common Crane – Grus grus: An adult and juvenile both seen at Lakenheath, 6th July

# 332: White-winged Black Tern – Chlidonias leucopterus: 30th August, juvenile bird at Farmoor, part on an unprecedented 3 species of marsh terns all on show

# 333: American Black Tern – Chlidonias niger suranamensis: Same day, a fantastic juvenile performing alongside White-winged and Black Terns

# 334: Brown Shrike – Lanus cristatus: A fantastic bird that has already hung around for over a month, showing really well on Stanwell Moor, 15th November

 

Norfolk – November 2009

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06.55: Arrived at Holkham.

 

Thankfully the fog that had plagued me for the majority of the journey had lifted at the coast.

Thousands of Pink-footed geese were starting their day in the fields alongside the car park or had already taken to the skies. A few Common Moorhen and Mallard were also nearby, along with small flocks of Common Starlings. Common Pheasants and Common Wood Pigeons were also in attendance.

Eurasian Collared Doves and Common Blackbirds were making plenty of noise amongst the trees on the way through to the beach.

Once into Holkham Gap, Meadow Pipits were pretty common place, with Eurasian Curlew, Great Cormorant, Eurasian Oystercatcher and Common Redshank all flushed on the way to the beach where Black Headed, Herring, Common, and Greater Black Backed Gulls were all present. 3 grebes at sea proved interesting, however once close enough to gain decent views they all proved to be Great Crested.

A flock of c20 Eurasian Linnet were flushed repeatedly on the way back to the car, with a small number of Eurasian Skylark singing and showing well overhead. Carrion Crows and 4 Eurasian Jays were in the trees close to the car-park. More of the smaller birds had now woken up with Dunnock, Northern Wren, European Goldfinch, Great Tit, and European Robin all close to the car.

A Grey Heron and number of Eurasian Jackdaws flew overhead.

 

09.05: Cley

A Eurasian Kestrel was perched obligingly on the overhead lines by the road, with a second bird on the roof of the first hide. A pair of Reed Bunting were flitting amongst the reeds.

Once in the hide, a small number of Mute Swan were evident at distance, immediately over shadowed by the first of 3 Marsh Harriers seen that morning. Waders were outnumbered by wildfowl but still included Northern Lapwing, c20 Dunlin, roughly the same number of Black-Tailed Godwit, 5 Pied Avocet and 3 Ruff. The highlight of the day was a fantastic Jack Snipe only 10 metres from the hide.

Wildfowl included hundreds of Eurasian Teal, a small number of Eurasian Wigeon, 20 Common Shelduck, a few Northern Shoveler, and 11 Pintail. 50 Brent and 20 Greylag Geese were also present. On the way back to the car a small party of Long-Tailed Tits and Eurasian Coot were added to the list.

Once at the east end of the reserve 5 Little Egret were on the pools and 4 Bearded Tits were seen with more heard pinging their way through the reeds. At sea 2 Red-Throated Divers were 50 metres from shore and upon returning to the car a Cetti’s Warbler was heard singing, but suffice to say, remained invisible!

On route to Sculthorpe Moor c100 Rock Pigeon were on the roofs of a local farm, with 2 Egyptian Geese, a Pied Wagtail and a Blue Tit also seen along the way.

 

15:00: Sculthorpe Moor

With only an hour’s daylight it was a pretty swift visit to this reserve but I was still able to add Goldcrest (a small party of 4 birds together), 3 Redwing in the trees, a single Coal and Marsh Tit, plus regular sightings of Chaffinch. The best viewing of the afternoon though was a Water Rail, showing extremely well from the main hide.

 

Total species for the day: 62

Year report – 2007

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# 233: Hawfinch – Coccothraustes coccothraustes: Great views of a solitary bird in woodland close to La Tania ski resort in January

The bonus for 2007 was a trip to Barbados courtesy of my work. Most birds were seen at the main reserve, with others spotted around the hotel grounds.

# 234: Green-throated Carib – Eulampis holoceriliceus:

# 235: Antillean Crested Hummingbird – Orthorhyncus cristatus:

# 236: Scaly-naped Pigeon – Columba squamosa:

# 237: Common Ground-Dove – Columbina passerina:

# 238: Zenaida Dove – Zenaida aurita:

# 239: Caribbean Coot – Fulica caribaea:

# 240: Spotted Sandpiper – Actitis macularia:

# 241: Semipalmated Sandpiper – Calidris pusilla:

# 242: Wilson’s Snipe – Gallinago gallinago delicata:

# 243: Lesser Yellowlegs – Tringa flavipes:

# 244: Solitary Sandpiper – Tringa solitaria

# 245: Semipalmated Plover – Charadrius semipalmatus:

# 246: Great Blue Heron – Ardea herodias:

# 247: Green Heron – Butorides virescens:

# 248: Magnificent Frigatebird – Fregata magnificens:

# 249: Caribbean Elaenia – Elaenia martinica:

# 250: Bananaquit – Coereba flaveola:

# 251: Yellow Warbler – Dendroica petechia:

# 252: Lesser Antillean Bullfinch – Loxigilla noctis barbadensis:

# 253: Shiny Cowbird – Molothrus bonariensis:

# 254: Carib Grackle – Quiscalus lugubris:

# 255: Grassland Yellow-Finch – Sicalis luteola:

# 256: Black-faced Grassquit – Tiaris bicolor: