I began bird watching in 2000, a new pair of Nikon 10×25 Travelite IV binoculars for Xmas started getting me closer to things I’d enjoyed growing up.

 

I had discovered Little Marlow Gravel pits in late 2000, and with a very cold and snowy spell during late December and early January I made the most of the holiday period.

 

However having married in June of 2000, I had completely missed the opportunity to sample the avian delights of Hong Kong and Australia, something I have lived to regret.

 

My list as the year closed was hardly impressive, however a single Waxwing on the 28th December at Little Marlow Gravel pits proved a noteable highlight.

 

Birds seen in UK prior to 2000:

 

# 1: Common Pheasant – Phasianus colchicus

# 2: Mallard – Anas platyrhynchos

# 3: Greylag Goose – Anser anser

# 4: Canada Goose – Branta canadensis

# 5: Mute Swan – Cygnus olor

# 6: Common Swift – Apus apus

# 7: Rock Dove – Columba livia (feral)

# 8: Common Wood-Pigeon – Columba palumbus

# 9: Eurasian Collared-Dove – Streptopelia decaocto

# 10: Common Coot – Fulica atra

# 11: Common Moorhen – Gallinula chloropus

# 12: Herring Gull – Larus argentatus

# 13: Black-headed Gull – Larus ridibundus

# 14: Red Kite – Milvus milvus

# 15: Common Kestrel – Falco tinnunculus

# 16: Great Crested Grebe – Podiceps cristatus

# 17: Great Cormorant – Phalacrocorax carbo

# 18: Grey Heron – Ardea cinerea

# 19: Carrion Crow – Corvus corone

# 20: Rook – Corvus frugilegus

# 21: Eurasian Jackdaw – Corvus monedula

# 22: Eurasian Jay – Garrulus glandarius

# 23: Black-billed Magpie – Pica pica

# 24: European Robin – Erithacus rubecula

# 25: Eurasian Blackbird – Turdus merula

# 26: Song Thrush – Turdus philomelos

# 27: Mistle Thrush – Turdus viscivorus

# 28: Common Starling – Sturnus vulgaris

# 29: Winter Wren – Troglodytes troglodytes

# 30: European Blue Tit – Cyanistes caeruleus

# 31: Great Tit – Parus major

# 32: Coal Tit – Periparus ater

# 33: Long-tailed Tit – Aegithalos caudatus

# 34: Northern House-Martin – Delichon urbica

# 35: Barn Swallow – Hirundo rustica

# 36: White Wagtail – Motacilla alba yarelli

# 37: House Sparrow – Passer domesticus to here

# 38: Hedge Accentor – Prunella modularis

# 39: European Goldfinch – Carduelis carduelis

# 40: European Greenfinch – Carduelis chloris

# 41: Yellowhammer – Emberiza citrinella

# 42: Chaffinch – Fringilla coelebs

# 43: Eurasian Bullfinch – Pyrrhula pyrrhula

 

4 lifers for the year, 47 in total 

 

Australia

# 44: Laughing Kookaburra – Dacelo novaeguineae: June, a cracking bird high in an old dead tree in Cairns, unmistakeable!

# 45: Sulphur-crested Cockatoo – Cacatua galerita: June, to say they were common was an understatement as they wandered into our room on the Whitsundays!

# 46: Rainbow Lorikeet – Trichoglossus haematodus: June, a pretty common lorikeet on the Whitsundays.

 

UK

# 47: Bohemian Waxwing – Bombycilla garrulous: December, and one of my first visits to Little Marlow Gravel pits. A single bird was present in the lane towards the river, I was unaware at the time just how rarely these birds were seen.