Readers 2008 List

[Reader]

I have done a couple of trips to Norfolk plus some trips relatively locally. Not quite as many as I had hoped, plus I am missing quite a few relatively easy birds that I should have seen. I have kicked the list of with 125 (plus I have also had Ross's Goose and Black Brant (which I haven't counted).

The first 13 days has seen me add a Lifer (White-crowned Sparrow) and three birds which I didn't see all through 2007 in Britain. (Richards Pipit, Water Pipit & Grey Partridge).

This is my list so far.
Divers
1. Great Northern Diver

Grebes
2. Little Grebe
3. Great Crested Grebe
4. Slavonian Grebe

Petrels and Shearwaters
5. Fulmar

Cormorants
6. Cormorant
7. Shag

Herons and Egrets
8. Cattle Egret
9. Little Egret
10. Grey Heron

Swans, Geese and Ducks
11. Mute Swan
12. Tundra Swan
13. Bean Goose (Tundra)
14. Pink-footed Goose
15. White-fronted Goose
16. Greylag Goose
17. Canada Goose
18. Barnacle Goose
19. Brent Goose
20. Egyptian Goose
21. Shelduck
22. Wigeon
23. Gadwall
24. Teal
25. Mallard
26. Pintail
27. Shoveler
28. Pochard
29. Tufted Duck
30. Lesser Scaup
31. Goldeneye
32. Smew
33. Goosander

Hawks, Vultures and Eagles
34. Marsh Harrier
35. Hen Harrier
36. Sparrowhawk
37. Buzzard

Falcons
38. Kestrel

Partridges, Quails and Pheasants
39. Red-legged Partridge
40. Grey Partridge
41. Pheasant

Rails
42. Water Rail
43. Moorhen
44. Coot

Oystercatchers
45. Oystercatcher

Stilts and Avocets
46. Avocet

Plovers and Lapwings
47. Ringed Plover
48. Golden Plover
49. Grey Plover
50. Lapwing

Sandpipers and Allies
51. Knot
52. Sanderling
53. Purple Sandpiper
54. Dunlin
55. Ruff
56. Snipe
57. Black-tailed Godwit
58. Bar-tailed Godwit
59. Curlew
60. Redshank
61. Turnstone

Gulls
62. Caspian Gull
63. Yellow-legged Gull
64. Mediterranean Gull
65. Black-headed Gull
66. Common Gull
67. Lesser Black-backed Gull
68. Herring Gull
69. Great Black-backed Gull

Pigeons
70. Feral Pigeon
71. Stock Dove
72. Wood Pigeon
73. Collared Dove

Owls
74. Barn Owl

Kingfishers
75. Kingfisher

Woodpeckers
76. Green Woodpecker
77. Great Spotted Woodpecker

Larks
78. Wood Lark
79. Sky Lark

Pipits and Wagtails
80. Richard’s Pipit
81. Meadow Pipit
82. Water Pipit
83. Grey Wagtail
84. Pied Wagtail

Shrikes
85. Great Grey Shrike

Waxwings and Hypocolius
86. Waxwing

Wrens
87. Wren

Accentors
88. Hedge Accentor

Chats and Thrushes
89. Robin (European)
90. Stonechat
91. Blackbird (Common )
92. Fieldfare
93. Song Thrush
94. Redwing
95. Mistle Thrush

Old World Warblers
96. Blackcap
97. Goldcrest

Long-tailed Tits
98. Long-tailed Tit

Tits
99. Marsh Tit
100. Coal Tit
101. Blue Tit
102. Great Tit

Buntings and New World Sparrows
103. White-crowned Sparrow (Lifer)
104. Lapland Longspur
105. Snow Bunting
106. Yellowhammer
107. Reed Bunting
108. Corn Bunting

Finches
109. Chaffinch
110. Brambling
111. Greenfinch
112. Goldfinch
113. Siskin
114. Linnet
115. Twite
116. Lesser Redpoll
117. Bullfinch

Sparrows
118. House Sparrow
119. Tree Sparrow

Starlings
120. Starling

Jays, Crows and Magpies
121. Jay
122. Magpie
123. Jackdaw
124. Rook
125. Carrion Crow

Seen but not counted.
Black Brant
Ross's Goose

John

[Reader]

Whitacare Heath and Lea Marston added two more ticks but I dipped out again on the controversial Marsh Lane Redpolll before the bad weather set in. I also went to St Mary's in Warwick in the hope of seeing the Peregrine but it hadn't arrived by the time I got there and I wasn't waiting in that rain.

126. Willow Tit
127. Scaup

John

[Reader]

Alvecote, Park Hall Country Park (Nr Stoke) and Whitacre Heath added three more to my list.

128. Firecrest
129. Long-eared Owl
130. Lesser Spotted Woodpecker.

John

[Reader]

Two days around Norfolk & Suffolk (plus a drop into Warwick for the Peregrines) got me 13 more for the year.

131. Woodcock
132. Golden Pheasant
133. Spotted Redshank
134. Little Ringed Plover
135. Common Crane
136. Dartford Warbler
137. Great White Egret
138. Black-throated Diver
139. Lesser Snow Goose
140. Grey Phalarope
141. Hawfinch
142. Whooper Swan
143. Peregrine.

John

[Reader]

Searched high and low for a few species today but only caught up with two at Ryton Woods, near Coventry.

144. Treecreeper
145. Nuthatch

John

[Reader]

A drive around Worcestershire taking in the Wyre Forest, Grimley New Workings, Kemerton lake NR and lastly Upton Warren got me 4 new ticks.

146. Dipper
147. Green Sandpiper
148. Red-crested Pochard
149. Bittern.

John

[Reader]

A day out in Norfolk added three more.

150. Little Owl
151. Greenshank
152. Rough-legged Buzzard.

John

[Reader]

An excellent day today calling into Upton Warren Moors first then onto the Forest of Dean before calling into Grimley New Workings on the way back.

153. Cetti's warbler
154. Mealy Redpoll
155. mandarin Duck
156. Goshawk
157. Raven
158. Crossbill
159. Black Redstart

John

[Reader]

A couple of hours at Draycote rewarded me with a couple of Juv Glaucous Gulls but no Iceland Gull.

160. Glaucous Gull

John

[Reader]

A trip down to Foxcourt Reservoir, near Buckingham for the Ring-necked Duck was worth it in the end, although it took over two hours to locate it, as it had been hiding in the dense waterside vegetation.

161. R N Duck

John

[Reader]

A virtually fruitless day chasing birds that were disappearing before I got there although I did manage Red Kite.

162. Red Kite

John

[Reader]

A bad day today. I did manage to find an Iceland Gull and a wintering Chiffchaff but then I went to Cardiff for the Spot Sand and R B Gull but never found them. I got absolutely soaked for my pains plus I spent so long looking for all the birds today that I ran out of time to go to Hereford for the Y B Warbler & L T Duck.

163. Chiffchaff
164. Iceland Gull

John

[Reader]

A day out in Cleveland added a few more to the year list. Plus a tawny Owl flew in front of me not far from where I live.

165. Eider
166. Common Scoter
167. Red-throated Diver
168. Long-tailed Duck
169. Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler (Lifer)
170. Red Grouse
171. Tawny Owl

John

[Reader]

Caught up with a couple of local year ticks today when I popped into Coton.

172. Little Gull
173. Sand Martin.

John

[Reader]

A marathon day today for Steve Lister and me. We started out at 04:45am from Coventry and called in to Cardiff for the Spot Sand & R B Gull. Over to Pembrokeshire for the Black Duck and the Rosy Starling then a rush over to Cheddar Res for the Bonaparte's Gull. We managed all of them plus a few bonus birds as well.

174. Ring-billed Gull
175. Common Sandpiper
176. Spotted Sandpiper
177 Rose-coloured Staling
178. Black Duck
179. Chough
180. Bonaparte's Gull
181. Red-necked Grebe.

John

[Reader]

I wasn't feeling too well today but still managed a few hours in Leicestershire visiting Eyebrook Reservoir and Rutland Water. Thanks to Steve Lister's info I found three year birds on Rutland Water to add to the G W Teal at Eyebrook.

182. Green-winged Teal
183. Black-necked Grebe
184. Ruddy Duck
185. Wheatear.

John

[Reader]

A drive around Norfolk & Suffolk gained me 4 more ticks for the year.

186. Stone Curlew
187. Shorelark
188. White-spotted Bluethroat (the first I have ever seen)
189. Short-eared Owl.

John

[Reader]

Two surprises today. An early female Pied Fly and at last I managed to catch up with one of the Upton Warren Jack Snipe.

190. Willow Warbler
191. Pied Flycatcher
192. House Martin
193. Swallow
194. Jack Snipe

John

[Reader]

I am having nine days in Suffolk starting on the 19th April and have just stayed around Minsmere, apart for a quick drive to Winterton for the Black Lark. My year list has gone up quite nicely in the two days I have been here.

195. Sedge Warbler
196. Sandwich Tern
197. Bearded Tit
198. Ring Ouzel
199. Kittiwake
200. Reed Warbler
201. Common Tern
202. Black Lark

John

[Reader]

Two more for today.

203. Lesser Yellowlegs
204. Hobby

John

[Reader]

Two more today. One from Barton Broad and one from Sea Palling.

205. Arctic Tern
206. Redstart

John

[Reader]

Three more in Norfolk.

207. Whimbrel
208. Montagu's Harrier
209. Black Kite

John

[Reader]

Another three today at Minsmere today

210. Nightingale
211. Whitethroat
212. Yellow Wagtail

John

[Reader]

One more today.

213. Lesser Whitethroat

John

[Reader]

A few more today at Minsmere.

214. Whinchat
215. Little Tern
216. Curlew Sandpiper
217. Little Stint
218. Swift

John

[Reader]

One more today at the Wyre Forest.

219. Tree Pipit.

John

[Reader]

A bit of a marathon slog today, missing out on the Glossy Ibis and the Pendle Hill Dotterels but did add two more to the list.

220. Black-winged Stilt
221. Ross's Gull

John

[Reader]

Tried for a Buff-breasted Sandpiper in Glos today but although it was probably still there it remained well hidden amongst the grass. Still managed to see a few new birds today.

222. Black Tern
223. Garganey
224. Garden Warbler
225. Cuckoo

John

[Reader]

One more today.

226. Spoonbill

John

[Reader]

A day out chasing got me four more year ticks.

227. Red-footed Falcon
228. Wood Sandpiper
229. Temminks Stint
230. Nightjar

John

[Reader]

Dropped into Bempton Cliffs today and managed to add four more year ticks.

231. Razorbill
232. Guillemot
233. Puffin
234. Gannet

John

[Reader]

A bit of a disappointing day with many birds disappearing before we could get to see them. I did manage three new ticks though so all was not lost.

235. Turtle Dove
236. Marsh Warbler
237. Spotted Flycatcher.

John

[Reader]

A day in Norfolk via Rutland water rewarded me with 4 year ticks, including a British 1st for me.

238. Osprey
239. Lesser Grey Shrike (Brit 1st)
240. Red-backed Shrike
241. Honey Buzzard

John

[Reader]

A trip to County Durham and North Yorks gained me a Lifer plus two year ticks.

242. Terek Sandpiper
243. Roseate Tern
244. Black Grouse

John

[Reader]

A few days in Cornwall then a drop in to Prawle Point on the way back added a few to my list.

245. Manx Shearwater
246. Arctic Skua
247. Storm Petrel
248. Great Skua
249. Sooty Shearwater
250. Balearic Shearwater
251. Rock Pipit
252. Pomarine Skua
253. Melodious warbler
254. Wryneck
255. Dotterel
256. Merlin
257. Cirl Bunting
258. Sabine's Gull

John

[Reader]

Popped over to Norfolk with some mates and managed three new birds for the year.

259. Blyths Reed Warbler (Lifer)
260. Yellow-browed Warbler
261. Red-necked Phalarope.

John

[Reader]

Called into my Sutton Gault, Cambs, on Friday night on the way to my mates in Leiston, Suffolk. I got there late but managed to see the Glossy Ibis for 15 minutes before it flew off to roost.

262. Glossy Ibis.

John

[Reader]

At last, another year tick and this time it was also a new British tick.

263. Steppe Grey Shrike

John

[Reader]

Two more today.

264. Two-bar Crossbill
265. Pied Wheatear (lifer)

John