Dantheman's UK yearlist 2008

[dantheman]

Dantheman’s UK yearlist 2008.

Doing a yearlist for the first time in years, will see if I can get past January . . . Target - 200+, 250 if I go for it seriously, 300 if I dream most of them . . .

UK rarities and scarcities in caps. Lifers in bold. (h) – heard. Hopefully a few of the more interesting ones will be self found as well! Flock sizes etc also given on occasion. Photos may occur . . .

01/01/08

Swanley, Kent- Home

1 Starling
2 House Sparrow
3 Blue Tit
4 Blackbird
5 Collared Dove
6 Woodpigeon
7 Black headed Gull
8 Chaffinch

Swanley Park

9 Magpie
10 Carrion Crow
11 Jackdaw
12 Green Woodpecker (h)
13 Canada Goose
14 Mallard
15 Song Thrush
16 Mistle Thrush
17 Jay
18 Robin
19 Great Tit
20 Ring-necked Parakeet

Going for the slow start option(!!) - just means there’ll be more exciting days to come ;)

[dantheman]

02/01/08

en route to Barnes, A20

21 Kestrel

Barnes WWT, London

22 Coot
23 Wigeon
24 Shoveler
25 Moorhen
26 Gadwall
27 Pied Wagtail
28 Grey Heron
29 Cormorant
30 Little Grebe
31 Mute Swan
32 Tufted Duck
33 Lapwing
34 Herring Gull
35 Common Gull
36 Teal
37 Great Crested Grebe
38 Pochard
39 Ruddy Duck
40 Water Rail
41 Snipe

A brief visit, mainly to look at optics at the Infocus shop. A bit of a raw wind and ‘company’ in tow ;).

[dantheman]

05/01/08

Rainham Marshes, Essex

42 Greenfinch
43 Redshank
44 Little Egret
45 Curlew
46 Shelduck
47 Stonechat
48 Greylag Goose
49 Pheasant
50 Sparrowhawk
51 Lesser Black-backed Gull
52 Barnacle Goose – 37
53 Rook
54 Linnet
55 Goldfinch
56 Meadow Pipit
57 Skylark
58 Corn Bunting - 2
59 Iceland Gull 1st w

We institutionalised ourselves and joined the RSPB. Had an hour or so along the river wall, before we had to rush off to go shopping . . .
Barnacle Goose- 3rd record as far as I’m aware. (1st probably in Norfolk, 2nd was in Kent about 5 years ago- c. 25 flew low over ASDA in Canterbury one foggy evening- illuminated and calling!)

[dantheman]

07/01/08

Swanley

60 Feral Pigeon

Barnes WWT, London

61 Long-tailed Tit (1!)
62 Peregrine m
63 Dunnock
64 Water Pipit

Another optics related visit, had a bit more time. Didn’t stay in hope of Bittern. 3 free-flying Egyptian Geese more likely from the London Parks population, rather than East Anglia.

[dantheman]

12/01/08

Southend-on-Sea, Essex

65 Brent Goose - 3
66 Turnstone
67 Oystercatcher

Had an hour at high tide whilst 'the others' visited the arcades etc. Dipped on the Ring-billed Gull (another year . . . ) No Med gulls either.

[dantheman]

14/01/08

Swanley Park

68 Redwing -30

(Green Woodpecker now seen for the year also.)

[dantheman]

16/01/08

Dartford Marshes and River Thames, Kent

69 Wren
70 Brambling
71 Great Spotted Woodpecker - 2
72 Woodcock
73 Black-tailed Godwit - 23
74 Common Sandpiper - 2/3
75 Great Black-backed Gull
76 Rock Pipit
77 Kingfisher

Had a good wander around. Bumped into two separate blokes out walking who were lost and a friendly guy from the power station. Brambling was with c.150 Chaffinch, Woodcock flew from near the sewage farm – a pleasant surprise, but shouldn’t have been unexpected. Worse were the horrible building projects going on which are desecrating the Littlebrook area. But excellent to finish off was the Peregrine on the marsh at the end of the day going after the Teal, at times swooping right overhead. 24 Shoveler also and at least 5 stonechat throughout.

[dantheman]

17/01/08

Dartford Marshes and River Thames

78 Fieldfare – 250+
79 Stock Dove - 1
80 Reed Bunting - 4 +

Couldn't get enough! Took in a slightly different route. . .

[dantheman]

Extremely slack of me, only just posting this over a month late!


19/01/08

RSPB Dungeness, Kent

81 Goldeneye
82 Merlin mf
83 Goosander
84 Smew
85 Marsh Harrier 3 +
86 Chiffchaff
87 Buzzard
88 Cetti’s Warbler (h)
89 Red-crested Pochard
90 Slavonian Grebe 2
91 Pintail
92 Shag 1st w

Birdforum meet. Scary stuff ;) Was a good day overall despite the greyness and wind. The Slavonian Grebe was star bird, followed by the Smew, especially the snowball males. Dipped a few things from the group list, would have been a few year ticks in there but no rush . . . The new scope (NikonED50) had its first proper public outing, generating lots of interest. . . will have to camouflage it soon. Made it back safely despite non-working headlights :eek!:. Hares on the mammal front were good too. Spot the Shag - . . .

[dantheman]

22/01/08

Swanley Park

93 Bullfinch – 2m 2f

[dantheman]

23/01/08

Swanley

94 Lesser Redpoll -2

(Courtesy of Atlas birding ;), not 3 minutes walk from the house in some isolated silver birches on the housing estate)

[dantheman]

30/01/08

Wolferton Triangle and Heath, Norfolk

95 Crossbill
96 Great Grey Shrike
97 Goldcrest
98 Coal Tit

Snettisham RSPB and vicinity

99 Egyptian Goose
100 Barn Owl
101 Knot
102 Bar-tailed Godwit
103 Golden Plover
104 Dunlin
105 Ringed Plover
106 Snow Bunting

Hunstanton

107 Fulmar

Holkham area

108 Pink-footed Goose
109 White-fronted Goose

Cley-next-the-Sea

110 WHITE CROWNED SPARROW!!!

Salthouse

111 Lapland Bunting

Cley

112 Shore Lark

Warham Green

113 Red-legged Partridge
114 Tawny Owl (h)

Made the trip to Norfolk for the long-staying mega. Was a bit worried it would look a bit of an 'aviary' bird, but nothing of the sorts! A little stunner. Plenty of other good birds to see in the area too, I saw at least some of them at any rate!

[dantheman]

01/02/08

Weir Wood Reservoir, Kent

115 Nuthatch

Possibly a bit of an error in making this detour en route to my brother's place in Southampton, as the Red-necked Grebe reported as present was actually showing at the other end, apparently a long walk away, and I was on too tight a schedule, so I looked at the water I could see and the feeders for a while before wending my way on to . . .

West Wittering, Sussex

116 RED-BREASTED GOOSE
117 Sanderling
118 Kittiwake

The target was found in the middle of the Brent Geese flock, eventually. Most of the time it was obscured by its relatives fully or in part, or feeding just below a dip in the grass! Nice bird nonetheless, well worth waiting for. Second lifer of the year.

[dantheman]

04/02/08

Langton Herring, Dorset

119 LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER
120 Mediterranean Gull (1st W)

Portland Harbour, Dorset

121 Great Northern Diver
122 Red-breasted Merganser
123 Red-throated Diver

Managed to get a bit more birding done (ok twitching then ;) ) on my travels down to Cornwall. Dowitcher - nice bird. Hanging out with a small group of resting Snipe, but popping out to feed on occasion.
Ran out of light at the end, brief visit to Radipole RSPB just as they were closing. Recognised the guy (Centre manager) from 10 years back when I did volling there and he was another worker in the reed beds.

[dantheman]

05/02/08

Dawlish Warren, Devon

124 SURF SCOTER 1st w female
125 Razorbill
126 Gannet
127 Grey Plover

Continuing onwards, via this well known reserve for the long-staying Surf Scoter. Reached the area (c. groyne no.13), scanned and there was a seaduck roughly matching the description! Watched it for a good long while, never that close or well in the buffeting wind, but I was eventually happy, went off to the hide to watch the birds in the estuary. Back to the car, had a look at my pics on the monitor screen -doubts began to set in -was that a white wing bar? . . . There had been 3 velvet scoter reported in the area the previous day, and the SS had been reported off Exmouth beach that morning. The string of all time?? I had to go back . . . no sign though. . . minor panic but nothing I could do . . would have to check it out later. As it panned out though, I wasn't going mad (although images on Birdguides of Surf and Velvet Scoters checked out later on the internet didn't help my anxiety too much - bill size even seems to overlap!!), and my bird did appear to be the real thing. Great Northern Divers and 4 Slavonian Grebe present also. (The record shots are just that - a record!!)

[dantheman]

08/02/08

Treverva area, nr Falmouth, Cornwall

128 Raven

[dantheman]

10/02/08

Stithian’s Reservoir, Cornwall

129 Bittern
130 RING-NECKED DUCK f

Drift Reservoir vicinity

131 CATTLE EGRET 4,7

Newlyn Harbour

132 Black-necked Grebe

Mousehole

133 Guillemot

Jubilee Pool

134 Purple Sandpiper
135 Black Redstart

Helston Loe Pool

136 Grey Wagtail

A days birding in Cornwall with fellow BF member Henry (Henerz) and his housemate Jacob. With wheels and local knowledge we tried to score some of the good birds about in the area. . . (Although not as good as last years purple patch offerings, which unfortunately I didn't make it to Cornwall for). A good start with Bittern showing well from the hide out in the open, and the Ring-necked Duck quite close, although diving frequently and it being quite gloomy and all. Dipped on the Hume's at Tehidy CP (although we did hear it call from the huge evergreen tree it was hiding in), and the Cattle Egrets were unfortunately distant, but Newlyn harbour was good with the one 1st winter Iceland Gull showing well, 3 Great Northern Divers and the Grebe. Back to dipping and managed to dip Yellow-browed Warbler at Looe and the Long-tailed Duck which we were never going to get to before it got dark . . .Was a bit knackered before we started (don't really do early starts at the best of times and this was a sunday), and a long day, but some undoubted good birds.

[dantheman]

12/02/08

Carrick Roads, Falmouth, Cornwall

137 Black-throated Diver

Distant from Pendennis Point but a year tick nonetheless!

[dantheman]

17/02/08

Elmley Marshes RSPB, Kent

138 Little Owl
139 Avocet
140 Bewick’s Swan 3

Raptor viewpoint, Isle of Sheppey

141 Hen Harrier f

Didn’t manage to see the Rough-legged Buzzard, but then didn’t really stake it out as this was a ‘pleasant day out’ ;) Not that pleasantly warm waiting for the harriers to come in to roost mind!

[dantheman]

Almost a month goes by before the next additions to the list (but I was in France for a couple of weeks . . )

28/03/08

Swithland Reservoir, Leicestershire

143 LESSER SCAUP 1st w m
144 Little Gull 3

Also 3 Raven flew over. Originally at the wrong place, then found I’d taken the wrong tripod adaptor. Eventually found the Scaup, but then when I got home and looked at the pics thought I’d found the wrong one . . eventually satisfied, despite the embarassing paranoia incident. . . :t:

[dantheman]

31/03/08

Lisvane Reservoir

145 SPOTTED SANDPIPER, 1st w

A trip to S. Wales for other reasons allowed for a bit of a twitch to catch up with some of the good birds present in the region and the south west . .
Had a bit of trouble finding it, the reservoirs first and then the bird after walking all the way around both reservoirs . . . v few other birds to note (200+ LBBGulls, 2 GBBGulls, handful of Herring Gulls . . . ). A few spots showing on the rear of the bird. Cracking close-up views through the bars of the fence surrounding the reservoir in the end though ;)

[dantheman]

01/04/08

Marloes, Pembrokeshire

146 BLACK DUCK, female
147 Willow Warbler 1
148 Wheatear 2m
149 Chough 3

Stayed at the Youth Hostel, didn't make a particularly early start, but the star bird (dead exciting, however much others may diss it :t: !!) was there alright, out in the open at times, but mostly frustratingly just out of sight. There was at least 1 Willow Warbler in addition to the dozens of Chiffchaff flitting all along the waters edge. Dipped on the Rosy Starling in Haverfordwest. (Not reported on birdguides at all. Being kept quiet to respect householders privacy? Pah!) The starlings that were present all flew off after a while, so left it at that.

Dale, Pembrokeshire

149 b) Pale-bellied Brent Goose 20+?

Lifer, but not afforded full species status (hence the b) Nice nonetheless.

Found the 1st winter Med Gull at the head of the Gann Estuary, but not the Ring-billed in amongst the 30 or so Common Gulls (if it was present). The light and the fact they were mostly sleeping not helping. If it was indeed still present . .

Off the A40, west of Carmarthen, Wales

150 Red Kite 1, then 4 more subsequently,

Chew Valley Lake, Somerset

151 Swallow 2

Managed to turn up at almost last light in the slim hope of bumping into the Franklin's Gull. No such 'luck' of course . . .

[dantheman]

02/04/08

Cheddar Reservoir, Somerset

152 Sand Martin, c.200
153 Red-necked Grebe 1 summer plumage
154 Scaup, 4 distant

Greater Scaup id ok on jizz :t: Also 2 Raven, Pied Wagtails, Grey Wagtail, best views of the RNGrebe as it was ‘attacked’ from underneath by GCG, taking flight and flying to the edge of the reservoir just up from me. Maybe a standard response to underwater attack? Wheatear, Several Swallow at least . .

Northam Burrows, Devon

155 KING EIDER 1st w male

Had a long walk after being pointed in the right direction by a local, didn’t think would connect due to the fog, area to be covered etc . . . Also Shelduck, 10 Wigeon etc. The pic is definitely a 'record' shot ;) Actual views weren't that much better, but I was happy enough with the features I could make out :t: Bonus points for id of the other species!

[dantheman]

03/04/08

Two Mile Coppice, Weymouth, Dorset

156 PALLAS'S WARBLER singing male.

After a night in the car at Portland (too tight to stay at the obs -maybe next time), and a bit of an explore around with little to show but good views of an overhead f Marsh Harrier, headed off for the Pallas's on my way home. Had to wait a while but worth it. Cracking little bird. Excellent views in the end as it preened in the sallows. Would have been a good photo op but I'd left the scope around the corner!

'On the A352', N of Dorchester, Dorset

157 Yellowhammer

Nearly a first on the 'dead bird' yearlist. Fortunately not.

[dantheman]

03/05/08

Dartford Town Centre, Kent

158 Swift 3 wheeling

'The Allotment', Dartford

159 Whitethroat male

Another abscence of a month or so, this time the excuse being I was in the States for 2 weeks and then spent another 2 recovering! Had a fair few year ticks, but they don't count for this list! Nearly bringing the list into the current century . . . ;)

[dantheman]

04/05/08

Hanningfield? Reservoir, Essex

160 Black Tern 21
161 Common Tern 3+

Sunday Afternoon trip, took the bins, rewarded with distant views of the terns! (Did check them for white bits on the wings, nothing doing). Could almost have been self-found as well, but I had heard on birdguides that one had been seen.

[dantheman]

05/05/08

Crossness NR, Erith, Greater London

162 Reed warbler
163 Tree Pipit
164 Wood Sandpiper

Took the trip out to try and catch up with the Richards Pipit which had been around for a few days (firstly on Rainham Tip). . . But it was last seen mid morning, and I was there late afternoon. Caught up with a few other year ticks though which was compensation enough in the circumstances. (Escaped Grey headed Gull had also been seen earlier in the day, but since there were 3 known fence hoppers just out not too much sleep to be lost there . . . )

[dantheman]

11/05/08

Rainham Marsh, Essex

165 TEMMINCK’S STINT (2)
166 Little ringed Plover
167 Greenshank

Made it out into the fresh air again, a bit of an influx of this excellent little wader doing just the trick. Dead cute and third lifer of the year. (Apparently a third bird was present, not showing when I was there though). Probably heard Lesser Whitethroat and Sedge Warbler too, but will wait for proper views before ticking these . .

[dantheman]

12/05/08

Dartford Marsh, Kent

168 Cuckoo 4+
169 Hobby

Out in this prime birding location (hmmmm . . ) scrutinising the habitat for my own rare stints, Great Reed Warblers, Red footed Falcons etc etc etc . . Obviously no chance, although the silhouetted hobby had me going for a brief while. Ah well. I had the belief . .

[dantheman]

13/5/08

Swanley Park

170 Turtle Dove

Another year tick courtesy of Atlas listing. One purring from a telegraph pole by the lane.

[dantheman]

21/05/08

Amwell GP, Essex

171 GREAT REED WARBLER

Lee Valley CP, Essex

172 Nightingale (h)

(Dipped on Red-footed Falcon though . . .)

[dantheman]

21/06/08

Grove Ferry NNR, Kent

173 Bearded Tit
174 Green Sandpiper

(No sign of the White-rumped Sandpiper; it had gorne . . . )

[dantheman]

21/07/08

Swanley Park, Kent

175 House Martin
176 Lesser Whitethroat

(Just to continue a trend . . .) Actually probably saw the House Martins earlier than this from the garden, no date noted, so this being the first recorded. (Whilst Atlas birding).

[dantheman]

25/07/08

Cliffe Pools RSPB, Kent

177 Sedge Warbler
178 Whimbrel 9+
179 Curlew Sandpiper 3
180 Spotted Redshank 2

Went off to check out a report of a 'stint sp'. No sign, but some welcome year ticks. Hundreds of Avocet too.