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Garden (Yard) List 2013 (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter The Falcon
- Start date
KenM
Well-known member
FWIW..with no hard weather in sight before year end!...I'm of the opinion that my contest has ended. I've been very surprised at the total (which I've double checked), especially with a month taken out.
However this was no doubt due to the ''extra time'' put in at the window! Of the 79 recorded species, with one heard only (flyover Curlew), I've been over the moon with sight and sound of Cuckoo and Lesser spotted Woodpecker, both sorely missed and being once upon a time regulars.
Clearly the two big surprises were flyover (June) Purple Heron and Green Sandpiper, that said...in previous years I've had Black Kite and fem.Montagu's Harrier (again June birds).
What was Interesting on the statistics side, was the years total equated to 70% of my all time garden list, don't know how that might compare to other garden listers?
Yuletide greetings to one and all!...and all the best in 2014.
However this was no doubt due to the ''extra time'' put in at the window! Of the 79 recorded species, with one heard only (flyover Curlew), I've been over the moon with sight and sound of Cuckoo and Lesser spotted Woodpecker, both sorely missed and being once upon a time regulars.
Clearly the two big surprises were flyover (June) Purple Heron and Green Sandpiper, that said...in previous years I've had Black Kite and fem.Montagu's Harrier (again June birds).
What was Interesting on the statistics side, was the years total equated to 70% of my all time garden list, don't know how that might compare to other garden listers?
Yuletide greetings to one and all!...and all the best in 2014.
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I thought I saw on the ID thread that you weren't sure about teh Purple Heron Ken, surely you can't count it unless your 100% certain ;-)
I'm in the same position as you though, I can't see me adding anymore, seawatching has been terrible this month and I had hoped to add a few more but it looks like I'll be stuck on 136 with nothing new since 6th November!!
I'm in the same position as you though, I can't see me adding anymore, seawatching has been terrible this month and I had hoped to add a few more but it looks like I'll be stuck on 136 with nothing new since 6th November!!
KenM
Well-known member
Ryan, I'm afraid I can't turn it into anything else!...unless of course I go down the ''sour-grapes'' road of, short-tailed, oiled Heron with pale contrasting patch on upper-wing...the Image clearly shows a Heron, and two respondents (whose experience of the species...is far greater than mine) suggested PH on first impressions.
FWIW circa 5 years ago I was possibly the only respondent reporting Hawfinch from London, Essex, at the same time Firecrest and Little Egrets in ''the forest'' behind my abode (two yesterday am), and not to mention a certain unmentionable Bop! (with all being imaged)...the silence was palpably deafening on all those reports.
I'd ''guessed-imated'' that you were coastal! 136, is eleven more species for the year, than I've had in thirty!...Well done!
I can't get anywhere near that total!...I think you'll have to play with other ''seaside players'' for a real comparative, best of luck in the new year.
My apologises Ken, I thought the concensus was it couldn't be ID'd but I didn't see the end of the thread obviously. I think you are being harsh with the 'sour grapes' scenario, it happened to me this year, until I got better views of it and it turned out to be, yip you guessed it, a scruffy, oiled Grey heron that had me believing it was a PH at distance. From the photos you can't rule this out but this is only my opinion I'm sure it was easier in the field...
Interestingly all the birds you mentioned above I have not seen here, although surely Little Egret will fall my way soon... hopefully!
Good luck next year, and don't worry I'm not competing with anyone other than myself, I didn't even realise it was a competition!
Interestingly all the birds you mentioned above I have not seen here, although surely Little Egret will fall my way soon... hopefully!
Good luck next year, and don't worry I'm not competing with anyone other than myself, I didn't even realise it was a competition!
KenM
Well-known member
Apologies Ryan...''the sour grapes'' was certainly not aimed at you!
joannec
Well-known member
Well, I'm not expecting any more either. There is one, Goshawk, which I didn't mention at the time, last spring, which leaves me on 76 for the year which is down on my 78 for 2012. I probably didn't spend as many hours at the window. There were two new ones for 2013 though, Dunlin and Tree Pipit but I missed some easy ones like Moorhen. So unless I can entice a Brambling and a Waxwing in before the end of the year, it looks like you beat me this year on the inland garden birders totals, Ken. B 
My 76 is 67.25% of my all time garden list of 113.
Happy Christmas to all the garden listers.
My 76 is 67.25% of my all time garden list of 113.
Happy Christmas to all the garden listers.
KenM
Well-known member
Well, I'm not expecting any more either. There is one, Goshawk, which I didn't mention at the time, last spring, which leaves me on 76 for the year which is down on my 78 for 2012. I probably didn't spend as many hours at the window. There were two new ones for 2013 though, Dunlin and Tree Pipit but I missed some easy ones like Moorhen. So unless I can entice a Brambling and a Waxwing in before the end of the year, it looks like you beat me this year on the inland garden birders totals, Ken. B
My 76 is 67.25% of my all time garden list of 113.
Happy Christmas to all the garden listers.
FWIW Joanne...Having spent more time at my windowsill than I care to admit. :eek!: It's such a relief ''to get out more''
Good to know that our ratios compared!...what's 2.5% between ''window warriors?'' :t:
Larry Lade
Moderator
Must add three (3) species to 2013 Yard List:
63. American Crow (somehow just missed putting this one on list)
64. Cooper's Hawk (these last two just seen in the last few days)
65. Sharp-shinned Hawk
63. American Crow (somehow just missed putting this one on list)
64. Cooper's Hawk (these last two just seen in the last few days)
65. Sharp-shinned Hawk
Warixenjalka
Birdwitcher
Mine this years garden list is pathetic, but I list it anyway. Here´s the second half of this years birds...
#37. Osprey
#38. Oystercatcher
#39. Willow warbler
#40. Chiffchaff
#41. Waxwing
#42. Raven
#43. Greylag goose
I don't think I get any new species to this year. I can do only better in 2014.
Lucky New Year to every one!:t:
#37. Osprey
#38. Oystercatcher
#39. Willow warbler
#40. Chiffchaff
#41. Waxwing
#42. Raven
#43. Greylag goose
I don't think I get any new species to this year. I can do only better in 2014.
Lucky New Year to every one!:t:
Richard Prior
Halfway up an Alp
I've enjoyed reading this thread recently and look forward to joining in in 2014, our house/ garden is a long way inland, in the French Alps (I dream of one day seeing a duck or a wader up here!). In the 7 years we've been here my list has reached 106, and this year I've seen 87 species, a hefty 92.2% of the Garden List all time total, only one new one this year though, a Merlin last spring.
Joyeuses Fêtes everyone!
Richard
Joyeuses Fêtes everyone!
Richard
joannec
Well-known member
Welcome to the thread. You'll get some like Snowfinch and Alpine Chough that none of the rest of us have a hope of getting.
Richard Prior
Halfway up an Alp
Joanne
You're spot on with the latter, I'm not up high enough for the Snowfinches though. I could do you a deal if we're allowed to swap, an Alpine Chough must be worth a Black-headed Gull plus a Rook, for example ?
Richard (ex-Selsey, now Français!)
timsg80
Gregor Tims
A good year for the garden, with 76 of the 86 species I've seen recorded (88%) and 11 new species (Honey-buzzard, Whimbrel, Caspian Gull, Sand Martin, Garden Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, Waxwing, Yellow Wagtail, Tree Pipit, Siskin and Linnet). Hopefully next year will be just as good!
