Lazza's 2013 list (1 Viewer)

Another month passes by, and finally more species added:

158. Red-throated diver

Two seen off-shore at Cresswell earlier this week.

And, after some ID problems

159. Greater scaup

So that takes my 2013 list to 1 more than my 2012 UK list, at 159 species, with 7 weeks still left in the year.... and it just shows that for someone of my pathetic birding abilities, a good start to the year has pay-back later in the year!! Nevertheless, I hope I can get past last year's global total (205, currently at 204)....

Just comparing 2012 and 2013 UK lists, and there are a good few species I saw last year that I haven't seen this year... some of them are not exactly common, I realise, but there are still some pretty common birds I am missing (many of which I don't stand much chance of getting before year end).

Here's the full list (seen in 2012 but not this year):

Bean goose
Black redstart
Brent goose
Common crane
Crossbill
European White-fronted goose
Great northern diver
Great skua
Hawfinch
Jack snipe
Little Owl
Little stint
Merlin
Pied flycatcher
Puffin
Spotted Flycatcher
Stilt sandpiper
Yellow-browed warbler

And for completeness, here's the list of UK birds I have seen this year but didn't see in 2012:

Bearded tit
Egyptian Goose
Garden Warbler
Grasshopper Warbler
Greenshank
Hooded crow
Lesser Redpoll
Manx shearwater
Marsh tit
Mediterranean Gull
Osprey
Pectoral sandpiper
Peregrine Falcon
Pintail
Redstart
Spoonbill
Tawny Owl
Water Rail
Whinchat

Woohoo! My first successful "twitch" of the year, adding a new bird to my life list (taking it to 431):

160. Lesser Grey Shrike

Excellent close views of the bird at High Newton, that has been there for several days. My record this year on getting out to see rarities has been pretty poor, with this the only success so far! But well worth an extended lunch break! That takes me to 205 for the year, level with 2012...

A pleasant ride today via Woodhorn and Cresswell, finally inched me past last year's total. Among a mixed flock of a couple of hundred greylag and Canada geese at Woodhorn were three

161 Greenland White-fronted geese

Other highlights included 750-800 pinkfoot over Cresswell and a water rail in the reeds at Cresswell Pond

So, finally, a chance to take a look back on 2013:

Final total, including all birds seen in all countries: 206 (+1 on 2012)

UK list: 161 (+3 on 2012)
Species seen in 2013 not seen in 2012: 21

Species seen in 2012 but not seen in 2013: 18
* species not seen in the UK in 2013, but still seen elsewhere

Lifers seen in the UK during 2013: 12

New to my UK list: 3

Spain list: 91 (+11 on 2012)
Species seen in 2013 not seen in 2012: 24

Species seen in 2012 but not seen in 2013: 13
* species not seen in the Spain in 2013, but still seen elsewhere

Lifers seen in Spain during 2013: 3

New to my Spain list: 11

Switzerland list: 34 (+4 on 2012)
Species seen in 2013 not seen in 2012: 13

Species seen in 2012 but not seen in 2013: 10
* species not seen in the Switzerland in 2013, but still seen elsewhere

New to my Switzerland list: 6

France list: 31 (+5 on 2012)
Species seen in 2013 not seen in 2012: 17

Species seen in 2012 but not seen in 2013: 12
* species not seen in the France in 2013, but still seen elsewhere

Lifers seen in France in 2013: 1

New to my France list: 4

Norway list: 18 (-14 on 2012)
Species seen in 2013 not seen in 2012: 6

Species seen in 2012 but not seen in 2013: 20
* species not seen in the Norway in 2013, but still seen elsewhere

New to my Norway list: 4