[StevieEvans]

I had hoped to see 270 bird species this year, with as many as possible locally....maybe 240 in home County..........

But as an indicator i've deceided to keep a 'missed-list' for the local ones.

GN & BT Divers, Red necked Grebe, Crane, Mandarin, Osprey, Marsh Harrier, Hen Harrier, Rough-legged Buzzard, Corncrake, Whimbrel, Little Gull, Ring billed Gull, Yellow legged Gull, Laughing Gull, Little Auk, Red-rumped Swallow, Garden Warbler, Whitethroat, Sedge Warbler, Redstart, Firecrest, Beared Tit (23 species missed, so far in Durham; im currently on 178 & 201UK)
Underlined species:- i've seen these previously in UK This year.

[Bluetail]

At last - a game I can win! Birds I really should have seen this year (not necessarily locally):

Manx Shearwater; Garganey; Scaup; Eider; Long-tailed Duck; Hen Harrier; Goshawk; Water Rail; Knot; Whimbrel; Green Sandpiper; Common Sandpiper; Arctic Skua; Great Skua; Little Gull; Iceland Gull; Glaucous Gull; Common Tern; Arctic Tern; Cuckoo; Little Owl; Tawny Owl; Short-eared Owl; Kingfisher; Hoopoe; Green Woodpecker; Lesser Spotted Woodpecker; Woodlark; Tree Pipit; Black Redstart; Ring Ouzel; Grasshopper Warbler; Sedge Warbler; Reed Warbler; Dartford Warbler; Firecrest; Pied Flycatcher; Great Grey Shrike; Rose-coloured Starling; Lesser Redpoll; Crossbill; Corn Bunting

Edit: I should add that I have made an attempt to look for all of these, though in some cases (like Common Sand and Kingfisher) not very hard. Several I'll certainly get before the year's done.

[Dave B Smith]

I've done something similar. I downloaded a list of all the birds that I have seen in my "local area" in the five years I've been here. Then I compared the birds I've seen this year (all local so far) to see what I've missed. So far I have 206 out of the 255 I've seen in the past. About 80%. Of course there are also about 80 species here that I've never seen yet (or at least the field guide maps say they are here )

[Michael Frankis]

My dips . . . . all these have been seen in Northumberland this year, but I wasn't able to get them. Some I may yet get, others I probably won't. Not on the list: summer visitors which I've not seen yet, but will easily get in the next month.

Black-throated Diver
Bittern
Velvet Scoter
Marsh Harrier
Hen Harrier
Rough-leg Buzzard
Osprey
Water Rail
Crane
Avocet
Spotted Redshank
Greenshank
Green Sandpiper
Iceland Gull
Glaucous Gull
Little Auk
Long-eared Owl
Lesser Spot Woodp
Water Pipit
Great Grey Shrike
Mealy Redpoll
Crossbill
Lapland Bunting

Michael

[Joern Lehmhus]

had this years first garganey ( a beautiful male) last weekend, after having not seen the species for 2 years.
-so there´s hope , Michael!

[Edward]

This winter I missed Little Auk (very few reported but normally easy to see) and my perennial winter target Ivory Gull (none reported this winter, fishermen said the edge of the ice pack was unusually far north this year so I am excused there).

But come on Michael, even I have seen Bittern, Avocet and Long-eared Owl this year, IN ICELAND!! ;-)

As May approaches I'm sure I'll contrive to miss Pomarine Skua yet again, still haven't seen one, ever!

E

[IanF]

Quite a few I have missed locally, but most notably for me - a Corncrake last week and Common Crane this week.

[Darren Oakley-Martin]

Originally Posted by IanF

Quite a few I have missed locally, but most notably for me - a Corncrake last week and Common Crane this week.

Most notably Ian? Yikes. That's 2 lifers for me. I'm missing Corn Bunting, Miliaria calandra and Tawny Owl, Strix aluco. Ooooh, exotica.

Yours, dead jealous,

[Andrew]

So far my dips as far as I can think back are . . .

Great White Egret (TWICE!)
Pine Bunting
Common Crane
Grey Partridge
Mealy Redpoll
Serin
Black Tern
Red-rumped Swallow (Today)

[Bluetail]

Andrew, the swallow returned in the end, so get back out there tomorrow - with a picnic and thermos!

Jason

[Andrew]

I have to be up early for a WeBS survey and will pop into BGM again if there is a further report.

[StevieEvans]

Missed a Pectoral Sandpiper at Seaton Carew & Forgot about Yellow legged Gull.

AWAY from HoME.......

I cannot see a Great Grey Shrike..........Anywhere...!! Have tried for 5 seperate birds this year.
Missed the Long Billed Dowitcher by 12 mins & on a second try due to mist & nil visibility.
Dipped on the singing summer plumaged Lapland Bunting as 2 other Durham birders flushed it off the edge of a cliff! 2mins too late! (seen elsewhere)

I wonder what i'll miss next..........
SE