[Joseph N]

Well, its been a great start to the year for me, with lots of good species seen today. From the 1st-10th when I didn't go birdwatching I managed 30 species within Aberdeen itself. However when I went out today (10/1), I had an increase of 52 species, meaning I now have a year list of 82. Here are the species I have seen so far:

1. Herring Gull
2. Town Pigeon
3. Blue Tit
4. House Sparrow
5. Carrion Crow
6. Blackbird
7. Woodpigeon
8. Great Tit
9. Fieldfare
10. Redwing
11. Chaffinch
12. Pied Wagtail
13. Coal Tit
14. Long-tailed Tit
15. Robin
16. Greenfinch
17. Jackdaw
18. Rook
19. Song Thrush
20. Black headed Gull
21. Buzzard
22. Magpie
23. Starling
24. Grey Wagtail
25. Pink-footed Goose
26. Common Gull
27. Collared Dove
28. Dunnock
29. Goldfinch
30. Snipe
31. Cormorant
32. Eider
33. Red-breasted Merganser
34. Lesser Black-backed Gull
35. Great Black-backed Gull
36. Redshank
37. Turnstone
38. Oystercatcher
39. Curlew
40. Skylark
41. Meadow Pipit
42. Ringed Plover
43. Lapwing
44. Mistle Thrush
45. Gannet
46. Guillemot
47. Kestrel
48. Tree Sparrow
49. Yellowhammer
50. Corn Bunting
51. Wigeon
52. Teal
53. Mute Swan
54. Greylag Goose
55. Hen Harrier (x2 at Loch of Strathbeg, one male and one ringtail, 10/1)
56. Snow Bunting (25+ at Loch of Strathbeg, 10/1)
57. Reed Bunting
58. White-tailed Eagle (Ralf showing brilliantly, 10/1)
59. Mallard
60. Goldeneye
61. Tufted Duck
62. Whooper Swan
63. Barnacle Goose
64. Hooded Crow
65. Grey Heron
66. Moorhen
67. Twite (20+ at Loch of Strathbeg, 10/1)
68. Pheasant
69. Linnet
70. Sparrowhawk
71. Merlin (x1 female at Loch of Strathbeg, 10/1)
72. Coot
73. Shoveler
74. Pochard
75. Pintail
76. Little Grebe
77. Gadwall
78. Stock Dove
79. Water Rail (x1 at Loch of Strathbeg, 10/1)
80. Wren
81. Brambling (x1 female on feeders outside visitor centre at Loch of Strathbeg, tick)
82. Woodcock
83. Goosander
84. Shag
85. Razorbill
86. Red-throated Diver
87. Long-tailed Duck
88. Rock Pipit
89. Shelduck
90. Smew (x1 redhead at Linlithgow Loch, Lothian, 18/1)
91. Velvet Scoter
92. Great-crested Grebe
93. Slavonian Grebe (x1 adult winter on sea at Mussleburgh Lagoons, Lothian, 18/1)
94. Dunlin
95. Golden Plover
96. Stonechat
97. Purple Sandpiper
98. Water Pipit (x1 on beach near lighthouse at Barns Ness, Lothian, 18/1, tick
99. Grey Plover
100. Short-eared Owl (x2 showing absolutely superbly at Aberlady Bay, Lothian, 18/1, tick
101. Bar-tailed Godwit
102. Sanderling
103. Knot
104. Bullfinch
105. Dipper
106. Iceland Gull (x1 second winter showing brilliantly at Peterhead Harbour, 31/1, tick)
107. Red-legged Patridge
108. Peregrine Falcon
109. Goldcrest
110. Siskin (6/2)
111. Bean Goose (x1 Tundra at Forfar Loch, 6/2)
112. Scaup (6/2)
113. Kingfisher (6/2)
114. Waxwing (x18 on the cotoneasters at Hilton Street, Aberdeen, 20/2)
115. Great Northern Diver (x6 off Rattray Head, 20/2)
116. Canada Goose
117. Grey Partridge
118. Fulmar
119. Common Scoter
120. Brent Goose
121. Jay
122. Great Spotted Woodpecker
123. Great Grey Shrike (x1 showing brilliantly on willows by Forestry Comission car park west of Rhynie, 20/3, tick)
124. Common Crossbill
125. Black Grouse (x3 in the moors showing superbly, 20/3, tick)
126. Lesser Redpoll
127. Red Grouse
128. Chiffchaff (26/3 first spring migrant)
129. Kittiwake
130. Bewick's Swan (x1 with Whooper in fields around the Ythan, 27/3, tick)
131. Egyptian Goose (x1 at Meikle Loch, 27/3)
132. Willow Warbler (1/4 first spring migrant)
133. Swallow (" ")
134. Sand Martin (" ")
135. Lesser Scaup (x1 adult drake with Tufted Ducks from Moreton Hide, Chew Valley Lake, 1/4, tick)
136. Raven
137. Cetti's Warbler (1/4 Chew Valley Lake and later elsewhere)
138. Blackcap (1/4 first spring migrant)
139. Little Egret (4/4)
140. Green Woodpecker (5/4 woods around Roadwater)
141. Nuthatch ("")
142. Red Kite (" ")
143. Tawny Owl (" ")
144. Black-tailed Godwit (7/4 first birds)
145. Bittern (x1 in flight briefly above reeds from scrape at Shapwick Heath NNR, Somerset, 7/4)
146. Sedge Warbler (7/4 first spring migrant)
147. Marsh Harrier (first bird for year at Shapwick Heath, 7/4)
148. Whitethroat (8/4 first spring migrant)
149. Common Redstart (x3 all at Portland, 1 bird on 7/4 and the others on 11/4)
150. Wheatear (8/4 first spring migrant)
151. Firecrest (x1 adult male at Portland, 8/4, tick)
152. Dartford Warbler (x4 at Arne RSPB, Dorset, 9/4)
153. Marsh Tit (x2 at Arne RSPB, 9/4)
154. Tree Pipit (Arne RSPB, 9/4)
155. Spoonbill (x3 distantly looking onto Middlebere Lake from Arne RSPB, Dorset, 9/4)
156. Sandwich Tern (9/4 first bird of year)
157. Greenshank
158. Mediterranean Gull (x5 at Lychett Bay, Poole Harbour, Dorset, 9/4, tick)
159. Arctic Skua (10/4 first bird of the year)
160. Whimbrel (" ")
161. Puffin (" ")
162. Manx Shearwater (11/4 first birds of year)
163. Little Ringed Plover (x1 at Blashford Lakes, 11/4)
164. Glossy Ibis (x2 from second viewing platform at Ham Wall RSPB, 12/4)
165. White-fronted Goose (x1 greenland type at the Ythan, 17/4)
166. Ruff (17/4 first bird of year)
167. House Martin (26/4 first bird of year)
168. Common Tern (" ")
169. Common Swift (" ")
170. Common Crane (x1 at Loch of Strathbeg, 26/4)
171. Great White Egret (x1 from Fen Hide, Loch of Strathbeg, 26/4)
172. Snow Goose (x1 white morph from Visitor Centre, Loch of Strathbeg, 2/5)
173. Garganey (x1 adult drake from Visitor Centre, Loch of Strathbeg, 2/5)
174. King Eider (x1 adult drake with Eiders off bay at Old Slains nr. Collieston, 2/5)
175. Dotterel (x8 in second field south of the Tufted Duck Hotel at St Combs, 3 females and 5 males, 4/5)
176. Arctic Tern
177. Osprey (first of year 15/5 on Ythan)
178. Little Tern (x4 at Ythan ternery, 15/5)
179. Cuckoo (several in Speyside)
180. Ring Ouzel (x1 male from viewpoint at top of Cairngorms, 21/5)
181. Ptarmigan (x1 adult distantly from viewpoint at top of Cairngorms, 21/5, tick)
182. Common Sandpiper
183. Treecreeper
184. Spotted Flycatcher (22/5 Loch Malachie)
185. Crested Tit (x2 at nesting place at Loch Malakie, Abernethy Forest, 21/5)
186. Little Gull (23/5 Ythan)
187. Broad-billed Sandpiper (x1 with Ringed Plovers and Dunlin on shore between A975 bridge and new houses just outside Newburgh, Ythan, tick, 23/5)
188. Stone Curlew (x6, 4 adults plus 2 young, at Weeting Heath, tick, 4/6)
189. Reed Warbler (several at a majority of locations in Norfolk and Suffolk)
190. Hobby (a small number at a variety of locations, maybe 8 from 4/6-7/6)
191. Bearded Tit (several at a majority of locations in Norfolk and Suffolk)
192. Golden Oriole (x1 at Lakenheath in the second poplar wood, seen in undergrowth and briefly in flight, 4/6, tick)
193. Avocet (several at a majority of sites in Norfolk and Suffolk, first seen at Welney, 4/6-7/6)
194. Yellow Wagtail (x5 in the Welney area, 1 at reserve and at least 4 just outside it, 4/6 and 6/6)
195. Little Owl (one was perched on top of a barn near Welney less than 30ft away, 4/6, tick)
196. Montagu's Harrier (x2, male and female food passing at undisclosed site, female dipped out of sight quickly, good views of male, 4/6)
197. Curlew Sandpiper (x1 with 50 or so Knot on the freshmarsh at Titchwell RSPB, 4/6)
198. Red-crested Pochard (x3, 2 males and a female on pool before freshmarsh, Titchwell RSPB, 4/6, tick)
199. Ruddy Duck (x1 drake on pool with Red-crested Pochards, 4/6)
200. Nightjar (one briefly over woods at Dersingham Bog on 4/6, much better views of 3 on 5/6, tick)
201. Black-winged Stilt (x5 on the freshmarsh at Titchwell RSPB, at least 3 females and perhaps two males, most of the time just 4 showing, 5/6, tick)
202. Turtle Dove (x1 briefly at Holme NWT, much better views of individuals at Ouse Fen RSPB and Minsmere, 5/6-7/6
203. Garden Warbler (first bird at Wolferton, 5/6)
204. Red-footed Falcon (x1 first summer male at Ouse Fen RSPB, Cambridgeshire hawking high up, good views at points down to 60ft, 6/6, tick)
205. Purple Heron (x1 briefly in flight over reedbed from Island Mere Hide at 13:00 for about 30 seconds with views at around 100ft, 7/6, tick)
206. Golden Eagle (x2 briefly showign at distance over mountain tops at Glen Doll for about a minute. Not seen again. 20/6, tick)
207. Temminck's Stint (x1 on muddy shore at Rigifa Pool, showing fantastically down to 20ft, 21/6, tick)
208. Great Skua
209. Honey Buzzard (x1 distantly for about 3 minutes at Wykeham Forest, North Yorks, 7/8)
210. Long-eared Owl (x1 juvenile bird at undisclosed site, Durham, 7/8)
211. Sooty Shearwater (x4 at Battery Park, 14/8)
212. Spotted Redshank (x1 LOS, 14/8)
213. Surf Scoter (x3 drakes off Blackdog with mixed Common and Velvet Scoter flock, 28/8, tick)
214. Wood Sandpiper (x1 at Rigifa Pool, 3/9)
215. Lesser Whitethroat (x1 at Girdleness, 3/9)
216. Pectoral Sandpiper (x1 at Cullaloe SWT, Fife, 5/9)
217. Semipalmated Sandpiper (x1 at Tyninghame Bay, Lothian, 5/9, tick)218. Red-necked Grebe (x1 at Musselbrugh, Lothian, 5/9, tick)
219. Pied Flycatcher (x2 in Collieston roadside willows, 8/9)
220. Whinchat
221. Short-toed Lark (x1 for five minutes on the golf course at the back of allotments with Pied Wagtails and Wheatears, Girdleness, 30/9)
222. Lapland Bunting (x4 on the golf course just south of the allotments, Girdleness, 30/9, tick)
223. Shore Lark (x2 on the golf course at Donmouth, very obliging, 2/10, tick)
224. Yellow-browed Warbler (x2, one seen by me, at Loch of Strathbeg plantation, 9/10)
225. Little Stint (x1 juvenile at Cairnbulg Beach)
226. Barred Warbler (x1 at Auld Haa Cottage, Fair Isle, Sheltand, 13/10, tick)
227. Black Guillemot (several on Fair Isle)
228. Jack Snipe (x2 at Fair Isle, Shetland 13/10 + 16/10, tick)
229. Radde's Warbler (x1 at the Quoy, Fair Isle, Shetland, 13/10, tick)
230. Little Bunting (x1 in fields just east of Auld Haa cottage, Fair Isle, Shetland, 14/10-15/10, tick)
231. Blyth's Reed Warbler (x1 at South Harbour, Fair Isle, Shetland, 14/10-16/10, tick)
232. Rough-legged Buzzard (x1 over Setter briefly, Fair Isle, Shetland, 16/10)
233. Grasshopper Warbler (x1 at Golden Water, Fair Isle, Shetland, 16/10, tick
234. Red-flanked Bluetail (x1 at Vatnaagard, Fair Isle, Shetland, 16/10, tick)
235. Arctic Redpoll (x1 with several Redpolls, Double Dyke, Fair Isle, Shetland, 17/10, tick
236. Mealy Redpoll (several amongst Lesser Redpolls throughout Fair Isle trip)
237. Black Redstart (x1 male at Busta, Fair Isle, Shetland, 17/10)
238. Glaucous Gull (x1 juvenile at Torry nr. Girdleness, 12/12)
239. Green-winged Teal (x1 drake with Teals at Kinneil Lagoon, Forth, 28/12)
240. Green Sandpiper

All new birds for the year seen from now on will be put in this post, and new posts will notify what birds have been added to the list.

[Joseph N]

22 new species added to the year list, with the main highlights being Smew, Slavonian Grebe, Water Pipit and Short-eared Owl. See first post for other additions

[Joseph N]

A Dipper today takes the year list up to 105

[Joseph N]

A second winter Iceland Gull at Peterhead Harbour, Red-legged Patridge and Peregrine take the year list up to 108. The first bird was a cracker to see and also a life tick.

[Joseph N]

Bean Goose, Scaup, Kingfisher, Siskin and Goldcrest all at Forfar Loch have been added to the list and bring the year list up to 113.

[Joseph N]

Waxwing, Great Northern Diver, Canada Goose and Grey Partridge added to the year list, taking the total up to 117

[Joseph N]

Fulmar, Common Scoter and Brent Goose added to the year list, taking the total to 120.

[Joseph N]

Jay takes the list to 121

[Joseph N]

Great Grey Shrike, Black Grouse, Redpoll, Crossbill, Red Grouse and Great Spotted Woodpecker all constituted to a fantastic day's birding in the moors around Rhynie in northernmost Aberdeenshire today, with Great Grey Shrike and Black Grouse being lifers.

[Joseph N]

Chiffchaff, Kittiwake, Bewick's Swan and Egyptian Goose take the year list up to 131.

[Joseph N]

Willow Warbler, Sand Martin, Swallow, Lesser Scaup, Raven, Blackcap and Cetti's Warbler all at Chew Valley Lake take the year list up to 138 species on what has been a good start to my holiday in South-West England.

[Joseph N]

I have returned from my trip now, and I had a really good time. My year list is now at 164 species, with the highlights since my last post being Lesser Scaup, Bittern, Common Redstart, Firecrest, Dartford Warbler, Spoonbill, Mediterranean Gull and Glossy Ibis. For the other birds that constitute the 26 new species seen since my last post, see above.

[Joseph N]

A Greenland White-fronted Goose at the Ythan Estuary + my first Ruff at the year at Strathbeg now mean that my year list is at 166 species.

[Joseph N]

A lovely evening's birding at Strathbeg provided me with two large, scarce water birds in the form of Common Crane and Great White Egret, as well as my first House Martins, Swifts and Common Terns of the year. This takes the year list up to 171 species.

[Joseph N]

A fantastic day's birding with Snow Goose and Garganey at Strathbeg and a superb male King Eider off Old Slains.

[Joseph N]

Despite the grim weather, another good day of birding with 8 fantastic Dotterels and two Arctic Terns at Strathbeg, taking the year list up to 176 species.

[Joseph N]

A goodish days birding today with my first two Ospreys of the year at the Ythan Estuary and my first Little Terns at the ternery at Ythanmouth with at least 4 birds. 16 Dotterels were also at Strathbeg.

[Joseph N]

Have just returned from a fairly successful trip to the Speyside area. Cuckoo, Ring Ouzel, Ptarmigan, Common Sandpiper, Treecreeper, Spotted Flycatcher and Crested Tit bring the year list to 185 species. Notice that Capercallie and Golden Eagle weren't seen despite big attempts for both species. My Dad did manage a very quick glimpse of a Caper but unfortunately I didn't see it so it is thus not on this year list.

[Joseph N]

Little Gull and Broad-billed Sandpiper at the Ythan Estuary take the year list up to 187. The latter was an absolutely fantastic bird, with views down to 30ft.

[Joseph N]

Have just returned from a sensational trip to Norfolk/Suffolk. Managed to see a majority of the specialities and targets that I was looking for, and also saw some brilliant bonus birds. Year list has now passed my initial year list target, which was 200. See year list for more. Had 9 lifers on this trip and approximately 17 year ticks, which means it is now at 205.

[Joseph N]

A trip up to the Angus Glens (Glen Doll) today in search of a bogey bird of mine, Golden Eagle, was successful and thus brings the year list to 206 species. However views were not as satisfactory as they could of been, with views of a pair distantly for about a minute in area where they are often seen very well.

[Joseph N]

With reports of a Temminck's Stint at Rigifa Pool, just a mile south of Aberdeen, I couldn't resist but go and look for this bird. Soon found on muddy shore close to road, showing well down to 20ft at times. A lovely bird and well worth the after-school trip. This now takes the yearlist up to 207 species

[Joseph N]

The last month or so resulted in a bit of a hiatus from birding - however I hope to do a lot more birding as the Autumn approaches. Since I last posted I have had my first Great Skua of the year off Blackdog, and yesterday Honey Buzzard at Wykeham Forest, North Yorks, and Long-eared Owl at a site in Durham were both lifers and year ticks. This takes the year list up to 210.

[Joseph N]

4 Sooty Shearwaters today at Battery Park and a Spotted Redshank at Strathbeg take the yearlist up to 212 species

[Joseph N]

3 drake Surf Scoters off Blackdog today means my year list is now at 213 species. I have been hoping to get time after time in the last couple of years, so finally seeing them for the first time today was a joy.