[MKBirder]

Here we go again and my resolution is definitely to make more time for birding locally through the year.
At home a.m.
1. Blackbird
2. House Sparrow
3. Wood Pigeon
4. Starling
5. Robin
6. Collared Dove
7. Carrion Crow
8. Magpie
9. Feral Pigeon
10. Blue Tit
11. Blackcap

Caldecotte Lake, Milton Keynes. Early afternoon
12. Black-headed Gull
13. Mute Swan
14. Coot
15. Lesser Black-backed Gull
16. Canada Goose
17. Mallard
18. Pied Wagtail
19. Great Crested Grebe
20. Great Northern Diver
21. Tufted Duck
22. Cormorant
23. Common Gull
24. Grey Heron
25. Little Grebe
26. Herring Gull
27. Goosander
28. Goldfinch
29. Chaffinch
30. Greenfinch
31. Long-tailed Tit
32. Great Tit

[MKBirder]

Monday 2nd January
Willen Lake
33. Rook
34. Lapwing
35. Gadwall
36. Wigeon
37. Teal
38. Shoveler
39. Pochard
40. Redshank
41. Dunnock
42. Buzzard
43. Moorhen
44. Greylag Goose
45. Bullfinch
46. Little Egret
47. Goldeneye
48. Green Woodpecker

Stadium MK
49. Sparrowhawk -one over

[MKBirder]

Saturday 7th Jan.
50. Goldcrest - in garden

[MKBirder]

Wednesday 11th January
51. Song Thrush -in song

[MKBirder]

Monday 23rd January
52. Jackdaw

Sunday 29th January
53 Wren - Tongwell Lake
54 Snipe - 1 at Willen Lake

[MKBirder]

A few recent additions:-
Saturday 4th February
55. Fieldfare - several in and around the garden

Sunday 5th February
56. Redwing - the bad weather bringing them in to gardens

Saturday 18th February
57. Kestrel

Sunday 26th February - Brickhill Woods
58. Coal Tit
59. Great spotted Woodpecker
60. Jay
61. Siskin
62. Nuthatch

[MKBirder]

A weekend visit to my son in Lancaster and a whole two days of uninterrupted birding.

Saturday 10th March
Leighton Moss
63. Shelduck
64. Snow Goose
65. Pheasant
66. Great Black-backed Gull
67. Mediterranean Gull
68. Marsh Harrier
69. Reed Bunting
70. Curlew
71. Cetti's Warbler
72. Stonechat - 1 male
73. Mistle Thrush
74. Oystercatcher
75. Meadow Pipit
76. White-fronted Goose (Greenland)
77. Avocet
78. Spotted Redshank
79. Pintail
80. Merlin
81. Red-breasted Merganser
82. Black-tailed Godwit
83. Peregrine Falcon
84. Marsh Tit
There was no sign of the Glossy Ibis all day, although it was back again on Sunday.

Sunday 11th March
From Lancaster along River Lune to Aldcliffe Marshes
85. Stock Dove
86. Pink-footed Goose
87. Tundra Bean Goose - 1 with the remaining pink foots. All headed N at 09.20
88. Skylark - in song over the marsh
89. Whooper Swan

Early afternoon
Heysham Harbour
90. Dunlin
91. Ringed Plover
92. Shag
93. Turnstone
94. Twite - 15 approx. around the niger seed by N. harbour wall.
95. Linnet - 1 with twite.

Mid-afternoon
Morecambe, Stone Jetty
96. Eider - several small groups past and on sea.

A great weekend and now only 3 weeks to go until a week's birding in Gambia

[MKBirder]

Sunday 25th March
A local walk from Bletchley marked by frequent buzzard sightings and a large flock of remaining fieldfares being ambushed in their hedgerow by a sparrowhawk.
The only new bird...
97. Chiffchaff at least 10 individuals seen/heard in the course of 3 hours.

[MKBirder]

Sunday 1st April
Willen Lake
98. Common Tern 2 on N. Basin

[MKBirder]

Just back from a fantastic week's birding in Gambia. We stayed near Gunjur and made day visits to Lamin, Abuko, Brufut, Tanji, Marakissa, Kotu Creek and Bakau. We also spent a couple of days exploring the area around the lodge we were staying at. Although not the best time of year for a birding trip we found plenty to keep us first timers busy.
(Lifers in bold)
Tuesday 3rd April
Arrived at Banjul airport mid afternoon and then on to Footsteps Eco Lodge
99. Hooded Vulture
100. Pied Crow
101. Red-billed Hornbill
102. African Palm Swift
103. Rose-ringed Parakeet
104. Common Bulbul
105. Yellow-crowned Gonolek
106. Laughing Dove
107. Brown Babbler
108. Village Weaver
109. Western Plantain Eater
110. Splendid Sunbird
111. Vinaceous Dove
112. African Wattled Lapwing
113. African Thrush
114. Yellow Wagtail
115. Green Wood-hoopoe
116. Lavender Waxbill
117. Red-eyed Dove
118. Northern Grey-headed Sparrow
119. Palm-nut Vulture
120. Fanti Saw-wing
121. Bronze Manakin
122. Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu
123. Orange-cheeked Waxbill
124. Black-billed Wood Dove
125. Beautiful Sunbird
126. Cattle Egret
127. Long-tailed Glossy Starling

[MKBirder]

Wednesday 4th April
This was a day to familiarise ourselves with the area. We didn't take a guide and enjoyed a slow paced day's birding. Walking from Footsteps Eco Lodge to the beach, via a range of habitats including woodland, village gardens and open bush.
128. Melodious Warbler
129. Yellow-fronted Canary
130. Blackcap Babbler
131. Senegal Eremomela
132. Tawny-flanked Prinia
133. Senegal Parrot
134. Variable Sunbird
135. African Grey Hornbill
136. Blue-spotted Wood Dove
137. Black-headed Heron
138. Singing Cisticola
139. Fork-tailed Drongo
140. Grey-backed Camaroptera
141. Woodchat Shrike
142. African Pied Hornbill
143. Pin-tailed Whydah
144. Village Indigobird
145. Red-chested Swallow
146. Snowy-crowned Robin Chat
147. Osprey
148. Great White Pelican
149. Red-billed Firefinch
150. Swallow-tailed Bee-eater
151. Black-crowned Tchagra
152. Senegal Coucal
153. Black Scimitarbill
154. Black Flycatcher
155. Little Bee-eater
156. Yellow-billed Shrike
157. Pearl-spotted Owlet 1 at roost
158. African Green Pigeon
159. Abyssinian Roller
160. Caspian Tern
161. Whimbrel
162. Grey-headed Gull
163. Royal Tern
164. Spur-winged Plover
165. Northern Crombec
166. Fine-spotted Woodpecker
167. Wire-tailed Swallow
168. African Harrier Hawk
169. Piapiac
170. Western Olivaceous Warbler
171. Brubru
172. Copper Sunbird
173. Blue-bellied Roller
174. Cardinal Woodpecker
175. Green Turaco
176. Northern Puffback
177. Red-shouldered Cuckoo-shrike
A memorable day's birding with 44 life birds, giving my two sons and I a taster of what was to come in the days ahead.

[MKBirder]

Thursday 5th April
From Footsteps to Lamin Lodge and rice fields, then Abuko Nature Reserve
178. Stone Partridge - a few on the track as we left at dawn
179. Lizard Buzzard
180. Double-spurred Francolin - several in roadside gardens early on
181. White-faced Whistling Duck - approx. 12 over at Lamin
182. African Mourning Dove
183. Gull-billed Tern
184. Sandwich Tern
185. Common Sandpiper
186. Great White Egret
187. Yellow-billed Kite
188. Grey Kestrel
189. Yellow-throated Leaflove
190. Hammerkop
191. Northern Red Bishop
192. African Paradise Flycatcher
193. Speckled Pigeon
194. Purple Glossy Starling
195. Shikra
196. Blue-cheeked Bee-eater - 1 hawking around the mangroves
197. Western Reef Egret
198. Pied Kingfisher - sev. at Abuko
199. Squacco Heron
200. Intermediate Egret
201. Purple Heron
202. African Jacana
203. Black-crowned Night Heron
204. Black-necked Weaver
205. Common Wattle-eye
206. Collared Sunbird
207. Black Kite
208. Vitelline Masked Weaver

Footsteps
209. Violet Turaco -3 together
210. Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird
211. Namaqua Dove
212. Western Violet-backed Sunbird
213. Black-headed Lapwing
214. White-billed Buffalo Weaver

[MKBirder]

Friday 6th April.
Brufut Woods
215. Bearded Barbet
216. Red-bellied Flycatcher
217. Violet-backed Starling
218. Klaas's Cuckoo
219. Mottled Spinetail
220. Northern White-faced Owl at roost
221. Sulphur-breasted Bush Shrike
222. Long-tailed Nightjar the guides quickly located 3 at roost
223. Senegal Batis
224. Verraux's Eagle Owl 2 at roost
225. Red-winged Warbler
226. Veillot's Barbet

Bijol Island and Tanji Reserve
227. Barn Swallow
228. Long-tailed Cormorant
229. Little Tern
230. Grey Plover
231. Marsh Sandpiper
232. Sanderling
233. Bar-tailed Godwit
234. Slender-billed Gull
235. Pink-backed Pelican
236. Greenshank

Footsteps Eco Lodge
237. Tawny Eagle
238. Grey Woodpecker
239. African Spoonbill

[MKBirder]

Saturday 7th April
Marakissa River Camp and surrounding area
240. Striated Heron
241. Black Crake
242. White-crowned Robin-chat
243. Painted Snipe
244. Sacred Ibis
245. Giant Kingfisher
246. Black-winged Stilt
247. Spur-winged Goose
248. Woodland Kingfisher
249. Wood Sandpiper - several by ponds in the area
250. Common Cuckoo - 1 female over and then perching conspicuously
251. Long-crested Eagle - obligingly perched at close range
252. Lanner Falcon - likewise
253. African Darter the only one of the week
254. Blue-breasted Kingfisher
255. Senegal Thick-knee - 2 in sandy clearing
256. Sedge Warbler
257. Malachite Kingfisher
258. African Golden Oriole
259. Greater Honeyguide

Sunday 8th April
Footsteps Eco Lodge to the beach
260. Yellow-white-eye
261. African Pygmy Kingfisher
262. Rufous-crowned Roller
263. Crested Lark - 5 together in dunes

Monday 9th April
Tanji Bridge, Kotu Bridge and Creek, Golf Course and Bakau.
264. Oriole Warbler - heard calling and then came into the open
265. Zitting Cisticola
266. Reed Warbler
267. Black Heron - in small creek. Performing the 'umbrella'
268. Little Swift
269. Little Green Bee-eater -around mangroves outside Banjul
270. Striped Kingfisher
271. Black-winged Bishop

Tuesday 10th April
Footsteps Eco Lodge
272. Scarlet-chested Sunbird

The week was everything we had hoped for. Definitely a destination worthy of a return visit, next time venturing up river as well as the coastal zone.

[MKBirder]

273. Western Bluebill - Abuko. One I missed off the list

Friday 20th April
274. House Martin - 1 in Bletchley

[MKBirder]

Sat. 5th May
Aldeburgh, Suffolk
275. Swift

North Warren
276. Wheatear

Sunday 6th May
Minsmere
277. Wryneck -very cooperative, showing well.
278. Bearded Tit

North Warren
279. Egyptian Goose
280. Short-eared Owl - 1 hunting over the reserve
281. Lesser Whitethroat

Monday 7th May
Orford, Suffolk
282. Whitethroat

[MKBirder]

Saturday 26th May
Bletchley
283. Red Kite one slowly circling to add to the 'seen from home' list.

[MKBirder]

Monday 4th June
Minsmere
284. Sand Martin
285. Stone Curlew
286. Knot
287. Glossy Ibis - What a joy to see this long time personal bogey bird

[MKBirder]

Saturday 23rd June
Bletchley
288. Hobby one at rooftop level in town

[MKBirder]

Saturday 25th August
Nr. Pollenca N.E. Mallorca - a family holiday with some birding opportunities.
289. Eleonora's Falcon - 2 on slopes near hotel
290. Booted Eagle

Port de Pollenca
291. Audouin's Gull

Pollenca
292. Spotted Flycatcher

[MKBirder]

Sunday 26th Aug.
Pollenca
293. Firecrest
294. Serin
295. Red-legged Partridge
296. Woodchat Shrike
297. Whinchat
298. Yellow-legged Gull
299. Sardinian Warbler

[MKBirder]

Monday 27th Aug.
Pollenca and Albufereta
300. Hoopoe
301. Crag Martin

Tuesday 28th Aug.
302. Kentish Plover
303. Pallid Swift
304. Raven

[MKBirder]

Thursday 30th Aug.
Boquer Valley
305 Blue Rock Thrush

[MKBirder]

Friday 31st Aug.
Albufera National Park
306. Purple Swamp-hen
307. Ruff
308. Little Bittern
309. Red-knobbed Coot

[MKBirder]

Saturday 27th Oct.
Glasson Dock, nr. Lancaster
310. Golden Plover
311. Kingfisher

Stodday sewage farm
312. Grey Wagtail

Near Stodday
313. Grey Partridge

Aldcliffe
314. Lesser Yellowlegs
315. Redpoll