[Calonectris]

I decided to keep a year list this year and see how far I would get. I'm aiming at 150 species (how modest) but that could be a lot more if I decide to go abroad after all this year (nothing planned as of now). Let's hope it goes well.

1st January:

All three seen when turning for the night (morning?) at 6 in the morning (still dark). The Great Tit was a bit of a surprise.

1. (Eurasian or Common) Blackbird - Turdus merula - Merel
2. European Robin - Erithacus rubecula - Roodborst
3. Great Tit - Parus major - Koolmees

Later that day the following:

4. Common Wood Pigeon - Columba palumbus - Houtduif
5. Common Magpie - Pica pica - Ekster
6. Western Jackdaw -Corvus monedula - Kauw
7. Carrion Crow - Corvus corone - Zwarte Kraai
8. (European) Herring Gull - Larus argentatus - Zilvermeeuw
9. Blue Tit - Cyanistes (Parus) caeruleus - Pimpelmees
10. Dunnock - Prunella modularis - Heggenmus
11. Stock Pigeon - Columba oenas - Holenduif
12. Black-headed Gull - Larus ridibundus - Kokmeeuw
13. Common Starling - Sturnus vulgaris - Spreeuw
14. Common Buzzard - Buteo buteo - Buizerd
15. Winter wren - Troglodytes troglodytes - Winterkoning

2nd Janaury

A trip to Zeeland (southwestern province of Holland) for a winter tour looking for geese, divers and ducks. The order in which they're given here is not necessarily the order in which I saw them. The total should be accurate though. Highlights of the day in bold.

16. Common Kestrel - Falco tinnunculus - Torenvalk
17. Eurasian Collared-Dove -Streptopelia decaocto - Turkse Tortel
18. Eurasian Curlew - Numenius arquata - Wulp
19. Greater White-fronted Goose - Anser albifrons - Kolgans
20. Song Thrush - Turdus philomelos - Zanglijster
21. Barnacle Goose - Branta leucopsis - Brandgans
22. Common Pheasant - Phasianus colchicus - Fazant
23. Common Shelduck - Tadorna tadorna - Bergeend
24. Mallard - Anas platyrhynchos - Wilde Eend
25. Tufted Duck - Aythya fuligula - Kuifeend
26. Eurasian Wigeon - Mareca (Anas) penelope - Smient
27. Common Moorhen - Gallinula chloropus - Waterhoen
28. Eurasian Coot - Fulica atra - Meerkoet
29. Little Egret - Egretta garzetta - Kleine Zilverreiger
30. Eurasian Oystercatcher - Haematopus ostralegus - Scholekster
31. Northern Lapwing - Vanellus vanellus - Kievit
32. Great Cormorant - Phalacrocorax carbo - Aalscholver
33. Grey Heron - Ardea cinerea - Blauwe Reiger
34. Meadow Pipit - Anthus pratensis - Graspieper
35. Greylag Goose - Anser anser - Grauwe Gans
36. Common Teal - Anas crecca - Wintertaling
37. Common (or Mew) Gull - Larus canus - Stormmeeuw
38. European Golden-Plover - Pluvialis apricaria - Goudplevier
39. (Dark-bellied) Brent Goose - Branta bernicla - Rotgans
40. Northern Pintail - Anas acuta - Pijlstaart
41. Spotted Redshank - Tringa erythropus - Zwarte Ruiter
42. Northern Shoveler - Anas clypeata - Slobeend
43. Smew - Mergellus albellus - Nonnetje
44. Pied Avocet - Recurvirostra avosetta - Kluut
45. Common Redshank - Tringa totanus - Tureluur
46. Little Grebe - Tachybaptus ruficollis - Dodaars
47. Common Pochard - Aythya ferina - Tafeleend
48. Great Crested Grebe - Podiceps cristatus - Fuut
49. Bar-tailed Godwit - Limosa lapponica - Rosse Grutto
50. Dunlin - Calidris alpina - Bonte Strandloper
51. Common Goldeneye - Bucephala clangula - Brilduiker
52. Red-breasted Merganser - Mergus serrator - Middelste Zaagbek
53. Ruddy Turnstone - Arenaria interpres - Steenloper
54. Black Brant - Branta nigricans - Zwarte Rotgans (also a lifer)
55. Greater Black-backed Gull - Larus marinus - Grote Mantelmeeuw
56. Red-throated Loon - Gavia stellata - Roodkeelduiker
57. Horned Grebe - Podiceps auritus - Kuifduiker
58. Common Eider - Somateria mollisima - Eider
59. Long-tailed Duck - Clangula hyemalis - IJseend
60. Common Murre (or Guillemot) - Uria aalge - Zeekoet
61. Leach's Storm-Petrel - Oceanodroma leucorhoa - Vaal Stormvogeltje
62. Great Northern Loon - Gavia arctica - IJsduiker
63. Green Woodpecker -Picus viridis - Groene Specht

Not a bad day (1 lifer!) but still dipped a few: there were two Dovekies at the location of the Great Northern Loon and at several places there were Red-necked Grebe and Shags.

[Calonectris]

6th January

64. Long-tailed Tit - Aegithalos caudatus - Staartmees

A small group in the garden.

[Calonectris]

9th January

A short forest walk added the following:

65. Goldcrest - Regulus regulus - Goudhaan
66. Eurasian Jay - Garrulus glandarius - Gaai
67. Chaffinch - Fringilla coelebs - Vink
68. Wood Nuthatch - Sitta europaea - Boomklever

11th January

69. Crested Tit - Lophophanes (Parus) cristatus - Kuifmees

[Calonectris]

A few additions over the last weeks

70. House Sparrow - Passer domesticus - Huismus
71. Tawny Owl - Strix aluco - Bosuil
72. Coal tit - Periparus (or Parus) ater - Zwarte Mees
73. Great Spotted Woodpecker - Dendrocopos major - Grote Bonte Specht

Went to Hautes Fagnes (East-Belgium) last weekend:

3rd February

74. Marsh Tit - Poecile (or Parus) palustris - Glanskop
75. Mistle Thrush - Turdus viscivorus - Grote Lijster
76. Fieldfare - Turdus pilaris - Kramsvogel
77. Red Crossbill - Loxia curvirostra - Kruisbek
78. (Eurasian) Siskin - Carduelis spinus - Sijs

4th February

79. Reed Bunting - Emberiza schoeniclus - Rietgors

5th February

On the grassfield in front of the house:

80. Brambling - Fringilla montifringilla - Keep

[Calonectris]

6th February

in the garden:

81. Greenfinch - Chloris (or Carduelis) chloris - Groenling

[Calonectris]

11th February

A short afternoon's drive yielded the following:

82. Rook - Corvus frugilegus - Roek
83. Bewick's Swan - Cygnus bewickii - Kleine Zwaan
84. Whooper Swan - Cygnus cygnus - Wilde Zwaan
85. Mute Swan - Cygnus olor - Knobbelzwaan
86. Green Sandpiper - Tringa ochropus - Witgat

[Calonectris]

17th February

Another day in Zeeland and I added the following:

87. Common Ringed Plover - Charadrius hiaticula - Bontbekplevier
88. Eurasian Skylark - Alauda arvensis - Veldleeuwerik
89. Black-tailed Godwit - Limosa limosa - Grutto
90. White Wagtail - Motacilla alba - Witte Kwikstaart
91. Rock Pipit - Anthus petrosus - Oeverpieper
92. Pale-bellied Brent Goose - Branta hrota - Witbuikrotgans
93. Purple Sandpiper - Calidris maritima - Paarse Strandloper
94. Kentish Plover - Charadrius alexandrinus - Strandplevier
95. Sanderling - Calidris alba - Drieteenstrandloper
96. Red Knot - Calidris canutus - Kanoet
97. Red-necked Grebe - Podiceps grisegena - Roodhalsfuut
98. Black Scoter - Melanitta nigra - Zwarte Zee-eend

[Calonectris]

I started going to work by bike and over the last few weeks I added the following:

8th March

99. Water Rail - Rallus aquaticus - Waterral
100. Common Chiffchaff - Phylloscopus collybita - Tjiftjaf

12th March

101. Black Redstart - Phoenicurus ochrurus - Zwarte Roodstaart

14th March

102. Mediterranean Gull - Larus melanocephalus - Zwartkopmeeuw
103. (Eurasian) Sparrowhawk - Accipiter nisus - Sperwer

20th March

104. Redwing - Turdus iliacus - Koperwiek

[Calonectris]

25th March

A tour around Mechelen yielded the following:

105. Gadwall - Mareca (or Anas) strepera - Krakeend
106. Common Kingfisher - Alcedo atthis - IJsvogel
107. European Goldfinch - Carduelis carduelis - Putter
108. Eurasian Bullfinch - Pyrrhula pyrrhula - Goudvink
109. Middle Spotted Woodpecker - Dendrocopos medius - Middelste Bonte Specht

[Calonectris]

Back to work on bike:

28th March

110. Common Linnet - Carduelis cannabina - Kneu

4th April

111. Bluethroat - Luscina svevica - Blauwborst
112. (Western) Marsh Harrier - Circus aeruginosus - Bruine Kiekendief
113. Little Ringed Plover - Charadrius dubius - Kleine Plevier

[Calonectris]

9th April

A trip to Bertembos (vicinity of Leuven) added the following:

114. Black Woodpecker - Dryocopus martius - Zwarte Specht
115. Hawfinch - Coccothraustes coccothraustes - Appelvink
116. Blackcap - Sylvia melanocephala - Zwartkop
117. Firecrest - Regulus ignicapillus - Vuurgoudhaan
118. Yellowhammer - Emberiza citrinella - Geelgors
119. Barn Swallow - Hirundo rustica - Boerenzwaluw

[Calonectris]

Back to work by bike:

11th April

120. Willow Warbler - Phylloscopus trochilus - Fitis

13th April

121. Sedge Warbler - Acrocephalus schoenobaenus - Rietzanger

[Calonectris]

15th April

In the weekend I added:

122. Sand Martin - Riparia riparia - Oeverzwaluw

[Calonectris]

Lots of arrivals this week apparantly. Thank god for the splendid weather, although four weeks without rain is a bit too much maybe.

23rd April

123. Common Whitehroat - Sylvia communis - Grasmus
124. Eurasian Reed-Warbler - Acrocephalus scirpaceus - Kleine Karekiet

24th April

125. Common Grasshopper-Warbler - Locustella naevia - Sprinkhaanzanger

25th April

126. Common Swift - Apus apus - Gierzwaluw

26th April

127. Garden Warbler - Sylvia borin - Tuinfluiter

27th April

128. (European) Stonechat - Saxicola rubicola - Roodborsttapuit

[Calonectris]

29th April

A day's migration count at Mechels Broek added the following:

129. Common Nightingale - Luscinia megarhynchos - Nachtegaal
130. Wood Sandpiper - Tringa glareola - Bosruiter
131. Common Cuckoo - Cuculus canorus - Koekoek
132. Tree Pipit - Anthus trivialis - Boompieper
133. Black Tern - Chlidonias niger - Zwarte Stern
134. White stork - Ciconia ciconia - Ooievaar
135. Black Kite - Milvus migrans - Zwarte Wouw
136. Lesser Black-backed Gull - Larus graellsii - Kleine Mantelmeeuw

[Calonectris]

1st May

136. Pied Flycatcher - Ficedula hypoleuca - Bonte Vliegenvanger

[Calonectris]

Over the last weeks I dadded the following

7th May

137. Blue-headed (or Yellow) Wagtail - Motacilla flava - Gele Kwikstaart

8th May

138. (Eurasian) Hobby - Falco subbuteo -Boomvalk

9th May

139. Common Tern - Sterna hirundo - Visdief

11th May

140. Northern Wheatear - Oenanthe oenanthe - Tapuit

16th May

141. (Northern) House Martin - Delichon urbicum - Huiszwaluw

18th May

142. Grey Wagtail - Motacilla cinerea - Grote Gele Kwikstaart
143. Marsh Warbler - Acrocephals palustris - Bosrietzanger

21st May

144. Little Gull - Larus minutus - Dwergmeeuw

23rd May

145. Common sandpiper - Actitis hypoleucos - Oeverloper