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Trystan’s 2018 world list (1 Viewer)

Trystan

Well-known member
After a very intense effort to build a big UK list last year, this year I am focusing on lifers, UK lifers and Yorkshire lifers. I hope to reach 300 for Yorkshire this time around, 7 birds required to do this.

I will revert to the numbering system I used for my first list on here back in 2011 where the main number represents the world tally and numbers in brackets after this are for keeping count of country lists for the UK and anywhere else I happen to travel this year.

1/1/18

With no big targets available on the 1st, a bit of garden birding followed by a pleasant walk around Swillington Ings with a few good birds available and a chance of a decent day list. In the end, I managed 62 species for the day.

The garden

1. Magpie
2. Robin
3. Blackbird
4. Great tit
5. Carrion crow
6. Woodpigeon
7. Blue tit
8. Jackdaw
9. Dunnock
10. Wren
11. Feral pigeon

En route

12. Song thrush
13. Black headed gull
14. Rook
15. Jay

Swillington Ings

16. Long tailed tit
17. Canada goose
18. Mute swan
19. Moorhen
20. Mallard
21. Greenfinch
22. Starling
23. Teal
24. Gadwall
25. Tufted duck
26. Long eared owl - at least 2 in the usual roosting spot
27. Grey heron
28. Grey wagtail
29. Bullfinch
30. Goldfinch
31. Collared dove
32. Pied wagtail
33. Chaffinch
34. Meadow pipit
35. Water pipit - Only found one on the filterbeds
36. Goosander
37. Coot
38. Red kite
39. Siskin
40. Redpoll (Lesser)
41. Great spotted woodpecker
42. Great black backed gull
43. Herring gull
44. Willow tit
45. Great crested grebe
46. Cormorant
47. Goldeneye
48. Wigeon
49. Greylag goose
50. Reed bunting
51. Marsh tit
52. Kingfisher
53. Common gull
54. Pintail
55. Shelduck
56. Great white egret - hadn’t even known this bird was on the reserve until I arrived so a very nice bonus.
57. Pochard
58. Little grebe
59. Stonechat
60. Lapwing
61. Shoveler
62. Kestrel
 
Currently on a non-birding break in NYC but adding a few birds as time and opportunity allow.

6/1/18

Central Park

--. (1.) Starling
--. (2.) Feral pigeon
63. (3.) House sparrow
64. (4.) White throated sparrow
65. (5.) American crow
66. (6.) Cardinal
67. (7.) Blue jay
68. (8.) American robin
-. (9.) Canada goose
69. (10.) Mourning dove

7/1/18

Day trip to Niagara Falls including a border crossing into Canada so resetting the numbers for the handful of birds seen while on the Canadian side of the falls, then resuming the USA tally.

Canadian Niagara Falls

-. (1.) Starling
-. (2.) American crow
70. (3.) AMERICAN HERRING GULL - (IOC only)
-. (4.) House sparrow
-. (5.) Feral pigeon
-. (6.) American robin
-. (7.) Goosander
-. (8.) Canada goose
-. (9.) Mallard
71. (10.) Red breasted merganser
-. (11.) Great black backed gull

Back over to the US side of the Falls which were mostly frozen!

-. (11.) Mallard
72. (12.) BLACK CAPPED CHICKADEE
-. (13.) American herring gull
-. (14.) Red breasted merganser
73. (15.) AMERICAN BLACK DUCK
-. Great black backed gull
74. (16.) Hooded merganser - An upgrade from last year’s very plastic tick
-. (17.) Goldeneye
75. (18.) Downy woodpecker
76. (19.) Red tailed hawk
 
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8/1/18

A decent walk in Central Park this morning along with a couple of unexpected additions at Madison square park later on. Nice to meet a few fellow birders out in the park today, they couldn’t have been more helpful, including finding a rusty blackbird which has been wintering in the park.

77. (20.) Common grackle
78. (21.) Tufted titmouse
79. (22.) DARK EYED JUNCO
80. (23.) HOUSE FINCH
81. (24.) American goldfinch
82. (25.) FOX SPARROW
83. (26.) WHITE BREASTED NUTHATCH
84. (27.) Red bellied woodpecker
85. (28.) RUSTY BLACKBIRD
-. (29.) Shoveler
-. (30.) Gadwall
86. (31.) Ring necked duck
87. (32.) Ruddy duck
88. (33.) WOOD DUCK
89. (34.) Ring billed gull

90. (35.) Northern mockingbird
91. (36.) American kestrel
 
9/1/18

Have been able to get about an hour in the park each morning. Today, only a couple of additions here.

-. (37.) Pintail
92. (38.) Cooper’s hawk

Over to look at Liberty Island next where there were several nice species.
93. (39.) Scaup
94. (40.) BUFFLEHEAD
95. (41.) Brent goose (Pale bellied)
96. (42.) (Hudsonian) Dunlin
97. (43.) Double crested cormorant

10/1/18

Final morning around the park. Temperature rising and more ducks on the reservoir.

98. (44.) American coot
99. (45.) GOLDEN CROWNED KINGLET
100. (46.) BROWN CREEPER
 
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11/1/18

With all the tourist things wrapped up, and having still not had our bags due to the carnage at JFK - truly the worst airport I've ever experienced, we headed out on the underground and overshot the airport for a walk round Jamaica bay wildlife reserve.

I had envisaged a place teeming with wildfowl and particularly wanted to catch up with Snow goose - apparently abundant in the area. Although there were lots of ducks in the channel, mostly Buffleheads and red breasted mergansers, the bay was still completely frozen despite several milder days.

As such, a walk round the west lake focussed entirely on Passerines and no Snow geese were seen at all but my American sparrow list is somewhat improved!

101. (47.) Great blue heron - a single bird viewed by a small patch of unfrozen water as we left the station.
102. (48.) SONG SPARROW - seemingly the most common sparrow here, at least in winter
103. (49.) Yellow rumped warbler
104. (50.) FIELD SPARROW - not supposed to be here at all in winter according to the literature but I has excellent views of two birds together after a bit of Pshing.
105. (51.) Grey catbird
106. (52.) AMERICAN TREE SPARROW - Just one, very skulky.
107. (53.) Boat tailed grackle - a sizeable flock back towards the houses by the station was the last bird of the trip.

14 Lifers from a non-birding city break was way more than I dared hope for. A fantastic trip marred by JFK airport's inability to sort baggage or tell the truth - I thought America had a reputation for customer service but it was not apparent here.
 
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12/1/18

Back home and a couple more year ticks quickly picked up, one on the road and one at the garden feeder.

108. (UK - 63.) Buzzard

109. (64.) Coal tit
 
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14/1/18

Targeting five species today plus whatever else was about. Managed four of them with Waxwings letting the side down.

Whitby

110. (65.) Barn owl
111. (66.) Fulmar
112. (67.) Redshank
113. (68.) Oystercatcher
114. (69.) Purple sandpiper
115. (70.) Skylark
116. (71.) Rock pipit
117. (72.) Desert wheatear - Target 1

En route

118. (73.) Red grouse

Brompton

119. (74.) Goldcrest
120. (75.) Hawfinch - Target 2

En route

121. (76.) Pheasant
---. (77.) House sparrow

Scarborough

122. (78.) Mediterranean gull - Target 3
123. (79.) Turnstone
124. (80.) Green woodpecker
125. (81.) Stock dove

Waxwing dipped

En route

126. (82.) Fieldfare

Fairburn

127. (83.) Little egret
128. (84.) Smew - Target 5
129. (85.) (European) White fronted goose
130. (86.) Pink footed goose

A quick stop for partridges on Fleet lane at Swillington turned up only:

131. (87.) Mistle thrush
 
21/1/18

Time only for a half day birding this weekend so just tried to catch up on a few easier species missing from the year list plus another shot at waxwing, this time on an estate near Doncaster.

Swillington Ings (Temple Newsam)

132. (88.) Treecreeper
133. (89.) Nuthatch

(Main reserve)

134. (90.) Redwing
135. (91.) Tree sparrow

Sprotbrough

136. (92.) Waxwing

Efforts for local Jacksnipe and Brambling were in vain as the weather deteriorated.
 
28/1/18

Plans to try for black scoter today but a lack of news over the latter part of the week led to a switch to plan b as follows.

Howden reservoir (Derbyshire)

137. (93.) Parrot crossbill
138. (94.) Crossbill

National water sports centre (Notts)

139. (95.) Long tailed duck
140. (96.) Spotted sandpiper

Wroot (Lincs)

141. (97.) Whooper swan
142. (98.) Bewick’s swan

Swillington

143. (99.) Curlew

After the quality birds this morning, the afternoon fizzled our disappointingly.
 
04/2/18

A day in Cleveland produced some but by no means all of the hoped for birds.

A great start to the day, up and out chasing down the Tawny owls having a hooting competition outside the house.

144. (100.) Tawny owl

Hartlepool

145. (101.) Linnet
146. (102.) Glaucous gull
147. (103.) Lapland bunting
148. (104.) Knot
149. (105.) Sanderling
150. (106.) Shag
151. (107.) Eider
152. (108.) Guillemot

Cowpen Bewley

153. (109.) Yellowhammer

Saltholme

154. (110.) Spotted redshank
155. (111.) Golden plover
156. (112.) Black tailed godwit
157. (113.) Snipe

Just down the road from Saltholme

158. (114.) Green sandpiper

Lockwood Beck

---. (115.) Brent goose (Dark bellied)

Tried for the Danby Beacon Snow buntings in the late afternoon but no sign. Not helped by a strange couple sat in their car watching on while the pet dog took itself for a walk all around the car park where they have been seen regularly.
 
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18/2/18

A few busy weeks have limited birding. A wedding reception on Sunday provided a small opportunity for a couple of year ticks.

Burnsall, N. Yorks

159. (116.) Sparrowhawk
160. (117.) Dipper
 
25/2/18

Meeting with some bird forum friends today, planning to cover North Cave, Spurn and Welwick. On the whole, a productive day, although lost too much day trying and failing to connect with the very elusive rosy starling.

North cave

161. (118.) Green winged teal
162. (119.) Ruff

Spurn

163. (120.) Ring ouzel
164. (121.) Ringed plover
—-. (122.) Dunlin
165. (123.) Grey plover

Welwick

166. (124.) Marsh harrier
167. (125.) Merlin
 
04/3/18

A productive day in the dearne valley.

Wombwell ings

168. (126.) Firecrest
169. (127.) Chiffchaff
170. (128.) Barnacle goose
171. (129.) Yellow browed warbler

Old moor

172. (130.) Peregrine

Wombwell Ings

173. (131.) Grey partridge
 
11/3/18

Wasn’t looking promising this morning, a further twitch than I would usually make, then:

Snettisham

174. (132.) Lesser black backed gull
175. (133.) Avocet
176. (134.) SNOWY OWL
177. (135.) Bar tailed godwit
178. (136.) Egyptian goose

Titchwell

179. (137.) Brambling
180. (138.) Common scoter
 
25/3/18

Heard of a potential hen harrier site, so decided to give it a go, but will have to keep it undisclosed due to cretins with guns.

181. (139.) Twite
182. (140.) Hen harrier
183. (141.) Raven
 
31/3/18

Yet another day where the weather interfered with the plans. No black grouse today as couldn’t see more than 5 meters due to thick fog. Things improved at lower altitudes.

Nosterfield

184. (142.) Red legged partridge
185. (143.) Little ringed plover
186. (144.) Slavonian grebe

Swillington

187. (145.) Black necked grebe
 
1/4/18

Swillington

Brief walk before my holiday starts

188. (146.) Sand martin
 
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Back from birding in Cameroon. I must confess this was a pretty ill fated expedition and did not live up to my previous experiences in Africa.

I would put this down to a number of things. Firstly, a lot of highland birding with fewer species available, plus with a group of 6 plus the guide, trying to get onto birds on narrow jungle trails was tough, in addition, the priorities of the group were different with photographers, family gatherers and endemic seekers. I would put myself much more in the latter section.
Unfortunately, the political situation in the country turned out not to be as stable as I had imagined with trouble stirring between Francophone and Anglophone and a very strong military presence on the roads away from the coastal areas.

Upon arrival we found that we would not be able to visit Korup due to this situation and rearranged to spend more time on Mt. Cameroon and have a go at the Francolin, however, we were then affected by an early rain season and forced back down the mountain on a fruitless second day by a heavy and prolonged storm. Later in the trip, trouble occured in the Kupe area with some kind of militant gang taking refuge in the National park and this denied us a chance of the endemics in this area too with the itinerary adjusted yet again.

A further issue was the distance between lodgings and the target areas for birding, with military check points regularly along the roads, constantly having to present passports, no night driving, and at one point having our passports taken and forced to a military base causing such a delay as to not be able to make it to our intended hotel and losing another half day of birding.

Nonetheless, we ploughed on and came away with over 200 species as follows.

2/4/18

Douala

189. (001.) Yellow billed kite
190. (002.) Little swift
191. (003.) Cattle egret
192. (004.) Common bulbul
193. (005.) Pied crow
194. (006.) African thrush

3/4/18

Douala

195. (007.) Village weaver
196. (008.) Lesser striped swallow
197. (009.) African palm swift
198. (010.) Red eyed dove
199. (011.) Woodland kingfisher
200. (012.) Bronze manikin
---. (013.) Feral pigeon

Pond south of Douala

201. (014.) African pied hornbill
202. (015.) Piping hornbill
203. (016.) Hartlaub's duck (Main target for the group in this area)
---. (017.) Moorhen
204. (018.) Striated heron
205. (019.) African pygmy goose
206. (020.) African darter
207. (021.) White faced whistling duck

En route to Sanaga river

208. (022.) Rufous chested swallow
209. (023.) Hooded vulture
210. (024.) Grey headed sparrow
211. (025.) Veilliot's weaver
212. (026.) Splendid glossy starling

Sanaga river

213. (027.) Black bee-eater
214. (028.) Senegal coucal
215. (029.) White headed lapwing
216. (030.) Pied kingfisher
217. (031.) AFRICAN SKIMMER
218. (032.) GREY PRATINCOLE - first couple of lifers of the trip much to my relief
219. (033.) White bibbed swallow
220. (034.) Pin tailed wydah
221. (035.) CHATTERING CISTICOLA
222. (036.) Little bee-eater
223. (037.) White throated bee-eater
224. (038.) Yellow wagtail (Blue headed)
225. (039.) RUFOUS VENTED PARADISE FLYCATCHER
226. (040.) African pygmy kingfisher

Nyong river

227. (041.) Preuss' cliff swallow
228. (042.) Rock pratincole
229. (043.) Lizard buzzard
230. (044.) African grey parrot
231. (045.) African harrier hawk
232. (046.) Palm nut vulture

Kribi

---. (047.) Kestrel
---. (048.) Little egret
233. (049.) Common sandpiper
234. (050.) Long tailed cormorant
235. (051.) Malachite kingfisher
236. (052.) Ethiopian swallow
237. (053.) Common wattle-eye

Then held up at one of the checkpoints by some guard who apparently wanted a bribe for us to continue. When he wasn't offered one, we were left waiting at the roadside for about 30 minutes.

Species removed - retrospective reidentification
239. (055.) Orange cheeked waxbill
240. (056.) Blue spotted wood dove

Campo area

241. (057.) FOREST SWALLOW
242. (058.) WHITE THIGHED HORNBILL
 
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4/4/18

Campo Ma'an NP

243. (059.) Golden greenbul
244. (060.) African green pigeon
245. (061.) SPOTTED GREENBUL
246. (062.) Black casqued hornbill
247. (063.) Great blue turaco
248. (064.) CASSIN'S MALIMBE
249. (065.) PURPLE HEADED GLOSSY STARLING
250. (066.) Tiny sunbird
251. (067.) Yellow throated tinkerbird
252. (068.) Grey crowned nigrita
253. (069.) Speckled tinkerbird
254. (070.) Slender billed greenbul
255. (071.) Hairy breasted barbet
256. (072.) Yellow spotted barbet
257. (073.) Collared sunbird
258. (074.) Blue throated brown sunbird
259. (075.) Red billed dwarf hornbill
260. (076.) Olive sunbird
261. (077.) Velvet mantled drongo
262. (078.) Blue headed wood dove
263. (079.) Red bellied paradise flycatcher
264. (080.) Tit hylia
265. (081.) Little greenbul
266. (082.) GREY NECKED PICATHARTES - Completing the set
 
5/4/18

Campo Ma'an NP

267. (083.) VIOLET TAILED SUNBIRD
268. (084.) Swamp palm bulbul
269. (085.) YELLOW BILLED BARBET
270. (086.) Chocolate backed kingfisher
271. (087.) YELLOW LORED BRISTLEBILL
272. (088.) SJOSTEDT'S HONEYGUIDE GREENBUL
273. (089.) Red tailed greenbul
274. (090.) Chestnut breasted nigrita
275. (091.) Johanna's sunbird
276. (092.) Superb sunbird

Kribi

---. (093.) Grey heron

Ponds near Douala

277. (094.) African jacana

Douala

278. (095.) Grey woodpecker

6/4/18

Ponds near Douala

279. (096.) Purple heron

Sanaga river

280. (097.) Black and white manikin
281. (098.) Barn swallow
---. (099.) Great white egret
282. (100.) Little stint
283. (101.) WHITE FRONTED PLOVER
284. (102.) SLENDER BILLED WEAVER
285. (103.) Orange weaver
286. (104.) African pied wagtail
287. (105.) Senegal thick-knee
288. (106.) Reichenbach's sunbird
289. (107.) Olive bellied sunbird
290. (108.) Grey backed cameroptera
291. (109.) Common swift
292. (110.) Cardinal woodpecker
 

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