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Ten targets for 2017 (1 Viewer)

December 24th :part I

Finally back in the field. My precious few free days recently have been blighted by foul weather (gale force winds combined with driving rain, and heavy snow) and then I went and shunted someone on icy roads on the morning commute (oh for three more feet of tarmac, would have been fine) which ate up more valuable days. But today, car fixed, weather (relatively) clement and armed with a free pass the North Wales coast was calling. First up was Llanddulas, where on Thursday a very nice gentleman (I know because I met him today) had found an immature Glaucous Gull. It was still there today, in fact it was practically the first bird we saw when we arrived at the right stretch of beach, flying up from the beach and down to the water's edge, and shortly thereafter back up the beach where it alighted. It soon became apparent what the attraction of this particular spot was, as the Gull started to tuck in to a porpoise corpse washed up on the shingle. It was a cracking beast, as Glonks tend to be, and we spent quite a while admiring his table manners before we decamped for Kinmel Bay.
 

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December 24th: part II

And so on to Kinmel Bay, to the beach car park just past Asda, to go look for Snow Buntings. I had hoped to scan for Scoters, with a couple of Surfies having been seen of late between Llanddulas and Pensarn, but with a quick go from Wern Road (where you park for Llanddulas) it soon became apparent that there was way too much chop for such a search to be anything other than an almighty ball-ache, hence the decision to skip it in favour of a Snowb-hunt. There'd been two on the beach at Kinmel recently, but we only found the one. Showed beautifully mind, and nice views of a Skylark as we left too.

Last port of call was Talacre, where we found the nine Greenland White-fronts without any dramas, and what with this bird having started the year as a target species it was nice to add these to the Europeans we saw at Cockerham in January. A hoof about Point of Air looking for waders was unproductive, and I ended up sitting reviewing the day's pics while the boys played.

So that's probably it for this year. Will have to come up with some new targets for 2018, as well as sorting out Woodcock, which remains outstanding from this year's list.
 

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A fine day out to end the year. Merry Christmas James, and to the boys and Anna as well.

Looking forward to seeing your targets for next year. Woodcock can be a tough one if you want it on the deck: I can find you roding birds easily enough.....

Cheers

John
 
A fine day out to end the year. Merry Christmas James, and to the boys and Anna as well.

Cheers, and to you and Maz, and a Merry Christmas to everyone who has been following our 2017 exploits, and a big thank you to those who have provided helpful advice, words of encouragement and tales of their own wildlife seeking adventures with enthusiastic youngsters. 2018 targets will be up soon, once I've figured them out!
 
Thanks guys, glad you've enjoyed. Final notable bird of the year was a female Blackcap visiting the feeder in the garden yesterday while I was at work. It's great that these things are being picked up on without me having to be there!

New targets outlined here http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?p=3660170#post3660170

Been discussing this year's highlights and there is broad agreement that Humpback Whale, Pallid Harrier & Rock Thrush have topped the bill, with honourable mentions going to Sika & Chinese Water Deer, Grasshopper Warbler, Hobby over the garden, Black-winged Stilts, Bee-eaters, Brown Long-eared Bat & Red Squirrel. It's been fun!
 
A great thread James. Daniel and I had a bunting hunting farce just after Christmas. Dipped on snow bunting at Outhead near St Andrews - the first dog walker must have preceded us, followed by dipping lapland bunting at Wormiston. We did year tick corn bunting there, saw a few twite and a distant merlin chasing a small passerine - not all bad.

Look forward to your 2018 exploits and will contribute ours.

Rob
 
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