2 Weeks to go - what is missing from your year list? And what did you add? (1 Viewer)

A

Andy1979

Well-known member

• Dec 16, 2011

• #1

With two weeks to go (tomorrow), I wondered if many folk have glaring holes in their year list which could still be achieved, or even holes which really should have been filled, but weren't... Do we birders engage in a last minute rush to mop up, or just rest on the new additions over the year? Also, what was added to your life lists?

I still need both the winter Swans and most of the winter Geese, Water Rail, Jack Snipe, Woodcock and Firecrest (achievable) and completely missed Wood Warbler, Pom Skua, Balearic Shearwater to name a few.

I added Slatey-backed Gull (hopefully), Issy Shrike, Pallid Harrier, Hoopoe, Collard Prat, Stilt Sand and Crane (i know, but I don't really travel outside Kent).

Andy.

 

Adam W

Well-known member

• Dec 16, 2011

• #2

Had by far my best year ever beating my previous best by 30 odd and adding over 20 lifers, the main ones ive missed that i'd have expected are Garganey and Yellow Browed Warbler but i wont get those now. Bittern and Water Pipit are also missing andi could still catch up with but having only seen both of them once before i wont get my hopes up too much.

 

D

devon.birder

Well-known member

• Dec 16, 2011

• #3

Birds I haven't seen this year for the first time in many years are Iceland Gull, Hawfinch, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker and Long-eared Owl. I have also some how managed not to see Treecreeper in Devon this year. Roger

 

B

birding maniac

Michael M

• Dec 16, 2011

• #4

Theres some big holes on my list- Dipper, Little Owl, Pom Skua, Balearic Shearwater and a few others. Dipper is probably the most likely I can get now, adn its been a real bogey bird this year.
Ive added a fair few species this year- Black Scoter, White Throated Robin, Surf Scoter, Corn Crake, Leaches Petrel, Isabelline (Daurian) Shrike, Desert Wheatear and Greater Yellowlegs. Its been a brilliant year, but Im already looking forward to and planning 20121

 

Archie Opteryx

Well-known member

• Dec 16, 2011

• #5

Pintail, but I'm sure that it must be some kind of administrative error!

 

Adam W

Well-known member

• Dec 16, 2011

• #6

birding maniac said:

but Im already looking forward to and planning 20121

Click to expand...

Now that is forward planning

 

Enji

Well-known member

• Dec 16, 2011

• #7

Had a really good year with (so far) 253 species seen in Sweden, 20 of them lifers...

However, managed to miss things like Ring Ouzel, Red-throated Pipit, River Warbler, Savi's Warbler, Bearded Tit, Nutcracker and Long-eared Owl... the latter is a bit embarrassing. Usually I see several of them and have trouble with Short-eared Owl, this year it's been the opposite. Oh well.

 

A

Alcina

Melkorendil

• Dec 31, 2011

• #8

I've had my best year ever, passing my previous best by 13 species, and ending on 257. I've been dreaming of beating 250 for over 10 years, so I'm well chuffed.

Embarrassing holes in my list. Well, there's the Never Spotted Woodpecker, but then that's a hole every year, practically. I think I've seen then twice in 24 years of listing. Then there'e the Gropper. And the most annoying of all, the Ring Ouzel. Looked for them in Scotland (sick of the sight of Findhorn Valley, layby 151 and Cairngorm at 6am, even went back for a return try, and it's some drive from Sheffield!), looked for them in Wales, missed them on the coast at migration. No ****** Ring Ouzels.

ON the plus side, I have seen several birds I REALLY should have seen long ago, particularly Dartford Warbler, Nightjar and Caper, and Surf Scoter was quite a relief too.

 

Andy Hurley

Gotta love nature!

Opus Editor

Supporter

• Jan 5, 2012

• #9

I had my first complete year birding, having started in May 2010, in Mey Caithness, Scotland and photographed 211 species with 110 new species and 10 new subspecies. My total is now 285 with 15 ssps. Looking ahead, I am heading to Florida in 10 days time, so hopefully I'll get to see plenty of new species there, (hoping for 100 new). Last year my highlights were Mallorca (37 new) and Newfoundland (33 new). Unfortunately my sigma 150 - 500mm lens choose day 2 of Mallorca to stop working and I had to manage with a 200mm. Newfoundland was fantastic, not just for the birds. Whales, Icebergs, mammals, friendly people (mostly) and great scenery.

Andy

 

Gill Osborne

Well-known member

• Jan 5, 2012

• #10

Glad it wasn't just me who had some glaring omissions from their List :smoke:

Somehow failed to connect with cuckoo, grey wagtail (?) and goldcrest in 2011 |:$| Cam only put it down to not getting out as much as I would have liked :-C Must...no, I WILL...do better in 2012!!!
In fact I was out on New Year's Day after doing my morning shift and Bird No: 14 on the list was Goldcrest! :-O Excellent - one tricky devil nailed!

Lifers in 2011 were...

Hen Harrier ~ 4 January
American Wigeon ~ 29 March
Avocet ~ 10 April
Black Scoter ~ 16 April
Greater Yellowlegs ~ 15 November
Eastern Black Redstart ~ 18 November
Tundra Bean Goose ~ 20 November

Ended the year on 141 :smoke: Not as good as I'd hoped so got to make the effort to get out more this year!

 

Z

Zheljko

Well-known member

• Apr 17, 2012

• #11

Gill Osborne said:

Somehow failed to connect with cuckoo, grey wagtail (?) and goldcrest in 2011

Click to expand...

I managed to miss them in 2012. This will be a very interesting year, list-wise. We had a warm January (no usual winter guests present) and then sudden very cold weather in February when I remained inside (completely surrounded by foot-thick ice). When I finally got out, spring species were already singing and the winter guests were gone (and everyone else has seen and photographed them, judging by the pictures posted on FB). On the other hand, I have seen some species I haven't seen in last three years. I guess I will have to rush around in December to add common winter birds.