Trystan's world list 2019 (1 Viewer)

No definite plans yet this year so no particular targets yet either but with a Yorkshire tick available at South Gare and a good supporting cast in the area it was easy to get the years birding off to a good start:


1.1.19

En route

1. Carrion crow
2. Magpie
3. Herring gull
4. Jackdaw
5. Feral pigeon
6. Mute swan

South Gare

7. Curlew
8. Cormorant
9. Guillemot
10. Shag
11. Eider
12. Black guillemot
13. Common scoter
14. Velvet scoter
15. Black headed gull
16. Starling
17. Reed bunting
18. Goldfinch
19. Bar tailed godwit
20. Oystercatcher
21. Red breasted merganser
22. Redshank
23. Linnet
24. Lapland bunting
25. Snow bunting
26. Pied wagtail
27. Skylark
28. Great black backed gull
29. Twite
30. Red throated diver
31. Pheasant
32. Gannet

Middlesbrough

Disappointing stop as the reported waxwing seem to have departed.

33. Dunnock
34. Great tit
35. Woodpigeon
36. Blue tit
37. Robin
38. Blackbird
39. Mistle thrush
40. Song thrush

Hartlepool headland

No sign of the divers seen earlier in the day here.

41. House sparrow
42. Great crested grebe
43. Turnstone
44. Purple sandpiper
45. Sparrowhawk

Seaton Carew

46. Mediterranean gull
47. Sanderling
48. Ringed plover
49. Rook
50. Tundra bean goose
51. Taiga bean goose
52. Wigeon
53. Moorhen
54. Kestrel

Saltholme

55. Coot
56. Gadwall
57. Common gull
58. Tufted duck
59. Pochard
60. Teal
61. Wren
62. Green winged teal
63. Fieldfare
64. Shoveler
65. Goldeneye
66. Grey heron
67. Pintail
68. Canada goose
69. Greylag goose
70. Shelduck
71. Lapwing
72. Golden plover
73. Barnacle goose
74. Pink footed goose
75. Mallard
76. Greenfinch
77. Tree sparrow
78. Stock dove
79. Goosander
80. Long eared owl
81. Meadow pipit
82. Stonechat
83. Peregrine
84. Little egret

Possibly my highest new year total despite a couple of glaring omissions such as chaffinch and collared dove

2.1.19

Little walk at lunch near work

85. Coal tit

4.1.19

Still around work

86. Bullfinch
87. Redwing

5.1.19

And from the garden

88. Collared dove
89. Chaffinch

6.1.19

Down to Rutland today via Loughborough for the 2nd waxwing dip of the year.

90. Buzzard
91. Great spotted woodpecker
92. Great white egret
93. Smew
94. Slavonian grebe
243. Great northern diver
95. Scaup
96. Red necked grebe
97. Little grebe
98. Red kite
99. Black necked grebe
100. Egyptian goose
101. Long tailed tit
102. Red crested pochard
103. Lesser black backed gull
104. American wigeon
105. Marsh tit
106. Snipe
107. Grey wagtail

Bonus bird: Otter

12.1.19

A day of mixed fortunes today. The original plan was to head to Lincoln for dusky warbler via rufford for hawfinch with the hope of having time for Frampton and a chance of the elusive dowitcher.

Rufford

The hawfinches gave the run around, seen by one person away from the usual spot and present later after we had cut our losses.

Rufford

108. Nuthatch
109. Lesser redpoll
110. Treecreeper
111. Siskin
112. Mandarin duck

A spectacular flock of redpolls seen with siskins amongst. Easily over 100 birds.

Applying the 'no hawfinches after 10am' rule, we followed up on news of a nearby hooded crow.

Bothamsall

113. Hooded crow

Next, across for the warbler when a report of a couple of waxwings at waitrose Lincoln came through.

A very minor detour, upon pulling into the car park and getting out the 2 birds decided to say hello and flew into a tree right above the car.

Lincoln

114. Waxwing

Huttoft bank

On arrival the blustery conditions didn't bode well however a tractor was working the edge of the field back and forth clearing vegetation along the bank. As it moved closer to the area the bird had been seen it flitted out and dived straight back to cover. This repeated a couple of times and then suddenly, the tractor was past and the bird had magically vanished.

115. Whooper swan
116. Yellowhammer
117. Dusky warbler

All in all took too much time and managed a quick flit to Whisby on news of a black throated diver but no joy in fading light.

13.1.19

Short run this morning as I haven't managed to get to Swillington yet this year.

Swillington ings

118. Red legged partridge
119. Water pipit
120. Goldcrest

Fairburn

121. Willow tit

20.1.19

I decided that after 2 failed attempts last year, I had built up enough endurance to risk a 3rd dip for Black scoter in Northumberland.

Fortunately, with bright weather and calm seas for a change, the bird was relatively easy if a little distant. Thanks to the two local birders who tipped me off that it has flown north from Goswick and back to Cocklawburn.

Cocklawburn beach

122. BLACK SCOTER

After this a series of dips on shorelark, long tailed duck and iceland gull soured the mood.

Beadnell bay

123. Dunlin

Fairburn

Despite the no-show gull which had been in the roost every other day this week, consolation came on the way back to the car with 3 fly over woodcock.

124. Woodcock

27.1.19

I knew as soon as I heard the wind howling this morning that there would be no Blyth's reed warbler but I had to try. 3 hours later it was time to move on. Fantastic views of Iceland gull in warrington and a male Hen harrier at Parkgate salvaged the day.

Warrington

125. Iceland gull

Burton mere

126. Black tailed godwit
127. Marsh harrier

Parkgate

128. Hen harrier
129. Raven

After several changes of plan, I finally settled on Jamaica for the dates I had available in February. Planning was a bit rushed and in the end I opted to stay at Green Castle Estate and take a couple of excursions to try and get all the endemics.

I'll do a trip report in the appropriate forum so will keep this section fairly brief.

Flew out of the UK on 2nd of February via Atlanta and arrived after dark in Montego bay.
Barely worth noting but Atlanta airport had:

02.2.19

001. European starling
002. Feral pigeon

I stayed overnight near the airport before being transferred across to the other side of the island the following day.

A little birding in the morning in the surrounding area of Montego bay airport was fairly productive.

03.2.19

130. (001.) LOGGERHEAD KINGBIRD
131. (002.) Northern mockingbird
132. (003.) WHITE CROWNED PIGEON
133. (004.) WHITE CHINNED THRUSH - Endemic 1/28
134. (005.) Greater Antillean Grackle
135. (006.) JAMAICAN WOODPECKER - Endemic 2/28
136. (007.) American redstart
137. (008.) Northern parula
138. (009.) RED BILLED STREAMERTAIL - Endemic 3/28
139. (010.) Antillean palm swift
140. (011.) JAMAICAN EUPHONIA - Endemic 4/28
141. (012.) White winged dove
142. (013.) Cattle egret
143. (014.) Glossy ibis
144. (015.) Zenaida dove
145. (016.) Prairie warbler
146. (017.) American kestrel
147. (018.) Mourning dove
148. (019.) Royal tern
149. (020.) Magnificent frigatebird
150. (021.) Laughing gull
---. (022.) Ruddy turnstone
151. (023.) Common ground dove
152. (024.) Bananaquit
---. (025.) European starling
---. (026.) Great white egret
153. (027.) Snowy egret
154. (028.) Little blue heron
155. (029.) Tricoloured heron
156. (030.) Smooth billed ani
157. (031.) Saffron finch (introduced)
158. (032.) Grey plover
159. (033.) Great blue heron
160. (034.) Willet
161. (035.) Greater yellowlegs
162. (036.) Yellow faced grassquit

Collected to transfer to the hotel about 11am

En route

163. (037.) Brown pelican
164. (038.) Turkey vulture
---. (039.) Feral pigeon

Green Castle Estate

165. (040.) JAMAICAN MANGO - Endemic 5/28
166. (041.) Black and white warbler
167. (042.) RUFOUS TAILED FLYCATCHER - Endemic 6/28
168. (043.) JAMAICAN VIREO - Endemic 7/28
169. (044.) JAMAICAN SPINDALIS - Endemic 8/28
170. (045.) BLACK THROATED BLUE WARBLER
171. (046.) American coot
172. (047.) Least grebe
173. (048.) Green heron
174. (049.) Spotted sandpiper
175. (050.) Common gallinule
176. (051.) Ruddy duck
177. (052.) JAMAICAN ORIOLE
178. (053.) Ring necked duck
---. (054.) American wigeon
179. (055.) Blue winged teal
180. (056.) SAD FLYCATCHER - Endemic 9/28
181. (057.) VERVAIN HUMMINGBIRD

Out with the excellent guide Dwayne for a night walk. Very happy to get the owl sorted nice and early in the trip.

182. (058.) JAMAICAN OWL - Endemic 10/28
183. (059.) Northern potoo

04.2.19

Still working the grounds on the estate

184. (060.) ORANGEQUIT - Endemic 11/28
185. (061.) JAMAICAN TODY - Endemic 12/28
186. (062.) JAMAICAN LIZARD CUCKOO - Endemic 13/28
187. (063.) CAPE MAY WARBLER
188. (064.) Olive throated parakeet
189. (065.) White collared swift
190. (066.) CARIBBEAN DOVE
191. (067.) Indigo bunting
192. (068.) RUDDY QUAIL DOVE
193. (069.) Pied billed grebe
ssp. CARIBBEAN COOT - looks like IOC have this lumped now due to hybridisation with American coot but seems to me that it is just being out-competed by a more common species and lumping is not consistent with other examples like golden winged x blue winged warbler or even ruddy duck x white headed duck.
194. (070.) Killdeer
195. (071.) Red tailed hawk

05.2.19

Diminishing returns around the grounds

196. (072.) GREATER ANTILLEAN BULLFINCH
197. (073.) Ovenbird
198. (074.) Black faced grassquit
199. (075.) Mangrove cuckoo
200. (076.) YELLOW SHOULDERED GRASSQUIT - Endemic 14/28
201. (077.) Common yellowthroat

06.2.19

Joined up with an other group and once again guided by Dwayne we targeted the endemic birds with great efficiency.

Blue mountains (Hardwar gap area)

202. (078.) CRESTED QUAIL DOVE - Endemic 15/28
203. (079.) RING TAILED PIGEON - Endemic 16/28
204. (080.) CHESTNUT BELLIED CUCKOO - Endemic 17/28
205. (081.) ARROWHEADED WARBLER - Endemic 18/28
206. (082.) WHITE EYED THRUSH - Endemic 19/28
207. (083.) RUFOUS THROATED SOLITAIRE
208. (084.) BLUE MOUNTAIN VIREO - Endemic 20/28
209. (085.) JAMAICAN PEWEE - Endemic 21/28
210. (086.) JAMAICAN ELAENIA - Endemic 22/28
211. (087.) Merlin
212. (088.) JAMAICAN BLACKBIRD - Endemic 23/28
213. (089.) JAMAICAN BECARD - Endemic 24/28
214. (090.) Belted kingfisher

Also had a high flying but unsatisfactory corvid from the moving vehicle which I banked for later should better views not be forthcoming.

Annotto bay

---. (091.) Sanderling
215. (092.) Cabot's tern

07.2.19

Back on the estate

216. (093.) Louisiana water thrush - Not the expected species, got Dwayne to go check it later and confirm only his 2nd sighting of this species on the estate.
217. (094.) Yellow crowned nightheron

08.2.19

Excursion with the group and Dwayne.

John Crow Mountains (Ecclesdown road)

218. (095.) JAMAICAN CROW - Endemic 25/28
219. (096.) Worm eating warbler
220. (097.) BLACK BILLED STREAMERTAIL - Endemic 26/28
221. (098.) YELLOW BILLED AMAZON - Endemic 27/28
222. (099.) BLACK BILLED AMAZON - Endemic 28/28 Phew!

Boston Bay

223. (100.) Cave swallow

Spanish river

224. (101.) Black necked stilt

09.2.19

Green Castle Estate

225. (102.) STOLID FLYCATCHER

10.2.19

Green Castle Estate

226. (103.) AMERICAN BARN OWL

Blue end point

227. (104.) Shiny cowbird
228. (105.) WHITE TAILED TROPICBIRD
---. (106.) Peregrine falcon

Annotto bay

229. (107.) American purple gallinule
230. (108.) Northern jacana
231. (109.) Semipalmated plover
232. (110.) American yellow/mangrove warbler - really not clear on the taxonomy for this one. Seen a mangrove warbler with an orange crown in Mexico, this one looked just like the standard Yellow warbler seen in the USA but is apparently resident here.

Anyway that concludes the trip. A report will follow.

17.2.19

Hope Carr, Leigh


233. (130. UK) Blyth's reed warbler (1st UK) My third attempt to get this elusive critter. It actually showed nicely for a few minutes and was very vocal.

A walk on the local canal failed to produce Jay, still outstanding in 2019 but dipper was present on the river.

Linthwaite

234. (131.) Dipper

24.2.19

A slow start with too much mist for practical birding. No joy with Hawfinch around Clumber and some time before the Great Grey shrike put in an appearance. Had almost given up on it when fortunately somebody managed to find the bird.

This meant we arrived at Frampton later than expected to find the Long billed dowitcher had been flushed by a Peregrine.

Great views of the Peregrine sat eating its lunch we were hoping the lunch was not the dowitcher. Again, reliant on someone elses birding skills but the dowitcher was refound later in the day so all was well.

Clumber park

235. (132.) Jay - Woohoo!
236. (133.) Great grey shrike

Frampton marsh

237. (134.) Brent goose - dark bellied
238. (135.) Ruff
239. (136.) Spotted redshank
---. (137.) Merlin
240. (138.) Long billed dowitcher
241. (139.) Short eared owl
242. (140.) Bewick's swan - 2 adults and 4 juvs in to roost around 5.30pm

03.3.19

Realised that Great northern diver was missing from my Rutland list so slotted it in and the index will jump by one.

Clumber park

3rd time lucky for Hawfinch, managed to stumble upon one sat with a redwing and got a few other birders onto it.

244. (142.) Hawfinch

Stopped in at Old Moor on the way home, didn't have too long but counted 14 brambling at the feeders and a couple of fleeting beardies kept the year list ticking over.

245. (143.) Brambling
246. (144.) Bearded tit

10.3.19

Very eventful day today. Wretched weather throughout, setting off with snow over the pennines, rain most of the morning, the occasional hail shower and high winds building through the day.

Marshside, Southport

The birds still managed to perform with a couple of quick year ticks. Lots of Avocets in and a showy water rail.

247. (145.) Avocet
248. (146.) Water rail

No sign of the spoonbill at this point but brief Merlin and Short eared owl were a bonus. We tried for the white fronted geese which had been reported the previous day and found two geese in a field of whooper swans which refused to sit up, staying quite flat in the wind. We decided to come back to them later and tried a couple of other spots.

249. (147.) White fronted goose

This proved to be a bad mistake as not only did the two geese get confirmed to be the White fronts by other birders, they had gone by the time we returned but not before I had driven down a hideous potholed road to Hesketh out marsh.

We returned to Marshside and this time did manage to get on to the spoonbill but found on return to the car that the potholes had damaged one of the tyres.

250. (148.) Spoonbill

Having only a small car, I had no spare, just a foam filler. I Pumped it up without the foam to see if it would hold and managed to get the car to kwik fit in southport. They said they would get it sorted by closing time at 4 pm so we decided we could get to Daisy Way on foot, where the Cattle egrets I saw last year are still around.

---. (149.) Cattle egret

We then went down to the pier in the hope of some shorebirds but the tide was fully in. Walking out on the pier in the wind was quite an experience nonetheless.

When I retrieved the car I was warned that the front tyre pressure had also been low and it quickly became apparent that this one also had a slow puncture. This time I applied the foam (recommended to go 6 miles) and trundled the 70 miles home on it. A rather expensive day out and it will be a long time before I ever head back to Heskith I think!

17.3.19

With the bad weather set in for the week, and a general lack of reports I wasn't optimistic about the weekend planned to meet up with a couple of other bird forum members. We decided that, as the weather looked relatively tolerable on Sunday, an attempt for Goshawk at Wykeham raptor watch point was worth a shot.

Wykeham raptor watch point

251. (150.) Crossbill
252. (151.) Goshawk

Very distant displaying bird and a bonus flock of about 10 crossbills over too.

A long staying long tailed duck at Filey proved to be either gone, or hiding in the swell, despite connecting with numerous auks, scoters and divers but a chance to pick up rock pipit for the year at least.

Filey

253. (152.) Rock pipit

Next was an attempt for puffin at Bempton, a bit early yet but I have connected in March before. As it turned out, despite the board saying there were a few around, I only managed to see one flying distantly and no-one else in the group got on it.

Bempton

254. (153.) Razorbill
255. (154.) Kittiwake
256. (155.) Puffin

23.3.19

Only just this date. Tawny owl was calling outside the house at around 11.30pm.

Hurriedly threw on some clothes, grabbed the torch and bins and managed to find the owl at the top of the road.

257. (156.) Tawny owl

24.3.19

Spring seems to have sprung. I haven't spent a great deal of time at Swillington this year so put a good session in this morning with conditions worsening in the afternoon as a strong cold wind picked up.

258. (157.) Chiffchaff
259. (158.) Sand martin
260. (159.) Kingfisher
261. (160.) Cetti's warbler

Also of note, my first Red crested pochard on the reserve, the lingering Tundra bean goose and black necked grebe.

31.3.19

Just a local walk today on the moors near Meltham. I thought, worst case scenario, I'd bag red grouse for the year but have had grey partridge in the area, chance of wheatear and ring ouzel and I have about a 20% success rate with little owl here which is better than my 0% success rate at Swillington despite everyone else and his dog seeing them there.

Anyway, it was all very disappointing and all I came away with was my minimum expectation.

262. (161.) Red grouse

6.4.19

A little jaunt down the canal near home found several singing blackcaps.

263. (162.) Blackcap

7.4.19

Budby

Worked very hard here and into Sherwood forest for woodlarks and lesser spotted woodpeckers but no luck.

264. (163.) Green woodpecker
265. (164.) Willow warbler

Tried for shorelark on the way back at Stainton but although seen earlier in the day, there was no sign.

Denaby ings

A bit more luck here with Garganey showing right in front of the first hide.

266. (165.) Garganey

Called in at old moor to find that the 5pm locking policy is being strictly enforced due to local yobs causing problems. No sign of the bittern up to this time. A walk at Wombwell ings, my previously most reliable spot for Grey partridge found the large field being turned inside out, presumably more development.

Over the water, a mixed flock of hirundines brightened the mood at least.

267. (166.) Swallow
268. (167.) House martin