Lazza's 2016 list (1 Viewer)

A couple of rides out to the coast over the last 2-3 weeks keeps the list creeping upwards - not very dramatically - but upwards is upwards!

In mid-November, a ride down from Amble to Cresswell was surprisingly quiet, but as I headed along the farm road from E. Chevington to Druridge Pools, a single

151. Twite

was perched on a fence. A similar route 2 weeks later resulted in a flock of 25-30 of them in the same location, which was nice to see (and hear).

Then this last weekend, I was out to East Chev & Druridge again in the hope of seeing the much-photographed Hen Harrier. Although I failed at this, East Chevington still produced a couple of nice additions, including a new species for my UK list (embarrassingly!):

152. Long-tailed duck
153. Bittern - new for the UK list!

Another surprise addition to the year's UK list:

154. Velvet Scoter

- seen from the headland at North Blyth last weekend, with common scoter and a couple of eider.

Then a couple of days in Finland this week. No new species for the year, but 7 new species, of which four are new for my lifetime Finland list:

At Seurasaari, a small lake island just west of Helsinki city centre:

55. Bullfinch - new for Finland
56. Siskin - new for Finland
57. Coal tit - new for Finland
58. Great spotted woodpecker
59. Willow tit - new for Finland
60. Goldcrest

Then, on a tree in Helsinki, some lingering

61. Redwing