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What's the commonest UK bird you've not seen (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter markgrubb
- Start date
Helenelizabeth2
What?!?
Until recently I suppose it would have been Tawny Owl. Now that I've debogeyed that one I think Ptarmigan (B3) is the nearest candidate. After that, probably Dotterel and Quail.
dan pointon
Can't Stop
Mine would be Icterine Warbler, apparently P4, though to be honest those Collins ratings aren't the best. In real terms it's Parrot Crossbill, the only of the regular British breeding sp i'm yet to encounter.
Helenelizabeth2
What?!?
I bet this thread will turn into a competition about whose commonest not-seen bird is the rarest.
Capercaillie71
Well-known member
Little owl and Willow tit.
Helenelizabeth2
What?!?
* points and laughs |=)|
matt green
Norfolkman gone walkabout
Crossbill ..ashamed to say
Also those pesky ..yet very common Y-Brows
Matt
Also those pesky ..yet very common
Y-BrowsMatt
Capercaillie71
Well-known member
Tawny owl? Ha ha ha! They are so easy to see. At least I live hundreds of miles north of the nearest Little owls and Willow tits. And anyway, I might have seen a Willow tit, I just can't be sure.
halftwo
Wird Batcher
Eeuw!! Imagining debogeying a Tawny owl!
Funny you should mention Dotterel HE2: was trying to get to sleep last night (not very successfully) thinking happy thoughts, remembered finding my first Dotterel on Kinder Scout in 1970 (ish) - passage bird - I was but a lad...
PS What's the Roozl-Collins Bird Guide Ratings please?!
Or even Roolz-Collins!
Last edited:
abagguley
Well-known member
*Bites lip and walks away from thread*
StuartReeves
Local rarity
Balearic Shearwater at P4 or Savi's Warbler at a rather confusing mB5/V**. I have, however, seen Little Owl in Aberdeenshire...
Xenospiza
Distracted
No idea about rarity, but I guess these shouldn't be that hard:
Bewick's Swan, Greater White-fronted Goose (I have seen Greenland WF), Willow Tit, Pied Flycatcher, Common Crossbill (I have seen Scottish), Marsh Harrier, Manx Shearwater.
Locally, I should have seen Grasshopper Warbler and possibly Nightingale (latter not easy in July...).
Commonest bird I haven't seen in the Netherlands must be Puffin (usually requires sea-watching in the north, which I have done only once – and then I missed one flying by!)
Bewick's Swan, Greater White-fronted Goose (I have seen Greenland WF), Willow Tit, Pied Flycatcher, Common Crossbill (I have seen Scottish), Marsh Harrier, Manx Shearwater.
Locally, I should have seen Grasshopper Warbler and possibly Nightingale (latter not easy in July...).
Commonest bird I haven't seen in the Netherlands must be Puffin (usually requires sea-watching in the north, which I have done only once – and then I missed one flying by!)
markgrubb
Leading a life of quiet desperation
Well I'm really pleased that you've managed to er unblock that one
Larry Lade
Moderator
Well I was only in London for several hours on a layover on a trip to Kenya. But I did manage to miss the Great Spotted Woodpecker which should have been (and probably was!) at Barnes WWT.
bitterntwisted
Graham Howard Shortt
Seems to be the following for me:
Cirl Bunting rB4
Scottish Crossbill rB4
Quail mB4
Corncrake mB4-5
I've heard lots of the latter two, the second used to be on my list (I'll try and get it back over the next year or two!) and I've seen loads of the first abroad. The one that actually bothers me is Sabine's Gull P5, because I've never seen one anywhere.
Cirl Bunting rB4
Scottish Crossbill rB4
Quail mB4
Corncrake mB4-5
I've heard lots of the latter two, the second used to be on my list (I'll try and get it back over the next year or two!) and I've seen loads of the first abroad. The one that actually bothers me is Sabine's Gull P5, because I've never seen one anywhere.
