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Griswold's UK Birding Year 2019 (1 Viewer)

ClarkWGriswold

Carpe Carpum
Supporter
Wales
I'm a bit late starting this as I've only just got back from Norfolk. The upside to that was that we had some quality birds.

2018 total - 208

All the first lot are from Norfolk (and 2 from Cambridgeshire)

1. Black headed Gull
2. Jackdaw
3. Rook
4. Carrion Crow
5. Black Throated Diver
6. Shore Lark Lifer #1B :)
7. Snow Bunting
8. Common Scoter
9. Red necked Grebe
10. Black necked Grebe
11. Slavonian Grebe
12. Lesser Black Backed Gull
13. Starling
14. Common Redshank
15. Kestrel
16. Meadow Pipit
17. Feral Pigeon
18. Wood Pigeon
19. Cormorant
20. Pink Footed Goose
21. Brent Goose
22. Greylag Goose
23. Glaucous Gull
24. Ringed Plover
25. Dabchick
26. Grey Plover
27. Shelduck
28. Pied Wagtail
29. Curlew
30. Little Egret
31. Grey Heron
32. Mallard
33. Turnstone
34. Collared Dove
35. Pheasant
36. Red Legged Partridge
37. Greater Black Backed Gull
38. Wren
39. Dunnock
40. Robin
41. Yellowhammer
42. Mistle Thrush
43. Song Thrush
44. Chaffinch
45. Twite
46. Skylark
47. Jay
48. Velvet Scoter
49. Goldeneye
50. Bar-Tailed Godwit
51. Water Pipit
52. Black-Tailed Godwit
53. Dunlin
54. Golden Plover
55. Blue Tit
56. Great Tit
57. Long-tailed Tit
58. Greenfinch
59. Goldfinch
60. Tufted Duck
61. Wigeon
62. Northern Shoveller
63. Pintail
64. Pochard
65. Sparrowhawk
66. Water Rail
67. Marsh Harrier
68. Grey Partridge
69. Common Buzzard
70. Magpie
71. Coot
72. Moorhen
73. Mute Swan
74. Teal
75. Herring Gull
76. Stock Dove
77. Common Gull
78. Gadwall
79. Redwing
80. Oystercatcher
81. Barn Owl
82. Whooper Swan
83. Reed Bunting
84. Canada Goose
85. Bewicks Swan
86. Fieldfare
87. Tree Sparrow
88. Red Kite
89. Rough-Legged Buzzard Lifer #2 B :)B :)
90. Short-Eared Owl
91. Great Crested Grebe
92. Smew
93. White-fronted Goose
94. Taiga Bean Goose Lifer #3 B :)B :)
95. Waxwing
 
Had a great morning at Garwnant today with the pup, Kev and Andy.

After a bit of searching the target bird turned up.

96. Great Grey Shrike

And then some more great birds.

97. Raven
98. Common Crossbill
99. Hen Harrier
100. Peregrine

Called up my parents for lunch and added:
101. Coal Tit
102. Goldcrest

Forgot these from Norfolk.

103. Linnet
104. Egyptian Goose
105. Great Spotted Woodpecker
106. Merlin

Rich
 
Had my sandwiches at Pembrey Harbour today. Added the following:

107. Stonechat
108. Rock Pipit
109. Great Northern Diver
 
Had a few hours in Gloucestershire today with my 8 year old. Caught up with the Hawfinches at Parkend. None came low though. The lack of fieldcraft of some birders is astonishingly low:storm::storm:

Then travelled round to Cannop Ponds and then Slimbridge. This place has a habit of sapping my enthusiasm and today was no exception. Still home now and time for a drop of red. The highlight was how good Max was. Very patient and genuinely interested:t:

113. Hawfinch
114. Treecreeper
115. Barnacle Goose
116. Common Snipe
117. Mandarin
 

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Stayed local with the pup today. Headed back to Parc Slip. A pretty showy Water Rail was around along with:

119. Siberian ChiffChaff Lifer #4B :)B :)

Then over to Kenfig. Good to meet Tom again the hide. A very good young birder and photographer I follow on Twitter. Tom used to have a Viszla so was quite happy to fuss Bud. Added the following:

120. Great White Egret

Then it was back to Neath and a short walk around the 1st Gnoll Pond. Added the following:

121. Goosander
122. Grey Wagtail

Really enjoying reading everyone's lists as always this year.

Rich
 

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Superb few hours with the pup today at Garwnant. On the road over we had amazing views of a male Hen Harrier.

At Garwnant met a couple of decent birders and we were quickly on to the longish staying GGS. Crossbills everywhere as well along with a couple of Kestrels. When walking down through the forest the boy flushed a Woodcock. A bird I really struggle to see most years.

123. Woodcock
124. Greenwoodpecker
 

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So the pup has been under the weather for a few days but was back to his normal self on Saturday. Despite it hammering down he needed his walk. Decided to walk along the Tawe just North of Ynysmeudwy. A lovely walk despite the weather. Added 1 year tick:

125. Dipper

The boy was out for the first time in snow yesterday which didn't seem to phase him. Today we're going to dip on the Zig-Zag Lane Cattle Egrets for the third time:-O
 
Did a good few miles with pup today around Sker Point and Porthcawl. Also turned out to be third time lucky for the Cattle Egrets. Gutted I forgot my memory card as 2 of them were sat up on the posts behind Bud.

126. Cattle Egret
 

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Stopped off at Kidwelly Quay for my sandwiches today. Had a great view of a Common Snipe and added the following:

127. Greenshank
128. ChiffChaff
 
Nice to finally get another year tick today. These are few a far between South Wales so was really pleased that one turned up at Kenfig Pool today:t:

129. Firecrest
 
Had a brilliant day out with the pup and Kev today. On arrival at Cwm Ivy the Swallow had gone missing. Kev and I relocated it a bit further down by the clay :t:pigeon shooting area where it flew over our heads .A Barn Swallow was earliest record for this species.

The it was off to Rhosilli. 6 Chough were in the overflow car park and rafts of Common Scoters were on the sea. Fulmars flew around the cliffs.

Driving back via Llanrhidian gave heaps of Little Egrets and a GWE.

130. Barn Swallow
131. Red-rumped Swallow Lifer #5 B :)B :)B :)
132. Chough
133. Northern Fulmar

The pup is now sleeping next to me on the sofa :t:

Rich
 
Cracking day n the Gower today with the family. Heaps of Brent Geese, at least a couple of GND's Kestrel etc.

Added the following:

134. Red Breasted Merganser
135. Eider
 
A few days in Scotland recently added a few to the year list.

136. Red Grouse
137. Capercaillie Lifer #6 B :)B :) and a dead cert for the top spot of 2019's top 5 list
138. Hooded Crow
139. Lesser Redpoll
140. Golden Eagle
141. White-tailed Sea Eagle
142. Crested Tit
143. Shag
 
So I decided to take the pup out yesterday to give him a good run out. Decided to go to Kenfig Pool and then on to Sker Point. Bumped into some members from the Glamorgan Bird Club by the Pool and despite all of them fussing Bud, I decided against taking him in to the hide. I understand they saw Black-necked Grebe, Slav and a Great White Egret. I heard my first Cettis of the year by the hide before wandering across some very water logged dunes. I then got totally sandblasted at Sker Point - really uncomfortable viewing. As such I couldn't pick out any Purple Sandpipers but there was a flock of Sanderling along with some Ringed Plovers.


Got back with plenty of time to watch Wales winning the Grand Slam. An awesome display by the boys. Alun Wyn Jones has to be one of the all time Welsh Rugby greats. And my hangover has now finally receded.:-O:-O:-O

144. Cettis Warbler
145. Sanderling
 
So I had the day to myself yesterday. Arrived at Goldcliff for 07:00. The tide being extremely high the reserve was stuffed with birds. Added the following:

146. Avocet
147. Sand Martin
148. Knot
149. Glossy Ibis
150. Ruff

Next it was off to Uskmouth. An enjoyable walk around. Cettis everywhere. Good to see the Little Owls back at their usual location.


151. Little Owl


Given I had time to myself I then set the sat-nav and headed for Blagdon Lake. Got chatting to a very decent birder originally from Newport. Try as we might we couldn't relocate the Lesser Scaup. Did add the following though:


152. Greater Scaup
 
Having left the pup at home yesterday I decided to give him a good long run out up the mountain behind the house this morning. Great to see Coal Tits and Chaffs collecting nesting material. Also heard my first Blackcap of the year.

153. Blackcap
 

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