Paul Chapman
Well-known member
Latvian Species List
1. Greylag Goose – four at Kolka on 19th May & around 100 at Lake Engures on the two dates visited – 19th & 21st May
2. Mute Swan – seen on all dates but highest numbers around 100 at Lake Engures on both 19th & 21st May
3. Whooper Swan – twenty two seen between four sightings on three dates
4. Common Shelduck – thirty six seen between five sightings on three dates
5. Garganey – three singles seen being Mersrags on 19th May & Lake Engures on both 19th & 21st May
6. Northern Shoveler – two at Mersrags & twenty at Lake Engures both on 21st May
7. Gadwall – twenty one seen between five sightings on two dates
8. Eurasian Wigeon – twenty at Lake Engures on 21st May
9. Mallard – fifty two seen between seven sightings on three dates
10. Eurasian Teal – single at Mersrags & ten at Lake Engures – both on 21st May
11. Common Pochard – two on 19th & twenty on 21st at Lake Engures
12. Tufted Duck – twelve & forty at Lake Engures on 19th & 21st May
13. Greater Scaup – maximums of three & six at Kolka on 19th & 21st May
14. Common Eider – drake from the tower at Kolka on 19th May
15. Velvet Scoter – thirty six seen between four sightings on three dates at Kolka
16. Common Scoter – a maximum of 200 seen at Kolka daily but also four at Mersrags on 19th May
17. Long-tailed Duck – a maximum of 200 seen at Kolka daily
18. Common Goldeneye – two at Lake Engures on both 19th & 21st May & twenty at Kolka on 20th May
19. Goosander – eleven sightings between Kolka & Mersrags with a maximum of four
20. Red-breasted Merganser – seen on three dates at Kolka with a maximum of twenty on 18th May
21. Western Capercaillie – a total of three roadside sightings in the Kolka area between 19th & 21st May
22. Red-necked Grebe – single at Lake Engures on 21st May
23. Great Crested Grebe – single at Kolka on 19th May & a maximum of ten at Lake Engures on 19th & 21st May
24. Feral Pigeon – frequent sightings in urban areas
25. Stock Dove – singles at Kolka on 19th & 21st May
26. Common Woodpigeon – very frequently recorded
27. Collared Dove – three sightings at Kolka with a maximum of two
28. Common Cuckoo – very commonly encountered – on fourteen checklists
29. Eurasian Nightjar – single flushed at Kolka on 20th May & otherwise heard & seen on 22nd May both at a roadside marsh & on the road
30. Common Swift – very frequently encountered
31. Water Rail – at least three at a roadside marsh on 22nd May
32. Corncrake – at least two at Silteres Meadow on both visits on 22nd May
33. Eurasian Coot – two at Lake Engures on 21st May
34. Common Crane – very frequently encountered on fourteen checklists with the highest count being fifty at Silteres Meadow on 22nd May
35. Eurasian Oystercatcher – six at Mersrags on 19th May & a single at Lake Engures on 21st May
36. Grey Plover – single at Mersrags on 21st May
37. Northern Lapwing – half a dozen sightings of single figures when travelling, Mersrags, Lake Engures, Siteres Meadow & Cirstes Gravel Pits
38. Common Ringed Plover – fifty seven seen between four sightings on two dates
39. Little Ringed Plover – single at Lake Engures on 21st May & two at Cirstes Gravel Pits on 22nd May
40. Whimbrel – singles at Mersrags on both 19th & 21st May
41. Ruff – five at Mersrags on 21st May
42. Temminck's Stint – two at Mersrags on 21st May
43. Sanderling – single at Mersrags on 21st May
44. Dunlin – up to 200 recorded at Mersrags on all three visits
45. Eurasian Woodcock – six displaying birds recorded on the evening of 22nd May
46. Common Sandpiper – nine seen between four sightings on three dates
47. Green Sandpiper – four scattered sightings of single birds
48. Common Greenshank – two at Mersrags on 19th May
49. Wood Sandpiper – three at Lake Engures on 19th May & a single at Silteres Meadow on 22nd May
50. Common Redshank – a maximum of four between four sightings on three dates
51. Arctic Skua – three seen in total at Kolka on 18th & 19th May
52. Black-headed Gull – very frequently recorded with a colony of at least one thousand at Lake Engures on 21st May
53. Little Gull – two & ten at Lake Engures on 19th & 21st May and twenty at Mersrags on 21st May
54. Common Gull – recorded on nine occasions with a maximum of ten
55. Herring Gull – very frequently recorded
56. Lesser Black-backed Gull – three sightings of singles
57. Great Black-backed Gull – two sightings of singles at Kolka
58. Little Tern – two at Mersrags on both 19th & 21st May
59. Common Tern – eight sightings with a maximum of sixty at Lake Engures on 21st May
60. Arctic Tern – twenty at Mersrags on 21st May
61. Sandwich Tern – eight sightings at Kolkas with a maximum of ten & a single at Roja on 21st May
62. Red-throated Diver – single at Kolka on 22nd May
63. Black-throated Diver – around eighty seen at Kolka with daily sightings including from the flat cutting the corner of the point
64. Black Stork – single at Kemeri Centre Boardwalk on 18th May
65. White Stork – twenty two seen in total with almost daily sightings mainly when travelling
66. Great Cormorant – very frequently recorded
67. Great Bittern – seven individuals recorded – mainly at Lake Engures but also at the roadside marsh on 22nd May
68. Grey Heron – frequently recorded
69. Great White Egret – around one hundred seen in marked contrast to its status in 2009
70. Osprey – two singles seen on 19th May
71. European Honey-buzzard – single on 19th & two on 22nd May at Kolka
72. Lesser Spotted Eagle – singles at Kolka & the Triangle at 19th May & single at Silteres Meadow on 22nd May
73. Western Marsh Harrier – sixteen seen between nine sightings – third commonest raptor after Common Buzzard & Sparrowhawk
74. Hen Harrier – single at Kolka on 22nd May
75. Eurasian Sparrowhawk – commonest raptor encountered with in particular twenty on 19th May with thirty seven in total
76. Black Kite – single at The Triangle on 19th May
77. White-tailed Eagle – seven individuals seen
78. Rough-legged Buzzard – single at Kolka on 19th May
79. Common Buzzard – second commonest raptor encountered with in particular twenty on 19th May with thirty four in total
80. Eurasian Pygmy-Owl – single along the Cirstes Road on 22nd May
81. Ural Owl – single glimpsed at best on both 21st & 22nd May
82. Eurasian Hoopoe – at least one at Lake Engures on 19th May
83. Eurasian Wryneck – singles at Kemeri Centre Boardwalk on 18th May & The Triangle on 19th May
84. Eurasian Three-toed Woodpecker – single heard along Kemeri Track on 18th May
85. Middle Spotted Woodpecker – pair and a single at a nesthole at Kemeri Centre Boardwalk on 18th & 23rd May respectively
86. White-backed Woodpecker – single at Kemeri Centre Boardwalk on 23rd May
87. Great Spotted Woodpecker – three singles recorded
88. Black Woodpecker – single along the Kemeri Track on 18th May & single heard at The Triangle on 21st May
89. Common Kestrel – ten recorded – widely scattered
90. Red-footed Falcon – single at Kolka on 20th May
91. Merlin – singles at Kolka on 20th & 21st May
92. Eurasian Hobby – ten recorded – widely scattered
93. Peregrine Falcon – single at Lake Engures on 21st May
94. Eurasian Golden Oriole – seven recorded in total
95. Red-backed Shrike – a total of thirteen recorded at widely scattered locations
96. Eurasian Jay – recorded on three occasions
97. Common Magpie – very widely scattered & frequently encountered
98. Eurasian Jackdaw – good numbers seen
99. Rook – three encountered at Kolka on 18th May
100. Hooded Crow – very commonly encountered
101. Common Raven – two at The Triangle on 19th May & six at Silteres Meadow on 22nd May
102. Coal Tit – single at Kolka on 19th May
103. Crested Tit – single at Lake Engures on 19th May & up to four at Kolka on 20th May
104. Willow Tit – two at Kolka on both 20th & 22nd May
105. Eurasian Blue Tit – commonly encountered
106. Great Tit – very commonly encountered
107. Woodlark – seven seen between five sightings on four dates – mainly at Kolka
108. Eurasian Skylark – around a dozen seen between seven sightings on five dates
109. Bearded Tit – male at Lake Engures on 19th May
110. Icterine Warbler – two & a single at Kolka on 20th & 22nd May & a single at Lake Engures on 21st May
111. Sedge Warbler – commonly encountered with over twenty recorded & in particular ten at Kolka on 20th May
112. Eurasian Reed Warbler – commonly encountered
113. Great Reed Warbler – four recorded being Lake Engures twice, Kolka & a roadside marsh
114. Savi's Warbler – two at Lake Engures on 19th May & one at a roadside marsh on 22nd May
115. Common Grasshopper Warbler – single at Kolka on 20th May
116. Sand Martin – four sightings with the largest group being thirty at Lake Engures on 21st May
117. Barn Swallow – commonest hirundine – very commonly encountered
118. Common House Martin – very commonly encountered
119. Wood Warbler – widespread being recorded at Kemeir, Kolka, The Triangle and Lake Engures – around eighteen recorded between six sightings on four dates
120. Willow Warbler – very widespread & commonly encountered
121. Common Chiffchaff – commonly encountered albeit less so than Willow Warbler
122. Eurasian Blackcap – commonly encountered with around thirty at Kolka on 20th May
123. Garden Warbler – recorded on six occasions with around fifty at Kolka on 20th May
124. Lesser Whitethroat – commonly encountered with around fifty at Kolka on 20th May
125. Common Whitethroat – common & widespread with ten at Kolka on 20th May
126. Goldcrest – single at Lake Engures on 19th & 21st May – possibly saying more about my hearing than anything else!
127. Eurasian Nuthatch – a single & two at Kemeri Centre Boardwalk on 18th & 23rd May
128. Eurasian Treecreeper – recorded on three occasions being Kolka & Lake Engures (2) – both on 21st May – & Kemeri Centre Boardwalk on 23rd May
129. Eurasian Wren – four sightings
130. Common Starling – very commonly encountered
131. Mistle Thrush – around a dozen seen between seven sightings on five dates
132. Song Thrush – commonly encountered
133. Redwing – two recorded at Kolka on 20th May – surprisingly infrequent
134. Eurasian Blackbird – very commonly encountered
135. Fieldfare – forty two between six sightings on four dates
136. Spotted Flycatcher – commonly encountered with over fifty on a dozen checklists
137. European Robin – seven seen between five sightings on three dates
138. Thrush Nightingale – first encountered at Lake Engures on 19th May & thereafter at Kolka on three dates
139. Bluethroat – a single at Kolka on 19th May
140. Red-breasted Flycatcher – a single & two at Kolka on 19th & 20th May respectively
141. European Pied Flycatcher – thirty four in a dozen checklists & recorded daily
142. Common Redstart – thirty eight in eleven checklists & recorded daily
143. Black Redstart – recorded daily mainly at Kolka but also at Roja on 19th May
144. Whinchat – commonly encountered – with fifteen at Kolka on 20th May
145. Northern Wheatear – commonly encountered – with ten at Kolka on 20th May
146. House Sparrow – simply recorded at Riga International Airport & Kolka but always in single figures
147. Eurasian Tree Sparrow – simply recorded at Smardes Krogs on 18th May
148. Western Yellow Wagtail – recorded on eight occasions with sixty at Mersrags on 21st May & fifty at Kolka on 22nd May
149. Citrine Wagtail – a male & a female at Mersrags on 19th May & a female there (apparently different) on 21st May
150. White Wagtail – very widespread & commonly encountered
151. Meadow Pipit – singles at Kolka on 22nd & 23rd May – again I blame my ears…
152. Tree Pipit – fourteen in nine checklists & recorded daily from 19th May
153. Common Chaffinch – widespread & commonly encountered with 200 at Kolka on both 19th & 20th May
154. Brambling – surprisingly just a single at Kolka on 22nd May
155. Hawfinch – thirty nine in a ten checklists & recorded daily from 19th May
156. Common Rosefinch – twenty two in ten checklists & recorded daily from 19th May at Kolka & on one occasion at The Triangle
157. Eurasian Bullfinch – five sightings with twenty at Kolka on 22nd May
158. European Greenfinch – recorded in only five checklists – all at Kolka
159. Common Linnet – recorded in only three checklists – Smardes Krogs & twice at Kolka
160. Common Crossbill – about 200 in eight checklists – two at The Triangle on 21st May but otherwise all at Kolka where 100 on 22nd May
161. European Goldfinch – only four at Lake Engures on 19th May & two at The Triangle on 21st May
162. European Serin – six sightings of singles mainly at Kolka but also Roja & Mersrags
163. Eurasian Siskin – about 250 in eight checklists – a single at The Triangle on 19th May but otherwise all at Kolka where 100 on 20th May
164. Yellowhammer – widespread & commonly encountered with a peak of ten at Kolka on 22nd May
165. Common Reed Bunting – two at Mersrags on 19th & 21st May & a single at Lake Engures on 19th May
I think that I just missed Redpoll which was recorded by my two friends so 166 species between us albeit our personal sightings varied on a daily basis. My last trip in the diary in the first half of 2022 was away with the same friends to Tenerife & Gran Canaria at the end of June but that report will need to wait until March as I am due to be very busy for a few weeks. Five out of six reports completed now for this thread. Clearly, that last trip had a far smaller trip list but it did have a couple of highlights. Back to that in March.😊
1. Greylag Goose – four at Kolka on 19th May & around 100 at Lake Engures on the two dates visited – 19th & 21st May
2. Mute Swan – seen on all dates but highest numbers around 100 at Lake Engures on both 19th & 21st May
3. Whooper Swan – twenty two seen between four sightings on three dates
4. Common Shelduck – thirty six seen between five sightings on three dates
5. Garganey – three singles seen being Mersrags on 19th May & Lake Engures on both 19th & 21st May
6. Northern Shoveler – two at Mersrags & twenty at Lake Engures both on 21st May
7. Gadwall – twenty one seen between five sightings on two dates
8. Eurasian Wigeon – twenty at Lake Engures on 21st May
9. Mallard – fifty two seen between seven sightings on three dates
10. Eurasian Teal – single at Mersrags & ten at Lake Engures – both on 21st May
11. Common Pochard – two on 19th & twenty on 21st at Lake Engures
12. Tufted Duck – twelve & forty at Lake Engures on 19th & 21st May
13. Greater Scaup – maximums of three & six at Kolka on 19th & 21st May
14. Common Eider – drake from the tower at Kolka on 19th May
15. Velvet Scoter – thirty six seen between four sightings on three dates at Kolka
16. Common Scoter – a maximum of 200 seen at Kolka daily but also four at Mersrags on 19th May
17. Long-tailed Duck – a maximum of 200 seen at Kolka daily
18. Common Goldeneye – two at Lake Engures on both 19th & 21st May & twenty at Kolka on 20th May
19. Goosander – eleven sightings between Kolka & Mersrags with a maximum of four
20. Red-breasted Merganser – seen on three dates at Kolka with a maximum of twenty on 18th May
21. Western Capercaillie – a total of three roadside sightings in the Kolka area between 19th & 21st May
22. Red-necked Grebe – single at Lake Engures on 21st May
23. Great Crested Grebe – single at Kolka on 19th May & a maximum of ten at Lake Engures on 19th & 21st May
24. Feral Pigeon – frequent sightings in urban areas
25. Stock Dove – singles at Kolka on 19th & 21st May
26. Common Woodpigeon – very frequently recorded
27. Collared Dove – three sightings at Kolka with a maximum of two
28. Common Cuckoo – very commonly encountered – on fourteen checklists
29. Eurasian Nightjar – single flushed at Kolka on 20th May & otherwise heard & seen on 22nd May both at a roadside marsh & on the road
30. Common Swift – very frequently encountered
31. Water Rail – at least three at a roadside marsh on 22nd May
32. Corncrake – at least two at Silteres Meadow on both visits on 22nd May
33. Eurasian Coot – two at Lake Engures on 21st May
34. Common Crane – very frequently encountered on fourteen checklists with the highest count being fifty at Silteres Meadow on 22nd May
35. Eurasian Oystercatcher – six at Mersrags on 19th May & a single at Lake Engures on 21st May
36. Grey Plover – single at Mersrags on 21st May
37. Northern Lapwing – half a dozen sightings of single figures when travelling, Mersrags, Lake Engures, Siteres Meadow & Cirstes Gravel Pits
38. Common Ringed Plover – fifty seven seen between four sightings on two dates
39. Little Ringed Plover – single at Lake Engures on 21st May & two at Cirstes Gravel Pits on 22nd May
40. Whimbrel – singles at Mersrags on both 19th & 21st May
41. Ruff – five at Mersrags on 21st May
42. Temminck's Stint – two at Mersrags on 21st May
43. Sanderling – single at Mersrags on 21st May
44. Dunlin – up to 200 recorded at Mersrags on all three visits
45. Eurasian Woodcock – six displaying birds recorded on the evening of 22nd May
46. Common Sandpiper – nine seen between four sightings on three dates
47. Green Sandpiper – four scattered sightings of single birds
48. Common Greenshank – two at Mersrags on 19th May
49. Wood Sandpiper – three at Lake Engures on 19th May & a single at Silteres Meadow on 22nd May
50. Common Redshank – a maximum of four between four sightings on three dates
51. Arctic Skua – three seen in total at Kolka on 18th & 19th May
52. Black-headed Gull – very frequently recorded with a colony of at least one thousand at Lake Engures on 21st May
53. Little Gull – two & ten at Lake Engures on 19th & 21st May and twenty at Mersrags on 21st May
54. Common Gull – recorded on nine occasions with a maximum of ten
55. Herring Gull – very frequently recorded
56. Lesser Black-backed Gull – three sightings of singles
57. Great Black-backed Gull – two sightings of singles at Kolka
58. Little Tern – two at Mersrags on both 19th & 21st May
59. Common Tern – eight sightings with a maximum of sixty at Lake Engures on 21st May
60. Arctic Tern – twenty at Mersrags on 21st May
61. Sandwich Tern – eight sightings at Kolkas with a maximum of ten & a single at Roja on 21st May
62. Red-throated Diver – single at Kolka on 22nd May
63. Black-throated Diver – around eighty seen at Kolka with daily sightings including from the flat cutting the corner of the point
64. Black Stork – single at Kemeri Centre Boardwalk on 18th May
65. White Stork – twenty two seen in total with almost daily sightings mainly when travelling
66. Great Cormorant – very frequently recorded
67. Great Bittern – seven individuals recorded – mainly at Lake Engures but also at the roadside marsh on 22nd May
68. Grey Heron – frequently recorded
69. Great White Egret – around one hundred seen in marked contrast to its status in 2009
70. Osprey – two singles seen on 19th May
71. European Honey-buzzard – single on 19th & two on 22nd May at Kolka
72. Lesser Spotted Eagle – singles at Kolka & the Triangle at 19th May & single at Silteres Meadow on 22nd May
73. Western Marsh Harrier – sixteen seen between nine sightings – third commonest raptor after Common Buzzard & Sparrowhawk
74. Hen Harrier – single at Kolka on 22nd May
75. Eurasian Sparrowhawk – commonest raptor encountered with in particular twenty on 19th May with thirty seven in total
76. Black Kite – single at The Triangle on 19th May
77. White-tailed Eagle – seven individuals seen
78. Rough-legged Buzzard – single at Kolka on 19th May
79. Common Buzzard – second commonest raptor encountered with in particular twenty on 19th May with thirty four in total
80. Eurasian Pygmy-Owl – single along the Cirstes Road on 22nd May
81. Ural Owl – single glimpsed at best on both 21st & 22nd May
82. Eurasian Hoopoe – at least one at Lake Engures on 19th May
83. Eurasian Wryneck – singles at Kemeri Centre Boardwalk on 18th May & The Triangle on 19th May
84. Eurasian Three-toed Woodpecker – single heard along Kemeri Track on 18th May
85. Middle Spotted Woodpecker – pair and a single at a nesthole at Kemeri Centre Boardwalk on 18th & 23rd May respectively
86. White-backed Woodpecker – single at Kemeri Centre Boardwalk on 23rd May
87. Great Spotted Woodpecker – three singles recorded
88. Black Woodpecker – single along the Kemeri Track on 18th May & single heard at The Triangle on 21st May
89. Common Kestrel – ten recorded – widely scattered
90. Red-footed Falcon – single at Kolka on 20th May
91. Merlin – singles at Kolka on 20th & 21st May
92. Eurasian Hobby – ten recorded – widely scattered
93. Peregrine Falcon – single at Lake Engures on 21st May
94. Eurasian Golden Oriole – seven recorded in total
95. Red-backed Shrike – a total of thirteen recorded at widely scattered locations
96. Eurasian Jay – recorded on three occasions
97. Common Magpie – very widely scattered & frequently encountered
98. Eurasian Jackdaw – good numbers seen
99. Rook – three encountered at Kolka on 18th May
100. Hooded Crow – very commonly encountered
101. Common Raven – two at The Triangle on 19th May & six at Silteres Meadow on 22nd May
102. Coal Tit – single at Kolka on 19th May
103. Crested Tit – single at Lake Engures on 19th May & up to four at Kolka on 20th May
104. Willow Tit – two at Kolka on both 20th & 22nd May
105. Eurasian Blue Tit – commonly encountered
106. Great Tit – very commonly encountered
107. Woodlark – seven seen between five sightings on four dates – mainly at Kolka
108. Eurasian Skylark – around a dozen seen between seven sightings on five dates
109. Bearded Tit – male at Lake Engures on 19th May
110. Icterine Warbler – two & a single at Kolka on 20th & 22nd May & a single at Lake Engures on 21st May
111. Sedge Warbler – commonly encountered with over twenty recorded & in particular ten at Kolka on 20th May
112. Eurasian Reed Warbler – commonly encountered
113. Great Reed Warbler – four recorded being Lake Engures twice, Kolka & a roadside marsh
114. Savi's Warbler – two at Lake Engures on 19th May & one at a roadside marsh on 22nd May
115. Common Grasshopper Warbler – single at Kolka on 20th May
116. Sand Martin – four sightings with the largest group being thirty at Lake Engures on 21st May
117. Barn Swallow – commonest hirundine – very commonly encountered
118. Common House Martin – very commonly encountered
119. Wood Warbler – widespread being recorded at Kemeir, Kolka, The Triangle and Lake Engures – around eighteen recorded between six sightings on four dates
120. Willow Warbler – very widespread & commonly encountered
121. Common Chiffchaff – commonly encountered albeit less so than Willow Warbler
122. Eurasian Blackcap – commonly encountered with around thirty at Kolka on 20th May
123. Garden Warbler – recorded on six occasions with around fifty at Kolka on 20th May
124. Lesser Whitethroat – commonly encountered with around fifty at Kolka on 20th May
125. Common Whitethroat – common & widespread with ten at Kolka on 20th May
126. Goldcrest – single at Lake Engures on 19th & 21st May – possibly saying more about my hearing than anything else!
127. Eurasian Nuthatch – a single & two at Kemeri Centre Boardwalk on 18th & 23rd May
128. Eurasian Treecreeper – recorded on three occasions being Kolka & Lake Engures (2) – both on 21st May – & Kemeri Centre Boardwalk on 23rd May
129. Eurasian Wren – four sightings
130. Common Starling – very commonly encountered
131. Mistle Thrush – around a dozen seen between seven sightings on five dates
132. Song Thrush – commonly encountered
133. Redwing – two recorded at Kolka on 20th May – surprisingly infrequent
134. Eurasian Blackbird – very commonly encountered
135. Fieldfare – forty two between six sightings on four dates
136. Spotted Flycatcher – commonly encountered with over fifty on a dozen checklists
137. European Robin – seven seen between five sightings on three dates
138. Thrush Nightingale – first encountered at Lake Engures on 19th May & thereafter at Kolka on three dates
139. Bluethroat – a single at Kolka on 19th May
140. Red-breasted Flycatcher – a single & two at Kolka on 19th & 20th May respectively
141. European Pied Flycatcher – thirty four in a dozen checklists & recorded daily
142. Common Redstart – thirty eight in eleven checklists & recorded daily
143. Black Redstart – recorded daily mainly at Kolka but also at Roja on 19th May
144. Whinchat – commonly encountered – with fifteen at Kolka on 20th May
145. Northern Wheatear – commonly encountered – with ten at Kolka on 20th May
146. House Sparrow – simply recorded at Riga International Airport & Kolka but always in single figures
147. Eurasian Tree Sparrow – simply recorded at Smardes Krogs on 18th May
148. Western Yellow Wagtail – recorded on eight occasions with sixty at Mersrags on 21st May & fifty at Kolka on 22nd May
149. Citrine Wagtail – a male & a female at Mersrags on 19th May & a female there (apparently different) on 21st May
150. White Wagtail – very widespread & commonly encountered
151. Meadow Pipit – singles at Kolka on 22nd & 23rd May – again I blame my ears…
152. Tree Pipit – fourteen in nine checklists & recorded daily from 19th May
153. Common Chaffinch – widespread & commonly encountered with 200 at Kolka on both 19th & 20th May
154. Brambling – surprisingly just a single at Kolka on 22nd May
155. Hawfinch – thirty nine in a ten checklists & recorded daily from 19th May
156. Common Rosefinch – twenty two in ten checklists & recorded daily from 19th May at Kolka & on one occasion at The Triangle
157. Eurasian Bullfinch – five sightings with twenty at Kolka on 22nd May
158. European Greenfinch – recorded in only five checklists – all at Kolka
159. Common Linnet – recorded in only three checklists – Smardes Krogs & twice at Kolka
160. Common Crossbill – about 200 in eight checklists – two at The Triangle on 21st May but otherwise all at Kolka where 100 on 22nd May
161. European Goldfinch – only four at Lake Engures on 19th May & two at The Triangle on 21st May
162. European Serin – six sightings of singles mainly at Kolka but also Roja & Mersrags
163. Eurasian Siskin – about 250 in eight checklists – a single at The Triangle on 19th May but otherwise all at Kolka where 100 on 20th May
164. Yellowhammer – widespread & commonly encountered with a peak of ten at Kolka on 22nd May
165. Common Reed Bunting – two at Mersrags on 19th & 21st May & a single at Lake Engures on 19th May
I think that I just missed Redpoll which was recorded by my two friends so 166 species between us albeit our personal sightings varied on a daily basis. My last trip in the diary in the first half of 2022 was away with the same friends to Tenerife & Gran Canaria at the end of June but that report will need to wait until March as I am due to be very busy for a few weeks. Five out of six reports completed now for this thread. Clearly, that last trip had a far smaller trip list but it did have a couple of highlights. Back to that in March.😊