Garden/Yard List 2022 (1 Viewer)

[MikeInPA]

No idea of the number but a Black-billed Cuckoo was calling this morning.

 

[Richard Prior]

No idea of the number but a Black-billed Cuckoo was calling this morning.

Check ´missed calls’ on your mobile Mike, you might find it’s number there😉

 

[Richard Prior]

its, not it’s of course

 

[MikeInPA]

I’m much more laid back these days with regard to making lists. I remember the days when the pager making the Blip De Blip Blip Mega Alert would strike terror into me. My co-workers knew a terrible ailment would suddenly overcome me and I’d have to go home to recover. Yeah right. 🙄

 

[KenM]

My third returning Willow Warbler in the Sallow through this week, a max count of circa dozen Swift + 2 rare House Martins very high up as was only my 5th Hobby of the year providing the “early week” entertainment.

Twas upstaged by a family of foxes (vixen and four cubs) that appear to have taken up semi residence on the back lawn!
Watching the “youngest” cub suckle his mother at one end, with the mother de-lousing him at the other, made for great contortions!🤣

Did some moth trapping (home) and “Butterflying”, a c10 minute cycle ride away with a few trophies to show, with finally a less than annual visitor who has been “daily” and nightly calling for some time….although appearances are of rare occurrence.😮

 

[MikeInPA]

My third returning Willow Warbler in the Sallow through this week, a max count of circa dozen Swift + 2 rare House Martins very high up as was only my 5th Hobby of the year providing the “early week” entertainment.

Twas upstaged by a family of foxes (vixen and four cubs) that appear to have taken up semi residence on the back lawn!
Watching the “youngest” cub suckle his mother at one end, with the mother de-lousing him at the other, made for great contortions!🤣

Did some moth trapping (home) and “Butterflying”, a c10 minute cycle ride away with a few trophies to show, with finally a less than annual visitor who has been “daily” and nightly calling for some time….although appearances are of rare occurrence.😮

That’s a great selection Ken.

 

[Ornitomania]

Grauschnäpper (Muscicapa striata)

 

[Bismarck Honeyeater]

Not too much happening birdwise lately, but a surprise visitor on the Butterfly front. My second garden record of White Admiral. Initially a fly through but reappeared and sat up in a tree. Sadly too far for my iPhone to capture anything. (Here is a blurry picture of my only other record 2 years ago) I’ve no idea where the nearest population is but I’ve not seen them closer than 12-15 miles.



Whilst trying to refind it the next day a Linnet #88 flew over for the first of the year. A first record for June too. A patchily occurring bird in the first half of the year, but much more frequent in the last half.

 

[KenM]

My WIP “cultivated” garden Bramble Patch, am hoping for a White Admiral visit someday….having already had Pemp.last year. but then I’ve got the sallow and the oaks, am a bit short on honeysuckle though.😮

 

[Richard Prior]

Up here in dem hills I’m not surprisingly seeing more vultures now all the sheep have gone up to their mountain grazing areas, all Griffons so far though. One of my favourite species just flashed by, the first of the year here, two days later than last year’s first and a day earlier than 2020’s first so becoming as reliable as a Swiss watch:

81 Hobby

More bird of prey fun and games this morning when a passing Sparrowhawk found itself being chased/dive bombed by a Fieldfare, a Green Woodpecker and a Carrion Crow!

 

[Steve Lister]

I have been hoping for a Hobby too but...
July 1st
61. Kestrel - actually just as scarce over here

 

[Andy Lakin]

Just had a Marsh Harrier over the garden only trouble was I'm viewing from my local patch grrr. Would have been a tick!

 

[KenM]

Don’t know how the rules might apply in that situation Andy?
If you’re sure that it was over your house and/or would have been seen from your house.
What could the argument against be?😮

 

[KenM]

I have been hoping for a Hobby too but...
July 1st
61. Kestrel - actually just as scarce over here

Have had double the number of Kestrels seen this year, as against half the number of Hobbies as last, thinking this might be the reason c800m from the house.😮

 

[Andy Lakin]

Have had double the number of Kestrels seen this year, as against half the number of Hobbies as last, thinking this might be the reason c800m from the house.😮

Managed 9 Kestrels up together in a small area from the garden last year post breeding . I was very surprised they were all getting on considering there must have been different broods involved.

 

[KenM]

Nine…Kestrels up together…takes getting some head round, together the most I’ve ever had is two.
However on the Sprawk front (April) I’ve had 5, interaction between two pairs and a presumed non-breeder.

Regarding your Marsh Harrier, if your “certain” of your Co-ordinates, I can’t see any reason in not ticking?

Cheers

 

[Richard Prior]

Nine…Kestrels up together…takes getting some head round, together the most I’ve ever had is two.
However on the Sprawk front (April) I’ve had 5, interaction between two pairs and a presumed non-breeder.

Regarding your Marsh Harrier, if your “certain” of your Co-ordinates, I can’t see any reason in not ticking?

Cheers

Normally for the Garden List my rule is I only count birds seen or heard, in, over or from the property, I have to be on the property too though! Many’s the time I’ve rushed back to the house ( here and when I was in the UK) to try and see something I’d just clocked while out walking (usually to find said birdy has melted away).
Obviously when submitting my observations to the LPO here (or Sussex Ornitho Soc when I lived there) I would include everything whether I was on the property or outside it but I’ve always followed the rule mentioned above for the actual Garden List.

 

[KenM]

Well Richard for arguments sake, not knowing the juxtaposition of the mountain roads adjacent to your abode.

If I was approaching the last bend behind which your house stood and saw a Cinerous Vulture suddenly appear over that hairpin, having clearly passed over “your address”…I would certainly tick it off as having passed over my property albeit not seen from…you wouldn’t I suppose?😮

There may be a number of “odd” occasions where you might feel justified in adding, or subtracting to your annual/life garden list that could be deemed as being permissable?

For example this year in mid-April I saw (very high up) an “almost” certain Yellow Wag suddenly “break off” it’s flight line and buzz a soaring Sprawk, I got nothing on the putative Wag, other than It was, or, a Pipit with a seemingly long tail, just too high to bang to rights!

Another occasion, a flying finch out of a low early sun, during previous decades I’d have said Bullfinch, due to that glint of what appeared to be a pinky red, or was it the low sun that exaggerated the “tint?”

Unfortunately they’ve become so scarce locally…I can’t take that chance, even though I have seen one less than a mile away, bounding over on a single occasion.

Hoping you “cinerously” tick that vulture Richard if perchance it presents….as I certainly would.😀👍

 

[Richard Prior]

Ken wrote » If I was approaching the last bend behind which your house stood and saw a Cinerous Vulture suddenly appear over that hairpin, having clearly passed over “your address”…I would certainly tick it off as having passed over my property albeit not seen from…you wouldn’t I suppose?😮 »
No I wouldn’t !
I hope standards have not slipped in my old country - but as we say over here « vive la différence «

 

[KenM]

Flexibility and rigidity in all things as one sees it at the time, one man’s stiff is another man’s flaccid.😀