KenM
Well-known member
Being c20% down on numbers for ‘21 and 10% down same time (now) for ’23, I’m thinking another 16 days of almost guaranteed nowt, it’s surely time to throw in the towel.😮
A few anomalies this year apart from a lower score, almost no Redwings!
It’s normally Kings X for the latter at this time (unheard of for me during my tenancy here), plus an absence of almost annual Tufted Duck, Raven and Lesser Spotted Woody to name a few.
However, I did have three UFO’s, all three seen singly and distant, in poor light/sillhouette…best forgotten (albeit size, shape and movement alien to my eyes).😩
Also poor returns on Goldcrest and Firecrest, circa 5 apiece, should’ve had more of the former at least.
Just the one superb all time grdn.tick albeit falling short on the visual, but making up for it with the wing vibration and calls…Nightjar!
Other single occurence species (just a shadow of their former selves) Hawfinch, Bullfinch, Greenfinch, Reed/Grdn.Warbler and a probable fem/imm Common Redstart, the latter not claimed (had c5 in ‘22)😩
Other cameos to include a Black Kite (2nd occurence over abode),
Peregrine holding squawking parakeet just 2m away from window, with moi looking down on and seeing the horizontal grey barring to the chest, I felt I could’ve almost touched!😮
Tawny Owl attempting to take rat off of the peanut feeder, again just perhaps 3m away and bathed in the security light. Certainly jaw dropping (we were both eating dinner at the time, with my missus flagging it, just in time for me to look up and see it!😮
Although numerically down on the avian listing stakes, I ascended stratospheric heights with the Garden Lepidoptera…Marbled White, Silver-washed Fritillary, Purple Emperor,
Brown Hairstreak and unbelievably White Admiral!
That said, the moths were also outstanding with Garden Tiger (my 2nd ever) + Privet Hawk Moth and another 1st with Flame Carpet!
Overall a fantastic year, absolutely no complaints and hopefully none to follow this (somewhat shorter than Richard’s be ‘a comin’ monologue 🤣).
A few anomalies this year apart from a lower score, almost no Redwings!
It’s normally Kings X for the latter at this time (unheard of for me during my tenancy here), plus an absence of almost annual Tufted Duck, Raven and Lesser Spotted Woody to name a few.
However, I did have three UFO’s, all three seen singly and distant, in poor light/sillhouette…best forgotten (albeit size, shape and movement alien to my eyes).😩
Also poor returns on Goldcrest and Firecrest, circa 5 apiece, should’ve had more of the former at least.
Just the one superb all time grdn.tick albeit falling short on the visual, but making up for it with the wing vibration and calls…Nightjar!
Other single occurence species (just a shadow of their former selves) Hawfinch, Bullfinch, Greenfinch, Reed/Grdn.Warbler and a probable fem/imm Common Redstart, the latter not claimed (had c5 in ‘22)😩
Other cameos to include a Black Kite (2nd occurence over abode),
Peregrine holding squawking parakeet just 2m away from window, with moi looking down on and seeing the horizontal grey barring to the chest, I felt I could’ve almost touched!😮
Tawny Owl attempting to take rat off of the peanut feeder, again just perhaps 3m away and bathed in the security light. Certainly jaw dropping (we were both eating dinner at the time, with my missus flagging it, just in time for me to look up and see it!😮
Although numerically down on the avian listing stakes, I ascended stratospheric heights with the Garden Lepidoptera…Marbled White, Silver-washed Fritillary, Purple Emperor,
Brown Hairstreak and unbelievably White Admiral!
That said, the moths were also outstanding with Garden Tiger (my 2nd ever) + Privet Hawk Moth and another 1st with Flame Carpet!
Overall a fantastic year, absolutely no complaints and hopefully none to follow this (somewhat shorter than Richard’s be ‘a comin’ monologue 🤣).
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