Griswold’s UK Birding List 2021 (3 Viewers)

[ClarkWGriswold]

Big thanks to Ollie for setting up this Forum.

So at present all of Wales is in Tier 4. This means birding on foot from home. No trips to the FOD this year. But, having had a Christmas I’d rather forget, it was nice to get out and about.

The hound and I wandered down the lane and along the canal up to Tonna. Then back down the Neath Canal via the Gnoll ponds and home. It’s fair to say we both slept well

Birds seen were as follows:

1. Blue Tit
2. Coal Tit
3. Great Tit
4. Long-tailed Tit
5. Chaffinch
6. Bullfinch
7. Wren
8. Starling
9. Jackdaw
10. Carrion Crow
11. Raven
12. Magpie
13. Jay
14. House Sparrow
15. Dunnock
16. Nuthatch
17. Great Spotted Woodpecker
18. Blackbird
19. Song Thrush
20. Mistle Thrush
21. Red Kite
22. Sparrowhawk
23. Feral Pigeon
24. Wood pigeon
25. Collared Dove
26. Mallard
27. Tufted Duck
28. Coot
29. Moorhen
30. Goosander
31. Canada Goose
32. Mute Swan
33. Robin
34. Pied Wagtail
35. Grey Wagtail
36. Black Headed Gull
37. Herring Gull
38. Lesser Black Backed Gull

I was hoping for a Dipper or maybe a Kingfisher but not to be.

 

[ClarkWGriswold]

So today we crossed over to The Dyff, then headed behind Fforest Goch and Rhos, before heading into Alltwen and home. The pup wasn’t overly happy in the sleety snow. Added the following:

39. Goldcrest
40. Goldfinch
41. Green Woodpecker
42. Treecreeper
43. Pheasant (very unusual for around here)

And from yesterday:

44. Grey Heron
45. Cormorant

Waders are going to be a struggle from where I live. Might need a full day out with Bud down through the Ferry to see if we can pick some up. Or might just wait until the restrictions loosen. Hopefully not too soon though.

 

[ClarkWGriswold]

Annoyingly, if it hadn’t been for the pandemic, we’d be on Mull now. Would have been nice to start the year list with a couple of Eagle species. Have booked to head back up to Nethy/ Outer Hebs in May. Hopefully we’ll be able to do so by then.

Rich

 

[Original PaulE]

Annoyingly, if it hadn’t been for the pandemic, we’d be on Mull now. Would have been nice to start the year list with a couple of Eagle species. Have booked to head back up to Nethy/ Outer Hebs in May. Hopefully we’ll be able to do so by then.

Rich

Think everybody going to struggle this year ,fingers crossed for May we are heading up last week of April/First week of May to the west coast of Scotland think its gonna be tight as to how the restrictions are by then!

 

[ClarkWGriswold]

Think everybody going to struggle this year ,fingers crossed for May we are heading up last week of April/First week of May to the west coast of Scotland think its gonna be tight as to how the restrictions are by then!

Agree Paul. Fingers crossed though. We’re supposed to be going to Yellowstone at the end of April. Can’t see that going ahead tbh.

Rich

 

[Julie50]

Glad you have started a new list Rich, let’s hope for your May trip. I’m hoping for some time in the caravan on a coast somewhere at Easter. Sorry your Christmas was not the best.

 

[ClarkWGriswold]

Cheers Julie. Hope you’re able to get away as well.

Rich

 

[ClarkWGriswold]

46. Tawny Owl

Calling from the trees alongside the house last night.

 

[ClarkWGriswold]

Beautiful walk around Drummau today with the boy. Around past Carreg Bica and past the old Ack Ack gun placement. A couple of Common Buzzards around plus a Red Kite. Added the following to the year list:

47. Linnet
48. Redwing
49. Fieldfare

Surprisingly there were no Stonechats or Meadow Pipits to be seen.

 

[ClarkWGriswold]

As it’s my last day off Bud and I wandered down to the River Clydach. Dipper brings up 50 for the year. And the Grey Wagtail was back in the garden again.

 

[JWN Andrewes]

Well done on the half century Rich. I'm self isolating at the moment (last day today) so haven't made it out to look for Dipper yet, but Arch has seen it every day of the year do far! He's capitalising on me being housebound by pulling away on the year list - he's on 44 to my 38.

Best of luck in 2021.

 

[ClarkWGriswold]

Cheers James. Hope you and the family have a good year. I think it’s Friday when we’ll know more about restrictions.

Rich

 

[ClarkWGriswold]

50. Dipper

And yesterday we had a Siskin in the garden.

51. Siskin

 

[Jon Turner]

Footling about in North Devon. Had a good look round on Friday and reached 60 species. Including Spoonbill, Common and Velvet Scoter and Red-throated Diver. Strange how some years, common birds often don't appear until the 100 is up - this was the case with Wren a few years back, but this year as I drank tea in bed at about 08.00 it was No 1! Not species number one as I heard a Tawny Owl at about 05.45 - but I don't count them until I see them! Found one today so that's ok. Now up to 71 and still plenty locally to look out for. Pity I can't get to Bude!

 

[ClarkWGriswold]

Footling about in North Devon. Had a good look round on Friday and reached 60 species. Including Spoonbill, Common and Velvet Scoter and Red-throated Diver. Strange how some years, common birds often don't appear until the 100 is up - this was the case with Wren a few years back, but this year as I drank tea in bed at about 08.00 it was No 1! Not species number one as I heard a Tawny Owl at about 05.45 - but I don't count them until I see them! Found one today so that's ok. Now up to 71 and still plenty locally to look out for. Pity I can't get to Bude!

I think I managed to go all around North Norfolk and not see a House sparrow Jon. Rich

 

[ClarkWGriswold]

Agree Paul. Fingers crossed though. We’re supposed to be going to Yellowstone at the end of April. Can’t see that going ahead tbh.

Rich

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Yellowstone is off. Flights were cancelled on the weekend.

 

[Julie50]

That’s a shame Rich, but as you say not a surprise!

 

[ClarkWGriswold]

Beginning to get difficult to add to the year list now whilst walking from home. Decided to head down to the Square Pond. Beautiful morning. Covered 9 miles in total. Last 2 miles were uphill which was a bit of a chore.

The pond itself was frozen so didn’t add any wildfowl. It’s been c35+ years since I’ve last been down here. The pond is all fenced off now but there are some good viewing points. Talking to a Skewen Angling Club member, they put the fence up as Otters were clearing out the fish they were stocking.

A lovely day all in all. Common Sandpiper just south of the Stockham’s Corner flyover was a nice surprise. And a couple of Goosander from the College bridge were nice to see. Both canals were frozen in many places so not too much to see there.

52. Greylag Goose
53. Common Sandpiper
54. Common Redshank
55. Curlew
56. Little Egret

 

[ClarkWGriswold]

Stayed nearer the house yesterday. An enjoyable circular 4 mile walk.

Plenty of Redwings around and good to hear drumming GSW. For the second time in the last 2 months we saw a Woodcock from this route. Really pleased as it’s not easy at all to see around here. Also picked up Meadow Pipit in one of the horse paddocks behind Rhos.

57. Woodcock
58. Meadow Pipit

 

[ClarkWGriswold]

Bud is over his op now so we headed up to Drummau this afternoon. Nice flock of Winter Thrushes by the old Ack Ack gun placement. And we also put up a Skylark.

59. Skylark.

Cracking cross Black Labrador/ Lurcher bitch up there as well. Very friendly.