Joseph N's 2011 Year List (1 Viewer)

[Joseph N]

Last year can only be described as fantastic - I doubt I'll be matching it this year! However, I do hope to get 200 by the end of the year. The year has started slowly as I have been very busy, but some useful year ticks have already been had, mostly owing to spending the new year in the heart of the Somerset countryside in a cottage that I stay in annually (this provided me with useful ticks such as Nuthatch and Tawny Owl).

1 - Raven
2 - Town Pigeon
3 - Wood Pigeon
4 - Redwing
5 - Fieldfare
6 - Blackbird
7 - Goldcrest
8 - Great Tit
9 - Blue Tit
10 - Long-tailed Tit
11 - Nuthatch
12 - Grey Heron
13 - Great-spotted Woodpecker
14 - Dipper
15 - Jay
16 - Buzzard
17 - Tawny Owl (Roadwater, Somerset, 2/1)
18 - Pheasant
19 - Jackdaw
20 - Carrion Crow
21 - Chaffinch
22 - Goldfinch
23 - Siskin
24 - Herring Gull
25 - Black-headed Gull
26 - Wren
27 - Blackcap (x1 male, minehead, Somerset, 3/1)
28 - Robin
29 - Dunnock
30 - Starling
31 - Collared Dove
32 – Magpie
33 - Great black backed Gull
34 - Glaucous Gull (juvenile still on rooftops in Torry, 8/1)
35 - Goldeneye
36 - Eider
37 - Cormorant
38 - Shag
39 - Oystercatcher
40 - Purple Sandpiper
41 - Redshank
42 - Turnstone
43 - Curlew
44 - Common Gull
45 - Guillemot
46 - Kestrel
47 - Wigeon
48 - Pink-footed Goose
49 - Mallard
50 - Mute Swan
51 - Rook
52 - House Sparrow
53 - Pied Wagtail
54 - Smew (x1 redhead Lochside Pool, Bridge of Don, 16/1)
55 - Tufted Duck
56 - Moorhen
57 - Greenfinch
58 - Teal
59 - Goosander
60 - Sanderling
61 - Red-throated Diver
62 - Red-breasted Merganser
63 - Bar-tailed Godwit
64 - Shelduck
65 - Little Grebe
66 - Long-tailed Duck (22/1)
67 - Grey Partridge
68 - Lapwing
69 - Golden Plover
70 - Dunlin
71 - Canada Goose
72 - Greylag Goose
73 - Tree Sparrow
74 - Coot
75 - Gadwall
76 - Ruff (22/1)
77 - Barnacle Goose
78 - Whooper Swan
79 - Great-crested Grebe
80 - Great Grey Shrike (3: x1 at Red Moss of Netherley, 23/1, x1 Warham Greens, 13/10, x1 Waxham, 14/10)
81 - Brent Goose (x2 pale bellied at Inverbervie Caravan Park, 23/1)
82 - Waxwing (x90 at Longforgan Roundabout just off the A90, Perth & Kinross, 30/1)
83 - Hawfinch (x30 at Scone Palace, mostly to the left of the archway at end of side entrance, tick, 30/1)
84 - Rock Pipit
85 - Velvet Scoter (first at Buckhaven, 30/1)
86 - Common Scoter
87 - Mediterranean Gull (x2 adults on Shore Road, Buckhaven, Fife, 30/1)
88 - Grey Wagtail
89 - Black Redstart (x1 adult male at Roome Bay, Crail, Fife, 30/1)
90 - Meadow Pipit
91 - Sparrowhawk
92 - Peregrine Falcon
93 - Knot
94 - Shoveler
95 - Pintail
96 - Hen Harrier (x1 male LOS, 20/2)
97 - Green-winged Teal (x1 drake from Tower Pool Hide, LOS, 20/2)
98 - Lesser-black backed Gull
99 - Song Thrush
100 - Yellowhammer
101 - Linnet
102 - Skylark
103 - Twite (x38 in dunes near the mouth of the Ythan, 26/2)
104 - Grey Plover
105 - Ringed Plover
106 - Razorbill
107 - Fulmar
108 - Gannet
109 - Great Northern Diver (first = Battery Park, 26/2)
110 - Stock Dove
111 - Lesser Redpoll
112 - Mistle Thrush
113 - Crossbill (19/3, Rhynie)
114 - Kittiwake
115 - Puffin (26/3, Collieston)
116 - Sandwich Tern (first = 2/4)
117 - Garganey (x3, two drakes and a female, Loch of Strathbeg, 2/4)
118 - Spoonbill (x1 on Low Ground at Loch of Strathbeg, 2/4)
119 - Sand Martin (first = 2/4)
120 - Black-tailed Godwit (first = 2/4)
121 - Swallow (first = 8/4)
122 - Scaup (x1 female at Sand Loch, Sands of Forvie)
123 - Bonaparte's Gull (x1 winter from Snub car park from 14:00-14:30, when it flew downstream, Ythan Estuary, 8/4, tick)
124 - Chiffchaff (first = 9/4)
125 - Reed Bunting
126 - Common Tern (first = 9/4)
127 - Little Egret
128 - Green Woodpecker
129 - Cetti's Warbler (x2 seen at Minsmere, several heard elsewhere)
130 - Marsh Harrier (first = 10/4)
131 - Wheatear (first = 10/4)
132 - Bittern (x1 showing extremely well from Island Mere Hide, Minsmere, 10/4)
133 - Avocet (several seen throughout Norfolk/Suffolk holiday)
134 - Stonechat
135 - Dartford Warbler (x1 male showed well at Dunwich Heath, 10/4)
136 - Whitethroat (first = 11/4)
137 - Willow Warbler (first = 11/4)
138 - Red-legged Partridge
139 - Pochard
140 - Sedge Warbler (first = 11/4)
141 - Grasshopper Warbler (x1 seen very briefly at Holkham and reeling, 11/4)
142 - Egyptian Goose (several on Norfolk/Suffolk holiday)
143 - White-fronted Goose (x1 amongst 4 Pink-footed Geese at Holkham, 11/4, x4 south Balmedie CP 12/11, 20+ Windyedge 30/11)
144 - Snipe
145 - Yellow Wagtail (x1 on brackish marsh at Titchwell, 12/4)
146 - Little Ringed Plover (x2 at Titchwell on brackish marsh, x1 at Stiffkey Fen, 12/4)
147 - Bearded Tit (x1 male at Titchwell, 12/4)
148 - Green Sandpiper (first = 1 at Stiffkey, 12/4)
149 - Little Gull (first = 1 at Stiffkey Fen)
150 - Red Kite (x1 over Burnham Norton, x1 at Olleys Farm, 12/4)
151 - Goshawk (x2 at Olley's Farm, male and female, reasonably good views had of both, 12/4, tick)
152 - Brambling (3 at Olley's Farm and 7 at Santon Downham, 12/4 - 13/4)
153 - Marsh Tit (x2 at Lynford Arboretum, 12/4))
154 - Barn Owl (x1 at Lynford Arboretum, 12/4)
155 - Bullfinch
156 - Treecreeper
157 - Woodlark (x2 at Santon Downham, cracking views on the ground and doing display flight, 13/4, tick)
158 - Stone Curlew (x3 at Weeting Heath, reasonably good views, 13/4)
159 - Greenshank (first = 17/4)
160 - King Eider (x1 drake roosting with Eiders by Grey Seal colony at Ythan mouth, 17/4)
161 - Osprey (first = 17/4 at Meikle Loch)
162 - Corn Bunting
163 - Spotted Redshank (first = LOS, 23/4)
164 - Wood Sandpiper (first = LOS, 23/4)
165 - Whimbrel (first = 23/4)
166 - White-billed Diver (x1 adult in summer plumage seen at distance off Portsoy, 29/4, tick)
167 - Iceland Gull (x1 juvenile, self found as it flew past headland where WBD was viewing from, Porstoy, 29/4)
168 - Dotterel (x11 in field at Collieston crossroads near the Ythan Estuary, 30/4)
169 - House Martin (first = 30/4)
170 - Surf Scoter (x1 drake with 50+ Common Scoters at Murcar GC, fantastic views in brilliant light down to 100 yards, 30/4, also x3 drakes on 13/6)
171 - Swift (first = 9/5)
172 - Little Tern (x7 at Ythan, 12/5)
173 - Redstart (at least 3 singing males at Dinnet Oakwood, one seen, 14/5)
174 - Woodcock (x2 flushed at Dinnet Oakwood, 14/5)
175 - Common Sandpiper
176 - Garden Warbler
177 - Tree Pipit (x7 at Forest of Birse)
178 - Cuckoo
179 - Curlew Sandpiper (x1 Loch of Strathbeg)
180 - Little Stint (x1 Loch of Strathbeg, self found)
181 - Manx Shearwater (x4 north off Rattray)
182 - Pectoral Sandpiper (x1 at Rigifa Pool nr. Cove, 28/5)
183 - Arctic Skua
184 - Wood Warbler (x1 singing at Cragendarroch nr. Ballater, views down to 10ft, 4/6)
185 - Ring Ouzel (x2 males, one on A939 to Speyside, one at Findhorn Valley, both briefly, 4/6)
186 - Black-throated Diver (x2 sumplum, Lochindorb, 4/6)
187 - Spotted Flycatcher
188 - Slavonian Grebe (at least 7 breeding plumage birds at Loch Ruthven, 4/6)
189 - Red Grouse
190 - Ptarmigan (x2 at Cairngorm, views down to 10ft for half an hour, 5/6)
191 - American Wigeon (x1 drake at Loch of Strathbeg, 6/6, tick)
192. White-winged Scoter (x1 drake ssp. deglandi off Murcar Golf Course from 6-8pm on 13/6, first for Britain if accepted, tick)
193 - Black Grouse (x1 male flushed from heather at Glen Prosen, Angus, 19/6)
194 - Arctic Tern
195 - Black Scoter (x1 drake off Blackdog during evening on 28/6, will be only the 9th British record when accepted, tick)
196 - Great Skua
197 - Hooded Crow (everywhere on Islay and Mull, 14/7/-18/7)
198. Black Guillemot (several on ferry crossings and also on the sea off Islay and Mull, total of 17 in Oban Harbour, 14/7-18/7)
199. Chough (x24, one flock of 22 and a pair seen later around dune areas at Ardnave, Islay, 15/7, tick)
200. Rose-coloured Starling (x1 adult with Starlings in fields surrounding Ardnave Loch, Islay, seen well in flight but elusive on ground, 15/7, tick)
201. Golden Eagle (x6, 1 at Arndave, Islay, rest on Mull: Pairs seen at Glen More and Loch Na Keal, individual at Loch Scridain, 15/7-17/7)
202. White-tailed Eagle (on Mull, x2 juvenile and adult at Loch Scridain eeyrie, 16/7-17/7 , also adult at Loch Na Keal on 16/7 and 18/7)
203. Whinchat (x1 nr. Croggan, Mull, 17/7)
204. Sooty Shearwater (x1 off Girdle Ness, 24/7)
205. Merlin (x1 at Strathbeg Lagoon, 3/9)
206. Short-eared Owl (x1 at Strathbeg Lagoon, 3/9)
207. Sandhill Crane (x1 adult in stubble field by Gowanhill turn off on road to Fraserburgh just west of St Combs nr. LOS, 22/7, 4th? for Britain if accepted, tick)
208. Lapland Bunting (x12 over when watching the Sandhill Crane, 22/7)
209. Semipalmated Sandpiper (x1 juvenile from fisherman's car park with Dunlins, Ythan Estuary, 1/10)
210. Woodchat Shrike (x1 juv at Links Road, Lowestoft, 10/10 + 14/10, tick)
211. Yellow-browed Warbler (x1 Lowestoft 10/10, x1 Holkham 16/10)
212. Great White Egret (x1 non-breeding plumage adult at Titchwell RSPB on 13/10, self found)
213. Isabelline Shrike (x1 first winter 'Daurian' ssp at Dunwich Heath, 14/10, tick)
214. Rough-legged Buzzard (x1 juvenile, LOS, 29/10)
215. American Golden Plover (x1 juvenile with Golden Plovers in field near roundabout at Ellon, 29/10, tick)
216. Pallas's Warbler (x1 showing well in bushes by toilet blocks at Balmedie CP, 12/11)
217. Dusky Warbler (x1 in bushes by toilet blocks at Balmedie CP, 12/11, tick)
218. Firecrest (x1 in B&B garden at Rattray, 12/11)
219. Hume's Warbler (x1 Foveran Bushes, 17/11, tick)
220. Bean Goose (45+ ssp rossicus at Windyedge near Muchalls, 30/11)
221. Water Rail
222. Spotted Sandpiper (x1 from Herriot's Bridge, Chew Valley Lake, 23/12, tick)
223. Bewick's Swan (x2 adults from Villice Bay, Chew Valley Lake, 23/12)
224. Red-crested Pochard (x1 drake, Wimbleball Lake, 24/12)
225. Snow Bunting (x1 at Dunster Beach, 26/12)
226. Lesser White-fronted Goose (x1 adult with Tundra Bean Geese, Buckenham Marshes, 30/12, tick)
227. Ring-necked Duck (x1 female at Ranworth Broad, 30/12, tick)
228. Ferruginous Duck (x1 female at Cockshoot Broad, 30/12, tick)
229. Mealy Redpoll (x1 at least at Titchwell, 31/12)
230. Arctic Redpoll (x1 ssp exilipes in trees round picnic area at Titchwell, 31/12)
231. Yellow-legged Gull (x1 adult at Titchwell, 31/12, tick)
232. Western Sandpiper (x1 at Cley from Avocet Hide, 31/12, tick)

Every time new year-ticks are seen there will be a new post, but all new year ticks will be added to this post, so check back in here to see updates.

ATB,

Joseph

 

[Joseph N]

3 more birds added today - Great Crested Grebe, Great Grey Shrike and Brent Goose. I managed to re-find the Great Grey Shrike at Red Moss of Netherley SWT after two weeks of no-one reporting it, a fantastic bird. The Brent Geese were at Inverbervie Caravan Park, south of Stonehaven. This takes the year list up to 81 species.

 

[Joseph N]

9 more birds added today on a day out in Perth and Kinross + the Fife Coast. In Perth and Kinross, 90 Waxwings were seen at Longforgan. At Scone Palace a surprising 30 Hawfinches were seen to the left of the archway at the end of the side entrance, a lifer for me (although they were very flighty!). Other highlights included 2 Mediterranean Gulls at Buckhaven (a Scottish tick for me) and a stunning Black Redstart at Crail. This took the yearlist up to 90 species. See the first post in the topic for more info.

 

[Joseph N]

After consecutive weekends worth of awful weather and other dedications preventing me from getting out birding, I finally managed to get out this weekend just gone. Knot was a new bird for the year at the Ythan Estuary, but most of the action took place at the Loch of Strathbeg. A good day was had here, with Green-winged Teal, Hen Harrier, Shoveler, Pintail and Lesser Black-backed Gull all being year ticks. Previous to this day, Peregrine and Sparrowhawk in Aberdeen were both yearticks. This takes the year list up to 98. Yes, it has been very slow going, but I hope to reach 100 before the month is up.

 

[Joseph N]

Today saw me catch up with a good number of overdue passerines and seabirds for the year, as well as a couple of new waders for the year. The highlights of the new yearticks were 38 Twites at the mouth of the Ythan + a Great Northern Diver off Battery Park in Peterhead. Today's birding thus takes the yearlist over the 100 mark and to 109 species.

 

[Joseph N]

Just one new year-tick on a very quiet day at the patches today, 4 Stock Doves. This takes the year list up to 110.

 

[Joseph N]

A frustrating day spent in Moray and on the north-western fringes of Aberdeenshire at Rhynie. The targets were Black Grouse at the aforementioned location, Brambling just outside Aberdeen, Iceland Gull at Loch Oire (Moray) and King Eider at Burghead (Moray). All these species were missed out on, with consolation yearticks amount to 3 - Lesser Redpoll, Mistle Thrush and Crossbill. This takes the year list to 113 species.

 

[Joseph N]

Last weekend saw the first Kittiwakes of the year and a nice early find in the form of two Puffins off Collieston, which took the yearlist up to 115. A fantastic day today has seen the year list up to 120 species, with the highlights being 3 Garganey and a Spoonbill at Loch of Strathbeg, along with spring migs such as Sandwich Tern and Sand Martin.

 

[Joseph N]

Fantastic day's birding at the Ythan today, with one lifer in the form of a very nice 1st winter Bonaparte's Gull from the Snub car park early this afternoon. Also two Swallows at the mouth of the Ythan and a female Scaup at Sands of Forvie NNR were new for the year. This takes the yearlist up to 123. I am going to be birding in Suffolk and Norfolk at the beginning of this week so hopefully I will see a lot of new birds for the year.

Joseph

 

[Joseph N]

I have returned from a trip down to Essex, Suffolk and Norfolk, almost all the birding being done in the latter counties. The highlights included Goshawk and Woodlark (both lifers), Stone Curlew, Dartford Warbler, White-fronted Goose and Gropper amongst others. For a full list of all 35 year ticks, see the yearlist itself. With this trip the year list has gone up to 158 species.

 

[Joseph N]

Excuse the lack of updates recently. A truly fantastic last two weeks worth of birding locally, with the highlights including drake King Eider, a single summer plumaged White-billed Diver, Iceland Gull, 11 Dotterels and a drake Surf Scoter, plus others. For more details see the first post of the thread which has the yearlist on it.

 

[Joseph N]

Two yearticks this week which takes me to 172 - Swifts over Aberdeen in the last few days plus my first Little Terns of the year at the Ythan today.

 

[Joseph N]

Since I last updated I have done a bit of woodland birding and also had a day's birding on the coast. It has been rather producitve with a total of 9 year ticks, taking me up to 181 for the year. See first post with year list for more.

 

[Joseph N]

Two year ticks today, with a fantastic Pectoral Sandpiper on Rigifa Pool and my first Arctic Skua of the year. This takes the year list up to 183 species.

 

[Joseph N]

I have recently returned from a trip to Speyside, which saw my yearlist increase by 8 species, from 183 to 191. To see the yearticks, please look at the yearlist at the top of the page.

 

[Joseph N]

On Sunday evening I got reasonably good views (down to 200-250 yards) of the American (ssp. deglandi) White-winged Scoter off Murcar Golf Course. After waiting a few days to see what the general consensus is on the bird and almost everyone in agreement that it is indeed a genuine White-winged Scoter and that it should be accepted, I have decided to life tick and year-tick it. Absolutely fantastic and exhilirating stuff to see this likely first for Britain!

 

[Joseph N]

I've had 3 year ticks since I last updated this. Firstly a stunning male Black Grouse flushed from the heather at Glen Prosen in Angus on the 19th, then Arctic Tern at the Ythan on the 25th. Finally, there was yet another mega off Blackdog. This time a drake Black Scoter, which I got reasonably good views of down too 300ft last night (28th). Like with the White-winged Scoter it was extremely exciting and brilliant to have seen this bird, and as a result I've had all 5 species of scoter in a year and all in one place, something that I'll never match again!

 

[Joseph N]

My first Great Skuas of the year yesterday means the yearlist has now increased to 196. Later on this week I am going on a trip to Islay and Mull, which should provide a good amount of very useful year-ticks and hopefully a lifer or two (Chough, Corncrake?).

 

[Joseph N]

I have just returned from a fantastic trip to the islands of Islay and Mull on the west coast. Highlights included adult Rose-coloured Starling, White-tailed Eagle, Chough and Golden Eagle. I am now on 203 year after managing 7 year ticks when away - it feels good to have reached over the 200 mark, I am now starting to become confident that I can reach my initial target of 215 by the end of the year :t: .

 

[Joseph N]

Up to 204 today, with a Sooty Shearwater off Girdle Ness.