Paul's 2023 Photographic World List (2 Viewers)

[Paul Chapman]

Sunday, Monday & Tuesday were an unsuccessful trip to Barra, Western Isles where despite searching there was no sign of the Philadelphia Vireo.

A few pics - Red-eyed Vireo (four seen), White-tailed Eagle, Golden Eagle, Stonechat, Great Skua, European Storm-petrel, Kittiwake, Gannet & Common Dolphin.

All the best

Paul

 

[Paul Chapman]

Sadly, personal circumstances both before and after my Peru trip have meant that my photographs have not been edited and uploaded to eBird.

eBird tells me that my yearlist is 1,617 species with the latest additions being Siberian Stonechat & Red-heading Bunting on 22nd October. I believe that my photographed species will be somewhere around 1,450....?

A few last pics before the next big explore and this one is a big explore!

22nd October - Common Crane, Hare, Hen Harrier, Red-headed Bunting (buried in the middle of that bush) & Siberian Stonechat - Flamorough Head, Yorkshire.

26th October - Boat-tailed Grackle * 5 - Nolton Haven, Pembrokeshire.

29th October - Penduline Tit * 4 - Portbury Wharf, Portishead, North Somerset - previously only heard on my patch!

4th November - Cetti's Warbler - Clevedon, North Somerset.

Tomorrow if all goes to plan, it is time for my next trip. Itinerary as follows:-
12th to 14th November - Brisbane area.
15th to 26th November - Sydney inland to Wangaratta, Deniliquin & Ouyen down to Melbourne for a couple of days.
27th to 29th November - Bruny Island, Tasmania.
30th November to 5th December - Christchurch, South Island New Zealand down to Queenstown.
6th to 21st December - Birding Down Under Cruise from Bluff to Auckland, Macquarie, Campbell, Antipodes & Chatham Islands

My preparation has been a bit undercooked but hoping for a few more birds for the year & a few more pics so subject to WiFi - I will pop into here on occasion. It seems that a trip list could be around 400 with the potential for the year list as a result to get to 2,000. But quality could be exceptional. Best not to be idle in retirement.

All the best

Paul

 

[Scridifer]

Hoping your personal circumstances have improved Paul, and have a great trip! I look forward to many updates.

Chris

 

[Frank van Drogen]

Once again a great trip. I hope fate has better plans for you than this sumnmer.

Enjoy!!!

 

[Paul Chapman]

At the end of day two, both spent around Brisbane, I am shattered. But trip list 156 species with only 4 heard. Around 120 species photographed! A total of 140 lifers so far.

A few pics. Superb Fairy Wren, Southern Boobook, Australian Masked Owl, Comb-crested Jacana, Red-kneed Dotterel, Mangrove Honeyeater, Torresian Kingfisher, Sooty Owl, Marbled Fogmouth, King Parrot, Regent Bowerbird, Azure Kingfisher, Australian Brush-turkey, Red-backed Fairy-wren, Scarlet Honeyeater, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, King Parrot, White-throated Needletail. Rose-crowned Fruit-dove & Eastern Whipbird.

A good start... 😀

All the best

Paul

 

[Dave Boyle]

See you in the Chathams on the 18th - already lined you up to meet the most remote Gooner in the world!

 

[Paul Chapman]

See you in the Chathams on the 18th - already lined you up to meet the most remote Gooner in the world!

I look forward to it! 😀

All the best

Paul

 

[Paul Chapman]

Twenty kilometres walked at O'Reilly's on day three (14th Nov). A few specialities seen to take us to 168 species but now leaving Brisbane behind & heading to our flight to Sydney.

A few pics. Eastern Spinebill, Grey Shrikethrush, Satin Bowerbirds, Logrunner, Russet-tailed Thrush, White-browed Scrubwren, Superb Fairybird, King Parrot, Paradise Riflebird, Noisy Pitta, Golden Whistler, Yellow-throated Scrubwren, Common Bronzewing & Australian Rufous Fantail.

All the best

Paul

 

[Paul Chapman]

Day four saw us move from Brisbane to Sydney. Despite the travelling time, the trip list managed to sneak up to 183 species.

A few pics attached. White-bellied Sea-eagle, Laughing Kookaburra, Short-tailed Shearwater, Variegated Fairy-wren, Eastern Bristlebird, Straw-necked Ibis, Eastern Rosella, Superb Lyrebird, Origma (Rockwarbler), Brush Cuckoo, Red Wattlebird, New Holland Honeyeater, Australian Raven & Little Wattlebird.

All the best

Paul

 

[Paul Chapman]

Day 5 saw us head inland with some major travelling and time taken to rendezvous with Julian Thomas at Wangaratta en route to Deniliquin.

Nevertheless, a few additions took my trip list to 197 species & a few pics. Fan-tailed Cuckoo, Southern Emuwren, New Holland Honeyeater, Brown Thornbill, Horsfield's Bronze Cuckoo, Little Friarbird, Little Eagle, Australian Pipit, Red-rumped Parrot, Crimson Rosella (yellow form), Straw-necked Ibis, Crested Pigeon, Rainbow Parakeet & Eastern Spinebill.

Inland specialities await for next five days or so....

All the best

Paul

 

[Paul Chapman]

Day 6 moving from Wangaratta to Deniliquin saw my trip list increase to 216 species including 3 heard only. Now 172 species photo'd & 186 lifers.

In the hands of Phil Maher for a few days - of Plains Wanderer fame - so it could be interesting....

Some nice photo opportunities to day.

A few pics. Turquoise Parrot (pics * 3), Yellow-tufted Honeyeater, Fuscous Honeyeater, Rufous Songlark, Red-rumped Parrot, Little Raven, Galah, Long-billed Corella, White-naped Honeyeater, Striated Pardalote, Eastern Shrike-tit, Restless Flycatcher, Brown Treecreeper, Peaceful Dove, White-winged Chough, Australian Magpie, Willie-wagtail & Brown-headed Honeyeater.

All the best

Paul

 

[Paul Chapman]

An astonishing day yesterday with some superb highlights taking my trip list through 250.

All around Deniliquin being led by Phil Maher on one of his Plains-wanderer weekends.

A few pics with another post to follow.

Plains-wanderer, Red-chested Buttonquail, Stubble Quail, Little Buttonquail, Swamp Harrier, Southern Whiteface, Black-faced Woodswallow, Banded Lapwing, Black-tailed Native-hen, Emu, White-winged Fairy-wren, Australian Pratincole, Pacific Heron, Wedge-tailed Eagle, Brown Songlark, Singing Bushlark, Baillon's Crake, Australian Crake, White-fronted Chat & Red-backed Kingfisher.

All the best

Paul

 

[Paul Chapman]

A few more pics from day 7 which will long be remembered as a red letter day.

Tawny Frogmouth, Southern Boobook, Spotted Harrier, Whistling Kite, Red-capped Robin, Buff-rumped Thornbill, Jacky-winter, Dusky Woodswallow, White-browed Woodswallow, Hooded Robin, Diamond Dove, Horsfield's Bronze Cuckoo, Yellow Thornbill, Western Gerygone, Rainbow Bee-eater, Pallid Cuckoo, Superb Parrot (two pics), Brown Falcon & Coxkatiel.

I have had few better days in birding ever!

All the best

Paul

 

[ClarkWGriswold]

An astonishing day yesterday with some superb highlights taking my trip list through 250.

All around Deniliquin being led by Phil Maher on one of his Plains-wanderer weekends.

A few pics with another post to follow.

Plains-wanderer, Red-chested Buttonquail, Stubble Quail, Little Buttonquail, Swamp Harrier, Southern Whiteface, Black-faced Woodswallow, Banded Lapwing, Black-tailed Native-hen, Emu, White-winged Fairy-wren, Australian Pratincole, Pacific Heron, Wedge-tailed Eagle, Brown Songlark, Singing Bushlark, Baillon's Crake, Australian Crake, White-fronted Chat & Red-backed Kingfisher.

All the best

Paul

That Wedge-tailed is a beaut Paul.

 

[Paul Chapman]

Having recounted on my fingers, yesterday was day 9. The trip list climbed to 278 species including 4 heard only & 247 lifers. Now 240 species photographed.

The year list is now 1,876 species and so current estimate is c1,600+ species photographed.

A few pics. Yellow-throated Miner, Blue-eared Honeyeater, Australian Hobby, Australian Shelduck, Red-necked Avocet, Banded Stilt, Australasian Shoveler (with other duck), Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, Pied Cormorant, Hoary-headed Grebe, Blue-billed Duck, Spotted Pardalote (Yellow-rumped), White-eared Honeyeater, Apostlebird, Australian Ringneck, Malleefowl, Superb Parrot, Striped Honeyeater, Gilbert's Whistler & Grey Butcherbird.

Two more days in the Mallee before four days heading south & in and around Melbourne & three days on Tasmania. Nailing down the remaining targets. Be good to get 50+ more species out of the remaining days of this Oz leg. Maybe more.... On day 19, we are due to fly to South Island New Zealand for a few days before the boat trip.

All the best

Paul

 

[Paul Chapman]

Day 10 was an astonishingly good day. It was spent in Murray Sunset National Park and started before dawn with Spotted Nightjar finishing at dusk with two Black Falcons.

In between, a series of specialist species were found taking my trip list to 294 species. Very few targets remain for tomorrow but hopefully a few additions will be possible before we are on our way.

Some pics attached. Spotted Nightjar, Australian Ringneck, Red-lored Whistler, Western Whistler, Inland Thornbill, White-browed Babbler, Southern Scrub Robin, Yellow-plumed Honeyeater, Little Crow, Chestnut Quail-thrush (male), Shy Heathwren, Striated Grasswren, Crested Bellbird, White-browed Woodswallow, Chestnut-crowned Babbler, Mulga Parrot, Chestnut Quail-Thrush (female), White-browed Treecreeper & Black Falcon (two pics).

Still smiling from ear to ear. 😀

All the best

Paul

 

[Paul Chapman]

Because we had done so well yesterday, there were only two additions to the trip list today - day 11 (22nd November).

A few pics taken however. Mulga Parrot, White-browed Woodswallow, Mallee Emuwren (two pics), Yellow-plumed Honeyeater, White-fronted Honeyeater, Crested Bellbird, Nankeen Night Heron, Splendid Fairywren (two pics), Whistling Kite, Grey Teal, Magpie-lark, Hoary-headed Grebe, Yellow-billed Spoonbill, Malleefowl (two pics), Noisy Miner & Rainbow Bee-eater (two pics).

Desperate for a Pink Cockatoo in the morning...

All the best

Paul

 

[Paul Chapman]

Day 12 saw the trip list sneak through 300 as we birded Ouyen and a few spots on the way back to Deniliquin and then to an overnight stay in Bendigo. We managed a couple of mishaps that took time out of our plans (but as I type this whilst travelling, we are back on schedule with some very nice additions so far for day 13).

We left Phil Maher in Deniliquin so are on our own again and whilst confusion reigns, we are doing our best with at least 12 days' experience now of Australian bird families!

A few pics from yesterday. Pink Cockatoo, Red-backed Kingfisher, Black Falcon mobbing Spotted Harrier, Rufous Fieldwren, Greater Bluebonnet, Nankeen Kestrel, Pied Butcherbird, Black-faced Woodswallow, Purple-backed Fairy-wren, Black-shouldered Kite, Fairy Martin, White-backed Swallow, Maned Duck, Blue-eared Honeyeater, Tree Martin, Pacific Black Duck, Noisy Miner, Magpie-lark, Australian Magpie & Silver Gull.

Today should end with us in Melbourne.

All the best

Paul

 

[Paul Chapman]

Day 13 was another cracking day. Three Honeyeater targets & Australian Painted Snipe near Bendigo and then heading to Melbourne where dusk was spent on Philip Island.

A few pics. White-eared Honeyeater, Silvereye, Tawny-crowned Honeyeater, Purple-gaped Honeyeater, Painted Honeyeater, Diamond Firetail, Sacred Kingfisher, Australian Painted Snipe (three pics), White-plumed Honeyeater, Musk Lorikeet, Wedge-tailed Eagle, Pacific Gull, Black-faced Cormorant, Cape Barren Goose, Greater Crested Tern & Little Penguin (three pics).

All the best

Paul

 

[Owene]

That penguin is amazing