Rycycle's 2006 List (1 Viewer)

[Rycycle]

Doesn't seem like yesterday I started the last one...

Well shouldn't be too hard to beat last year with 6 months extra and the whole summer too!

Today's starting tally

1. Blue Tit
2. Robin
3. Great Tit
4. Carrion Crow
5. Blackbird
6. Dunnock
7. Pied Wagtail
8. Magpie
9. Chaffinch
10. Woodpigeon
11. Collared Dove
12. Black-Headed Gull
13. Cormorant
14. Goldfinch
15. Lapwing
16. Pheasant
17. Jackdaw
18. Little Grebe
19. Moorhen
20. Sparrowhawk
21. Kestrel

So a nice solid start to the year, all seen from house or my wee stroll round the riverbank and ditches. Really need to sharpen up my gull ids as Black Headed is the only one im confident on.

 

[Rycycle]

Today's update. Same places viewing, though ventured a little further round the pools

22. Redwing
23. Greenfinch
24. House Sparrow
25. Song Thrush
27. Coot
28. Grey Heron
29. Mallard
30. Tufted Duck
31. Blackcap

 

[Rycycle]

First two were seen whilst out running , and coming out of the shower!
Strolled a bit further down the Dee from Shotton, and added a few more easy ones

32. Buzzard
33. Great Spotted Woodpecker (seen at river too!)
34. Starling
35. Oystercatcher
36. Wren
37. Long-Tailed Tit

I'm assuming a Cormorant with a pale breast is a young adult/ variation rather than anything indifferent? Answers on a PM please

 

[Rycycle]

Nice easy one spotted flying past the house this morning. Not going out today so that's probably it.

38. Jay

 

[Rycycle]

Finally escaped exam revision for a few hours and got myself up to Parkgate. Unfortunaetly, the light wasn't great for birdwatching and the birds weren't too obliging either! Barely managed to tick Hen Harrier but enough of a view to confirm its id, but the Owls again failed to show, after they were apparently out the evening before too! Bummer.
Anyway:

39. Hen Harrier
40. Little Egret

 

[Rycycle]

Was forunate to have a race in Clumber Park today, so took the oppurtunity to look for the Hawfinches! People I spoke to had seen them, but I always seemed to be that little bit too late. Nevermind, still got a lifer!

41. Mute Swan
42. Canada Goose
43. Nuthatch
44. Marsh Tit Thanks to the nice people who positively id'd it for me after I'd found it. Ta

Not bad for an hours work

 

[Rycycle]

Haven't been out for ages, but got a lucky one today as it was looking confused in the trees next to the shops. Ripe with berries, but only a few feet off the ground! Most people wlak round with their eyes closed im sure..

44. Mistle Thrush

 

[Rycycle]

Went to Old Moor RSPB today and filled in some glaring gaps in my life list! Somehow missed the Whooper Swan though unless it was the 1st Winter swimming around which I dismissed as a Mute (year tick). Didnt have time to watch the feeders. Lucky with the Bullfinch too as some nice gent let me view it through his scope. Thanks!

45.Shoveler
46.Teal
47.Widgeon
48.Goosander
49.Shelduck
50.Great Crested Grebe
51.Ruddy Duck
52.Gadwall
53.Pochard
54.Bullfinch
55.Tree Sparrow

Particularly pleased with GC Grebe and Shoveler as I found them myself

Life list up to 78 woohoo

 

[Rycycle]

Non-birding trip to the South Lakes, lots of running up fells like The Old Man of Coniston etc. Loving the views and looks from the hill walkers as we stormed down the rocks at silly speeds! Great views of Ravens from the tops too, and added Rook somewhere along the weekend as well. Jackdaws seem to be doing very well up there.

56. Raven
57. Rook

 

[Rycycle]

Went back to Old Moor RSPB

58.Goldeneye
59.Merlin
60.Golden Plover
61.Redshank
62.Lesser Black-Backed Gull

Not bad plus all the other species I've already seen - No sign of Bittern and didn't stay long enough for the possible Barn Owl

 

[Rycycle]

63.Hooded Crow (picked up whilst racing in Denmark)
64.Stonechat (Spent an hour at Neston Marsh yesterday)

And then today was a big fat high tide at Parkgate Old Baths. Litterally roared in, and the poor rodents didnt know what hit them! I saw mole,harvest mouse,shrew and water vole in the debris swept in, the local Kestrels having something of a field day, as did the larks and pipits with the insects. I think I saw Peregrine far out chasing the Redshank but was too short a view for myself to confrim or anyone else to locate and do it for me. One was seen apparently but I don't know if mine was one, so have to leave it. A Spotted Crake was photographed yesterday, but I didn't fancy my chances. How wrong was I!
I did see
65.Short Eared Owl
66.Reed Bunting
67.Skylark
68.Meadow Pipit
69.Water Pipit
70.Water Rail - ran right past me
71.Spotted Crake - emerged long enough for me to be happy enough to tick it (another rare species Ive seen while many easier ones Iv yet to see!

Damn good day all in all, might head back tomorrow and see if I can pick up that Peregrine. 3

Edit: Just remembered, saw another.

72.Curlew

 

[Rycycle]

Back from Portugal, where there seems to be a lack of birds bar House Sparrows (although I wasnt looking for any..), and added a few more today

73.Barn Swallow (two outside my house - they nest in the stables every year)
74.Coal Tit (used to be regulars but haven't seen this pair since I started listing)
75.Northern Wheatear
76.Common Gull

Life list is 92 - 30 lifers so far this year and plenty of easy ones to go

 

[Rycycle]

77. Red Grouse - seen these all year and just remembered I hadn't added them! oops

78.Red Kite - circling majestically over Bramham Park near Leeds - excellent close views of 3
79.Siskin In the garden - never had one afore.

 

[Rycycle]

Went to see the Alpine Swift at Barnston on the Wirral. Made me wait for a couple of hours but got good views in the end so I'm happy . Possible Goshawk overhead too but too brief views and too high to be sure so can't tick it (yet)

80.Willow Warbler - 19th April (Just for future reference)
81.Alpine Swift

 

[Rycycle]

Just one more for the year, heard and seen tongiht outside my house in urban sheffield.

82.Tawny Owl

And another seen over Burbage Moor yesterday evening

83. Common Swift

 

[Rycycle]

Few more - leaving out the Green Woodpecker for the moment cause I only saw the rump and though it was an Oriole for a bit :cat:

84.Cuckoo (Finally saw one rather than heard it)
85.House Martin
86.Linnet Paid my garden a visit
87.Common Sandpiper - It's late June and I've finally bothered to track two down. God I'm lazy.
88.Common Tern Again, I know exactly where they are, but too lazy to bother - very nice though, and plenty of them on the Dee.

 

[Rycycle]

Well it's been nearly a month and a half since I last posted my list updates, but due to foreign racing and work I've been too lazy to do any real bird watching. However, travelling and racing in the forests of Lithuania provided a few bonuses, as did a week camping in Denmark See for yourself!

89.Fieldfare (Lithuania - I'm a lazy sod it's true)
90.White Stork - Very, very easy to see from the car as Lithuania is like 90% farmland and the Storks are everywhere!
91.Hoopoe - Seen in the middle of a race, but unmistakeable!
92.Spotted Flycatcher - Woke up one mornin, and two were hunting above my tent out of tree.
93.Red Backed Shrike - Easy to see in Lithuania!
94.Marsh Harrier - A cracking male flew over the campsite in Denmark a few times.

Still bloody sure I saw a Black Woodpecker but not bloody sure enough! :h?:

Maybe I'll pull finger out my ass and sort out my lack of Waders n Gulls this week (I live 2 mile from Dee Estuary..)

 

[Rycycle]

Better sum up my sightings since the summer! Still not really making much effort otyher than casual obs whilst training although went to local Connah's Quay reserve a few days before xmas, and went ringing with a mate once (which sorted my Redpoll dips!)

95.Black-tailed Godwit
96.Great Black-Backed Gull
97.Grey Wagtail
98.Goldcrest
99.Lesser Redpoll
100.Ring Ouzel
101.Treecreeper

So I end the year on a pitiful 101! Lack of effort being the biggest culprit with many easy waders and geese to get yet!

Surprising gaps for the year have to be Sand Martin (saw none of my running travels) and I discounted Green and Black Woodpecker (Lithuania) because I wasnt 100% sure. Basically, I like to ID my own birds so only cound those Iv confidently ID'd hence some 'embarassing' gaps!

Happy new year!