So how is your 2007 list going? (1 Viewer)

[Ben Rackstraw]

A spot of house-hunting this weekend in West Norfolk, only allowed a little time to fill some of the gaps left from New Year's Day birding, although a quick visit to Welney on Sunday afternoon got me my first owls of the year, with a couple of Barn and a very distant Short-eared, as well as 1 or 2 Whooper Swans.

Totals as at 10pm on 22.01.2007:-
Norfolk: 83 + 4 h
Sussex: 100 + 3 h
Overall: 120 + 4 h

 

[Hotspur]

Wooooo 58) Song Thrush

 

[Pluvius]

This is mine from Jan 2nd onwards
61. Scaup
62. Redwing
63. Great Black Backed Gull
64. Ruff
65. Green Winged Teal
66. Iceland Gull
67. Reed Bunting
68. Bar Tailed Godwit
69. Woodpigeon
70. Tufted Duck
71. Dunnock
72. Red Breasted Merganser
73. Pheasant
74. Long Tailed Tit
75. House Sparrow
76. Sparrowhawk
77. Wren
78. Barrows Goldeneye (Quoile River)
79. Lesser Scaup ( Clea Lakes Killyleagh)
80. Grey Plover
81. Tree Sparrow
82. Linnet
83. Kestrel
84. Ruddy Duck (Portmore Lough)
85. Jay
86. Red Throated Diver
87. Black Guillemot
88. Stonechat
89. Yellowhammer
90. Purple Sandpiper
91. Reed Bunting
92. Shag
93. Rock Pipit
94. Pink Footed Goose
95. Meadow Pipit
96. Glaucous Gull
97. Bonapartes Gull (Whitehead 15.1.07)
98. Goosander
99. Red Legged Partridge
100. Knot
101. Whooper Swan

 

[Mabel]

23-01-07
51. (European) Golden Plover (Pluvialis apricaria)
52. (Common) Redpoll (Carduelis flammea)
53. Carrion Crow (Corvus corone corone)
54. Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus)
55. Meadow Pipit (Anthus pratensis)
56. (Common) Skylark (Alaudia arvensis)
57. (Northern) Pintail (Anas acuta)
58. Yellowhammer (Emberiza citrinella)

Yellowhammer is my latest lifer!

 

[AlexC]

Went to great lengths to pursue a CT rarity that's been reported recently - Lazuli Bunting (Story time, kids). So, just to put the situation in perspective, I'm an 18-year-old birder without a car. This... is a problem. My dad dropped me off around 6AM at the local train station on his way to work, I had to take the express to the end of the line one way and then backtrack about halfway. So I get to my station around 740AM. Of course, without a car, the only way to get to the State Park I was aiming for (2 miles away) was by bike. So I bike there, knowing that the last train before the evening train leaves at 930AM. This gives me little time to find my desired bird. So I get to the State Park, bike maybe another 2 miles in (not without catching an expected yearbird and a surprise one:

50. American Tree Sparrow
51. Northern Harrier

) when I feel like I'm going to the wrong place. I call up my bro at home, who reads the directions off my e-mail. I'd gone about an extra mile out, and time was fading fast (time: 834AM). I finally get to the right spot around 842AM, walk around the area until 856AM, realizing I absolutely HAVE to leave at this point, with or without the bird. I book the four miles to the station, get there at 925AM, 5 minutes before the train, sit down and take a breath. Then suddenly, a hawk flies into a tree across the tracks. I get my bins on it, but it's too far off and not giving me a good view. "Is that a Red-tail?" one man asked me, and I hesitated before saying I didn't think so. It was smallish, had breast-streaks, but not belly-bands... if it were smaller I would have said Merlin, but felt like it was... maybe... a Broad-winged *gasp*. A voice over the loudspeaker announced the imminent arrival of the train, and just then, the hawk flew - it's path clearly going to be right in my sights... when SUDDENLY the train goes whizzing by, blocking all view of the bird. I was mmmmad. So I get on the train, make problems with my bike, and somehow made it back home. The funny thing is, I'm actually more mad about the unidentified hawk than I am about the missed bunting! Go figure.

EDIT: Oh yeah, and it was f****** COLD.

 

[Hotspur]

59) Slavonian Grebe
60) Redshank
61) Oystercatcher
62) Ringed Plover
63) Bar-tailed Godwit
64) Purple Sandpiper
65) Turnstone
66) Great Northern Diver
67) Shag
68) Rock Pipit
69) Skylark
70) Yellowhammer
71) Grey Partridge
72) Kittiwake
73) Ruddy Duck
74) Pink-footed Goose
75) Common Scoter
76) Common Eider
77) Curlew

 

[bartooon]

It's funny how the most mundane trips can add good birds to the year list. Whilst driving my son's girlfriend home last night, a Barn Owl drifted slowly across the road in front of the car. This afternoon I had to attend a meeting in Reading and on the way back a Red Kite was low over the A33, being mobbed by corvids.

Two fabulous birds, made all the better for being so unexpected.

 

[Steve Lister]

Back from the visit to my parents in Yorkshire...

Monday 22nd Jan at Barmston
136. Fulmar
137. Velvet Scoter
138. Gannet
139. Grey Partridge
140. Snow Bunting

Tuesday 23rd Jan at Filey Brigg/Dams
141. Shag
142. Eider
143. Rock Pipit
144. Guillemot
145. Purple Sandpiper
146. Long-tailed Duck
147. Slavonian Grebe
148. Water Rail

Steve

 

[Mabel]

59. Great Tit (Parus major)

 

[jtibbetts]

Helped my mate out with another delivery to London with a detour to Nuneaton, picked up 3 more (one a complete surprise!):

119: Little Owl (on a barn nr Nuneaton)
120: Ring-necked Duck ( Foxcote Reservoir, Bucks)
121: Great White Egret ( complete surprise- flew over the M40 somewhere near Junction 2; i as a passenger was able to get a good look at it!)

Also saw 15 Red Kite, 15+ Buzzard, 5 Kestrel and 1 Sparrowhawk along the M40.

 

[Mars4096]

1. Black-capped Chickadee
2. Rock Pigeon
3. European Starling
4. Mallard
5. Dark-eyed Junco
6. White-breasted Nuthatch
7. Purple Finch
8. Red-breasted Nuthatch
9. American Three-toed Woodpecker (rare, new bird)
10. Northern Hawk Owl (rare, new bird)
11. Pileated Woodpecker
12. Ruffed Grouse
13. Pine Siskin
14. White-winged Crossbill (new bird)
15. American Tree Sparrow
16. Blue Jay
17. Common Raven
18. Downy Woodpecker
19. Black-backed Woodpecker (!)

A modest list for someone who doesn't travel much and lives in Central Ontario. Our local expert birders would find it difficult to get much beyond 35 species in January within our 50 mile radius. What I like is the quality of birds on this this -- three life birds (in January, wow!) and the two rare ones were spotted in one day.

 

[AlexC]

1. Black-capped Chickadee
2. Rock Pigeon
3. European Starling
4. Mallard
5. Dark-eyed Junco
6. White-breasted Nuthatch
7. Purple Finch
8. Red-breasted Nuthatch
9. American Three-toed Woodpecker (rare, new bird)
10. Northern Hawk Owl (rare, new bird)
11. Pileated Woodpecker
12. Ruffed Grouse
13. Pine Siskin
14. White-winged Crossbill (new bird)
15. American Tree Sparrow
16. Blue Jay
17. Common Raven
18. Downy Woodpecker
19. Black-backed Woodpecker (!)

A modest list for someone who doesn't travel much and lives in Central Ontario. Our local expert birders would find it difficult to get much beyond 35 species in January within our 50 mile radius. What I like is the quality of birds on this this -- three life birds (in January, wow!) and the two rare ones were spotted in one day.

This is a truth!! I went up to northern Vermont for the first week of January with some friends (spent New Year's there actually), and my excitement for northern specialties was immediately snuffed out by the virtual lack of birds! Congrats on your list so far - some REAL good ones!

 

[Mars4096]

In our area you could walk an hour in the bush without seeing a single bird in January. The only bird that is abundant and widespread is the Black-Capped Chickadee and usually makes up more than half of the birds you see. Furthermore, the northern specialists tend to be uncommon or rare.

I can't take credit for finding the Northern Hawk Owl, it was found on a tip and has been present on the same stretch of road for three weeks. Still neat though.

It's been a odd month. Record low levels of snow. I think now we have about 13 cm (5 inches) of snow, just enough for skiing. Typically we have 30 to 80 cm this time of year. We had our lakes freeze over and thaw several times. Our temperatures were record breaking warm. Now we have a typical cold snap. On my walk where I saw the White-Winged Crossbill, it was about -18C (0 F). I seriously bundled up, but my hands got quite cold during lunch. Very enjoyable walk though, bright and sunny.

 

[AlexC]

In our area you could walk an hour in the bush without seeing a single bird in January. The only bird that is abundant and widespread is the Black-Capped Chickadee and usually makes up more than half of the birds you see. Furthermore, the northern specialists tend to be uncommon or rare.

I can't take credit for finding the Northern Hawk Owl, it was found on a tip and has been present on the same stretch of road for three weeks. Still neat though.

It's been a odd month. Record low levels of snow. I think now we have about 13 cm (5 inches) of snow, just enough for skiing. Typically we have 30 to 80 cm this time of year. We had our lakes freeze over and thaw several times. Our temperatures were record breaking warm. Now we have a typical cold snap. On my walk where I saw the White-Winged Crossbill, it was about -18C (0 F). I seriously bundled up, but my hands got quite cold during lunch. Very enjoyable walk though, bright and sunny.

Eh, cold's good for the soul! Makes your appreciate warm more! I'm heading back out tomorrow morning early for that Lazuli Bunting in CT being continuously reported (missed it last time) - should be only about 20F - child's play for you, my friend!

 

[Larry Lade]

While out birding this morning around the oxbow lakes just south of Saint Joseph, Missouri, I added one more species to my 2007 Missouri List.

95. Ring-necked Pheasant

 

[AlexC]

Well, anyone who read my post about the missed Lazuli Bunting, dwell not in dismay! I trekked back today and got it!

Hammonasset State Park...
52. Lazuli Bunting (lifer)
53. Savannah Sparrow
54. Swamp Sparrow

...then hopped on two trains down to Westport / Norwalk's 14 Acre Pond...

55. Hairy Woodpecker
56. Green-winged Teal
57. Gadwall
58. Wood Duck

(puts on Scottish accent): Grrrrrrrrett dey!

 

[Cillana]

Just got back from a trip along the Texas coast. Most of the birding was spent this morning at Aransas NWR but we saw birds along the country roads and at a few places we stopped along the way. I added 30 year birds (including 11 lifers) during the trip. We went to see Whooping Cranes, which unfortunately we didn't find. We did get to see Sandhill Cranes, Crested Caracaras, and a Least Grebe which were lifers I wanted to add this trip. Unplanned lifers were Wild Turkeys, Blue-winged Teals, a Ladder-backed Woodpecker, American Avocets, Long-billed Curlew, Common Loon, and White-tailed Hawk. However the most awesome and unexpected lifer was a Bald Eagle!!!! We were driving out of Aransas NWR in a rural area and suddenly there one was on the ground next to a pond surrounded by a few palms trees, a house, and acres of plowed farmland. I yelled out "Bald Eagle!!!" and scared my dad (who was driving with me riding shotgun) half to death. Luckily there weren't any other cars around for him to run into. The eagle was chowing down on a fish it caught and two caracaras were waiting nearby for any leftovers. Awesome! That made up for missing the whoopers. I know whoopers are more rare, but I have really really been wanting to see a bald eagle and the surprise encounter was so cool.

 

[Nightjar61]

Just got back from a two-week birding trip to Gambia and Senegal, where I added 394 specis to my Year List, which is now up to 444. Included in that figure is 27 species I picked up on a layover in London. The trip also brought me 258 lifers, four in England, and 254 in Africa. Lifers are in bold.

England:

051. Black-headed Gull
052. Carrion Crow
053. Eurasian Magpie
054. Mute Swan
055. Common Wood-Pigeon
056. Eurasian Kestrel
057. Eurasian Blackbird
058. Eurasian Jay
059. Bean Goose
060. Egyptian Goose
061. Eurasian Skylark
062. Northern Lapwing
063. Eurasian Golden-Plover
064. Mew Gull
065. Red Kite
066. Great Tit
067. Eurasian Blue Tit
068. Redwing
069. Coal Tit
070. Chaffinch
071. Goldcrest
072. Marsh Tit
073. Long-tailed Tit
074. Ring-necked Pheasant
075. Red-legged Partridge
076. Great Cormorant
077. Eurasian Jackdaw

Africa:

078. Cattle Egret
079. Hooded Vulture
080. Piapiac
081. Black Kite
082. Red-billed Hornbill
083. Pied Crow
084. Sengal Coucal
085. Red-eyed Dove
086. White-crowned Robin-Chat
087. Western Plantain-eater
088. Speckled Pigeon
089. Laughing Dove
090. Northern Gray-headed Sparrow
091. Blackcap Babbler
092. Black-necked Weaver
093. Common Gonolek
094. Senegal Parrot
095. Greater Blue-eared Glossy-Starling
096. Common Bulbul
097. African Thrush
098. Village Weaver
099. Beautiful Sunbird
100. Broad-billed Roller
101. Lesser Honeyguide
102. African Palm-Swift
103. Yellow-billed Shrike
104. Vinaceous Dove
105. Bronze Mannikin
106. Pygmy Sunbird
107. Lavender Waxbill
108. Red-cheeked Cordonbleu
109. Western Marsh-Harrier
110. Long-tailed Glossy-Starling
111. African Gray Hornbill
112. Black-winged Bishop
113. Pied-winged Swallow
114. Northern Black-Flycatcher
115. Black-billed Wood-Dove
116. Fork-tailed Drongo
117. Senegal Eremomela
118. Singing Cisticola
119. Green Woodhoopoe
120. Shikra
121. Splendid Sunbird
122. Mosque Swallow
123. Yellow-fronted Canary
124. Fanti Sawwing
125. Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird
126. Village Indigobird
127. African Yellow White-eye
128. Northern Crombec
129. Brown-throated Wattle-eye
130. Bearded Barbet
131. Bronze-tailed Glossy-Starling
132. Little Weaver
133. Western Bonelli's Warbler
134. Yellow-billed Oxpecker
135. Vieillot's Barbet
136. Striped Kingfisher
137. Woodchat Shrike
138. Common Chiffchaff
139. African Mourning Dove
140. Rose-ringed Parakeet
141. Blue-bellied Roller
142. African Harrier-Hawk
143. Wahlberg's Eagle
144. Violet Turaco
145. Black-shouldered Kite
146. Ovampo Sparrowhawk
147. Gabar Goshawk
148. Rufous-crowned Roller
149. Lizard Buzzard
150. Fine-spotted Woodpecker
151. Pearl-spotted Owlet
152. Swallow-tailed Bee-eater
153. Little Bee-eater
154. Scarlet-chested Sunbird
155. Variable Sunbird
156. Brown-backed Woodpecker
157. Cardinal Woodpecker
158. Black-crowned Tchagra
159. Little Swift
160. African Golden Oriole
161. Gray Kestrel
162. White-fronted Black-Chat
163. Greater Honeyguide
164. Namaqua Dove
165. Dark Chanting-Goshawk
166. Osprey
167. Western Olivaceous Warbler
168. Green-backed Camaroptera
169. Oriole Warbler
170. Tawny-flanked Prinia
171. Orange-cheeked Waxbill
172. Orange Bishop
173. Abyssinian Roller
174. Zitting Cisticola
175. Wire-tailed Swallow
176. Klaas's Cuckoo
177. Yellow Penduline-Tit
178. Red-chested Swallow
179. Western Violet-backed Sunbird
180. African Pied Hornbill
181. Black Scimitar-bill
182. Red-winged Prinia
183. Copper Sunbird
184. Brown Babbler
185. Senegal Batis
186. African Hobby
187. Purple Glossy-Starling
188. Whistling Cisticola
189. Whinchat
190. White-billed Bufalo-Weaver
191. Chestnut-crowned Sparrow-Weaver
192. Greater Whitethroat
193. Wattled Lapwing
194. Gray Heron
195. Whimbrel
196. Gray-headed Gull
197. Sanderling
198. Ruddy Turnstone
199. Lesser Black-backed Gull
200. Caspian Tern
201. Kelp Gull
202. Slender-billed Gull
203. Common Ringed Plover
204. Black-bellied Plover
205. Darter
206. White Wagtail
207. Royal Tern
208. Sandwich Tern
209. Crested Lark
210. Bar-tailed Godwit
211. Long-tailed Cormorant
212. Pied Kingfisher
213. Western Reef-Heron
214. Common Sandpiper
215. Eurasian Curlew
216. White-fronted Plover
217. Senegal Thick-knee
218. Black-necked Cisticola
219. Black-headed Paradise-Flycatcher
220. Red-thighed Sparrowhawk
221. Black-crowned Night-Heron
222. Black Crake
223. Hamerkop
224. Giant Kingfisher
225. Squacco Heron
226. Black-headed Heron
227. Palm-nut Vulture
228. Green Sandpiper
229. Snowy-crowned Robin-Chat
230. Little Greenbul
231. Willow Warbler
232. Yellow-breasted Apalis
233. Ahanta Francolin
234. Western Bluebill
235. Gray Woodpecker
236. Blue-spotted Wood-Dove
237. Guinea Turaco
238. Blue-cheeked Bee-eater
239. Red-billed Firefinch
240. White Helmetshrike
241. Northern White-faced Owl
242. Red-billed Quelea
243. Gull-billed Tern
244. Great Egret
245. Spur-winged Plover
246. Striated Heron
247. African Jacana
248. Common Greenshank
249. Greater Painted-snipe
250. Purple Heron
251. Wood Sandpiper
252. Red-necked Falcon
253. Black-headed Lapwing
254. Golden-tailed Woodpecker
255. Brown-necked Parrot
256. Northern Puffback
257. Gray-headed Bushshrike
258. European Bee-eater
259. Common Redshank
260. Atlas Flycatcher
261. Double-spurred Francolin
262. Collared Sunbird
263. African Green-Pigeon
264. African Paradise-Flycatcher
265. Gray-headed Bristlebill
266. Green Hylia
267. Yellowbill
268. Vitelline Masked-Weaver
269. Buff-spotted Woodpecker
270. Pallid Swift
271. Common House-Martin
272. Melodious Warbler
273. Barn Owl
274. Grasshopper Buzzard
275. Grayish Eagle-Owl
276. Rufous Cisticola
277. Spotted Thick-knee
278. Long-crested Eagle
279. Mottled Spinetail
280. Hoopoe
281. Yellow-bellied Hyliota
282. Brubru
283. Montagu's Harrier
284. Siffling Cisticola
285. Four-banded Sandgrouse
286. Bruce's Green-Pigeon
287. Pink-backed Pelican
288. Eurasian Oystercatcher
289. Parasitic Jaeger
290. Intermediate Egret
291. Pomarine Jaeger
292. Northern Gannet
293. Lesser Crested Tern
294. Common Tern
295. White-rumped Seedeater
296. Northern Anteater-Chat
297. Brown Snake-Eagle
298. Little Ringed Plover
299. Common Redstart
300. Black-winged Stilt
301. Spotted Redshank
302. Bank Swallow
303. Little Stint
304. Iberian Chiffchaff
305. Yellow Wagtail
306. Bush Petronia
307. Little Egret
308. Curlew Sandpiper
309. Scissor-tailed Kite
310. Tawny Pipit
311. Northern Wheatear
312. Chestnut-bellied Starling
313. Cut-throat
314. Tree Pipit
315. Speckle-fronted Weaver
316. European Turtle-Dove
317. Subalpine Warbler
318. African Scrub-Robin
319. Sudan Golden-Sparrow
320. Chestnut-backed Sparrow-Lark
321. Long-tailed Paradise-Wydah
322. African Collared-Dove
323. Black-rumped Waxbill
324. Lesser Kestrel
325. Tawny Eagle
326. Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse
327. African Silverbill
328. Western Orphean Warbler
329. Small Buttonquail
330. Singing Bushlark
331. Quail-plover
332. Great Spotted Cuckoo
333. Savile's Bustard
334. Eurasian Griffon
335. Rueppell's Griffon
336. White-backed Vulture
337. Southern Gray Shrike
338. Lanner Falcon
339. Short-toed Eagle
340. Lappet-faced Vulture
341. Blue-naped Mousebird
342. Desert Cisticola
343. Whiskered Tern
344. Snowy Plover
345. Great White Pelican
346. Kittlitz's Plover
347. Greater Short-toed Lark
348. Eurasian Spoonbill
349. Western Sandpiper
350. Barn Swallow
351. Collared Pratincole
352. Cream-colored Courser
353. Glossy Ibis
354. Black Scrub-Robin
355. Sennar Penduline-Tit
356. Little Gray Woodpecker
357. Eurasian Wryneck
358. Verreaux's Eagle-Owl
359. Yellow-bellied Eremomela
360. Fulvous Chatterer
361. Cricket Longtail
362. Black-crowned Sparrow-Lark
363. Isabelline Wheatear
364. Long-tailed Nightjar
365. Black-headed Weaver
366. Temminck's Courser
367. Common Moorhen
368. River Prinia
369. Zebra Waxbill
370. Winding Cisticola
371. African Fish-Eagle
372. Purple Swamphen
373. African Pygmy-goose
374. African Spoonbill
375. Black Heron
376. Black-tailed Godwit
377. Ruff
378. Marsh Sandpiper
379. Garganey
380. Pied Avocet
381. Temminck's Stint
382. Malachite Kingfisher
383. Greater Flamingo
384. Sedge Warbler
385. Black Stork
386. Northern Shoveler
387. Common Snipe
388. Lesser Flamingo
389. Little Grebe
390. Northern Pintail
391. Black Crowned-Crane
392. White-winged Tern
393. Grasshopper Warbler
394. Arabian Bustard
395. Peregrine Falcon
396. Eurasian Teal
397. Eurasian Wigeon
398. White-faced Whistling-Duck
399. Yellow-crowned Bishop
400. Black-faced Quailfinch
401. Common Quail
402. Sacred Ibis
403. African Stonechat
404. Yellow-billed Stork
405. Comb Duck
406. Spur-winged Goose
407. Eurasian Reed-Warbler
408. Greater Swamp-Warbler
409. Green Bee-eater
410. Audouin's Gull
411. Booted Eagle
412. Green-winged Pytilia
413. Red-rumped Swallow
414. Beaudouin's Snake-Eagle
415. Ayres's Hawk-Eagle
416. Marabou Stork
417. Egyptian Plover
418. Northern Carmine Bee-eater
419. Swamp Flycatcher
420. Adamawa Turtle-Dove
421. Blue-breasted Kingfisher
422. Red-throated Bee-eater
423. Banded Snake-Eagle
424. Yellow-throated Greenbul
425. Stone Partridge
426. African Scops-Owl
427. Long-tailed Paradise-Wydah
428. Cinnamon-breasted Bunting
429. White-headed Vulture
430. Bateleur
431. Abyssinian Ground-Hornbill
432. Hadada Ibis
433. Bronze-winged Courser
434. Brown-rumped Bunting
435. Lesser Blue-eared Glossy-Starling
436. White-shouldered Black-Tit
437. Rufous-chested Swallow
438. Little Tern
439. Goliath Heron
440. White-throated Bee-eater
441. Mouse-brown Sunbird
442. Woolly-necked Stork
443. Gray Tit-Flycatcher
444. African Finfoot

This was a good trip for rarities. The Atlas Flycatcher was a first record for Gambia, and the Western Sandpiper was a first record for Africa.

Dave

 

[Mabel]

I don't think I can compete with THAT!!

26-01-07
60. Goldcrest (Regulus regulus)
61. Grey Plover (Pluvialis squatarola)

 

[Larry Lade]

I added one more species to my Missouri Year List today.

96. Double-crested Cormorant, Smithville Lake, Smithville, Missouri