Targets for 2019 (3 Viewers)

[JWN Andrewes]

November 10th

Another unsuccessful crack at the Buff-bellied in the morning (just a Black Redstart to show for our efforts), followed by the long drive home, broken with a stop off for the Blue-winged Teal at Man Sands. If I’d known it was such a skulky bird I might have skipped it and given the Pipit more time, but Scridifer’s right about hindsight, best not fixate too much on the might have beens. The Teal showed up in the end, but very quickly went to sleep, and was mighty miserly with views of its blue forewings. We waited and waited, but it remained resolutely inactive, and eventually we had to head off. School night after all.

Getting near year’s end, so probably not too many more ambitious escapades to go, but at least one weekend in December is currently earmarked, so another Norfolk weekend is not out of the question if there are any Taiga Beans and Rough-legs to be had. We’ll see.

 

[JWN Andrewes]

November 24th

A nice little run down to Shropshire to pick up a couple of easy year ticks today. First up was Priorslee Lake, literally seconds off the M54 we were into a layby next to the lake, and within minutes we were onto a likely looking candidate. Twelve months ago I really struggled with these, but since then, having done a lot of reading, and finally seeing one in the flesh, on picking out the bird this morning I was confident enough to put the news out that it was still present. So please nobody tell me I’ve cocked up the ID!

After that we headed up to Venus Pools, where the Red-necked Grebe was showing well by the causeway. It was very pleasing to catch up with one of these, as the boys haven’t seen one since their first back in 2016.

Possibly not many more opportunities to get out now before the end of the year, possibly just one more blast in a couple of weeks to try and get the boys’ year list over 240. Then start thinking about 2020’s targets. Something with a bit less driving maybe!

 

[Jon Turner]

A nice little run down to Shropshire to pick up a couple of easy year ticks today. First up was Priorslee Lake, literally seconds off the M54 we were into a layby next to the lake, and within minutes we were onto a likely looking candidate. Twelve months ago I really struggled with these, but since then, having done a lot of reading, and finally seeing one in the flesh, on picking out the bird this morning I was confident enough to put the news out that it was still present. So please nobody tell me I’ve cocked up the ID!

After that we headed up to Venus Pools, where the Red-necked Grebe was showing well by the causeway. It was very pleasing to catch up with one of these, as the boys haven’t seen one since their first back in 2016.

Possibly not many more opportunities to get out now before the end of the year, possibly just one more blast in a couple of weeks to try and get the boys’ year list over 240. Then start thinking about 2020’s targets. Something with a bit less driving maybe!

How can we tell you whether you've got it right or wrong if you don't tell us what you think it is?

 

[JWN Andrewes]

Oops! Caspian Gull (fingers crossed).

 

[Dave Ball]

How can we tell you whether you've got it right or wrong if you don't tell us what you think it is?

Always a good tactic.

 

[Paul Longland]

Glad you redeemed yourself with the pipit.
Your cornwall holiday sounds a little like mine a couple of weeks before (half term is a lot earlier in my neck of the woods).
Arrived in Porthleven late Saturday with a plan to try the red eyed vireo that had been hanging around porthgwarra for the past few days. However, as this was a family holiday any thoughts of birding had to wait until Monday. It turned out to be a really horrible day, wet, foggy and windy so decided to give it a miss. Just as well as the vireo was never seen again after the weekend. However, a barred warbler was hanging around near lands end so decided to give that a go. a late report of a booted warbler in the same vicinity was the clincher. As per I arrived in the spot just as the rain started to come down but it proved to only be a shower. Despite the most wrens I haver seen in one place, a plethora of stonechats and flyover chough, no sign of any warblers. By this time there was a fair crowd gathering and a local showed us exactly where the booted had been seen the evening before. Despite lots pairs of eyes, true to form it was a one day wonder and was nowhere to be seen. a red breasted flycatcher however gave a sterling display and a yellow browed in the hedgerow meant it was not a complete disaster.
Having resigned myself to the fact that there were to be no lifers this holiday on the Wednesday we went for a visit to St. Michaels mount. Walking from the car park I could see a small of group of people looking intently at something in a small dyke. There it was, a White Rumped Sandpiper not ten yards in front of me. A complete chance encounter and finally something to put a beautiful big L against in the yearbook.

A few days after I got home the news broke of that pipit. Story of my year really. I have dipped on practically every twitch I have been on this year yet stumbled across a lifer purely by accident when not even on a birding trip.
Will be most interested to see what your targets are going to be for next year. must be running out now!

 

[JWN Andrewes]

December 30th: part I

Last hurrah for 2019, after a busy December blighted by illness and shopping. Arrived at Sedgeford a bit after dawn to a super easy tick in the form of the rather smart Blue-headed Eastern Yellow Wagtail. I’ll be honest, I wasn’t in too much of a hurry to chase one of these, as records seem to be on something of an upward trajectory, but as it was such a dapper looking specimen I relented. (Also, I am becoming increasingly averse to the whole getting up at stupid o’clock in the morning and setting off on a 400-mile round trip. I usually enjoy it once I go, but working up the enthusiasm in advance is tough these days.) Certainly very pleased we went though; I don’t recall many twitches that have been quite so ridiculously straightforward as this one! Park, walk a few yards, score. Brilliantly showy bird, utterly unconcerned as it patrolled on and around its dungheap, even flew about a bit calling at one point. Yellowhammer here too, and we don’t see those so often, so added value.

 

[Richard Prior]

Thanks for an entertaining read in 2019 folks, hope you manage to reduce the time in the car as opposed to in the field in 2020, I find that driving in the UK on my rare visits gives me the screaming abdabs these days!

 

[JWN Andrewes]

December 30th: part II

Another reason for heading across for this particular Eastern Yellow Wag was the proximity of what seemed to be quite a reliable Rough-legged Buzzard at Wells. This species was on a very small list of birds that I have seen with the boys with me that for whatever reason they didn’t get tickable views of (in this instance it was an extremely distant individual at Lochindorb, Easter 2015, that they just weren’t yet sufficiently optics-competent or field-experienced to nail). While we waited at the advised gate for the Buzzard to show we enjoyed a fine fly-by Marsh Harrier and a distant Muntac. I know Muntjacs are ridiculously common in some areas, to the extent that they’re considered a pest by some, living as we do in North Wales they are still a treat for us. Soon enough the Buzzard was up, hovered briefly, and then settled on the top of a bush and gave good scope views for several minutes before decamping into some willows where it could sit unseen, neatly cuing our departure.

Thought we’d stop by Chosely to look for Tundra Beans in amongst the Pinkfeet next. Pulled up at a gap in the hedge to get started and holy crap! How many Pinkfeet?! One thing I had decided before setting off today was to not make the all too frequent mistake of spoiling a trip by biting off more than I could chew and this was clearly a mouthful beyond reasonable behaviour. So instead we sat and simply enjoyed the spectacle for a while before heading off to Titchwell for lunch

After lunch we had a gentle stroll up the track and back, enjoying a bit of low octane winter birding, Brents, Grey Plovers, a single very close Knot and distant views of a Water Pipit from Parrinder, that last a year tick for the boys. Thornham next, where the sheer number of people out enjoying the winter sun mitigated against any decent prolonged views of Twite, but we did manage to pick up a trio stopping by to take a drink out of the gutters of the old brick building in the harbour car park, our last year tick of 2019, putting me on 244, Arch on 240, and Sam a little behind, as he has missed a couple of trips out.

 

[edenwatcher]

Nice one James. We had a last hurrah yesterday down to Northumberland, with Eastern Yellow Wagtail at Prestwick Carr the main target. It showed extremely well (though not as ridiculously close as some have seen it) and was a UK tick for all. Just round the corner Sue found us a pair of willow tits - the final year tick for 2019. We were at Cresswell pond a little before the dowitcher appeared, but a female long-tailed duck was nice. Further up the road at Druridge, Sue picked out 2 Eurasian whitefronts in a large flock of pinkfeet.
We didn't have time to try for the black scoter at Goswick but a quick sortie across to Holy Island produced 3 short-eared owls - a fine way to end 2019. Daniel's biggest yearlist by far (213).

Rob