Trystan's 2022 World List (1 Viewer)

[Trystan]

As with last year, no firm plans yet for where I'm travelling, but as I've managed to get abroad the last two years in the face of a whole bunch of restrictions, I'm optimistic that I should be able to do the same this year.

January 1st

Planned to repeat December 31st run out to Blacktoft for Bewick's swan and on into Lincolnshire for the White tailed lapwing, back via Langford lowfields for long staying Divers and Ring-necked ducks.

More or less went to plan, though the early negative news on the lapwing meant that I did that section in reverse.

A few birds went unidentified en route to Blacktoft in the morning gloom. As the light improved from Swinefleet onwards a few birds from the car included:

001. Blackbird
002. Carrion Crow
003. Kestrel
004. Buzzard
005. Rook

Just beyond Blacktoft, I parked up at Adlingfleet and walked back up the bridleway.

006. House sparrow
007. Fieldfare
008. Mute swan
009. Greylag goose
010. Pink footed goose
011. Bewick's swan (still 3 present)
012. Whooper swan
013. Great tit
014. Wood pigeon
015. Stock dove

Decided to have a brief look in at Blacktoft itself, though it was pretty quiet.

016. Magpie
017. Dunnock
018. Blue tit
019. Mallard
020. Stonechat
021. Marsh harrier
022. Lapwing
023. Cormorant
024. Wigeon
025. Shoveler
026. Wren
027. Song thrush
028. Teal
029. Gadwall
030. Snipe
031. Pheasant
032. Robin
033. Tree sparrow

With negative news on the Lapwing, I headed directly from here to Langford Lowfields

Couple of gull species along the way

034. Great black backed gull
035. Black-headed gull

By the time I got to the reserve, the Lapwing had been refound but I had to go a long way round to get to the Great northern divers so there was no option to rush this, it would hopefully wait.

Langford Lowfields

036. Goldfinch
037. Reed bunting
038. Chaffinch
039. Siskin
040. Brambling
041. Coot
042. Canada goose
043. Tufted duck
044. Pochard
045. Long-tailed tit
046. Herring gull
047. Common gull
048. Lesser black backed gull
049. Little egret
050. Great white egret
051. Shelduck
052. Great crested grebe
053. Great northern diver
054. Pintail
055. Little grebe
056. Goldeneye
057. Redpoll
058. Ring necked duck
059. Moorhen
060. Grey heron
061. Greenfinch
062. Linnet
063. Collared dove

On the road again, stopping on the outskirts of East Halton where a few birders were watching a Cattle egret in a field, before moving on to the ponds where the main target was sat looking rather forlorn and lonely in the breeze.

East Halton

064. Cattle egret
065. Pied wagtail
066. White-tailed lapwing
067. Red-crested pochard

Not enough daylight for anything much else, but a quick run down to Cleethorpes to check the shore for waders. I was astonished at how busy the place was and struggled to find any free parking.

Grimsby

068. Feral pigeon

Cleethorpes

069. Dunlin
070. Bar-tailed godwit
071. Turnstone
072. Oystercatcher
073. Curlew
074. Sanderling

 

[Trystan]

January 2nd

A stay at home day today, though the local walk on the canal did not yield as many species as hoped for.

075. Jackdaw
076. Dipper

 

[Trystan]

January 3rd

A day out on the East coast with my wife, who reluctantly agreed to join me on a quest for year ticks.

Feeders were quite overrun with squirrels, but still produced the main birds.

Forge Valley

077. Marsh tit
078. Coal tit
079. Nuthatch
080. Goosander

Scarborough

081. Fulmar
082. Red throated diver
083. Rock pipit
084. Guillemot
085. Peregrine
086. Mediterranean gull

Filey

A futile search form Snow buntings and Richard's pipit in blustery conditions here was very frustrating.

087. Purple sandpiper
088. Redshank
089. Eider
090. Knot

Flamborough

091. Common scoter
092. Black redstart

The blustery conditions making walking quite unpleasant, I calculated that I might be able to get the Great grey shrike at Wistow before it went to roost, however, got stuck for a long chunk of road behind a camper van doing 20 miles under the limit, despite the 20 plus cars building up behind, too ignorant to pull in and arrived to news that the bird had indeed apparently gone to roost.

A62 near York

093. Red kite

Wistow

094. Yellowhammer

 

[Trystan]

4th January

A little walk at work yielded a couple more species.

095. Redwing
096. Red legged partridge

 

[Trystan]

9th January

Starting with a repeat of the 30th December, but hopefully with a Red flanked bluetail to finish.

Fountains Abbey

097. Grey wagtail
098. Hawfinch

Egglestone

099. Great spotted woodpecker

Langdon beck

100. Black grouse

Middleton-in-Teesdale

101. Red flanked bluetail

Was expecting to have to put in some time for this bird but it was already showing brilliantly when I arrived.

Unfortunately peaked very early today. I had a choice now to head back and try the shrike again or cut across to the M6 and try the Long-billed dowitcher at Fluke hall.

I chose the later, feeling it was pretty safe only to find the bird had flushed prior to my arrival and not come back. I spent some time in the area and picked up a few species for the year but it did not return and I cut my losses to try for Glaucous gull at Fishmoor reservoir on the way home but this was another dip.

Fluke hall / Knott-end-on-sea

102. Mistle thrush
103. Meadow pipit
104. Twite
105. Grey plover

 

[Owene]

Excellent start to the year. I think the bluetail would be the only actual lifer in there for me but loads of birds I’d like to see more regularly.

 

[Trystan]

Excellent start to the year. I think the bluetail would be the only actual lifer in there for me but loads of birds I’d like to see more regularly.

Yes, I'm happy with it, though not having the Shrike and Dowitcher is annoying.

 

[Trystan]

15th January

Local walk today, with two main targets, Little owl and Red grouse and faired very well with two owls and one distant grouse, plus others calling during the walk and three other year ticks to follow.

Meltham

106. Little owl
107. Red grouse
108. Bullfinch
109. Jay
110. Goldcrest

 

[Trystan]

16th January

Another circular round North and East Yorkshire today. Baikal teal and Great grey shrike seem to have moved on but there were plenty of other species to go for, aiming for Filey at first light but also managing to get the year list progressing on route with an obliging Barn owl perched on a post along some hedgerow.

Flixton

111. Barn owl

Filey

112. Shag
113. Grey Phalarope
114. Richard's pipit

2 Phalaropes on the tip of the brigg and thanks to Chris at the rocket pole field who managed to get very briefly onto the Richard's pipit and a few of us got it in the scope before it walked back into the long grass.

Buckton

115. Skylark
116. Lapland bunting

At least 6 after a bit of searching the field.

Hornsea mere

117. Black-necked grebe
118. Mandarin duck
119. Slavonian grebe
120. Long-tailed duck
121. Scaup

A nice selection of birds on the lake in the evening, though after the Black-necked grebe, can take no credit for finding the others. Fortunately some good observers present picking out the rest.

 

[Trystan]

17th January

A little light after work was enough walking to the bus stop to add an overdue sparrowhawk to the year list.

122. Sparrowhawk

 

[Trystan]

22nd January

Idle Valley NR, Notts

Late morning early afternoon run out to grab a couple of decent year ticks.

123. American wigeon
124. Smew
125. Kingfisher

Tried my luck with Willow tit and Water pipit on the way home at Fairburn and Swilly respectively but no joy, though did add one more species on the drive up when a flock of Golden plover came over the road.

Ferrybridge, Yorks

126. Golden plover

 

[Owene]

You've got some really nice birds already. Would have been 3 lifers for me already. I need to get out to the east coast some time 🙂

 

[Trystan]

You've got some really nice birds already. Would have been 3 lifers for me already. I need to get out to the east coast some time 🙂

Your own list seems to be building up nicely too.

 

[Trystan]

23rd January

With the re-emergence of the Great grey shrike and Baikal teal after a lack of reports last week, it seemed that a day built around these main targets was the way to go. While both species duly performed well, the supporting cast failed to materialise with further failed efforts for Willow tit and Water pipit at the front and back end of the day.

The only exception was an early Green woodpecker at Fairburn.

Fairburn ings

127. Green woodpecker

Wistow

128. Great grey shrike

Initially seen with a vole, it flew off, presumably to stash away for later before returning and perching up obligingly.

Tophill low

129. Baikal teal

No sign in the late morning and early afternoon but the pattern of later reports meant we decided to stick around rather than pushing on to the coast. Exploring the reserve didn't produce anything much, but on returning to the D-reservoir and scanning through the ducks, I was lucky enough to pick up the bird flying back in and landing much to the relief of everyone else in the hide.

 

[KC Foggin]

That's quite a collection for the first month of the year and the month isn't over yet Good luck Trystan!

 

[Owene]

Your own list seems to be building up nicely too.

Thanks. Pacific diver apart though they’re pretty much standard january birds though. Hopefully will go for the Somerset baikal teal this week if it hangs around

 

[Trystan]

That's quite a collection for the first month of the year and the month isn't over yet Good luck Trystan!

Thanks! Terrible weather today made me realise we have had a fairly easy time of it so far this January. Hoping for better tomorrow as heading to Lincolnshire.

 

[Trystan]

29th January

High winds all day though mild, I braved a local walk and was surprised to see a Red admiral, I wonder if it's wintering spot was disturbed by the weather.

Later in the day I couldn't resist an attempt at the Belted kingfisher after news that it had reappeared and after a bit of back and forth between the usual spot over the field and the bridge, had good scope views again. Thanks to the lads who got the news out quickly when it came back as the daylight was running out!

Roach bridge

130. Belted kingfisher

 

[Trystan]

30th January

Planned a lap of Lincolnshire today, starting with another visit to the White-tailed lapwing which a friend still needed to catch up with. It seemed more alert and active than any other times I've seen it but no additional year ticks for me here.

A drive down to Gibraltar point had us arriving about 10 minutes after the goose had been refound so able to get straight onto it. After this trudging round the reserve for Snow buntings drew a blank and we apparently also missed a flock of Corn buntings.

Gibraltar point

131. Brent goose (Dark bellied)
132. Red breasted goose

Next, over to Frampton, where after a slow start, with just Ringed plover to add to the year list, a purple patch of about 10 minutes added a few more targets before everything dried up again.

Frampton marsh

133. Ringed plover
134. Merlin
135. Spotted redshank
136. Black tailed godwit
137. Little stint

 

[Trystan]

5th February

With water pipit reported intermittently from Swillington in the week and a small window of opportunity for getting out this morning, I decided to try my luck. I spent the best part of an hour at the filter beds this morning and found the bird eventually though it spent little time in the open eventually flew while I had the scope at full magnification so I didn't see where it went and couldn't find it again.

Swillington

138. Water pipit

Also decided also to try my luck with Willow tit at Fairburn again. Having had no joy around the visitor centre feeders this year, I went to another bit of the reserve where I've had them before and was pleased to connect with a pair very quickly.

Fairburn ings

139. Willow tit