What did you miss in 2020? (1 Viewer)

[Himalaya]

With the upheaval in 2020 I wondered what people missed in 2020 in relation to birding that they had experienced annually?

It was the first time since 2008 I had not visited Leighton Moss, Lancashire.
It was the first time since 2012 I had not visited RSPB St Aidan's/Swillington Ings.

It was the first time since 2011 since I have not heard a Tree Pipit sing.

It was the first time since 2011 I had not seen a Little Gull in the year.
It was the first time since 2012 I had not seen a Bewick's Swan, Red Kite and Common Redstart in the year.

 

[Mysticete]

Being stuck in proximity of my home curtailed a lot of potential trips...I had planned to hit some overnight destinations which would have enabled me to expand my state list and pick up a few lifers. And obviously delaying my Panama Trip for a year and not being able to do anything over christmas break and now spring break really sucked.

 

[Himalaya]

I don't mean first time trips, lifers or twitches but more so annual experiences of birds or places. Did you fail to see a species that you see annually or even hear? Did you fail to visit a place which you visit annually? I wonder what people had missed in 2020 which was part of their annual routine.

 

[ClarkWGriswold]

Hi H. I missed out on Fulmar, Guillemot, Razorbill, Red throated Diver and Willow Tit. Usually on most of my year lists.

Really missed not going to Skomer with my youngest.

 

[Welsh Peregrine]

Seabirds; didn’t see a single Tern of any species last year!

 

[Digbee]

Winter 2020/21 missed out visiting the very scenic vista of the Starling murmurations at Brighton Pier UK on a clear day at Sunset. The UK first CV-19 case was at Brighton Feb 2020 and the last time I saw them, on my mothers Birthday for her 80'th.. 5th Feb 2020,

 

[Mike Crawley]

Slightly off topic but fairly similar - I managed to get Black Grouse last March but no chance this year.
2020 was the first time in a long time I haven’t been able to visit Norfolk/Suffolk.

Getting to Scilly in October was a real boost

 

[SlowLowFlyingTurkey]

The most obvious one for me is Garganey, which I routinely see in April. Back in the days of one hour exercise per day, I couldn't get to any suitable habitat. By the time I was able to go further afield their migration was over and they were harder to find.

On the plus side, I saw my first Willow Tit for 21 years at Potteric Carr later in the year. I lived in Leeds at the end of the 90s and used to see them at Fairburn Ings, but not since moving back to East Anglia in 2000 (I know there are very small numbers in Norfolk but I've never seen them there).

 

[Euan Buchan]

Mine was not seeing Seabirds & Waders mainly Puffins, Gannets, Eider Ducks & Turnstones. I must admit although I missed going to the ususal places I normally visit I actually enjoyed the lockdown walking to my local patch and watching the birds in the garden which brought the arrival of Greenfinches & Goldfinches to the feeders who have become regulars ever since.

 

[kb57]

Fewer trips to coastal and wetland sites meant I missed out on most auks (apart from guillemot) and waders such as greenshank and black-tailed godwits. Woodland species I need to make specific trips to see, such as marsh tit, redstart and pied flycatcher were also missing.
To be honest though it was as much pressures of work keeping me inside in 2020 - we were all able to travel freely until March, then restrictions eased again in summer / autumn. There were a lot of birds to see in my region (NE England) last year for the more dedicated birder, I'm sure some will have amassed quite respectable 2020 year lists whilst keeping to guidelines current at the time.
2021 has actually been more restrictive so far for UK-based birders, but personally pressure of work is less, so I've got out birding locally a lot more. Like Euan, I'm enjoying seeing birds close to my home, and have started a 'walking from home' local list, which I hope I will continue when we can travel more widely again.

 

[Farnboro John]

Not much, luckily. Got our foreign holiday in before it all kicked off, fitted the Shetland holiday into the gap between lockdowns. Both delivered great birds. Probably the worst thing was not going round the familiar places mopping up spring migrants, with garden watches substituted but not quite the same.

Looks like this year the stretched out end of lockdown will knacker a trip North to photograph Scottish dragonflies, as well, but there's always next year.

John

 

[dandsblair]

We were quite fortunate, as we managed to get to St Bees and Bempton Cliffs after the lockdown and even got to Canary Island and Cuba late in the year so we only missed trips to Scotland to see relatives and get some the specials while there.

 

[Mysticete]

I don't mean first time trips, lifers or twitches but more so annual experiences of birds or places. Did you fail to see a species that you see annually or even hear? Did you fail to visit a place which you visit annually? I wonder what people had missed in 2020 which was part of their annual routine.

In that case probably the only thing that was effected was the complete shutdown of activity from the local bird clubs. I really enjoyed the meetings and the field trips were good opportunities to explore new places and generally learn more about the local bird fauna. However I locally was able to pretty much go to any birding spot I wanted, as there were no closures, although sometimes you had to deal with a fewer more people than normal.

Oh and I guess the bathroom situation was more problematic. Even though a refuge/state park may be open, often the bathrooms were not, which could provide challenges.

 

[amythebirder]

Spring seawatching. Would usually spend hours seawatching locally especially April/early May so missed most skuas, little gull, black tern etc. Thankfully the rules in lockdown 1 meant I could still walk through part of my local patch (part of it was closed) so still enjoyed spring in a way but didn't put in the hours I usually would.

 

[JWN Andrewes]

The most glaring omissions for me were Black Grouse (easy just 6 miles from home), Pied Flycatcher & Tree Pipit (plenty of fairly local sites for both). I never got round to going for the Grouse before lockdown, and once out of it my enthusiasm for getting out and about had atrophied. On the plus side, I found Wood Warbler & Redstart within walking distance of home, discovered Lesser Whitethroats were more common hereabouts than I'd realised, and discovered a new spot for Garden Warbler.

 

[foresttwitcher]

I have developed an annual tradition of trying to see 100+ species in a day around Minsmere on the longest day over the last couple of decades - so missed that this year.

 

[Rob Hunt]

Failure to make a May visit to the RSPB Dinas Reserve, a truly magical place at that time of year.
Missed out on Redstart, Wood Warbler and Pied Flycatcher.

 

[IAN JAMES THOMPSON]

Not getting out with my RSPB Group since March 2020. All of the monthly Saturday coach trips cancelled plus the two midweek local birdwatching walks each monty for older members retired like myself and the annual well long Uk birdwatching holiday cancelled as will with my RSPB Group. Luckily no problems getting the money we all paid for that holiday which was expensive. But the full amount paid for all the coach travel and the hotel which is always very expensive and excellent as well was paid back into my bank account within 3 days after the cancellation was announced of that holiday, as I know some friends had problems getting money paid to them for travelling on holidays within the UK. The coach company that we use is a small family owned coach company and the coach company didn’t get any help from the government in any way with the furlough. But touch wood, so far this family run coach company seem to be surviving for the time being unlike some of the bigger coach companies and this coach company have a small number of employee’s as well.

 

[Himalaya]

In that case probably the only thing that was effected was the complete shutdown of activity from the local bird clubs. I really enjoyed the meetings and the field trips were good opportunities to explore new places and generally learn more about the local bird fauna. However I locally was able to pretty much go to any birding spot I wanted, as there were no closures, although sometimes you had to deal with a fewer more people than normal.

Oh and I guess the bathroom situation was more problematic. Even though a refuge/state park may be open, often the bathrooms were not, which could provide challenges.

I didn't think of this myself. Local bird clubs and their activities have been badly affected.

 

[Himalaya]

I have developed an annual tradition of trying to see 100+ species in a day around Minsmere on the longest day over the last couple of decades - so missed that this year.

How easy is that and what species can be seen?