FoghornKinghorn
Durham Recorder
In my experience with the species you need pretty good and prolonged views to confirm the identity of a Pallid Swift. In Israel this year I only positively ID'd about 2 (from what I can recall).
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Young Birder (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter The Barn Owl
- Start date
In my experience with the species you need pretty good and prolonged views to confirm the identity of a Pallid Swift. In Israel this year I only positively ID'd about 2 (from what I can recall).
birding maniac
Michael M
I think I'll see what the people think and what it ends up being id'd as, keep it as a possible. I had both birds (beeston/sheringham/Cromer and Cley/blakeney, so I'll have to see what's put in and accepted.
Managed to get 244 again tonight with a stunning Pallas' warbler showing well at times at Gore point, holme, elusive at first but ended up giving an amazing show to c20 people (which dropped to about 10 as it d better!)
Best bird of a brilliant day, where I also saw 4 grebe species, red throated diver, marsh harrier, jack snipe and bearded tits down to 4 metres!
Managed to get 244 again tonight with a stunning Pallas' warbler showing well at times at Gore point, holme, elusive at first but ended up giving an amazing show to c20 people (which dropped to about 10 as it d better!)
Best bird of a brilliant day, where I also saw 4 grebe species, red throated diver, marsh harrier, jack snipe and bearded tits down to 4 metres!
midlands birder
Well-known member
Well you'd be very lucky to see a Pied wheatear in the midlands :t: Good luck finding one :t:
Norther wheaear are much easier B
MB
O.Reville1989
I started off with nothing and I've still got some
Sounds like a great day! Think I'm going to regret not going for the Pallas's today by the sounds of it.
With regard to Pallid Swift, I have seen them in Spain and they are bad enough in amazing light let alone overcast. I hope that either of the 2 birds you saw are accepted mate but they are tricky.
birding maniac
Michael M
You really should go if you get the chance, it's a real stunner! Did you get to see the swift? Was nice to actually see in autumn. I've had quite a few in Spain before, but in med light it's much simpler than the in overcast (and dark evening light for the cley bird!) weather of Norfolk. Just been reading some of the posts and looking at some of the pics on the Norfolk thread, no one seems 100% sure. I'll have to see what happens.
O.Reville1989
I started off with nothing and I've still got some
I'm definitely going tomorrow haha They are cracking little birds.
Nah missed the Swift, was on the train on the way back from Edinburgh seeing my girlfriend, gutted!
It does seem a highly debated bird, as you say Med light makes them show nicely but yesterday must have been a nightmare!
alex berryman
Well-known member
Finally got the opportunity to join this thread! I;m Alex and I live in Fleet, NE Hampshire. I'm 14 and my life list is 214. I don't really count myself as a twitcher as I don't go up and dan the country, but I do travel around locally and see rare birds (seen things like Glossy Ibis, Long Billed Dowitcher, Little Bittern etc.). Like to think my knowledge is pretty sound, can ID all British birds by sight, majority by sound and know most common and some extreme rarities too. Anyone else live locally near me? Would love to meet more young people interested in birding.
Alex
Alex
birding maniac
Michael M
There brilliant, totally agree, and when this one showed it showed well, making the hour stood around worth it.
The swift was really difficult especially as it got later (it only flew from cley maybe 15 minutes before complete darkness. I think most people there thought it looked good for pallid but in the light nothing could be sure.
Armin Kreusel
Well-known member
From the 21th to the 28th of October I spent one week on Heligoland and it was fantastic.
I saw 10 Lifer and 2 new subspecies
Lifer:
-Great Skua (2 times)
-Pomarine Skua (3 birds, one of them a beautyful adult )
-Razorbill
-Richard´s Pipit (3 times)
-Sabine´s Gull (nearly every day one or two)
-Olive backed Pipit (2 different birds the 35th and the 36th record for Germany)
-Red-breasted Merganser
-Great Northern Diver (self found )
-Merlin
-Tundra Swan
New subspecies:
-Pied Wagtail
-Siberian Stonechat (two times)
Then I had many species for my german year list.
Here are the nicest species:
-Arctic Skua (more than 8 birds)
-Red Phalarope (sometimes 4 birds in a flock!)
-Shag
-Slavonian Grebe
-Twite
-Snow Bunting
-Lapland Bunting
-Rough-legged Buzzard
-Short-eared Owl
-Woodlark
-Pallas´s Leaf Warbler (one self found and two other views (my 3rd, 4th and 5th view)
-Yellow-browed Warbler (one self found and one other view (my 2nd and 3rd view)
Pics you can see here: http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=214887
I saw 10 Lifer and 2 new subspecies
Lifer:
-Great Skua (2 times)
-Pomarine Skua (3 birds, one of them a beautyful adult
)-Razorbill
-Richard´s Pipit (3 times)
-Sabine´s Gull (nearly every day one or two)
-Olive backed Pipit (2 different birds
the 35th and the 36th record for Germany)-Red-breasted Merganser
-Great Northern Diver (self found
)-Merlin
-Tundra Swan
New subspecies:
-Pied Wagtail
-Siberian Stonechat (two times)
Then I had many species for my german year list.
Here are the nicest species:
-Arctic Skua (more than 8 birds)
-Red Phalarope (sometimes 4 birds in a flock!)
-Shag
-Slavonian Grebe
-Twite
-Snow Bunting
-Lapland Bunting
-Rough-legged Buzzard
-Short-eared Owl
-Woodlark
-Pallas´s Leaf Warbler (one self found and two other views (my 3rd, 4th and 5th view)
-Yellow-browed Warbler (one self found and one other view (my 2nd and 3rd view)
Pics you can see here: http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=214887
knotsbirder
Well-known member
221) Great Skua, Flamborough
222) Red-throated Diver, Flamborough and then again at Filey and Scarborough
223) Purple Sandpiper, Scarborough, and then again at Filey
224) Black Redstart, Scarborough
225) Brambling, Filey
226) Olive-backed Pipit, Filey
227)Velvet Scoter, Filey
228)Firecrest, Spurn (Kilnsea Churchyard)
229) Short-eared Owl, Worlaby Carrs
and a juv Monties up in Sleddale that must surely be a good candidate for Pallid. Hopefully the locals can nail it either way. A fab 5 days in the Scarborough yielded 4 lifers and stacks of year ticks. Best birds were Purple Sands, Velvet Scoter and Firecrest, tho the Olive-backed and Black Red were rather nice too. Couldnt find and Rough-legs in Sleddale however, probably viewed from the wrong place
oh and today............
230) SQUACCO HERON!!! :loveme:
.............on my local patch!!! Brill bird that showed very well at rather close range. I was told that earlier in the day, a fisherman who had been asked not to go to where it had been showing blatently ignored this and almost went out of his way to flush it, so he had his fishing trolley lobbed into the river!
Sam o
222) Red-throated Diver, Flamborough and then again at Filey and Scarborough
223) Purple Sandpiper, Scarborough, and then again at Filey
224) Black Redstart, Scarborough
225) Brambling, Filey
226) Olive-backed Pipit, Filey
227)Velvet Scoter, Filey
228)Firecrest, Spurn (Kilnsea Churchyard)
229) Short-eared Owl, Worlaby Carrs
and a juv Monties up in Sleddale that must surely be a good candidate for Pallid. Hopefully the locals can nail it either way. A fab 5 days in the Scarborough yielded 4 lifers and stacks of year ticks. Best birds were Purple Sands, Velvet Scoter and Firecrest, tho the Olive-backed and Black Red were rather nice too. Couldnt find and Rough-legs in Sleddale however, probably viewed from the wrong place
oh and today............
230) SQUACCO HERON!!! :loveme:
.............on my local patch!!! Brill bird that showed very well at rather close range. I was told that earlier in the day, a fisherman who had been asked not to go to where it had been showing blatently ignored this and almost went out of his way to flush it, so he had his fishing trolley lobbed into the river!
Sam o
simmojunior
Well-known member
From the 21th to the 28th of October I spent one week on Heligoland and it was fantastic.
I saw 10 Lifer and 2 new subspecies
Lifer:
-Great Skua (2 times)
-Pomarine Skua (3 birds, one of them a beautyful adult
-Razorbill
-Richard´s Pipit (3 times)
-Sabine´s Gull (nearly every day one or two)
-Olive backed Pipit (2 different birds
-Red-breasted Merganser
-Great Northern Diver (self found
-Merlin
-Tundra Swan
New subspecies:
-Pied Wagtail
-Siberian Stonechat (two times)
Then I had many species for my german year list.
Here are the nicest species:
-Arctic Skua (more than 8 birds)
-Red Phalarope (sometimes 4 birds in a flock!)
-Shag
-Slavonian Grebe
-Twite
-Snow Bunting
-Lapland Bunting
-Rough-legged Buzzard
-Short-eared Owl
-Woodlark
-Pallas´s Leaf Warbler (one self found and two other views (my 3rd, 4th and 5th view)
-Yellow-browed Warbler (one self found and one other view (my 2nd and 3rd view)
Pics you can see here: http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=214887
Cracking stuff. Siberian Stonechat is now considered a full species by most authorities so I think you can add one more to your list
Armin Kreusel
Well-known member
I follow the Clements Checklist and there the Siberian Stonechat is a subspecies.
Jonny721
Well-known member
1st) Shantanu (Mumbai, India) - 340 species
2nd) Joshua-B (Australia) - 328 species
3rd) FoghornKinghorn (Durham, GB) - 264 species
4th) Birding Maniac (Durham, GB) - 243 species
5th) Timmyjones (Yorkshire, GB) - 242 species
6th) O.Reville1989 (Norfolk, GB) - 231 species
7th) Knotsbirder (Nottinghamshire, GB) - 230 species
8th) Ash1456 (Cornwall, GB) - 216 species
9th) Joseph N (Aberdeenshire GB) - 213 species
10th) Jonny721 (Lancashire, GB) - 211 species
11th) Simmojunior (London, GB) - 198 species
12th) Halcon (Spain) - 177 species
13th) Midlands Birder (Midlands, GB) - 170 species
14th) ***DIJ*** (Lincolnshire, GB) - 165 species
15th) Ausmar (Malta) - 163 species
15th) Birdermoose (Essex, GB) - 160 species
17th) nrg800 (Australia) - 155 species
18th) Youngbirder35 (Manchester, GB) - 154 species
19th) Mari E (Oxford, GB) - 150 species
20th) Jambo_Cops (Yorkshire, GB) - 147 species
21st) Shrikebirder (London, GB) - 137 species
22nd) Adin 92 (Malta) - 136 species
23rd) Borofan (Cleveland, GB) - 115 species
24th) Jamesevry (Somerset, GB) - 114 species
25th) Birdpics (Essex, GB) - 107 species
26th) Nature_Lover (Durham, GB) - 91 species
27th) WildlifeLove (Essex, GB) - 84 species
28th) CreamColouredCourser (Wales, GB) - 67 species
29th) Skylark25 (Malta) - 54 species
30th) Maltese Falcon (Malta) - 46 species
31st) Andrewj123 (Bedfordshire, GB) - 35 species
32nd) Mari E (Japan) - 18 species
Almost completely forgot about updating the table the past couple of weeks so sorry for the delay B Very jealous of everyone getting some great birds whilst I've been sticking to my local area and seeing lots of nice birds just no yearticks! However that all changed this morning with a gorgeous pair of Snow Buntings on the beach at Fleetwood, my 211th species for the year and also my 200th species for the Fylde in the year o Only the third person ever to do this (although I suspect at least 3 others will be joining me before too long this year!)
2nd) Joshua-B (Australia) - 328 species
3rd) FoghornKinghorn (Durham, GB) - 264 species
4th) Birding Maniac (Durham, GB) - 243 species
5th) Timmyjones (Yorkshire, GB) - 242 species
6th) O.Reville1989 (Norfolk, GB) - 231 species
7th) Knotsbirder (Nottinghamshire, GB) - 230 species
8th) Ash1456 (Cornwall, GB) - 216 species
9th) Joseph N (Aberdeenshire GB) - 213 species
10th) Jonny721 (Lancashire, GB) - 211 species
11th) Simmojunior (London, GB) - 198 species
12th) Halcon (Spain) - 177 species
13th) Midlands Birder (Midlands, GB) - 170 species
14th) ***DIJ*** (Lincolnshire, GB) - 165 species
15th) Ausmar (Malta) - 163 species
15th) Birdermoose (Essex, GB) - 160 species
17th) nrg800 (Australia) - 155 species
18th) Youngbirder35 (Manchester, GB) - 154 species
19th) Mari E (Oxford, GB) - 150 species
20th) Jambo_Cops (Yorkshire, GB) - 147 species
21st) Shrikebirder (London, GB) - 137 species
22nd) Adin 92 (Malta) - 136 species
23rd) Borofan (Cleveland, GB) - 115 species
24th) Jamesevry (Somerset, GB) - 114 species
25th) Birdpics (Essex, GB) - 107 species
26th) Nature_Lover (Durham, GB) - 91 species
27th) WildlifeLove (Essex, GB) - 84 species
28th) CreamColouredCourser (Wales, GB) - 67 species
29th) Skylark25 (Malta) - 54 species
30th) Maltese Falcon (Malta) - 46 species
31st) Andrewj123 (Bedfordshire, GB) - 35 species
32nd) Mari E (Japan) - 18 species
Almost completely forgot about updating the table the past couple of weeks so sorry for the delay B
Very jealous of everyone getting some great birds whilst I've been sticking to my local area and seeing lots of nice birds just no yearticks! However that all changed this morning with a gorgeous pair of Snow Buntings on the beach at Fleetwood, my 211th species for the year and also my 200th species for the Fylde in the year o Only the third person ever to do this (although I suspect at least 3 others will be joining me before too long this year!)knotsbirder
Well-known member
Agreed, its one I've added (Bevercotes Wood, Nth Notts)
Brilliant list Armin! It sounds like a brilliant place and quite a privellege to witness such stonking birds!
Sam
Joseph N
Lothian Young Birder
214 - Rough-legged Buzzard (juvenile at Loch of Strathbeg)
215 - American Golden Plover (juvenile with Golden Plovers in field near Ellon)
Fab days birding today. Didn't get out into the afternoon, but this didn't matter. Went for a Pallas's Warbler at Rattray Head first off, but no sign despite extensive searching. However, 2 Black Redstarts (including one stunning male) made up for this as well as vis mig of loads of winter thrushes, always an amazing sight.
I was going along the entrance track to Strathbeg at around 14:30 when I spotted the Rough-legged Buzzard that had been seen briefly on the reserve yesterday with 2 Buzzards. What a stunner, it doesn't get much better than rare birds of prey! This bird was thought to have disappeared yesterday having only been seen the once so it was great to re-find it. However, after 15 minutes of watching it drifted south and out of view. Record shot attached below.
Then an American Golden Plover nr. the Ythan came in on the local text service. We headed down quickly to Ellon, where it was apparently in a field by the dual carriageway. I managed to see it which was great, but the conditions were pretty unpleasant. Dark clouds meant light was rubbish, very strong winds meant the wind was shaking the scope, and cars were hurtling past constantly, making it hard to hear what others were saying and making viewing really difficult. I managed reasonable views on two occasions but no prolonged views. Nonetheless though a smart bird and a lifer, so I'm happy.
A tip for the future folks; motorway birding is far from ideal, but its thrilling :t:!
215 - American Golden Plover (juvenile with Golden Plovers in field near Ellon)
Fab days birding today. Didn't get out into the afternoon, but this didn't matter. Went for a Pallas's Warbler at Rattray Head first off, but no sign despite extensive searching. However, 2 Black Redstarts (including one stunning male) made up for this as well as vis mig of loads of winter thrushes, always an amazing sight.
I was going along the entrance track to Strathbeg at around 14:30 when I spotted the Rough-legged Buzzard that had been seen briefly on the reserve yesterday with 2 Buzzards. What a stunner, it doesn't get much better than rare birds of prey! This bird was thought to have disappeared yesterday having only been seen the once so it was great to re-find it. However, after 15 minutes of watching it drifted south and out of view. Record shot attached below.
Then an American Golden Plover nr. the Ythan came in on the local text service. We headed down quickly to Ellon, where it was apparently in a field by the dual carriageway. I managed to see it which was great, but the conditions were pretty unpleasant. Dark clouds meant light was rubbish, very strong winds meant the wind was shaking the scope, and cars were hurtling past constantly, making it hard to hear what others were saying and making viewing really difficult. I managed reasonable views on two occasions but no prolonged views. Nonetheless though a smart bird and a lifer, so I'm happy.
A tip for the future folks; motorway birding is far from ideal, but its thrilling :t:!
Attachments
Last edited:
Armin Kreusel
Well-known member
Jonny721
Well-known member
Sorry Armin I meant to add you but forgot! Will add you now :t:
Jonny721
Well-known member
1st) Shantanu (Mumbai, India) - 340 species
2nd) Joshua-B (Australia) - 328 species
3rd) FoghornKinghorn (Durham, GB) - 264 species
4th) Birding Maniac (Durham, GB) - 243 species
5th) Timmyjones (Yorkshire, GB) - 242 species
6th) Armin Kreusel (Germany) - 234 species
7th) O.Reville1989 (Norfolk, GB) - 231 species
8th) Knotsbirder (Nottinghamshire, GB) - 230 species
9th) Ash1456 (Cornwall, GB) - 216 species
10th) Joseph N (Aberdeenshire GB) - 215 species
11th) Jonny721 (Lancashire, GB) - 211 species
12th) Simmojunior (London, GB) - 198 species
13th) Halcon (Spain) - 177 species
14th) Midlands Birder (Midlands, GB) - 170 species
15th) ***DIJ*** (Lincolnshire, GB) - 165 species
16th) Ausmar (Malta) - 163 species
17th) Birdermoose (Essex, GB) - 160 species
18th) nrg800 (Australia) - 155 species
19th) Youngbirder35 (Manchester, GB) - 154 species
20th) Mari E (Oxford, GB) - 150 species
21st) Jambo_Cops (Yorkshire, GB) - 147 species
22nd) Shrikebirder (London, GB) - 137 species
23rd) Adin 92 (Malta) - 136 species
24th) Borofan (Cleveland, GB) - 115 species
25th) Jamesevry (Somerset, GB) - 114 species
26th) Birdpics (Essex, GB) - 107 species
27th) Nature_Lover (Durham, GB) - 91 species
28th) WildlifeLove (Essex, GB) - 84 species
29th) CreamColouredCourser (Wales, GB) - 67 species
30th) Skylark25 (Malta) - 54 species
31st) Maltese Falcon (Malta) - 46 species
32nd) Andrewj123 (Bedfordshire, GB) - 35 species
33rd) Mari E (Japan) - 18 species
2nd) Joshua-B (Australia) - 328 species
3rd) FoghornKinghorn (Durham, GB) - 264 species
4th) Birding Maniac (Durham, GB) - 243 species
5th) Timmyjones (Yorkshire, GB) - 242 species
6th) Armin Kreusel (Germany) - 234 species
7th) O.Reville1989 (Norfolk, GB) - 231 species
8th) Knotsbirder (Nottinghamshire, GB) - 230 species
9th) Ash1456 (Cornwall, GB) - 216 species
10th) Joseph N (Aberdeenshire GB) - 215 species
11th) Jonny721 (Lancashire, GB) - 211 species
12th) Simmojunior (London, GB) - 198 species
13th) Halcon (Spain) - 177 species
14th) Midlands Birder (Midlands, GB) - 170 species
15th) ***DIJ*** (Lincolnshire, GB) - 165 species
16th) Ausmar (Malta) - 163 species
17th) Birdermoose (Essex, GB) - 160 species
18th) nrg800 (Australia) - 155 species
19th) Youngbirder35 (Manchester, GB) - 154 species
20th) Mari E (Oxford, GB) - 150 species
21st) Jambo_Cops (Yorkshire, GB) - 147 species
22nd) Shrikebirder (London, GB) - 137 species
23rd) Adin 92 (Malta) - 136 species
24th) Borofan (Cleveland, GB) - 115 species
25th) Jamesevry (Somerset, GB) - 114 species
26th) Birdpics (Essex, GB) - 107 species
27th) Nature_Lover (Durham, GB) - 91 species
28th) WildlifeLove (Essex, GB) - 84 species
29th) CreamColouredCourser (Wales, GB) - 67 species
30th) Skylark25 (Malta) - 54 species
31st) Maltese Falcon (Malta) - 46 species
32nd) Andrewj123 (Bedfordshire, GB) - 35 species
33rd) Mari E (Japan) - 18 species
Armin Kreusel
Well-known member
birding maniac
Michael M
my 200th species for the Fylde in the year o
Well done Jonny! Brilliant total! B
What has everyone else reached for their counties this year? I'll need to total mine up, but not sure i want to- i think ive seen more in Norfolk than Durham!
Also, im on 244 for the year with the Pallas' Warbler, which i think is my highest yearlist total, but i'm going to go for 250, with three birds still easy to got, but they always elude me- Bewick's Swan, Dipper and Little Owl. With some luck I should get Little Auk on a Sea watch somewhere between Whitburn and Flamborough, and I'm going to hopefully try for the Lesser Scaup, which would leave me at 248... :t:
