Young Birder (1 Viewer)

[Samuel Perfect]

Hi all,

Just got back from another excellent birding day trip to Titchwell, north Norfolk. The highlights being Spotted Redshank (2), Grey Partridge, Spoonbill (17+), Osprey (1 self found came flying in of the sea, then flew back out again), Ruff (30+ largest number I have seen in any one place at a time). Also stopped of in the Brecklands and had no less than 25 Stone-curlew! (definitely the birding highlight of the day). As well as increasing my year list by 4, I also checked through the list to find I had forgotten to include several commoner species to the year list which I had seen earlier in the year, in all I am now at 184.

please take a look at my blog with photos from my Norfolk trip at samuelbirding.blogspot.com

 

[Joseph N]

1st) Birding Maniac (UK, Durham) - 259 species
2nd) Armin Kreusel (Germany, Hannover) - 248 species
3rd) Birder of the South (UK, South) - 211 species
4th) Joshua B (Australia, Sydney) – 205 species
5th) Joseph N (UK, Aberdeenshire) - 204 species
6th) Ospr3y (USA) - 203 species
7th) Knotsbirder (UK, Nottinghamshire) - 197 species
8th) Olivierpwl (Poland) - 195 species
9th) Jonny721 (UK, Lancashire) - 193 species
10th) Simmojunior (UK, London) - 191 species
11th) Samuel Perfect (UK, Herts) - 184 species
12th) harpyeagle1 (USA) - 179 species
13th) Silverstar24 (UK, London) - 136 species
14th) Sandhill Crane Lover (USA) – 120 species
15th) DIJ (UK, Lincs) - 117 species
16th) Halcon (Spain) - 114 species
17th) Midlands Birder (UK, Midlands) - 109 species
18th) Mari E (Japan) - 101 species
19th) Mworks (UK, Lancashire) - 96 species
20th) Adin 92 (Malta) - 80 species
21st) Trevistky (Canada) - 65 species
22nd) Goldfinch12 (UK, Lancashire) - 59 species
23rd) Wildlifelove (UK, Essex) - 56 species
24th) Beth598x (UK, South) - 19 species

Great stuff guys, well done with all your birds. Sounds like you had a very productive trip to Norfolk Samuel; have just got back from a few days down there myself. Have come back without anything new for the year (very slow at the moment in this respect), despite a good day on the coast on Sunday and some good patching.

Highlights on the coast included 10 Spoonbills (8 at Cley, 1 at Stiffkey Fen and 1 at Titchwell), 6 Little Stints (4 at Cley, 2 at Titchwell), plenty of Green Sands + Spotshanks dotted up and down the coast and a self-found juv Yellow-legged Gull at Cley. The patch produced highlights of 2 Hobbies, 2 Green Sandpipers and Little Egret over, and 3 species of owl still; up to 3 Little Owls are using the barn at the back of the house. For more info, see my blog over the coming few days.

PS: An email will be incoming about birding around St Andrews Samuel; I am going to apply there as well as it happens.

Joseph

 

[simmojunior]

I looked at the University of St Andrews and did get an offer but opted to go to Durham instead. When I was up there in April 2011, both Out Head and the hide at Guardbridge were reasonably productive;.

 

[Sandhill Crane Lover]

Had a tiny flock of warblers this morning with a Black-Throated Green Warbler, two vireo sp (Yellow-Throated Vireos likely), and a few other random ones that wouldn't let me see them. Also had a Green Heron fly over. Hopefully as the month goes on I'll get more fall warblers. I've noticed the Red-Winged Blackbirds (and probably other blackbirds mixed in) flocking up in huge numbers, flying from tree to tree with a loud "whoosh!". Very amazing to hear! And all of this is just around the house.

 

[harpyeagle1]

Hello everyone! I have just returned from a two day backpacking excursion to Allegheny National Forest. My year list in now 180 with ovenbird. Highlights included, black-throated green warbler, black and white warbler, cerulean warbler, northern parula, and a couple of common ravens. Tomorrow morning, I am heading in search of a long-tailed Jearger that has been seen nearby.

 

[oliwierpl]

Year-list 199 + Long-tailed Tit,Willow Tit,Caspian Tern,Turnstone
Life-list 220 +Turnstone

 

[***DIJ***]

Yearlist at 160 now. Boosted by Barred Warbler, Icterine Warbler, Roseate Tern and 4 skua sp, Great, Arctic, Pomerine and Long Tailed.

 

[Joseph N]

1st) Birding Maniac (UK, Durham) - 259 species
2nd) Armin Kreusel (Germany, Hannover) - 248 species
3rd) Birder of the South (UK, South) - 211 species
4th) Joshua B (Australia, Sydney) – 205 species
5th) Joseph N (UK, Aberdeenshire) - 204 species
6th) Ospr3y (USA) - 203 species
7th) Olivierpwl (Poland) - 199 species
8th) Knotsbirder (UK, Nottinghamshire) - 197 species
9th) Jonny721 (UK, Lancashire) - 193 species
10th) Simmojunior (UK, London) - 191 species
11th) Samuel Perfect (UK, Herts) - 184 species
12th) harpyeagle1 (USA) - 180 species
13th) DIJ (UK, Lincs) - 160 species
14th) Silverstar24 (UK, London) - 136 species
15th) Sandhill Crane Lover (USA) – 120 species
16th) Halcon (Spain) - 114 species
17th) Midlands Birder (UK, Midlands) - 109 species
18th) Mari E (Japan) - 101 species
19th) Mworks (UK, Lancashire) - 96 species
20th) Adin 92 (Malta) - 80 species
21st) Trevistky (Canada) - 65 species
22nd) Goldfinch12 (UK, Lancashire) - 59 species
23rd) Wildlifelove (UK, Essex) - 56 species
24th) Beth598x (UK, South) - 19 species

Well done on some decent birds guys. These persistent westerlies are making things very slow up here in NE Scotland. I have only had two new birds for the year seen since late July, more or less indicative of what the birding has been like in the area in recent weeks. With the lack of birds in the Northern Isles at the moment and the current weather systems, the Shetland trip planned for the end of this week has been re-booked to late September, when things should hopefully be a lot better up there. Hopefully a few bits and bobs will crop up locally to entertain in the meantime.

Joseph

 

[knotsbirder]

Yearlist at 160 now. Boosted by Barred Warbler, Icterine Warbler, Roseate Tern and 4 skua sp, Great, Arctic, Pomerine and Long Tailed.

I'm very jealous of 5 of those mate, I've spent too long recently dipping Barred and 3 of the Skua's!

I've had a few year ticks in the last couple of days, perhaps most notable was a stunning summer plumaged Red-throated Diver, the first I've seen in this plumage. Also had my best ever views of an Arctic Skua but the undoubted highlights were the American Black Tern last week and 3 very showy Little Gulls today.

Sam

198) Arctic Skua
199) Red-throated Diver
200) Manx Shearwater

 

[harpyeagle1]

I dipped on the long-tailed jeargar yesterday but did manage to get my year bird #181 northern harrier (or hen harrier as it's called in Britain)

 

[knotsbirder]

I dipped on the long-tailed jeargar yesterday but did manage to get my year bird #181 northern harrier (or hen harrier as it's called in Britain)

Nope, its called Northern Harrier over here too. Its still a mega but many of the posters on here managed a juvenile a couple of years ago. Not yet a seperate species but its muted as a possible split.

Sam

 

[Joseph N]

1st) Birding Maniac (UK, Durham) - 259 species
2nd) Armin Kreusel (Germany, Hannover) - 248 species
3rd) Birder of the South (UK, South) - 211 species
4th) Joshua B (Australia, Sydney) – 205 species
5th) Joseph N (UK, Aberdeenshire) - 204 species
6th) Ospr3y (USA) - 203 species
7th) Knotsbirder (UK, Nottinghamshire) - 200 species
8th) Olivierpwl (Poland) - 199 species
9th) Jonny721 (UK, Lancashire) - 193 species
10th) Simmojunior (UK, London) - 191 species
11th) Samuel Perfect (UK, Herts) - 184 species
12th) harpyeagle1 (USA) - 181 species
13th) DIJ (UK, Lincs) - 160 species
14th) Silverstar24 (UK, London) - 136 species
15th) Sandhill Crane Lover (USA) – 120 species
16th) Halcon (Spain) - 114 species
17th) Midlands Birder (UK, Midlands) - 109 species
18th) Mari E (Japan) - 101 species
19th) Mworks (UK, Lancashire) - 96 species
20th) Adin 92 (Malta) - 80 species
21st) Trevistky (Canada) - 65 species
22nd) Goldfinch12 (UK, Lancashire) - 59 species
23rd) Wildlifelove (UK, Essex) - 56 species
24th) Beth598x (UK, South) - 19 species

Perhaps also of interest to harpyeagle1 is that American Black Tern (as pictured above by Sam) is in a very similar taxonomic situation to Northern Harrier ( split quite possible in the future from Black Tern by British authorities), with which it also shares the same novelty as a mega in Britain. Congrats on connecting with the Lancs bird Sam, and a great photo too. Did you get the Lincs bird last year?

Joseph

 

[knotsbirder]

Perhaps also of interest to harpyeagle1 is that American Black Tern (as pictured above by Sam) is in a very similar taxonomic situation to Northern Harrier (split quite possible in the future from Black Tern by British authorities), with which it also shares the same novelty as a mega in Britain. Congrats on connecting with the Lancs bird Sam, and a great photo too. Did you get the Lincs bird last year?

No Joseph! I don't think the split is terribly likely, so I never went for the Lincs' bird. However, my dad was working 5 minutes away from the Lancs' bird, so it seemed silly not to go and have a peek. 8-P

Sam

 

[Raptorboy98]

Hi there, Im new to this forum and im 13 years old so thought I would post some birds I have seen recently and ill start my bird list from the birds i saw last week to present.
All seen at Riverside Nature Park or around my house.

1) Curlew Sandpiper
2) Common Sandpiper
3) Goosander
4) Shelduck
5) Shoveler
6) Mallard
7) Common Buzzard
8) Redshank
9) Grey Heron
10) Cormorant
11) Teal
12) Mute Swan
13) Oystercatcher
14) Black-tailed Godwit
15) Herring Gull
16) Lesser Black-backed Gull
17) Lapwing
18) Eurasian Jay
19) Woodpigeon
20) Carrion Crow
21) Barn Swallow
22) Great Tit
23) Blue Tit
24) Coal Tit
25) Dunnock
26) Blackbird

 

[Raptorboy98]

Hi Joseph,

I'll be going with her to St Andrews (and staying in the neighbouring village of Anstruther) for about three or four days. We might stop of on the way up, perhaps passing Holy Island for a day, depending on accommodation space. I've never been on the east coast of Scotland before so any advice on birding hotspots would be much appreciated.

Yes the hide at Guardbridge is probably the best for around the area and you might also want to check out Loch Leven. If you fancy heading into Angus there's Loch of Kinnordy for Marsh Harriers and Osprey (well depending what month you go in) and Port Allen is the best for the Tay Reedbeds where you can also see Marsh Harriers and bearded tits.

 

[Joseph N]

No Joseph! I don't think the split is terribly likely, so I never went for the Lincs' bird. However, my dad was working 5 minutes away from the Lancs' bird, so it seemed silly not to go and have a peek. 8-P

Sam

Fair do's Sam. Hope you enjoyed the bird, would have been harsh to ignore it when so close by. Don't actually think the split with ABT is as likely as with Northern Harrier, so perhaps shouldn't have said they were both in a very similar taxonomic situation in my last post.

Hi Raptorboy98, welcome to the forum and thread, hope you enjoy it. It's great to have another Scottish-based young birder on board; only the third one over the last few years to have contributed on this thread as far as I'm aware (we're a rarity!). Well done on some nice birds, have you got a yearlist that you'd like to enter into our competition?

Joseph

 

[harpyeagle1]

That is interesting about the American black tern. I have yet to see one but I may later this month when I will be in Deleware.

 

[ospr3y]

Yellow Warbler: year 204.

 

[phil baber]

Hope you can act on this?

http://www.britishbirds.co.uk/news-and-comment/bb-grants-for-young-birdersringers

Good luck!

 

[Samuel Perfect]

Hi all,

Sorry about my late response regarding birding in east Scotland (thanks Joseph and Raptorboy98 for the advice). I have just come back from a week on the Scillies. Not a lot of birders/twitchers there yet so not a lot was found. However I did manage to refind the Citrine Wagtail on the opposite end of the Island as to where it was originally seen against all the odds. I also managed to find an Icterine/Melodious Warbler (still not fully IDed. Please contribute to its ID if you feel like it at http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=239295) My year list is currently at 192 with Citrine Wagtail, Buff-breasted Sandpiper and Sooty Shearwater being the most recent highlights. A pelagic trip out into the Atlantic was also rather productive as we enjoyed close views of a Portuguese Man Of War, Sunfish followed by a Minke Whale surfacing only metres from the boat giving everyone on board a big shock. Also caught a Blue Shark, tagged it before releasing it, pics will be on my blog soon at samuelbirding.blogspot.com enjoy and good birding to all.