Northumberland: Birling and Cresswell Pond

Well, lectures started again today, so what better excuse to run off twitching for the day? Northumberland was the chosen destination on account of its potential two lifers and generally pleasant birding.

I got off the train at 8.00 in Alnmouth and then got the bus down to Birling for the Arctic Redpoll that had been there for a while now. Just about managed to catch the bus to save myself some time, followed by a short walk down to the very vague location of the bird. along the way I picked up my first yeartick of the day, Whooper Swan. There were a small number of individuals feeding with the Mute Swans in the fields along the side of the road.

-Whooper Swan

I had a rough idea of where to look for the Redpolls and it was not long before I was able to pick up a number of birds in flight moving along in the field but I was not able to get them down for about an hour. An entire hour spent chasing Redpolls before I finally got them in an open area. I had a scan along the fence with the scope and within seconds I had the Cous' Arctic Redpoll sitting on the fence. It was obvious it was unbelievable, I barely had to wait to see the white rump, although it did not take long for it to duly oblige. 

The flock kept moving and I had my best views in the car park about half an hour later, although then it was in the trees and the views were quite obscured at times. I was quite pleased with my shots though. It was quite a bird to look at. In addition to the Arctic I tried to mind a mealy redpoll among the ranks of birds, but alas I found none.

Arctic Redpoll is my first lifer this year, and a real super looking bird. It was quite an education looking at Redpolls for so long. This bird is quite something.

-Cous' Arctic Redpoll

Whilst there I got a host of other goodies too. Perhaps the highlight of these was during my five mins seawatching when a super Black-throated Diver flew south not too far out. An unexpected yeartick to say the least, and possibly the best view I have ever had of the species.

Also a bonus yeartick were the Grey Partridges that abounded in the game crop. The crop was tall but from it I could heard strange croaking noises. I had no idea what was going on and it took around half an hour before any of the culprits decided to fly out of it and reveal themselves, but once they had I found that there were Grey Partridges everywhere around the site.

-Grey Partridge

I had intended to get the bus down to Cresswell Pond for the LB Dowitcher there but as it happens there were a couple of local birders at the Redpoll and one of them offered to take me, saving me plenty of time and allowing me to arrive right at the pond rather than a substantial walk.

The Dowitcher was not on the near scrape, but Another birder in the hide picked it up on the very distant far side of the pond. Second lifer of 2016 in the bag. This does mean I labored to get any photos and the ones I did get were not helped by the fact that the bird spent most of its time with its head underwater.

It was nice to see it in context with the other waders though, so stumpy compared to the redshank it was feeding alongside. Whilst I did not manage to get a good photo of it I did manage a very poor quality video which is a bit better, although if that will be the same on here we will have to see.

-Long-Billed Dowitcher

-Long-Billed Dowitcher

A double lifer day, both birds playing ball, what more could I ask?

There were plenty of other birds at the pond too, yearticking Bar-Tailed Godwit and Dunlin among the other waders present. There were also masses of Pink-Footed Geese in the fields around the ponds. I knew there were a couple of Eurasian White-Fronted Geese in with them and so was painstakingly analysing all the flocks in the hope of picking them out.

Somehow the flock I found them in was the one directly opposite the pond which I had already scanned 3 times before I finally got them. I counted 4 White-fronts in total, a species I have not seen for many years and a really nice addition to the yearlist.

The geese were feeding in the fields along the side of the road, and so when I left Cresswell and headed up to Druridge Pools I got to walk right past them and get a few nice record shots...

-Pink-Footed Geese

-White-fronted Geese

Along the walk to Druridge I did not pick up much; a Stonechat and a few Yellowhammer the best of them. By the time I arrived at Druridge it was early evening and there was not much that there had not been at Cresswell. I added Pintail to the day list but the real highlight was a nice Short-eared Owl that was hunting around the area. A really nice way to finish off the day.

-Short-eared Owl

By the end of the day I was knackered but to have seen both my targets, plenty of other stuff and had a pretty sweet all-round day I could not ask for anything more. Thanks again to the local birders who gave me a lift and information about birds in the area and what best strategy to take. What an incredible days birding. 

Species List:

Birling Carrs: Rook, Tree Sparrow, Woodpigeon, Chaffinch, Jackdaw, Mute Swan, Whooper Swan, Yellowhammer, Grey Partridge, Oystercatcher, Lesser Redpoll, Guillemot, Black-throated Diver, Grey Heron, Cous' Arctic Redpoll, Blackbird, Dunnock, Wren, Golden Plover, Herring Gull, Black-headed Gull, Skylark, Pheasant, 

Cresswell Pond: Dunlin, Redshank, Bar-tailed Godwit, Long-billed Dowitcher, Lapwing, Wigeon, Common Teal, Mallard, Shelduck, Pink-footed Goose, Moorhen, Common Snipe, Starling, Jackdaw, Rook, Great Tit, Red-breasted Merganser, Carrion Crow, White-fronted Goose, Oystercatcher, Little Grebe, Sparrowhawk, Cormorant, Goldeneye, Magpie, Turnstone, Eider, Herring Gull, Goldfinch, Robin, Yellowhammer, Wren, Reed Bunting, Stonechat, Kestrel, Lesser Redpoll, Pied Wheatear, Sanderling,

Druridge Pools: Mallard, Shelduck, Pintail, Wigeon, Common Teal, Carrion Crow, Blackbird, Shoveler, Grey Heron, Lapwing, Curlew, Bar-tailed Godwit, Short-eared Owl, Pink-footed Goose, Carrion Crow, Gadwall, Tree Sparrow, Siskin, Goldeneye, Tufted Duck, Canada Goose, Red-breasted Merganser, Little Grebe, Coot, Pheasant, Long-tailed Tit, Stonechat, Red-throated Diver, Feral Pigeon, 

Hartlepool and Saltholme RSPB

Finally I had a full day of freedom post exams and having weighed up my options during my revision breaks over the past month I knew where I really wanted to go. That was Hartlepool to see the goodies that were up round that way.

Upon arriving in Hartlepool I first made my way round to Jackson's Landing marina to see if the glaucous gull was there, but it was not. I did get a nice year-tick in the form of Red-breasted Mergansers which were feeding the harbor.

I then made my way round to the headland where I went looking for the Shore Larks. It was quite breezy so I first walked the sheltered area of the rough ground they had been favoring, but with no luck. It was at this point that I decided coming was a mistake and that it was going to be one of those days where nothing goes your way...

How wrong I was...

I decided to walk the rough ground systematically and on the far bank, most exposed, I flushed the three Shore Larks. I saw where they went down but they still took some work to locate. I managed to get a few birders onto them in the hour or more that I was watching them. I grabbed some digiscoped shots before trying my luck with my new camera. I'll let the photos do the talking, but I was buzzing.

-Shore Larks

I was intitially going to walk the headland looking for waders heading towards the fish quay for the Slavonian Grebe. I started by seawatching off where the larks were. There were a couple of other birders too but they had spread out looking for Snow Buntings. Whilst seawatching I had yearticks of Oystercatcher, Sanderling, Shag and Red-throated Diver. I was having a field day.

I heard a twittering near me and looked up from my scope to see a Snow Bunting fly past me and land with the Larks that were still feeding behind me. I could see the other birders so whistled them over.

-Snow Bunting

Whilst we were watching the bunting the news broke of a penduline tit at Saltholme. I told the other birds who offered me a lift there. I had turned down a couple of lifts earlier in the day but this news did mean that there was something else to consider for the day so I took them up on their offer.

First call was the fish quay where there were plenty of birds as well as a seal. The Slavonian Grebe took some finding but I eventually picked it up distantly fishing among the boats. There was also the earlier reported Great-northern Diver, another Red-throated Diver, a few Guillemots and Eiders. There were also a few Turnstone along the quay. It was quite a spot for an urban fish quay. 

-Slavonian Grebe

-Great-northern Diver

-Guillemot

-Turnstone

Having gained the full house at the Quay we headed down towards Saltholme. On the way we called of at a local spot for Mediterranean Gull, which duly obliged, chilling on the beach barely two meters away. We also called off at Seaton Snook Road to see if there were any shorties hunting the fields but there was not. However, there was a very obliging Stonechat.

-Mediterranean Gull

-Stonechat

At Saltholme we headed straight to the hide where the tits were meant to be, but it over an hour there I had no joy of a penduline tit nature. However, I had a great substitute when a Water Rail swam across the channel that was being watched. Its one of the best views I have ever had of this species, but it happened so quickly I got no photos. A Peregrine flew over too, and I got a yeartick of Stock Dove.

I got a tip off about the Long-eared Owl in Haverton Scrub so I headed that way and was kindly shown it by some local birders. It was quite the bird to see, sitting almost out in the open with its ears erect. What a view, the best I have ever had of this species, and that is saying something. What a beaut. I was able to grab plenty of photos.

-Long-eared Owl

After the owl I headed to Paddys Pond for the female Smew which has been at the reserve for a long time now. It showed only briefly, spending most of its time behind the island, but its still the first time I have ever seen a redhead Smew and another cracking species to add to my growing day list.

In addition to the Smew there was also a nice female Pintail and a few Barnacle Geese mingling with the canadas.

-Smew

I finished off at the main hide where I added Shoveler, Shelduck and Curlew to the yearlist. Sadly there was no sign of the green-winged teal that sometimes shows there but I was not particularly bothered given how awesome the day was.

So despite a slow start today turned into one of the best days birding I have ever had, ever, thats how good it was. What a day.

Species List:

Hartlepool: Shag, Shore Lark, Cormorant, Red-breasted Merganser, Long-tailed Tit, Oystercatcher, Red-throated Diver, Herring Gull, Snow Bunting, Sanderling, Great-northern Diver, Guillemot, Eider, Slavonian Grebe, Mediterranean Gull, Turnstone, Curlew, Pink-footed Goose, Wigeon, Stonechat, Skylark, Starling, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Feral Pigeon, Woodpigeon, 

Saltholme RSPB: Little Egret, Stock Dove, Greenfinch, Common Teal, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Mallard, Peregrine, Canada Goose, Wigeon, Moorhen, Water Rail, Tufted Duck, Herring Gull, Reed Bunting, Blue Tit, Little Grebe, Gadwall, Sparrowhawk, Lapwing, Common Snipe, Blackbird, Graylag Goose, Pochard, Pintail, Smew, Curlew, Shelduck, Shoveler, Fieldfare, Bullfinch, Barnacle Goose, Jackdaw, 

Ladybower Reservoir and Orgreave Lakes

I bought myself a new camera during exam period and so these were my first outings with it. I had football on Wednesday afternoon so could not go on any extravagant trips. I invited my parents down and we headed off for a walk in the peaks around Ladybower. The light was awful so its not really a true test of the camera, but there were also no birds which did not help. The best of it was a very obliging robin around the cafe.

-Robin

The next day I had football again so could not travel far. I headed to Orgreave where the light continued to be poor but there was a marked increase in the number of birds. Highlights were a flock of Seven Redpoll, a Jay and the usual good numbers of wildfowl. A pair of Talon twisting Kestrels was also pretty special. I took plenty of photos but with the light being so poor none of them are really worth including.

-Graylag Geese

The results are promising though and I look forward to taking it out for a spin on longer trips in better conditions.

Species List:

Ladybower Reservoir: Goldcrest, Robin, Mallard, Pheasant, Common Buzzard, Coal Tit, Great Tit, Nuthatch, Blue Tit, 

Orgreave Lakes: Robin, Blackbird, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Woodpigeon, Starling, Black-headed Gull, Common Teal, Lesser Redpoll, Jay, Gadwall, Coot, Graylag Goose, Pied Wagtail, Canada Goose, Goosander, Tufted Duck, Pochard, Skylark, Kestrel, Wigeon, Grey Heron, Cormorant, Herring Gull, Bullfinch, Goldfinch, Mallard, 

University Birdwatching

As per for a January, most of my time is being spent in the library revising or procrastinating. My chosen spot has a stunning view out over Sheffield and that means I get to watch birds flying over, which compensates for the lack of birding I get to do otherwise.

January 10th
Pretty sweet to get Peregrine on the yearlist this morning when one of the church birds flew around the window before heading back down towards the church. Always a pleasure to see, and makes spending time in the library a lot more bearable...

January 15th
Today I had a Common Buzzard fly N over the IC. I glanced up from my notes and there it was, this great beast of a bird being mobbed by crows as it leisurely flew by. Its a library tick for me there, the first one of the exam period.

January 16th
The Buzzard flew back again today before soaring away towards Attercliffe but still more than view-able from my vantage point. I also had a Collard Dove fly by which is only my second library record.

January 17th
Today was a real bumper day. There was a reasonable snowfall overnight though it quickly melted away. It all happened in the morning. I was glancing out of the window when I noticed a large Skein of Pink-footed Geese flying West. I was thrilled, a yeartick and a superb library bird. Then, half an hour later, a second, but more distant and higher skein of around 50 birds. About 5 minuets later a third Skein went over of around 70 birds. What a morning, I was buzzing. In addition there was also a flyby from the female Peregrine. Winning.
I tried to grab a shot of the geese with my phone, but the camera on it leaves a lot to be desired and as such you can hardly make out the geese, although you can make out the individual pixels, which is always what you want from a photo...

-Pink-footed Geese

January 21st

Despite the clear conditions today was really very quiet. I did get superb views of a nice female Sparrowhawk fly past the window at eye level though. A real sweet treat.

January 23rd
I had two Peregrines flying round the window. Granted one was only brief but the other stuck around, perching up on the high rise buildings and attacking the local pigeons. It did not catch any though. I have spent many hours up here and I've still never seen any peregrine catch a pigeon despite multiple attempts. Also had 2 Great Tits in the trees in the center of the roundabout.

All things considered its not been a horrific couple of weeks bird wise, with a few nice things to keep the hours tolerable.

Orgreave Lakes

This years revision break was not as extravagant as last years. I decided I'd had enough of the library and needed to spend a day in the fresh air. What better way that to try my luck at a pair of Black Redstarts near Orgreave lakes. I arrived early morning to the news that the male was still present but had gone off according to birders on site. I spent two mins looking where it had apparently gone and immediately refound it. It was very mobile and at no point did I get an outstanding clear view, but its my first adult male Black Redstart and a stunning bird.

Not long after it was lost again and in my attempts to try and refind it I stumbled across the female bird feeding down one of the side roads with some Dunnocks. It was a far more obliging bird but in the gloom I labored to get a decent photo. In the end I managed a couple of record shots of the bird which I am very happy with. A morning well spent I would say. 

-Female Black Redstart

After a while I decided to give up on the male and head over to Orgreave lakes themselves. Being so early in the year I was blessed with a host of yearticks. The best of these was a nice flock of around 40 Siskin feeding in the alders near the track and the host of waterbirds. By far the most abundant bird were the Pochards, which are now a red listed species but very abundant at Orgreave.

-Siskin

-Pochard and Goosander

Whilst at Orgreave I managed to get two patch ticks, something I had not counted on. The first was a bird that has been around all winter but only now connected, a beautiful Short-eared Owl. Another birder I saw let me know he had seen it around and as we talked I picked it out quartering over the hill and then beyond, lost to view. I headed up the hill for a look and was delighted to see it perched up in a tree. It was not bothered at all about the passing lorries but decided not to risk getting any closer. What a superb bird, and probably the best view I have ever had of one.

The second patch tick was a solitary Lesser Redpoll. Just as I was finishing walking round a lake I heard a finch calling overhead and considered that it might be a redpoll. So when it landed I was pleased to see I had been right, and that I could add another species to my patch list for here.

-Short-eared Owl

On the way back I decided to try my luck at the gulls in Attercliffe to see if there was anything unusual among them. Sadly there was not, only commoner large gull species, but it was still a nice way to end the afternoon. More often than not when I try here the large gulls just don't bother landing at all.

-Herring and Great Black-backed Gull

Species List:

Orgreave Lakes: Skylark, Magpie, Collard Dove, Woodpigeon, Linnet, Reed Bunting, Pied Wagtail, Goldfinch, Mistle Thrush, Redwing, Dunnock, Kestrel, Meadow Pipit, Starling, Carrion Crow, Robin, Black Redstart, Blackbird, Siskin, Blue Tit, Fieldfare, Long-tailed Tit, Pochard, Coot, Goldeneye, Great-crested Grebe, Herring Gull, Mute Swan, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Black-headed Gull, Tufted Duck, Gadwall, Mallard, Goosander, Cormorant, Great Black-backed Gull, Short-eared Owl, Grey Heron, Common Teal, Feral Pigeon, Stonechat, Lesser Redpoll, Grey Wagtail, Great Tit

Attercliffe: Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Black-headed Gull, Feral Pigeon, Woodpigeon, Mallard, 

Soil Hill 01.01 - 06.01

Since returning home for Chirstmas I did not see the sun shine in all of my three weeks. This tragic turn of events did not help me kick start my effort to earn Soil Hill some recognition through the Patchwork Challenge competition. Perhaps unsurprisingly by the time I return to university on the 6th of January I had only amassed 18 species, each of which was only a solitary point.

01.01

To be fair, my small assembledge of species did get a very good start by Soil Hill standards. I was hanging after New Years and so took some time to make it up to the Hill. Even as I arrived the ball was set rolling with a flock of around 20 Golden Plovers flying overhead. I have not seen any up there for a few years now, so that was a very welcome start. Other species were all usual, but a nice bonus came in the form of four Roe Deer in the lower fields. They were spooked by traffic and ran straight towards me, coming as close as five meters away. The light was poor and so I gathered no photos, but take it from me the views were impressive. 

-Golden Plover

-Roe Deer

Species List

Soil Hill: Common Gull, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Golden Plover, Jackdaw, Black-Headed Gull, Canada Goose, Skylark, Goldfinch, Starling, Roe Deer

03.01

It rained, and there is little more to say than that. Mallard was a nice species to have seen though...

Species List

Soil Hill: Blackbird, Carrion Crow, Mallard

05.01

The fog had now also become an issue as well as the rain. Wren was a good bird on the summit today. However, the real winners were down the far slope. I knew flock of Fieldfare had been residing around the bottom fields and but I would have to descend in order to see them through the fog. At the top of the slope I was surprised to see a few Fieldfare in the trees adjacent to the slope. I though that was pretty good, but somehow they saw me through the fog, and about 20 birds all took off from within the fog and then vanished back into it. However, among the 20 or so Fieldfare I picked out a smaller Redwing which is apparently not a patch tick according to my trusty Soil Hill list, but I can't remember the last time I saw one here, and its a fine record for patchwork challenge. 

Species List:

Soil Hill: Blackbird, Wren, Mallard, Fieldfare, Redwing

06.01

I had a quick look round the hill in the rain before I set off back to Sheffield. The only thing that made it worthwhile was a Lapwing on the top. Another species to have safely under the belt. 

Species List

Soil Hill: Magpie, Carrion Crow, Wren, Lapwing

Happy New Year

Well, 2015 draws to a close. The first two thirds of the year were fantastic. I got all over the country seeing all kinds of incredible birds and other wildlife, giving my life list a good kick. Sadly the Autumn was incredibly lacking as my days in the field became days in the lab and all the joys of a fantastic Autumn went flying by. The being said, my resolution at the end of last year was to focus on my life list and go for more serious twitches, and I think its fair to say I have done that, having twitched as far north as Aberdeen and as far south as Hampshire. Its also worht mentioning that I got myself a Swaro scope this year, and the difference that has made to my birding has been incredible. Seawatching is now so different to what it once was. Its all been a good do I would say...

Megas
I had hoped to get more Megas than I did, but 6 is not a bad haul. 3 of those were waders, 2 were ducks and the final one was the late Crag Martin in Chesterfield. The standout of those? Easily the Harlequin Duck, which is to date the best bird I have ever seen, not just because its an awesome bird, but it performed outstandingly and I had to put so much into getting there to see it. Also shout out to the Black Scoter, which I refound and then sold a photo of, and the Hudsonian Godwit after I ran out of lectures to see it.

-Harlequin Duck, Aberdeen (17.01.2015)

-Black Scoter, Cheswick Sands (21.02.2015)

-Hudsonian Godwit, Meare Heath (30.04.2015)

Lifers
Some cracking birds have been added to the life list this year. Obviously its not just been Megas that I've gone after but a host of scarce and rarer species too. 32 species have been added onto the life list. Highlights are hard to choose, but first shoutout must go to the Lady Amherst Pheasant, a bird with impending extinction in this country. 6 hours wait for 10 seconds of bird was hardly worth it but I've seen it now. A few tarts have fallen too, like Long-Tailed Duck and Woodlark. I also got a self found lifer, which are few and far between these days, when I stumbled across that Caspian Gull at Spurn. Not only that, but its my first ever description species, so that was very exciting. A few scarcer species really tarted themselves out allowing me to get some cracking shots. Red-footed Falcon, Sabines Gull, Laughing Gull and Bee Eater the real stars. And a final mention to the Feas Petrel, what a bird to have seen.

-Caspian Gull, Kilnsea Wetlands (09.09.2015)

-Laughing Gull, New Brighton (06.02.2015)

-European Bee-Eater, Kilnsea (13.06.2015)

-Red-Footed Falcon, Chatterley Whitfield Colliery (28.07.2015)

Soil Hill

Despite all the Megas and the twitching, I think the place where I really got to grips with my birding was Soil Hill. Learning to drive over the summer meant I had plenty of time to check the hill for any birds, and I was rewarded with some real goodies. My site list got a tremendous boost picking up 16 patch ticks, most of which were unusual records. The best bird I found up there was undoubtedly the Nuthatch (Patch first), but special mention to Common Tern (1st North Halifax Record for 2 Years), Red Kite, Grasshopper Warbler, Tree Pipit, Spotted Flycatcher and Twite. Additional patch ticks included: Goldcrest, Coal Tit, Oystercatcher, Greenfinch, Willow Warbler, Little Owl, Sand Martin, Canada Goose, Siskin, 

-Nuthatch

-Cuckoo

-Spotted Flycatcher

Review

So a full breakdown of the yearlist

I clocked out this year on 227 species, but only one additional species after September, leaving me to wonder just how many I could have got if I had time in the Autumn. Still, its an improvement on last years total and thats what I was going for really. A full list of lifers now:

Harlequin Duck, Great Grey Shrike, Laughing Gull, Surf Scoter, Long-Tailed Duck, Black Scoter, American Wigeon, Bean Goose, Lady Amherst's Pheasant, Black Winged Stilt, Black-crowned Night Heron, Hudsonian Godwit, Montagu's Harrier, Red-throated Pipit, Lesser Scaup, Wood Warbler, Greater Yellowlegs, Red-necked Phalarope, Alpine Swift, European Bee-eater, Grasshopper Warbler, Marsh Warbler, White-winged Black Tern, Woodlark, Hudsonian Whimbrel, Red-footed Falcon, Sabines Gull, Ring-billed Gull, Black Stork, Mealy Redpoll, Feas Petrel, Caspian Gull, Crag Martin, 

And the complete yearlist: 

Dunnock, Blue Tit, Black-Headed Gull, Blackbird, Robin, Common Gull, Carrion Crow, House Sparrow, Great Tit, Starling, Woodpigeon, Magpie, Jackdaw, Great Northern Diver, Treecreeper, Feral Pigeon, Lesser Black-Backed Gull, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Great Crested Grebe, Goldcrest, Coal Tit, Long-Tailed Tit, Kestrel, Herring Gull, Nuthatch, Greater Spotted Woodpecker, Grey Wagtail, Wren, Little Grebe, Redwing, Mistle Thrush, Pied Wagtail, Mallard, Rook, Yellowhammer, Fieldfare, Lapwing, Grey Heron, Collard Dove, Peregrine, Sparrowhawk, Greater Black-Backed Gull, Mute Swan, Hooded Crow, Graylag Goose, Pheasant, Common Buzzard, Curlew, Goosander, Greenfinch, Oystercatcher, Redshank, Dipper, Goldeneye, Moorhen, Harlequin Duck, Pink-Footed Goose, Meadow Pipit, Gadwall, Wigeon, Coot, Tufted Duck, Cormorant, Skylark, Reed Bunting, Golden Plover, Pochard, Stonechat, Linnet, Snow Bunting, Water Rail, Common Snipe, Bullfinch, Song Thrush, Willow Tit, Tree Sparrow, Brambling, Canada Goose, Shoveler, Barn Owl, Sanderling, Turnstone, Mediterranean Gull, Purple Sandpiper, Knot, Dunlin, Red Grouse, Great Grey Shrike, Jay, Laughing Gull, Kingfisher, Smew, Shelduck, Surf Scoter, Fulmar, Rock Pipit, Gannet, Common Scoter, Eider, Guillemot, Stock Dove, Red-Throated Diver, Mandarin, Red Kite, Slavonian Grebe, Long-Tailed Duck, Black Scoter, Black-Throated Diver, Ringed Plover, Red-Breasted Merganser, American Wigeon, Tawny Owl, Little Egret, Kittiwake, Pintail, Bean Goose, Whimbrel, Glaucous Gull, Little Ringed Plover, Chiffchaff, Whooper Swan, Little Owl, Barnacle Goose, Woodcock, Red-Legged Partridge, Lady Amherst's Pheasant, Green Woodpecker, Firecrest, Swallow, Siskin, Osprey, Egyptian Goose, Northern Wheatear, Willow Warbler, Blackcap, Ring Ouzel, House Martin, Sand Martin, Common Sandpiper, Yellow Wagtail, Black Winged Stilt, Avocet, Green Sandpiper, Marsh Harrier, Common Tern, Garganey, Whitethroat, Red Crested Pochard, Black-Crowned Night Heron, Cettis Warbler, Black-Tailed Godwit, Hudsonian Godwit, Sedge Warbler, Swift, Montagu's Harrier, Raven, Red-throated Pipit, Black Tern, Curlew Sandpiper, Grey Plover, Lesser Scaup, Black-Necked Grebe, Wood Warbler, Whinchat, Cuckoo, Redstart, Pied Flycatcher, Grey Partridge, Spotted Flycatcher, Hobby, Brent Goose, Little Tern, Reed Warbler, Ring-Necked Parakeet, Greater Yellowlegs, Sandwich Tern, Red-Necked Phalarope, Lesser Whitethroat, Common Crossbill, Bar-Tailed Godwit, Lesser Redpoll, Alpine Swift, European Bee Eater, Puffin, Tree Pipit, Grasshopper Warbler, Corn Bunting, Marsh Warbler, Razorbill, Arctic Tern, Merlin, Spotted Redshank, Bearded Tit, Short-Eared Owl, Long-Eared Owl, Bittern, Twite, White-Winged Black Tern, Great White Egret, Greenshank, Woodlark, Dartford Warbler, Arctic Skua, Shag, Hudsonian Whimbrel, Balearic Shearwater, Manx Shearwater, Nightjar, Yellow-legged Gull, Red-footed Falcon, Sabines Gull, Ring-Billed Gull, Great Skua, Little Gull, Sooty Shearwater, Pomarine Skua, Barred Warbler, Red-backed Shrike, Black Stork, Garden Warbler, Hen Harrier, Ruff, Mealy Redpoll, Feas Petrel, Caspian Gull, Crag Martin

Even if the final total was less than I would have liked, without driving its still a pretty reasonable total. It gives me something to aim for in 2016.

None Birds

The number of invertebrates has increased since last year, largely as a result of the holiday down in Dorset. That being said, I only managed to get one butterfly lifer, although it is probably the most local butterfly species in the UK in Lulworth Skipper. A much needed addition to my butterfly list. Despite seeing plenty of dragonfly species there were no new additions to my dragonfly list. Moths had a great year, with 2 new Hawkmoth ticks, and a host of other nice species from down in Dorset. They were the real invert winners. 

Reptiles had a massive boost this year from Dorset, seeing all British species except adder. Mammals dropped off with nothing major to report there, although Otter and Sika Deer were obviously fantastic to see. 

-Lulworth Skipper

-Convolvulus Hawkmoth

-Yellow-legged Clearwing Moth

-Smooth Snake

2015 has been quite a year, and hopefully 2016 will also be awesome

Soil Hill

Its been a while since this was updated, but with shorter daylight hours and a huge increase in workload, it has been impossible to get out birding. Those few trips I have made have seen nothing new or out of the ordinary and so have not been posted.
 But now, with the Christmas holidays here, I was finally able to get out and about. Granted, this only happened when the weather was decent, and that has not been particularly often. I've been up to Soil Hill in the hope of landing a few nice things, but that has not been the case and right now any birds would do...

20.12.2015
Having arrived back on Friday I would have hoped to have got out a few times, but sadly not as a result of relentless rain. However there was a clear spell on the Sunday and I made my way up. It was nice to bump into Brian Sumner up there as well, although he had not seen much either. I did flush a Common Snipe which I was pretty pleased about, although to present its the only decent bird I've seen up there this time...
Species List
Soil Hill: Common Snipe, Meadow Pipit, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Goldfinch, Starling, Black-Headed Gull

24.12.2015
Whilst the rain might have let up, the wind never did and continued with impressive force
Species List
Soil Hill: Blackbird, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Common Gull

27.12.2015
Another Sunday afternoon up. Saw Brian up there and there was a marked improvement in the numbers of birds, despite the wind still being incredbily strong. The highlight was an impressive number of Fieldfare flying over the hill, around 40 birds in total, which is the largest flock I have seen up there.
Species List
Soil Hill: Goldfinch, Lapwing, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Meadow Pipit, Fieldfare, Common Gull, Black-Headed Gull, Feral Pigeon,

29.12.2015
A last trip to Soil Hill before storm Frank hit. Sadly not a single bird on the top and a general shortage of birds within my recording area too.
Species List
Soil Hill: Magpie, Carrion Crow, Feral Pigeon, Common Gull,

Bolton Abbey

Today was actually sunny for once, and we decided to go for a family walk along the river at Bolton Abbey. I can't say I was expecting a great number of bird species, but there were a few nice things to be getting along with.

On the walk up there was a smart male Goosander fishing close to the shore. I got the camera ready but a couple walking on the beach spooked it and it swam to the far bank. On the walk back there were a number of nice things to be getting along with. A smart Male Mandarin was grazing with mallards along the riverbank. There was also a Common Buzzard soaring, presumably enjoying the fact that it was not hunkered down with the rain. And finally there was a smart Little Grebe fishing near the road bridge. This is the first time I have seen this species here, and a patch tick is always nice.

Species List

Bolton Abbey: House Sparrow, Robin, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Grey Wagtail, Goosander, Mallard, Jackdaw, Blue Tit, Woodpigeon, Feral Pigeon, Grey Heron, Common Buzzard, Mandarin, Little Grebe, Pied Wagtail, Nuthatch, Redwing,