Last updated: 25th June - 144 and stalling
Woodpigeon
Robin
Blue Tit
Magpie
B H Gull
Starling
Collared Dove
Great Tit
Dunnock
Carrion Crow
Common Buzzard
Jay
Brent Goose
Mallard
Tufted Duck
Pochard
Mute Swan
Canada Goose
Coot
Turnstone
Herring Gull
Oystercatcher
Grey Heron
Cormorant
Common Gull
Greenfinch
Chaffinch
House Sparrow
Shoveler
Jack Snipe
Marsh Harrier
Blackbird
Shelduck
Curlew
Fieldfare
Reed Bunting
Moorhen
Lapwing
Teal
Redshank
Stonechat
Black Tailed Godwit
Avocet
Greylag Goose
Wigeon
Common Snipe
Gadwall
Wren
Long Tailed Tit
Green Woodpecker
Great Black Backed Gull
Pied Wagtail
Goldfinch
Pintail
Barn Owl
Coal Tit
Bullfinch
Treecreeper
Little Grebe
Great Crested Grebe
Goldeneye
Redwing
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Lesser Black Backed Gull
Feral Pigeon / Rock Dove
Mistle Thrush
Waxwing
Goldcrest
Nuthatch
Kestrel
Siskin
Song Thrush
Grey Wagtail
Sparrowhawk
Dipper
Rook
Jackdaw
Willow Tit (78)
Pink Footed Goose
Red Breasted Merganser
Dunlin
Hen Harrier
Little Egret
Skylark
Raven
Golden Plover
Pheasant (87)
Red Kite
Yellowhammer
Goosander (90)
Meadow Pipit
Ring Necked Parakeet
Merlin
Sh*g
Eider
Barnacle Goose
Stock Dove
Little Ringed Plover
Short Eared Owl
Chiff Chaff (100)
Grey Partridge
Tawny Owl
Willow Warbler
Reed Warbler
Common Sandpiper
Mediterranean Gull
Blackcap
Common Tern
Sedge Warbler
Cetti's Warbler
Lesser Whitethroat
Swallow
Linnet
Sandwich Tern
Whitethroat
Nightingale
Lesser Scaup
Peregrine
Ruff
House Martin
Swift
Tree Sparrow
Kittiwake
Gannet
Fulmar (125)
Razorbill
Guillemot
Puffin
Corn Bunting
Great Northern Diver
Red Crested Pochard
Sand Martin
Garden Warbler
Red Grouse
Manx Shearwater
Rock Pipit
Spotted Flycatcher
Wood Sandpiper
Green Sandpiper
Yellow Wagtail (140)
Kingfisher
Wheatear
Redstart
Water Rail
Grey Phalarope
Black Necked Grebe (146)
Bearded Tit
Marsh Tit
Greenshank (149)
I don't seem to be able to edit this list, so for the record, my dogwalking in Sale Water Park yesterday (selected solely because it is where I saw willow tits before Christmas) did not yield a willow tit.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I did add:
Coal Tit, Bullfinch (at home before setting off)
Treecreeper
Little Grebe
Greate Crested Grebe
Goldeneye
Redwing
Greater Spotted Woodpecker
That's 64 so far. I am in Birmingham until Thursday evening, and I never had any joy getting birds there, so it should be a quiet week.
I still haven't worked out how to edit the list, but did want to report the good news that my week in the concrete jungle of Birmingham did yield a new species (or possibly two).
ReplyDeleteI got to within 8 feet of a Lesser Black Backed Gull in the Cathedral grounds today, as I headed back to the train station. I have also been reading a book which includes Feral Pigeon within his list. If I am allowed Feral Pigeon, this takes me to 66. Hurrah.
Now need to add Mistle Thrush, 50 waxwings (spectacular, but rainy), Goldcrest and Nuthatch. Running Total - 70.
ReplyDeleteAdded sparrowhawk yesterday, to take me to 73 (after siskin and song thrush from last weekend. Special trip made to park in Didsbury today, know for Ring Necked Parakeets - nowt doin'.
ReplyDeleteAll my hard-earned IT accreditation has gone out of the window - I'm back to being unable to update my bird list on the site.
ReplyDeleteSaturday 29th January - Took one wife, 3 kids and a dog to The Monsal Head Hotel ( http://www.monsalhead.com/Special%20interest%20breaks.html ), Derbyshire to meet up with my mum for lunch and a walk. Immediately noted this as a venue for a future Chesterfield ex-YOC (over 40's) Section meeting. Locally brewed ale, accommodation, good food and guaranteed dippers.
After lunch, took a leisurely (and often stressful, bearing in mind the other participants) walk down the side of the valley into Monsal Dale, past a beautiful weir and onto the first of many dipper sightings. There was plenty of bird noise, but also plenty of trees, so other than a few blue and great tit sightings, there wasn't much more to report. If I'd have been on my own, I might have seen more.
A steep uphill walk was made to feel steeper by having to push a three year old most of the way, but jackdaws on the pub roof, and a large group of rooks in a tree by the car park gave me two more ticks and lightened my mood. This was helped further by a cup of tea in the adjacent cafe and craft centre (original art works, all seemingly priced at £97 - http://www.hobbsmonsalhead.co.uk/aspx005/article.aspx?CID=3&SID=dd2595a7-d130-4f6c-93bb-66092781155e ).
The best thing about the cafe was the bird feeding station by the window (that's not to say that the tea and cakes weren't very good indeed), and the non-standard tit I glanced as I tucked into my pot of tea. A few minutes of sitting on the wall outside (back in the cold) eventually gave a really good view of the visitor - a bit scruffy, black bib slightly diffused and black cap not particularly glossy, and thanks to lots of book-reading, I looked for a pale patch on the wings. The pale patch was there, and surprisingly noticeable - I think I am now a fully fledged birder.
Unfortunately, this fully-fledged birder couldn't remember whether these ID clues I had the presence of mind to look for indicated a marsh tit or willow tit, so I had a nervous drive back to Manchester before I could consult my birders' bibles. I wanted a marsh tit (I know where I can find a willow tit along one of my regular local walks), but sure enough it turned out to be a willow tit. At least it is a new spot for the year - 4 in total for the day, 78 for the purposes of our grudge match.
For illustrative purposes, I was on 59 at the end of January 2010, so seemingly going well this year. However, I now have very few nailed-on certainties left to find, so some real effort will be needed to get up to last year's 125. Effort is one thing I am able to provide, but spare time is looking more difficult - we need to make the very most of our May trip away.
Happy birding.
Genius - as soon as I had posted complaining that I couldn't update my list, I worked out how to update my list. All now present and correct.
ReplyDeleteBlimey - nearly forgot 2 things from today:
ReplyDelete1) Big Garden Birdwatch - 14 species, including Siskin, but disappointed not to get my usual nuthatch. Did you two do the watch?
2) Whilst driving Louis to football later in the morning, saw a huge skein of geese overhead - thought they must have been pink footed geese. Reading local blogs this evening confirms a number of pink feet skeins today, and as they really coun't have been anything else in such large numbers, I have added to my list. I'll see them at Martin Mere anyway on my next visit, but I am certain enough to count them in January with a clear conscience. 79.