Year List and Mediterranean Gull

 Last week, whilst in Wales, Jayne and I added another two species to the "Year List", and saw a fantastic looking juvenile Mediterranean Gull.

The two new species were: Water Rail (174), with one seen feeding along the edge of the reeds in the wetlands between Malltreath and Pen Cob car park and Chough (175) that was seen at RSPB South Stack.

Chough C8

The last bird of interest in Wales, was a juvenile Mediterranean Gull, that we spotted whilst walking along the coastal path at Benllech. Here are a few pictures, taken whilst the bird was preening.

Mediterranean Gull

Cornwall Birding - 200th species!

After Thursday's ringing session, Luke and I spent the rest of the day birding around the area. During the time, we added 4 new species to my Year List, going over the 200 mark for the first time in a few years.

Our first stop was Porthgwarra and Gwennap Head, where we had a lovely walk along the cliff tops, spotting Stonechat, a single Wheatear, Raven, Jackdaws, and 5 Chough (198).

Chough

Our next stop was Penzance. We walked down on the seashore, near the railway depot, picking up a single Swallow and this stunning, and, as always, very confiding, Snow Bunting (199).

Snow Bunting

Our final stop was the RSPB's Marazion Marshes, where we manged to find the elusive 1st winter Red-backed Shrike (200th species), a single Great Egret, and, to finish the day, a lovely flock of at least 11 Cattle Egret (201).

Red-backed Shrike

Year List Update

 This week, I've added a few new species to this year's Year List.

The first new addition was Reed Bunting (93), which I recorded on Sunday whilst out ringing. The next addition was Chough (94), a single bird seen and heard flying over the Premier Inn at Aberystwyth on Monday. A Dipper (95) was the next species. This was seen at Bodnant Gardens on Tuesday. The final new species was Barn Owl (96), one of which was seen near Chapel-en-le-Frith yesterday.

Whilst in Aberystwyth on Monday, Jayne and I spent some time watching the 50,000ish (!) Starlings coming in to roost on the pier. Unfortunately, they didn't "murmurate" when we were there, but it was amazing to see them coming in, and leaving next morning.

Starlings

Rufford - 5th February 2022

 I spent yesterday morning at Rufford Country Park. I got there earlier than I usually do, so that I could walk across the the Abbey and have a look for some Hawfinches. It was a little windy, but I managed to get  brief views of 2 birds in the trees around the car park. Walking back through the park, I also spotted 15 Redwings, a large flock of Siskin, 1 Grey Heron, 14 Goosander (8 females and 6 males), 1 Little Egret (my first record for this site), 6 Mute Swans (3 adults and 3 young birds, including W17357) and a whopping 66 Common Gull.

Also on the water were approximately 150 Black-headed Gulls. I spotted 12 darvic-ringed birds: 223A (first ringed in February 2019, and my first sighting since October 2020), 258A, 264A (ringed in February 2020, and the first sighting since), 281A (3rd sighting, since ringing in December 2021), 293A (5th sighting), 294A (first sighting), 295A (2nd sighting), EUM3 (Dutch bird), P519 (Lithuanian bird), JO116 ( Norwegian bird) and 204B, a new bird, first ringed in January 2022. In addition, I also saw the Norwegian-ringed Common Gull JN075.

264A

294A

204B

The Hawfinches were a new bird for the year and bring Year List to 103, following Raven and Chough, that I saw last week in Wales.

Year List update:

101 - Raven

102 - Chough

103 - Hawfinch

RSPB South Stack - 26th July 20221

 After yesterday's visit to Cemlyn Lagoon, I drove across to RSPB South Stack. The target species was Chough, and I was not disappointed!!

I parked in the first car park, and the first bid I saw and heard was.... Chough!! In total I saw a minimum of 16 birds, which flew over my head calling, before landing on the cliffs about 10m away. Wow!! Many of the birds were darvic-ringed, and I managed to get 6 numbers, so I'll update with details as soon as I get them back. Here are a few photos.

Choughs!!

Whilst walking along the cliffs in the sunshine and 20 degree heat, I also spotted a Hooded Crow, a pair of Ravens, Jackdaws, Great Black-backed and Herring Gulls, Linnet, Meadow Pipit and Stonechat, including this juvenile bird.

Stonechat

There were lots of insects buzzing about too(!), the highlights being a Wall Brown and several Grayling.

Grayling

Year List update:

159 - Chough

160 - Hooded Crow

Wales 2020

 Jayne and I have just a couple of weeks in Wales, staying in Tenby. It was a family holiday, but we also saw a few nice bits of wildlife, including 5 "year ticks": Rock Pipit, Shag, Sandwich Tern, Manx Shearwater and Chough.

The Rock Pipits and Sandwich Terns (14), were seen in and around Tenby, whilst the Chough (4 birds) were seen about 2 miles out of the town on a headland opposite Caldy Island and the Shag and Manx Shearwaters (100s!!) were seen on a boat trip out of St David's. 

I also had my first Beautiful Demoiselle of the year on the river by St David's cathedral.

As expected, there were lots of Herring Gulls in and around the town, including a metal ringed bird, GC60771, that had been ringed on Caldy Island, 6km away, as a nestling, on 1st June 2010.

Herring Gull, GC6077

Year List update:

153 – Rock Pipit

154 – Sandwich Tern

155 – Chough

156 - Shag

157 – Manx Shearwater

Little Bustard - LIFER!

News of a Little Bustard in West Yorkshire broke earlier this week. As it is a lifer, I thought I'd drive up to see it today. When I arrived, it had gone into hiding, but, after an hour and a half it decided to come out again, and put on a good show for the next hour. It never came nearer than about 200m, but I managed great 'scope views. Here are a couple of heavily cropped photos.

Little Bustard

Since my last Year List update, I've also added another 4 "year ticks" along with the Bustard. The first, Manx Shearwater, was seen on a boat trip in Cornwall. The Curlew Sandpiper and Bearded Tit were seen whilst visiting Rye Harbour last week, and the Chough (a Derbyshire tick), was seen on Monday.

Year List update:
184 – Manx Shearwater
185 – Curlew Sandpiper
186 - Bearded Tit
187 – Chough
188  - Little Bustard

Derbyshire Chough!!!!

News broke yesterday that a Chough had been discovered at Windgather Rocks on the Cheshire/Derbyshire border. This is the first ever record of this species for Derbyshire, so I had to pop across to see it.

The bird was present and "showing well" down to approximately 20m, as it fed on a sheep-grazed piece of land in Cheshire. Within a few minutes, the bird flew up and over me and the small group of admirers(!), and landed on the rocks behind us.... in Derbyshire!

Chough

It then flew back into Cheshire, and promptly disappeared over the hill! 15 minutes later it reappeared and landed back in the original field and fed for the next hour or so, before I left at 1pm. Here are a few photos.

North Wales Weekend

The title of this post isn't quite correct, as I didn't spend the weekend in Wales, but I did have a couple of days over the Bank Holiday there with Jayne. We were based in Llandudno and had a visit to RSPB South Stack to try and catch up with a few "year ticks".

South Stack lighthouse

The "year ticks" in question were Puffin (2 seen on the water), Chough (2 seen flying around the cliffs) and Black Guillemot (1 seen in the Old Harbour in Holyhead). Other species seen included Raven, Guillemot, Razorbill, Herring Gull, Jackdaw and Linnet.

Along with the birds we were also lucky enough to see several insects, including a "lifer". The first insect we saw was Wall Brown (a minimum of 4 individuals) feeding along the cliff tops. We also spotted a Painted Lady, a Drinker moth caterpillar, a Green Tiger Beetle and, best of all, a Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary (a new species!!).

Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary

Year List update:
149 - Puffin
150 - Chough
151 - Black Guillemot

Year List Update - 15th August 2017

I haven't updated the "year list" for the last 2 weeks, despite seeing a few new species.

The first one to add to the list is a great species that I don't see every year; Chough. Jayne and I had a walk along the clifftop at the National Trust's Kynance Cove on the last day of our holiday, where we managed to spot a family party of 4 birds. Views were brief , and I didn't manage to get a photo, so instead, here's one that my nephew, Luke, got on a recent trip the RSPB South Stack on Anglesey.

Chough

The next bird; Water Rail, was added when I heard one whilst ringing at Poolsbrook Marsh. The next 3 species; Wood and Green Sandpiper and Greenshank, were all seen yesterday at RSPB Old Moor. The final species; Whinchat, was a juvenile bird seen today on Big Moor.

Year List update:
179 – Chough
180 – Water Rail (heard)
181 – Wood Sandpiper
182 – Green Sandpiper
183 – Greenshank
184 – Whinchat

5 out of 6 ain't bad!

RSPB South Stack on Anglesey, North Wales, is a wonderful clifftop reserve which has thousands of Guillemots, Razorbills and Puffins breeding every year. In addition, it also has a very special bird, the rarest member of the crow family, namely the Chough.

Lighthouse at South Stack, Anglesey

My family and I visited South Stack yesterday whilst staying in Llandudno. We managed to see 4 Choughs flying over the reserve and feeding in nearby fields. I got some shots, but they were all pretty awful due to the distance away and the wobbly 'scope.

Chough (note the red beak)

As well as the Choughs we also got superb views of several Ravens, Linnets, Goldfinch, Herring, Lesser Black-backed and Great Black-backed Gulls, but no auks at all!!Apparently the windy conditions of late had made go back out to sea. Hopefully they'll return when the weather settles down.

Raven (note the diamond shaped tail).

Jayne and Lydia spotted their first Swallow of the year, but I missed it as I was looking at the Choughs. Hopefully I'll catch up with a Swallow this week at Linacre.

As well as seeing Choughs and Ravens I also managed to see 3 other members of the crow or corvid family today, namely Jackdaw, Rook and Carrion Crow. The only one missing was a Jay!

The Year List moved on by 1 species:

116 - Chough