Year List Update

 As January comes to an end, I felt it was time to update the Year List. There have been 5 new species since my last post.

The first addition was Brambling (83), that Jayne and I saw last weekend, at the National Trust Longshaw Estate. In total, there were 200+ birds in a mixed finch flock, including Brambling, Goldfinch and Chaffinch.

Brambling

The next 3 species were all seen this morning, during a ringing session in Shirebrook, Sheffield. Birds seen were: Goldcrest (84), Skylark (85 - flying over) and Bullfinch (86 - 1 male heard and seen).

The final bird was Red-crested Pochard (87). I saw this bird this afternoon, on Wingerworth Lido, Chesterfield, and it was most likely the same bird I had on a nearby pond last year. It was hanging around with the Mallards, and appeared to be interested in one of the female birds. Other species seen here were: Tufted Duck, Goosander (4; 2 males and 2 females), Mute Swan ( 2 birds), Moorhen, Coot and Black-headed Gulls (c.30).

Red-crested Pochard

Linacre WeBS - 24th January 2026

 I hadn't been able to get down to Linacre until today (!), so this month's WeBS count took place today. The highlight was, undoubtable, the 12 Goosanders (6 male and 6 female) that were on the middle reservoir. Other good sightings included, 2 Little Grebes ( on the bottom reservoir), an adult Herring Gull, (first January record, I think), 1 Great-crested Grebe and 5 Cormorants.

Cormorant

The other main species were: Mallard (56), Tufted Duck (58), Mandarin Duck (29), Coot (5), Moorhen (4) and Grey Wagtail (1). 1 Raven flying over was also good to see.

Two new species were added to this year's Year List: Crossbill (81) and Jay (82).

Rufford-17th January 2026

Last weekend, I had a couple of hours at Rufford. The ice had all gone, and there were fewer Black-headed Gulls (c.150),  but I still managed to see 14 ringed birds, including the Lithuanian- ringed P519 (now back for at least its 8th winter (first record was in January 2018), and first ringed, as an adult, in April 2010, so born, at the latest in 2008).

P519

Other birds seen were: 258A, 280B, 202C, 207C, 209C, 215C, 258C, 270C, 298C, 200H, 208H, 225H and 2V16.

3 new  birds were added to the Year List too: Red-legged Partridge (78), Song Thrush (79) and Marsh Tit (80).

Rufford - 3rd January 2026

Back at the start of the year, when we'd had a couple of days of very cold weather, I went across to Rufford, for my first visit of the year. I love going when there is a lot of ice (c.80%), as this means many of the ringed gulls are sat on the ice, and therefore, their rings can be more easily read. as a result, on my first visit of the year, I saw 28 ringed birds!

The birds seen were: 206A (3rd sighting this winter), 258A (7th sighting this winter) , 273A (4th sighting this winter), 284A (2nd sighting this winter ), 208B (3rd sighting this winter), 272B (3rd sighting this winter), 274B (my 1st sighting since ringing in November 2022), 280B (3rd sighting this winter ), 293B (1st sighting since November 2024), 202C (5th sighting this winter), 207C (12th sighting this winter), 209C (1st sighting since March 2023), 215C (2nd sighting this winter), 258C (9th sighting this winter ), 273C (4th sighting this winter), 298C (5th sighting this winter), 207F (1st sighting this winter), 221F (7th sighting this winter), 222F (1st sighting since ringing on 2nd November 2024), 230F (1st sighting since March 2025), 2V05 (2nd sighting this winter), 2V16 (5th sighting this winter), 200H (3rd sighting this winter), 208H (2nd sighting this winter ), 209H (1st sighting this winter), 225H (3rd sighting this winter), 230H (1st sighting since ringing in Dec 2025) and 233H (1st sighting since ringing in Dec 2025).

274B

293B

209C

In addition to these birds, I also spotted a Swedish metal-ringed bird. Annoyingly, I only managed to see six of the seven numbers (_449368!!!)

Ring-necked Duck!

 In my last post, I mentioned a male Ring-necked Duck (77), I went to see last weekend. Unfortunately, the bird had left Shipley before I could get, but, luckily, it was re found a few miles away at another site, Straw's Bridge LNR. I popped down yesterday, and managed to get some nice photos, as it fed about 4m away!!

As you can see, it's a male, and other people's photos show a few brown feathers still, so it's been aged as a 1st winter (2nd second year) bird. It would be nice to think that it was the same birds seen in July last year, as Ogston Reservoir (see here).

Comparison shot, with a male Tufted Duck.

Most of the main lake was covered with ice (85%), and it was minus 1 when I arrived, so all the other birds (Mute Swan, Canada and Greylag Geese, Mallards, Shovelers, Pochard, Moorhen, Coots, Black-headed, Herring and Common Gulls) were also feeding close in.

Straw's Bridge

Year List Continues

 Travelling back from Northumberland on Friday, an then having the weekend, Jayne and I managed to add a few more species to the "Year List".

The first new additions, both seen on the journey home, were: Sparrowhawk (51) and Red Kite (52). Blue Tit (53) was added in the garden.

On the Saturday, I drove down to Shipley CP, near Ilkeston, in search of a male Ring-necked Duck (no luck), but I did see: Gadwall (54), Raven (55), Lesser Black-backed Gull (56), Little Grebe (57), Goosander (58), Long-tailed Tit (59), Chaffinch (60), Snipe (61), Mandarin Duck (62), Pochard (63) and Tufted Duck (64).

After Shipley, I drove across to Rufford and added: Great Tit (65), Coal Tit (66), Nuthatch (67) and Siskin (68).

The final call of the weekend was RSPB Old Moor were we saw: Mistle Thrush (69), Greylag Goose (70), Peregrine Falcon (71), Marsh Harrier (72) and Shelduck (73). We also saw 2 ringed Mute Swans and a very confiding male Stonechat.

Y774 and Y173

Stonechat

The last 3 species were Tawny Owl (74 - heard from our bedroom), Greenfinch (75 - in the garden) and Collared Dove (76 - in Dronfield).

Year List 2026 - Here we go again!!!!

I started the new Year List whilst in Northumberland on Thursday. By the end of the day, I had managed to spot 50 species, including my first lifer of the year.

The list began before dawn, as I drove down to St Mary's Island, with not one, but two, Barn Owls (1)! No other birds were seen before I arrived (as it was still dark!), but, on arrival, the following birds were seen: Carrion Crow (2), Herring Gull (3), Pheasant (4), Turnstone (5), Mallard (6), Black-headed Gull (7), Magpie (8), Oystercatcher (9), Cormorant (10), Dunnock (11), Redshank (12), Red-throated Diver (1 flew south past the Island - 13), Eider Duck (14), Great Black-backed Gull (15), Rock Pipit (16), Starling (17), Golden Plover (18), Lapwing (19), Dunlin (20), Curlew (21), Sanderling (22), Pied Wagtail (23), Stonechat (24), Grey Wagtail (25), Water Pipit (26), Shag (27), Blackbird (28), Great-crested Grebe (29) and Pink-footed Geese (c.40 in fields behind the Island - 30).

Water Pipit

The next few birds were seen on the drive back to Togston, and in a quick visit to Queen Elizabeth II Country Park: Jackdaw (31), Rook (32), Mute Swan (33), Coot (34), Common Gull (35), Canada Goose (36), Moorhen (37), Kestrel (38), House Sparrow (39), Fieldfare (40), Redwing (41) and Robin (42). A Whooper Swan was also seen here, but, as it is a resident bird, I'm not going to count it in the Year List.

Whooper Swan

The final birds were added in Berwick upon Tweed (numbers 43- 46) and on Budle Bay (numbers 47 - 50): Goldfinch (43), Wren (44), Purple Sandpiper (45), Buzzard (46), Shoveler (47), Wigeon (48), Teal (49) and Pale-bellied Brent Goose - 2 in fields just outside Seahouses (50).