I doubt I will ever have as good a year for twitching as 2013. It has been utterly insane. Mental. Ridiculous. But it's been great fun, here's a video I knocked together featuring all of the rarest birds I've seen this year across the country...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZoTuGIMnJs
Showing posts with label annual review. Show all posts
Showing posts with label annual review. Show all posts
Tuesday, 24 December 2013
Saturday, 31 December 2011
2011
To keep with tradition I'm producing this summary of the year in terms of my birding... I'm currently working hard on the 2011 edition of the Canons Farm & Banstead Woods Bird Report so check that out when it's published for a comprehensive illustrated review of the patch's birds this year.
First of all, did I succeed in my aims for this year? Here is what I set out to do, according to my blog post at this time last year, with comments on my successes in each department:
Britain
=====================================================
It is amazing that, once again, I had predicted that this would be the year where I saw a bit less than the previous year and it ended up surpassing all previous years by a large margin. Both on a local and national year it has been exceptional and I've been seeing the sort and doing the sort of things I never thought possible when I was taking my first tentative steps onto the active birding scene as a boy of eleven or twelve, following an interest in birds since seven. I owe Johnny Allan and Franko Maroevic for giving and/or organising long distance twitches and Ian Jones, Phil Wallace, Rob Stokes, Peter Grady and Colin and Paul Manville, to name a few, for the transport and company they have provided to make this year so great. Gratitude to Neil Randon for helping out with the CFBW Bird Report and livening up several outings.
There's too many great times to recount here, and it would be pointless reciting many here because many can be found in the archives of this blog. So here's a basic breakdown:
MOST ENJOYABLE BIRD
There's some birds that simply rock your boat and it feels like you could watch them over and over again. The Northern Waterthrush on Scilly wins this prize for 2011. I first saw it on my two-day twitch to the islands in September and it made the expense and hassle worthwhile along with the Baltimore Oriole and Solitary Sandpiper. I was very pleased when it hung around for my October half-term visit and I saw it a few more times, in more relaxed conditions.
Another highly memorable bird is the Farthing Downs Hoopoe - an amazing bird to have within a few miles of home -
BEST DAY'S BIRDING
When the pager gave a mega alert for a Scarlet Tanager in Cornwall, just before I was due to head to Scilly for my half term break, I was really getting stressed out about how I'd go about seeing the bird without my holiday being disrupted. It was going to be impossible (unless the bird solved the problem by kindly leaving), I would either have to go to Scilly and live with constant pager messages about a national mega or go to Scilly, come back to Cornwall for a day then resume the break. I tried for the tanager before boarding the boat but only got a couple of minutes on site, after getting to St Levan much later than planned. Of course, I did not see the bird and it was never seen again.
I boarded the Scillonian as planned, fearing that the St Levan bird would bleep and I'd be obliged go through the ordeal of getting back myself back to Cornwall. Instead, the pager gave a mega alert half way across. It was a Scarlet Tanager...and it was on Scilly. OH MY GOD! I rushed there straight away and after a very tense half hour a flash of yellow and black graced the hedges in front of me. The jammiest thing that's ever happened to me. That afternoon I also enjoyed great views of Upland Sandpiper, Wilson's Snipe, Olive-backed Pipits and the Northern Waterthrush. Could a day like that ever be beaten?
WORST DAY'S BIRDING
There were a few miserable days. Dipping the Greater Yellowlegs in Northumberland has got to be the winner, though. It was very expensive and very unsuccessful - hence highly disappointing and frustrating. Then the ruddy thing does a few hundred miles further north. This is all a few months after putting £30 in a ticket machine for a Greenshank. I just don't care any more.
PATCH HIGHLIGHTS
I managed nine patch ticks this year: Peregrine, Ring Ouzel, Wood Warbler, Red-legged Partridge, Marsh Harrier, Cuckoo, Firecrest, Reed Warbler and Brent Goose. I also recorded another Quail, several Waxwings, a Black Redstart, a few Common Redstarts, an Osprey, a couple of Short-eared Owls, a few Golden Plovers and Common Snipe, a Curlew, a trio of Spotted Flycatchers, several Grasshopper Warblers, at least two or three Barn Owls, the odd Mealy Redpoll and a good few Crossbills, Tree Pipits, Whinchats etc.When I was in my earlier stages of birding I would never have dreamed that I'd be seeing birds like this in my local area, let alone finding most of them. I managed 103 species this year, which I'm quite happy with considering it's a dry inland site.
MOST FRUSTRATING MOMENTS
Seeing a Common or Arctic Tern too high in too poor light over the patch was very very very annoying, as was photographing a 99% Yellow-legged Gull there but the images not quite showing enough detail to be certain enough to constitute a first patch record. Arguably surpassing these, for I will never have much of a clue what they were, was the flock of smallish/medium rufous-ish waders that flew low past Ian and I. Had I looked at them properly we would have got perfect views of what would have undoubtedly been an exceptional patch record, but instead I dismissed them as racing pigeons in my split second glance. It was only when I took another look that I realised they were waders...and by the time I got on them properly they were flying away...
=====================================================
Well, what will I aim for in 2012? I'm not going to be as ambitious this year. I'll do as much birding as I can and see what comes out of the other end - I'm sure there will be many exciting moments with a great set of birds and birders. I'd like to find a shrike or Wryneck, Richard's Pipit, or something like that, at Canons and I'd like to get 115 for my patch list and 360 for Britain
First of all, did I succeed in my aims for this year? Here is what I set out to do, according to my blog post at this time last year, with comments on my successes in each department:
Britain
- get to 350 no, 329
- tick off some more tart ticks yes, I guess: Twite was nice to finally get out of the way as well as some 'lesser tarts' like Common Rosefinch, Leach's Petrel, White-tailed Eagle, Woodchat Shrike, Red-rumped Swallow etc etc
- spend at least one full day birding in Kent or Norfolk in spring or autumn in ideal conditions and find a BB rarity no, best self found on a national scale was a Pec Sand at Dunge in August.
- get to 230 nowhere near. Didn't even try
- tick off some more tart ticks See above
- start keeping a Surrey list again and get down to Holmethorpe I now know I'm somewhere vaguely around 180 for Surrey and I visited Holmethorpe two or three times
- get to 120 Hah! Yeah right (108)
- get 100 in 2011 Yes, very pleased: I managed 103. Would have liked 105 - if I counted Common Tern and Yellow-legged Gull which are 99% bang on then I'd be there
- find a male Montagu's Harrier Did you hear about one at Canons?
- find a Corncrake Not that I'm aware of
- find at least one of the following: Bee-eater, Hoopoe, Alpine Swift, Red-rumped Swallow Not that I recall, doesn't ring a bell, fraid not and no
- find a Richard's Pipit No
- add at least two wildfowl species to my list No
- find a bird that will draw a constant crowd of at least fifty people No
- find a Moorhen Ehhh.....sadly not...maybe next year
- keep taking my SLR out and photograph and much as possible Yes!
- make progress with my Canons Farm campaign If starting a functioning Bird Group with 25 members, regular meetings and a bird report counts, then I'd say yeah
=====================================================
It is amazing that, once again, I had predicted that this would be the year where I saw a bit less than the previous year and it ended up surpassing all previous years by a large margin. Both on a local and national year it has been exceptional and I've been seeing the sort and doing the sort of things I never thought possible when I was taking my first tentative steps onto the active birding scene as a boy of eleven or twelve, following an interest in birds since seven. I owe Johnny Allan and Franko Maroevic for giving and/or organising long distance twitches and Ian Jones, Phil Wallace, Rob Stokes, Peter Grady and Colin and Paul Manville, to name a few, for the transport and company they have provided to make this year so great. Gratitude to Neil Randon for helping out with the CFBW Bird Report and livening up several outings.
There's too many great times to recount here, and it would be pointless reciting many here because many can be found in the archives of this blog. So here's a basic breakdown:
MOST ENJOYABLE BIRD
There's some birds that simply rock your boat and it feels like you could watch them over and over again. The Northern Waterthrush on Scilly wins this prize for 2011. I first saw it on my two-day twitch to the islands in September and it made the expense and hassle worthwhile along with the Baltimore Oriole and Solitary Sandpiper. I was very pleased when it hung around for my October half-term visit and I saw it a few more times, in more relaxed conditions.
Another highly memorable bird is the Farthing Downs Hoopoe - an amazing bird to have within a few miles of home -
BEST DAY'S BIRDING
When the pager gave a mega alert for a Scarlet Tanager in Cornwall, just before I was due to head to Scilly for my half term break, I was really getting stressed out about how I'd go about seeing the bird without my holiday being disrupted. It was going to be impossible (unless the bird solved the problem by kindly leaving), I would either have to go to Scilly and live with constant pager messages about a national mega or go to Scilly, come back to Cornwall for a day then resume the break. I tried for the tanager before boarding the boat but only got a couple of minutes on site, after getting to St Levan much later than planned. Of course, I did not see the bird and it was never seen again.
Some of the stars of the most exciting day of the year
I boarded the Scillonian as planned, fearing that the St Levan bird would bleep and I'd be obliged go through the ordeal of getting back myself back to Cornwall. Instead, the pager gave a mega alert half way across. It was a Scarlet Tanager...and it was on Scilly. OH MY GOD! I rushed there straight away and after a very tense half hour a flash of yellow and black graced the hedges in front of me. The jammiest thing that's ever happened to me. That afternoon I also enjoyed great views of Upland Sandpiper, Wilson's Snipe, Olive-backed Pipits and the Northern Waterthrush. Could a day like that ever be beaten?
WORST DAY'S BIRDING
There were a few miserable days. Dipping the Greater Yellowlegs in Northumberland has got to be the winner, though. It was very expensive and very unsuccessful - hence highly disappointing and frustrating. Then the ruddy thing does a few hundred miles further north. This is all a few months after putting £30 in a ticket machine for a Greenshank. I just don't care any more.
PATCH HIGHLIGHTS
I managed nine patch ticks this year: Peregrine, Ring Ouzel, Wood Warbler, Red-legged Partridge, Marsh Harrier, Cuckoo, Firecrest, Reed Warbler and Brent Goose. I also recorded another Quail, several Waxwings, a Black Redstart, a few Common Redstarts, an Osprey, a couple of Short-eared Owls, a few Golden Plovers and Common Snipe, a Curlew, a trio of Spotted Flycatchers, several Grasshopper Warblers, at least two or three Barn Owls, the odd Mealy Redpoll and a good few Crossbills, Tree Pipits, Whinchats etc.When I was in my earlier stages of birding I would never have dreamed that I'd be seeing birds like this in my local area, let alone finding most of them. I managed 103 species this year, which I'm quite happy with considering it's a dry inland site.
MOST FRUSTRATING MOMENTS
Seeing a Common or Arctic Tern too high in too poor light over the patch was very very very annoying, as was photographing a 99% Yellow-legged Gull there but the images not quite showing enough detail to be certain enough to constitute a first patch record. Arguably surpassing these, for I will never have much of a clue what they were, was the flock of smallish/medium rufous-ish waders that flew low past Ian and I. Had I looked at them properly we would have got perfect views of what would have undoubtedly been an exceptional patch record, but instead I dismissed them as racing pigeons in my split second glance. It was only when I took another look that I realised they were waders...and by the time I got on them properly they were flying away...
=====================================================
Well, what will I aim for in 2012? I'm not going to be as ambitious this year. I'll do as much birding as I can and see what comes out of the other end - I'm sure there will be many exciting moments with a great set of birds and birders. I'd like to find a shrike or Wryneck, Richard's Pipit, or something like that, at Canons and I'd like to get 115 for my patch list and 360 for Britain
Friday, 31 December 2010
2010
It has been a great year. At the end of each year I always say to myself 'next year really cannot be any better this time' and time and time again I prove myself wrong. Without even trying at all I beat my previous year's British year list total by ten or so.
My thanks are due to many people this year. Most pressing expressions of gratitude go to Johnny Allan for keeping me up to speed with what's been going on in Surrey. Also to Phil Wallace, Mark Stanley, Roy Weller, Rob Stokes, Ian Jones, Steve Gale, Paul Manville, Paul Goodman and several others for their much needed lifts and great company without which this year would not have been the same.
Most memorable moments . . .
Trumpeter Finch was a great bird to watch and a nice get back
White-tailed Lapwing, contender for bird of the year for me
Corn Bunting was a memorable find
Worst moments . . .
2011 TARGETS (many are perhaps a bit ambitious but I find this increases productivity)
My thanks are due to many people this year. Most pressing expressions of gratitude go to Johnny Allan for keeping me up to speed with what's been going on in Surrey. Also to Phil Wallace, Mark Stanley, Roy Weller, Rob Stokes, Ian Jones, Steve Gale, Paul Manville, Paul Goodman and several others for their much needed lifts and great company without which this year would not have been the same.
Most memorable moments . . .
Britain
Trumpeter Finch was a great bird to watch and a nice get back- connecting with great rarities such as White-tailed Lapwing, Marmora's Warbler, River Warbler, Bufflehead, American Robin, Pied-billed Grebe, Trumpeter Finch, Green Heron etc
- spending a week doing nothing but seawatching off Porthgwarra, Cornwall while meeting and learning from some very knowledgeable and welcoming birders
- spending time in the company of new and old friends and some decent birds for a few days on Scilly in October
- memorable time in East Anglia spent watching Red-necked and Grey Phalaropes together and Golden Oriole, Montagu's Harrier, Stone-curlew etc
- seeing nine species of American wader
London
White-tailed Lapwing, contender for bird of the year for me- White-tailed Lapwing
- Dusky Warbler
- helpful birders
Local
While frustrating close to the patch boundary, this male Red-backed Shrike was a top local bird (photo by Mark Stanley)
While frustrating close to the patch boundary, this male Red-backed Shrike was a top local bird (photo by Mark Stanley)- Red-backed Shrike
- Common Crane
- Lapland Bunting
- Pectoral Sandpiper
- Waxwings, lots of them
- see below
Patch
Corn Bunting was a memorable find- stumbling across great birds like Quail, Hen Harrier and Corn Bunting (invariably when very least expected)
- seeing, on a regular basis, birds like Black Redstart, Tree Pipit, Yellow Wagtail, Whinchat, Northern Wheatear, Yellowhammer, Little Owl, Common Buzzard, Lesser Spotted Wodpecker, Red Kite, Hobby etc
- snoozing off on a lazy summer afternoon with nothing but Swallows keeping me company
- organising the stall at the Banstead Countryside Day, really feeling people's enthusiam for birds, and seeing an Osprey overhead to boot!
- having the privelege of keeping track of a family of confiding Hobbies during the summer
Worst moments . . .
Britain
- walking a total of six miles on shingle in the driving wind and rain to see an elusive bird that I can't tick before going off to see another bird which although slightly easier to see also couldn't be ticked
- going all the way to Cornwall to dip an American Bittern for the second time - b*ll**ks
London
- The underground - everything about it
- Public transport in general
- People
Patch
- spending lots of time seeing nothing - lots of time (of the ninety hours put into the last thirteen days all the time spent watching anything noteworthy would probably add up to about half an hour - even the usual things like Yellowhammers that help to brighten the mood evacuated during this period due to the hostile conditions)
- rude dog walkers
- getting only one away from 100
2011 TARGETS (many are perhaps a bit ambitious but I find this increases productivity)
Britain
- get to 350
- tick off some more tart ticks
- spend at least one full day birding in Kent or Norfolk in spring or autumn in ideal conditions and find a BB rarity
London
- get to 230
- tick off some more tart ticks
Surrey
- start keeping a Surrey list again and get down to Holmethorpe
- get to 120
- get 100 in 2011
- find a male Montagu's Harrier
- find a Corncrake
- find at least one of the following: Bee-eater, Hoopoe, Alpine Swift, Red-rumped Swallow
- find a Richard's Pipit
- add at least two wildfowl species to my list
- find a bird that will draw a constant crowd of at least fifty people
- find a Moorhen
- keep taking my SLR out and photograph and much as possible
- make progress with my Canons Farm campaign
Wednesday, 23 December 2009
2009.
This year has just flown by! It's certainly been the best year yet and it is at and end, here's a brief summary of some of the highlights . . .
The birds . . .
There have been countless stunning birds this year. Those that stand out the most . . .
In January I was treated to crippling views of a Long-eared Owl, just feet away from me in wonderful light on a beautiful winter's day . . . at my local patch. If I had to choose, this would be the top moment of the year, I walked away reluctantly and short of breath.
Firecrests stand out. I've had my fair share of them this year with birds wintering just a few streets away and brightening up many a dull day. I had a thrilling encounter with a breeding bird in the New Forest this year (see photo) and enjoyed them on Scilly and at Dungeness. I can't get enough of these wonderful birds.
Paying for the train to Staines Reservoirs was well worth it for a crippling sub-adult White-winged Black Tern that danced over the sparkly waters on that beautiful morning, not too far from home, the day after seeing the Kent Black-winged Pratincole and the Banstead Downs Wood Warbler! The latter and the Tern made a wonderful duo of good county lifers, with the Tern being a full lifer.
Of course, the Staines Moor Brown Shrike was a highlight, being a showy and interesting mega in my county and not terribly far from home.
The Rutland Ospreys were brilliant and it was also exciting seeing a passage bird at Beddington.
On Scilly, the bird that stood out the most and was one of the year's highlights was the Pallas's Warbler on St. Agnes. It showed wonderfully and was undoubtedly the most entertaining, interestingly-plumaged and exciting Warblers that I have ever seen and I doubt I ever will see a more exciting Old-world Warbler!
All rarities this year were captivating and very interesting, each and every one was a highlight along with countless other good birds seen this year, from thousands of Whooper Swans at Martin Mere to displaying Goshawks in Surrey.
Listing wise . . .
I have had 45 British lifers this year (rising from 217 to 262), the vast majority being lifers full stop. Despite my list being bigger than previous years, this is more than 2008 and maybe even 2007! My British year list absolutely zoomed way ahead of target; I was hoping for 200 but this was reached in July and I am now on 242 (though I'm hoping to try to fit in White-fronted Goose before the year's end). I finished 2008 on about 197.
Local patch lists rose. Beddington rose to 128 by the year's end but I have given that place up now so it doesn't matter. Banstead Downs rose from 60 to 73. At the end of the year, I replaced Beddington with Canon's Farm and Banstead Wood and my patch list for Canon's Farm and Banstead Wood was 57 straight away.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In summary, an excellent year with good birds, many useful ticks, new friends, good scenery and lots of fun.
I am very grateful to Phil Wallace, Surrey's top bird photographer, who took me on many a enjoyable day's birding this year.
I hope next year will be as good, but I somehow doubt it (I said that last year).
The birds . . .
There have been countless stunning birds this year. Those that stand out the most . . .
In January I was treated to crippling views of a Long-eared Owl, just feet away from me in wonderful light on a beautiful winter's day . . . at my local patch. If I had to choose, this would be the top moment of the year, I walked away reluctantly and short of breath.
Firecrests stand out. I've had my fair share of them this year with birds wintering just a few streets away and brightening up many a dull day. I had a thrilling encounter with a breeding bird in the New Forest this year (see photo) and enjoyed them on Scilly and at Dungeness. I can't get enough of these wonderful birds.
Paying for the train to Staines Reservoirs was well worth it for a crippling sub-adult White-winged Black Tern that danced over the sparkly waters on that beautiful morning, not too far from home, the day after seeing the Kent Black-winged Pratincole and the Banstead Downs Wood Warbler! The latter and the Tern made a wonderful duo of good county lifers, with the Tern being a full lifer.
Of course, the Staines Moor Brown Shrike was a highlight, being a showy and interesting mega in my county and not terribly far from home.The Rutland Ospreys were brilliant and it was also exciting seeing a passage bird at Beddington.
On Scilly, the bird that stood out the most and was one of the year's highlights was the Pallas's Warbler on St. Agnes. It showed wonderfully and was undoubtedly the most entertaining, interestingly-plumaged and exciting Warblers that I have ever seen and I doubt I ever will see a more exciting Old-world Warbler!
All rarities this year were captivating and very interesting, each and every one was a highlight along with countless other good birds seen this year, from thousands of Whooper Swans at Martin Mere to displaying Goshawks in Surrey.
Listing wise . . .
I have had 45 British lifers this year (rising from 217 to 262), the vast majority being lifers full stop. Despite my list being bigger than previous years, this is more than 2008 and maybe even 2007! My British year list absolutely zoomed way ahead of target; I was hoping for 200 but this was reached in July and I am now on 242 (though I'm hoping to try to fit in White-fronted Goose before the year's end). I finished 2008 on about 197.
Local patch lists rose. Beddington rose to 128 by the year's end but I have given that place up now so it doesn't matter. Banstead Downs rose from 60 to 73. At the end of the year, I replaced Beddington with Canon's Farm and Banstead Wood and my patch list for Canon's Farm and Banstead Wood was 57 straight away.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In summary, an excellent year with good birds, many useful ticks, new friends, good scenery and lots of fun.
I am very grateful to Phil Wallace, Surrey's top bird photographer, who took me on many a enjoyable day's birding this year.
I hope next year will be as good, but I somehow doubt it (I said that last year).
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