2016 Year List

2016 Year List (UK:137) (Total:165):
Key: Bold = Lifer. Red = Overseas Bold Red (Work it out!)

Starling, House Sparrow, Mallard, Eider, Pheasant, Red-throated Diver, Northern Fulmar, Raven, Carrion Crow, Hooded Crow, Rook, Jackdaw, Blackbird, Robin, Rock Pipit, Rock Dove, Black Guillemot, Kittiwake, Great Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, Curlew, Redshank, Lapwing, Oystercatcher, Gannet, Shag, Tufted Duck, Common Goldeneye, Eurasian Teal, Eurasian Widgeon, Mute Swan, Whooper Swan, Greylag Goose, Little Grebe, Cormorant, Grey Heron, Greenland White-fronted Goose, Great Northern Diver, Common Buzzard, Common Kestrel, Purple Sandpiper, Collard Dove, Redwing, Fieldfare, Chaffinch, Linnet, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Red Kite, Wood Pigeon, Pied Wagtail, Dunnock, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Coal Tit, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Magpie, Lesser Redpoll, Bullfinch, Egyptian Goose, Northern Shovelar, Great Crested Grebe, Bittern, Moorhen, Coot, Ring-necked Parakeet, Stonechat, Cetti's Warbler, Wren, Canada Goose, Pintail, Pochard, Green Woodpecker, Chiffchaff, Goldcrest, Jay, Siskin, Gadwall, Peregrine Falcon, Long-tailed Tit, Meadow Pipit, Red-legged Partridge, Treecreeper, Shelduck, Grey Wagtail, Song Thrush, Kingfisher, Penduline Tit, Marsh Tit, Nuthatch, Cattle Egret, Little Egret, Common Sandpiper, Sandwich Tern, Sardinian Warbler, Audouin's Gull, Osprey, White Wagtail, Black Redstart, Yellow-legged Gull, Blackcap, Great Egret, Marsh Harrier, Water Rail, Stone Curlew, Green Sandpiper, Serin, Common Crossbill, Reed Bunting, Blue Rock Thrush, Crag Martin, Booted Eagle, Kentish Plover, Greater Flamingo, Moustached Warbler, Purple Swamphen, Pied Avocet, Greenshank, Pink-footed Goose, Long-eared Owl, Tawny Owl, Barn Owl, Grey Partridge, Ringed Plover, Dunlin, Black-tailed Godwit, Ruff, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Skylark, Mistle Thrush, Lapland Bunting, Dark-bellied Brent Goose, Golden Pheasant, Common Snipe, Black Grouse, Red Grouse, Wheatear, Dipper, Yellowhammer, Sand Martin, Swallow, House Martin, Goosander, Velvet Scoter, Common Scoter, Common Guillemot, Razorbill, King Eider, Whimbrel, Snow Bunting, Capercaillie, Red-breasted Merganser, Slavonian Grebe, Rock Ptarmigan, Crested Tit, Scottish Crossbill, Black-throated Diver, White-tailed Eagle, Golden Eagle, Bar-tailed Godwit, Great Skua, Puffin, Red-crested Pochard










Thursday 31 January 2013

Scaup-ered

After work today I thought I quickly nip across to Caldecotte Lake to see if the Scaup were still around - they weren't :( I can't help but reminise back to 1989 when Caldecotte was my local patch and full of Avian life.  Not a single Widgeon, Teal or Gadwall present and only a few Pochard.  There was however a Goosander pair and a Little Grebe but that really was the limit.  I tried experimenting with my camera, managed a few acceptable ones but threw loads away...


Canada Goose
Tufted Duck
I then came across this Black Headed Gull, appears odd to me so grateful if anybody could confirm.  Don't recall ever seeing the black extend so far down either the front or back of the head, also the neck appears to be slightly longer?
 

Black Headed Gull
I then popped in at Linford GP (HESC) on the way home which paid off.  The woodland hide provided me with ample opportunity to practice with the camera, I won't bore you with all the shots, just one of a Blue Tit I rather liked and a Marsh Tit, although this isn't a very good shot - in my defence it was starting to get dark.

Blue Tit
Marsh Tit
I had a quick stop in at the main hide which helped explain the lack of waterfowl at Caldecotte, the place was crammed with Tufted Duck, Widgeon, Pochard, a small number of Teal and a drake Pintail - unfortunately no photos as he was a fair distance and the light was almost completely gone.
 
An enjoyable evening finished off with a few games of squash where I got an ass kicking as always......

Wednesday 30 January 2013

Ferruginous Duck


Ferruginous Duck
 
 
I couldn't ignore the news of a drake Ferruginous Duck (Purportedly a pure) within a short distance from work.  I set off with the hope that he was still showing and that I'd arrive before it got too dark.  I arrived with plenty of light but he was extremely mobile around Bedfords' Priory Country Park (Priory Lake) so took me some time to locate.  I eventually found him (on the opposite side) so hurried round as he was close to the bank.  View through my binoculars were fantastic, showing his rusty colouring off very well in the setting sun, unfortunately I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing with my camera so this is the best shot I managed.  This obviously won't count for the 2013 Bird Race as we are not starting until March but I thought the practice would do me good plus I can practice uploading as this is my first ever blog entry.

 
Also present was a first winter Black Necked Grebe but no photos as he was way out in the middle of the lake.