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










Tuesday 7 April 2015

Italian Lifers...

Just back from a long weekend in Italy visiting Venice and Rome, this wasn't a birding trip, I only had a small pair of 8x25's and never stopped for birding specifically.

That said I managed 3 lifers even though I only saw 22 species!

I started with a few days in Venice, very nice city and very easy to spend the day walking in circles.

I think the first bird I saw was Yellow-legged Gull and by the end of the weekend I understood why - they are everywhere..!

Yellow-legged Gull

Whilst on the train across to Venice I was gobsmacked by the number of summer plumaged Black-necked Grebe in the bay, must have been in excess of 20 within the Mallard.  I only had a 55mm lens so this is the best image I managed from a moving train.  Saw a flock of 9 Little Egret and a single Black-winged Stilt.

Black-necked Grebe

There were plenty of Italian Sparrow and Feral Pigeon around the market stalls.

Italian Sparrow

Got some amazing views (although crap photos) of summer plumaged Mediterranean Gull and Black-headed Gull down by the Arsenale di Venezia.

Mediterranean Gull

Next was a couple of days in Rome which seems pretty devoid of bird life at first glance.  Again there are Yellow-legged Gull just about everywhere, even on top of St Peter's Basilica and the Coliseum.

My 2nd lifer of the trip was Monk Parakeet in the trees around the Vatican along with Ring-necked Parakeet.

When visiting the Castel Sant' Angelo I again saw plenty of Yellow-legged Gull, Italian Sparrow and Feral Pigeon.  I also got my first close up view of a Hooded Crow which I expected to see everywhere.

Hooded Crow
 
There were loads of Eurasian Swift, Barn Swallow and House Martin flying up and down the river, all year firsts.  Also saw my only Collared Dove of the trip.
 
Collared Dove
 
It was a nice surprise to see Black Redstart and Blackcap at Largo di Torre Argentina although I wouldn't like to speculate how long they'll last as the ruin was home to about 8 cats.
 
Only other birds were a handful of Blackbird and Magpie.
 
I had read on the internet that Serin were abundant and I was sure I could hear them everywhere although I could never find one - until I was looking at Foro Romano when I heard one very close, it was actually under my nose but I didn't see it until it flew up, hence my usual amazing photograph, this was my 3rd lifer of the trip..
 
Serin
 
Only other species I saw was Greenfinch when waiting for the bus to the Airport

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Location: Venice & Rome, Italy

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