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










Saturday 25 April 2015

Pied-billed Grebe

I didn't go for the Pied-billed Grebe found just South of Berkley power station yesterday as timing was a little too tight.  I was working in Gloucestershire so locality was perfect but I was picking the kids up from Hereford and couldn't be late.  That said, I had 1.5 hours free so I decided to visit Wellington GP near.... well..... Wellington!

I haven't been here for years, not since I lived locally, you used to have to park at the GP reception and book in but there are a few public footpaths crossing the site affording some decent views.

I parked in a layby next to the big red arrow (which isn't actually there!)

The first thing I noticed was the number of Sand Martin over the first pit, must have been a few hundred, I managed to pick out a few Swallow but there weren't many.  There were a lot of Lesser Black-backed Gull on the opposite side.

It was a reasonably sunny day and this had brought the butterflies out, I had 4 year firsts:

Green-veined White

Holly Blue

Orange-tip

Peacock

I was hoping to catch up with the Yellow Wagtail and Wheatear that were on the recent sightings page of the Hereford Ornithological Club website.

I found singing Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler and my first Whitethroat of the year flying up to catch bugs from the top of a tree.


I also managed to connect with a Wheatear on my way back to the car, I took a photo which I posted on Twitter but it was awful.  I was about to walk away content when my eyes focused beyond the Wheatear, there in a direct line behind it, sat atop a buoy was my first Common Tern of the year.

So I didn't get to twitch the Pied-billed Grebe but I did pick up 3 year ticks, I left happy, plus I saw the Pied-billed Grebe in 2013 when it was a lifer for me along with Ferruginous Duck and Ringed-neck Duck all on the same day...!

I only had the Friday night at home as today (Saturday) I had to travel to Southampton ready to run tomorrows 1/2 marathon.

Luckily the sky was overcast so my priority was to get the moth trap out, feeding the kids was on hold..

It turned out to be my best night of the year even though I only had 15 moths of 13 species.  I bagged 5 new species for the year (NFY) and a lifer with the impressive Mullein.

Trap List
 
2007 - Swallow Prominent

2221 - The Mullein
 
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Location: Wellington Gravel Pits

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