My UK Year List - 2014

  • 117-118) GREAT WHITE EGRET and LONG-TAILED DUCKS at Mary's Lake, Earls Barton GP, 9 January
  • 116) Barnacle Goose, Emberton Park, 9 January
  • 114-115) SMEW and Cetti's Warbler at Great Hardmead Lake, Amwell, 7 January
  • 113) Reed Bunting, Tyttenhanger, 7 January
  • 112) Tree Sparrow (32 birds), Tyttenhanger, 7 January
  • 111) Sparrowhawk, West Hyde, 7 January
  • 110) Mandarin Duck, Burnham Beeches NNR, 7 January
  • 100-109) Curlew, Knot, Bar-tailed Godwit, Dunlin, Oystercatcher, Grey Plover, Sanderling, Common Shelduck, Kittiwake and Mediterranean Gull at Church Norton, 6 January
  • 99) RUDDY SHELDUCK, Sidlesham Ferry, 6 January
  • 96-98) Purple Sandpiper, Turnstone and Rock Pipit in Shoreham Harbour
  • 95) Red-breasted Merganser, Widewater, 6 January
  • 94) GREY PHALAROPE, Hove Lagoon, 6 January
  • 93) Grey Partridge, Broom, 5 January
  • 92) Goosander, Woburn Lakes, 5 January
  • 91) Skylark, Totternhoe, 5 January
  • 90) Yellowhammer, Totternhoe, 5 January
  • 89) Corn Bunting, Totternhoe, 5 January
  • 88) Water Pipit, Wilstone, 5 January
  • 87) SABINE'S GULL, Weston Turville, 5 January
  • 86) Common Scoter, Brogborough, 4 January
  • 85) GREAT NORTHERN DIVER, Stewartby Lake, 4 January
  • 84) Red-legged Partridge, Hatch, 4 January
  • 83) Common Kestrel, Langford, 4 January
  • 82) GLOSSY IBIS, Frensham, 4 January
  • 81) Goldcrest, Frensham, 4 January
  • 80) Green Sandpiper, Lynsters, 3 January
  • 79) Stock Dove, Lynster's, 3 January
  • 78) Egyptian Goose, Lynsters Farm, 3 January
  • 77) Common Chiffchaff, Stockers Lake
  • 76) SIBERIAN CHIFFCHAFF, Stockers Lake
  • 75) Siskin, Stockers Lake
  • 74) Dunnock, Stockers Lake
  • 73) Ring-necked Parakeet, Stockers Lake
  • 72) Lesser Redpoll, Stockers Lake
  • 71) Coal Tit, Chaffinch House
  • 40-70: Nuthatch, Greylag Goose, Pied Wagtail, Lapwing, Golden Plover, Great Crested Grebe, Cormorant, Common Redshank, Common Snipe, Teal, Wigeon, Shoveler, LITTLE STINT, Black-tailed Godwit, Grey Wagtail, Goldeneye, Meadow Pipit, Greenfinch, Marsh Tit, Dunnock, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Long-tailed Tit, Bullfinch, Jay, Red-crested Pochard, Wren, Collared Dove (all at Tring Reservoirs), Brambling (Ivinghoe), Herring & Great Black-backed Gull, CATTLE EGRET (Briarhill Farm, Calvert) & Green Woodpecker
  • 1-39 all local, Chess River Valley & Shardeloes Estate: 1 January 2014: Chaffinch, Common Starling, Woodpigeon, Little Egret, Grey Heron, Common Magpie, Mute Swan, Mallard, Moorhen, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Rook, Common Buzzard, Canada Goose, Coot, Black-headed Gull, Tufted Duck, Pochard, House Sparrow, Common Blackbird, Woodpigeon, Pheasant, Gadwall, Kingfisher, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Robin, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Little Grebe, Common Gull, Red Kite, Redwing, Fieldfare, Song Thrush, Goldfinch, Mistle Thrush, WOODCOCK, Treecreeper, Greenfinch and Water Rail

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Year Listing in the UK

Lee Evans has been Year-listing in the UK since 1977 and has achieved annual totals of over 300 species ever since. Although he has recorded in excess of 360 species on some nine occasions, his record stands at 386 species - achieved in 1996. Adrian Webb in Year 2000 recorded at least 378 species, making him by far the highest-listing individual to compare with Lee. In terms of Life Listing, Lee has recorded 577 species in Britain and Ireland and 853 species in the wider Western Palearctic region.

Thursday 18 November 2010

The first day of MAY - HOOPOE and PURPLE HERON delight








A return to cooler conditions, with NE winds predominating. I started off locally today before moving on to Kent. An excellent afternoon.

SHARDELOES LAKE (BUCKS)

Single Great Crested and Little Grebes present, the latter ‘whinnying’, with the resident pair of Mute Swans, 6 Tufted Ducks, 28 Coot, 3 Wren, 3 Goldfinch and a male Blackcap. A female Reed Bunting was the highlight.

DEEP MILL POND, GREAT MISSENDEN (BUCKS)

Little of note other than a drake Tufted Duck and 6 Coots.

DENGE MARSH, DUNGENESS (KENT)

Up to three different adult PURPLE HERONS were seen during the period of observation. The first one was seen from the vantage point overlooking the reedbed at Hookers Pit as it flew along the back and landed in a dyke out of view. I then drove around to Dengemarsh Lane, where with Jerry Warne and others, I enjoyed excellent views of two adults, which both landed in the same area of reedbed and appeared to be displaying to each other. Adrian Kettle visited and obtained these tremendous photographs above and below. It was my first Purple Heron of the year (259).
Two images at top of page: Pair of adult Purple Herons, Denge Marsh, Kent, May 2010 (Adrian Kettle) Both birds displayed and eventually settled down, were observed carrying in sticks, built a nest and eventually fledged a single young in July – the first confirmed successful nesting attempt in Britain

Apart from the Purple Herons, not much else of note was recorded – 100+ European Barn Swallows, large numbers of Common Swifts, a few House Martins, Cetti’s Warblers calling (and seen), Common Whitethroats, Yellow Wagtails and a Corn Bunting.

LENHAM HEATH (KENT)

At Bowley Lane (TQ 896 507), I eventually enjoyed superb views of a HOOPOE feeding in a sheepfield just north of the M20 between 1400 and 1500 hours. It was fairly mobile but once pinned down, showed very well and enabled some great ‘scope views to be obtained as it fed on grubs. Some nice flight views were obtained as well. Marc Heath obtained the excellent image above.

SHUART FARM, RECULVER (NORTH KENT)

After leaving the Hoopoe site, I had driven as far back as Clacket Lane services on the M25 when I took a call informing me of a Woodchat Shrike in North Kent at Chamber’s Wall. I continued to junction 4 and turned around and made my way all of the way back to Shuart Farm at Reculver. It turned out to be a complete waste of time in the event, as after just 40 minutes of viewing, the Woodchat disappeared from view and could never be relocated.

Along with 8 or so local birders, I searched for two hours or more and drew a blank – just Marsh Harriers (a pair), COMMON CUCKOO (excellent perched views), Yellow Wagtails and large numbers of Common Swifts and European Barn Swallows.
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