THE DIARY OF AN OBSESSIVE TWITCHER: My GOSHAWKS are doing just fine

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

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

My GOSHAWKS are doing just fine

THURSDAY 6 MAY

Did very little birding today other than check out a local NORTHERN GOSHAWK nest close to my house. Discreetly concealing myself beneath the Larches, I sat for several hours as both parents visited the nest bringing in food. It was Woodpigeon and Common Blackbird bought in today, whilst on other days, Grey Squirrel has been taken.

Sadly, virtually all Goshawks in my Recording Area get shot and each one of the three nests located in 2008 and 2009 were destroyed. I am praying that this pair succeeds but the young are already becoming very noisy and attracting attention. Utmost secrecy has to surround the breeding location of every pair of Goshawks in Britain and I treasure these birds much in the same way as I safeguard the future of my breeding North American Ruddy Ducks.