1. Little Grebe (6th Jan - Marshside)
2. Great Crested Grebe (14th Jan - Heysham, off harbour wall)
3. Cormorant (13th Jan - Marshside)
4. Little Egret (6th Jan - Marshside)
5. Grey Heron (16th Jan - Silver Lane pools, Risley)
6. Mute Swan (16th Jan - Silver Lane pools, Risley)
7. Whooper Swan (6th Jan - Plex Moss)
8. Pink-footed Goose (6th Jan - Plex Moss)
9. Greylag Goose (6th Jan - Marshside)
10. Canada Goose (6th Jan - Marshside)
11. Shelduck (6th Jan - Marshside)
12. Mallard (6th Jan - Marshside)
13. Gadwall (14th Jan - E. Morcambe Hide, Leighton)
14. Pintail (6th Jan - Marshside)
15. Shovellor (6th Jan - Marshside)
16. Wigeon (6th Jan - Marshside)
17. Teal (6th Jan - Marshside)
18. Pochard (6th Jan - Marshside)
19. Tuffted Duck (6th Jan - Pontin's boating lake)
20. Common Buzzard (6th Jan - Plex Moss)
21. Sparrowhawk (14th Jan - Leighton Moss, hunting snipe like a harrier)
22. Kestrel (6th Jan - Plex Moss)
23. Merlin (6th Jan - Marshside)
24. Red-legged Partridge (6th Jan - Plex Moss)
25. Grey Partridge (6th Jan - Plex Moss)
26. Pheasant (6th Jan - Plex Moss)
27. Moorhen (6th Jan - Marshside)
28. Coot (6th Jan - Marshside)
29. Oystercatcher (6th Jan - Fisherman's carpark - Southport)
30. Ringed Plover - (6th Jan - Fisherman's carpark - Southport)
31. Grey Plover (6th Jan - Fisherman's carpark - Southport)
32. Golden Plover (6th Jan - Marshside)33. Lapwing (6th Jan - Marshside)
34. Knot (6th Jan - Fisherman's carpark, Southport)
35. Sanderling (22nd Jan - Fisherman's carpark - Southport)
36. Dunlin (6th Jan - Fisherman's carpark - Southport)
37. Redshank (6th Jan - Fisherman's carpark - Southport)
38. Black-tailed Godwit (6th Jan - Marshside)
39. Bar-tailed Godwit (22nd Jan - Fisherman's carpark - Southport)
40. Curlew (6th Jan - Fisherman's carpark - Southport)
41. Woodcock (7th Jan - Plex Moss, fly-by as heading home)
42. Common Snipe (6th Jan - Marshside)
43. Black-headed Gull (6th Jan - Pontin's boating lake)
44. Common Gull (6th Jan - Pontin's boating lake)
45. Herring Gull (6th Jan - Fisherman's carpark - Southport)
46. Lesser Black-backed Gull (6th Jan - Fisherman's carpark - Southport)
47. Great Black-backed Gull (6th Jan - Fisherman's carpark - Southport)
48. Stock Dove (7th Jan - 30+, Poppy Lane, nr Ormskirk)
49. Woodpigeon (6th Jan - Plex Moss)
50. Collard Dove (14th Jan - Leighton Moss car park)
51. Little Owl (6th Jan - Dicconsons Lane, Clieves Hills, nr. Ormskirk)
52. Great Spotted Woodpecker (6th Jan, pumping station, Dicconsons Lane, nr. Ormskirk)
53. Skylark (16th Jan - Silver Lane pools, Risley)
54. Meadow Pipit (16th Jan - Silver Lane pools, Risley)
55. Pied Wagtail (6th Jan - Marshside)
56. Grey Wagtail (2nd-5th Jan - winter res. at work, Risley, can't remember which day!)
57. Wren (16th Jan - Silver Lane pools, Risley)
58. Dunnock (15th Jan - at work, Risley)
59. Robin (15th Jan - at work, Risley)
60. Song Thrush (14th Jan - Leighton Moss car park)
61. Mistle Thrush (13th Jan - Dicconsons Lane, Clieves Hills, nr. Ormskirk)
62. Redwing (16th Jan - Silver Lane pools, Risley)
63. Fieldfare (13th Jan - Dicconsons Lane, Clieves Hills, nr. Ormskirk)
64. Blackbird (15th Jan - at work, Risley)
65. Great Tit (14th Jan - Leighton Moss car park)
66. Coal Tit (14th Jan - Leighton Moss car park)
67. Blue Tit (14th Jan - Leighton Moss car park)
68. Long-tailed Tit (15th Jan - Silver Lane Risley)
69. Magpie (15th Jan - at work, Risley)
70. Jackdaw (6th Jan - Plex Moss, Lancs, feeding on game crop)
71. Rook (6th Jan - Plex Moss, Lancs, feeding on game crop)
72. Carrion Crow (6th Jan - Plex Moss, Lancs, feeding on game crop)
73. Starling (13th Jan - Dicconsons Lane, Clieves Hills, nr. Ormskirk)
74. House Sparrow (home, every day, have resident flock!)
75. Chaffinch (15th Jan - at work, Risley)
76. Linnet (6th Jan - Fisherman's carpark - Southport)
77. Goldfinch (13th Jan - Dicconsons Lane, Clieves Hills, nr. Ormskirk)
78. Greenfinch (13th Jan - Dicconsons Lane, Clieves Hills, nr. Ormskirk)
79. Corn Bunting (6th Jan - Plex Moss, Lancs)
80. Peregrine (13th Jan - gas tower from Marshside)
81. Tree Sparrow (13th Jan - Dicconsons Lane, Clieves Hills, nr. Ormskirk)
82. Yellowhammer (13th Jan - Dicconsons Lane, Clieves Hills, nr. Ormskirk)
83. Turnstone (14th Jan - rocks near helipad, Heysham)
84. Water Rail (14th Jan - Public Hide, Leighton Moss)
85. Spotted Redshank (+2. 14th Jan - Sunderland Point, Lancs)
86. Greenshank (14th Jan - EM Hide, Leighton Moss)
87. Mediterranean Gull (+2. 14th Jan - Heysham harbour wall, 1w + a)
88. Marsh Tit (14th Jan - Leighton Moss, near car park)
89. Nuthatch (14th Jan - Leighton Moss, near car park)
90. Treecreeper (14th Jan - Leighton Moss, near car park)
91. Raven (14th Jan - fly-by near Warton Crag, Lancs)
92. Bullfinch (14th Jan - Leighton Moss, near car park)
93. Reed Bunting (*14th Jan - Leighton Moss, near car park)
94. Goldeneye (14th Jan - Industrial estate pools at Heysham)
95. Goosander (14th Jan - 1 male, fly-by, Leighton Moss)
96. Bittern (14th Jan - Leighton Moss, Public Hide)
Ferruginous Duck (1 drake esc. 14th Jan - Leighton Moss, Public Hide)
97. Goldcrest (15th Jan - Silver Lane, Cheshire)
98. Jay (16th Jan - Silver Lane pools, Cheshire)
99. Lesser Redpoll (20th Jan - fly-over by 2 calling birds, Horrocks Flash, Wigan)
100. Smew (20th Jan - 1 fem, Horrocks Flash, Wigan)
101. Kingfisher (20th Jan - Horrocks Flash, Wigan)
102. Ruddy Duck (20th Jan - 1 male, Houghton Green Flash, Winwick, Cheshire)
103. Scaup (20th Jan - 1 fem, 1 1st w male, Houghton Green Flash, Winwick, Cheshire)
104. Little Gull (21st Jan - 2 adults, Crosby Marina, Merseyside)
105. Short-eared Owl (21st Jan - Marshside, Southport, Merseyside)
106. Stonechat (21st Jan - 1 male, Downholland Moss, Merseyside)
107. Barn Owl (22nd Jan - Model airfield, near Pimbo, Lancs)
108. Red Grouse (24th Jan- Abbeystead, Trough of Bowland, Lancs)
109. Hen Harrier (26th Jan - ring-tail, Parkgate, Wirrel)
110. Rock Pipit (27th Jan - Bangor harbour, North Wales)
111. Red-breasted Merganser (27th Jan - 2 fem, The Spinnies, nr. Bangor, North Wales)
Hooded x Carrion Crow (27th Jan - The Spinnies, nr. Bangor, North Wales)
112. Eider Duck (27th Jan - 1 fem, 2 ad. drakes, Morfa Madryn, North Wales)
113. Dipper (27th Jan - Morfa Madryn, North Wales)
114. Chiffchaff (27th Jan - RSPB Conwy, North Wales)
115. Ruff (28th Jan - Inner Marsh Farm, Wirrel)
116. Curlew Sandpiper (28th Jan - Inner Marsh Farm, Wirrel)
117. Great Northern Diver (31st Jan - Foryd Bay,Caernarfon, North Wales)
118. Shag (31st Jan - Foryd Bay, Caernarfon, North Wales)
119. Brent Goose (31st Jan - Foryd Bay, Caernarfon, North Wales)
120. Purple Sandpiper (5th February - Rhos Point, Clywd, North Wales)
121. Common Scoter (5th February - Rhos Point, Clywd, North Wales)
122. Guillemot (5th February - Rhos Point, Clywd, North Wales)
123. Slavonian Grebe (5th February - Morfa Madryn, Clywd, North Wales)
124. Razorbill (5th February - Conwy, Clywd, North Wales)
125. Red-throated Diver (5th February - Llanfairfechan, Clywd, North Wales)
126. Willow Tit (8th February - Risley Moss NR, Cheshire)
127. Green Sandpiper (14th February - Silver Lane Pools, Risley, Cheshire)
128. Little Stint (17th February - Frodsham Marshes, Cheshire)
129. Bewick Swan (17th February - Burton Marsh, Cheshire)
130. Brambling (18th February - Clocaenog, North Wales)
131. Blackcap (25th February - female, Morcambe promanade, Lancs)
132. Avocet (25th February - EC Hide, Leighton Moss, Lancs)
133. Black Guillemot (3rd March - ferry crossing to Islay)
134. Gannet (3rd March - ferry crossing to Islay)
135. Hooded Crow 3rd March - Islay)
136. White-fronted Goose (3rd March - Islay)
137. Golden Eagle (3rd March - Islay)
138. Fulmar (3rd March - Islay)
139. Rock Dove (3rd March - Islay)
140. Green Winged Teal (5th March - Islay)
141. Chough (5th March - Islay)
142. Black-throated Diver (5th March - Islay)
143. Slavonian Grebe (6th March - Islay)
144. Iceland Gull (Oban, Argyll)
There's been a ring-billed gull and an adult Iceland gull hanging around Oban harbour all winter - so we bought a loaf of bread! It worked for the Iceland, but not for the ring-billed. I was reduced to scrunching slices of cheap bread into balls so that I could throw it a reasonable distant in my attempts to bring the gull into photographic range! Also saw 1st winter Iceland gulls at Cambelltown (2), Tarbet and Lochgilphead (on the field in front of the new school, as the pick-up truck took us home!)
145. Glaucous Gull (8th March - Tarbet, Argyll)
A fishing boat was anchored 300 yds off-shore, the fishermen were gutting fish and throwing the waste into the sea. Large numbers of gulls and many gannets were congregating around the boat, including a 1st winter glaucous. A 1st winter Iceland gull also put in a brief appearance.
146. Siskin (9th March - Kilmichael Glen, Argyll)
I find it incredible that siskin is my 146th species! Talk about a lean year! I regularly watch a huge area of alder that often produces large flocks of siskin in late winter/early spring, but this year - not a one! Some decent flocks of goldies and smaller flocks of redpoll, but no siskin. I knew I'd finally get one in my uncle's garden in Argyll, but when we got there he said he'd only seen a few so far. I heard one calling first thing on the 8th, before we set off for Cambelltown - no worries, we still had two days in Argyll and I'd pick one up with a bit of garden watching. But then the van broke down and we had to leave at 10am the next day! An early morning vigile produced nothing, but then, as we were clearing up after breakfast, a wonderfully gorgeous female put in a brief appearence!
147. Green Woodpecker (17th March - Dunham Massey, Cheshire)
Thought I'd 'target a species'! Weather was shit (wind and rain) so I headed for Dunham Massey, I prefer wandering around woodland in such conditions rather than some wind-blown moss or estuary. Green woodpeckers are easy to see at Dunham - and I saw one within five minutes of entering the park. Good job I did, as I didn't see another in the next three hours! Some lovely flocks of woodpigeon feeding on the woodland floor - I find watching woodies gliding down to feed in such situations incredibly calming for some reason?
148. Ring-necked Parakeet (17th March - Dunham Massey, Cheshire)
Picked up on its call amongst throngs of noisy jackdaws and eventually managed to spot it in a tree (how difficult is it to spot a big bright green bird in bare trees!). Okay, maybe I shouldn't list it, but if I was in London or some other town where there's a feral population I'd have no qualms. There are 'wild' birds around - I saw one quite regularly near home for a few years and I know someone in Pennington had one regularly visit his bird table - on average I usually see a couple every year. So I'll tick it - it's my bloody list! Not as exotic as the large blue macaw I saw flying over Formby beach a few years ago - it cleared every wader off the sands!
149. Sand Martin (19th March - Pennington Flash, Gtr Manchester)
Had a walk around the reserve looking for a reported long-eared owl, but failed to find it at the place it was roosting. As I walked back home I scanned East Bay from the car park, there were two sand martins skimming over the water - spring has begun!!
150. Twite (24th March, Fluke Hall Lane, Lancashire)
An old stubble was full of birds - greylag and pinks, redshank, lapwing, curlew and a few ruff. As I watched, a large flock of small birds lifted and flew towards the sea wall, but half a dozen turned back and landed again on the stubble. Got the scope out and found myself staring at twite. Thank fuck! Normally I have no trouble picking up twite in Scotland, but our week there earlier in the month had proved a blank, possibly due to the strong winds that blew all week. Spoke to two lots of birders (the only birders we saw), one had also drawn a blank with twite, the other had seen a flock of 70 after a long walk near RSPB ????.
151. Black-necked Grebe (27th March - Houghton Green Flash, Cheshire)
Went straight from work as it's only five minutes away. Scanned the water - teal, mallard, tuffties, a few ruddies and goldeneye and a large blob - but no bn's! Put my binocs back on the blob. As I watched, the blob split in two and became two bn grebes with their heads under their wings! Watched them until they extracted their heads and did a bit of half-hearted head turning, then went back to sleep (the grebes, not me!).
152. Little Ringed Plover (28th March - Pennington Flash, Gtr Manchester)
A quick trip before tea with Ste. Two on the islands from Teal Hide. Hopefully they'll nest there again.
153. Wheatear (31st March, RSPB Marshside, Southport, Merseyside)
A male by the sandworks am.
154. Glossy Ibis (6th April, RSPB Marshside, Southport, Merseyside)
This bird made a short visit to Marshside around the time the wts eagle was reported off Crosby (around 2.00pm). I spotted it gliding in to Marshside, it landed to the back of the pool in front of Sandgrounders. It was restless and moved several times. 15 minutes later I walked up to Nell's and spotted the ibis circling above Marshside before heading off north towards the Ribble. Never seen a wild glossy ibis before, so I was chuffed!
155. Swallow (13th April - Irlam Moss, Gtr. Manchester)
After a fruitless search for wheatear or alba wagtails on the mosses I subjected my car to the hell-hole that is ???????? Lane. Why do people risk ruining their cars to fly-tip in this area? I think the idea is endemic amongst the chavs from Irlam - they are of such a low intelligence that they don't realise it's far easier to simply take their trash to a municipal dump. There were two swallows on telegraph wires (what is a 'telegraph'? Isn't it an archiac term - though one I shall continue to use) above the stables just before the A????.
Arctic Race (Borealis) Eider (14th April - Rhos Point, Clwyd, North Wales)
I'll make a note of this bird as I saw it, but in all honesty I didn't realise it was a possible Borealis eider! Ste spotted it and I glanced at it, then carried on looking for something more interesting! Local birders (and those with more sense!) must have paid more attention (I saw pics of it on the North Wales Birding Forum), as eider aren't that common in north wales.
156. Willow Warbler (14th April - Great Orme, Clywd, North Wales)
Saw and heard many today, the first in the scrub around the houses where one turns off the coastal road and heads up towards the summit.
Greenland Wheater (14th April - Great Orme, Clywd, North Wales)
Two males near the quarry by the summit car park. Big, bright, sumptuous birds - as if someone's turned the colour up slightly on the TV!
157. Common Sandpiper (14th April - RSPB Conwy, Clywd, North Wales)
After a supposed 4.45am start - which we managed to cock up totally and only set off at 5.30am - we'd had a fairly crap morning on the Great Orm - 'you should have been here half an hour ago, we had five ring ouzels that flew off'. (it got better when I found out, via the internet, that someone had seen 10 ring ouzels in a field on the Orme at 10.30am - just as we were leaving) Anyway, we went to RSPB Conwy for a butty and a coffee, I noticed in the log book a common sandpiper was knocking about. As Ste was finishing his coffee (I drink cold milk - a man's drink . . . or possibly a Lucozade) I wandered across to one of the Nikon scopes they're trying to flog. I looked through it and there was a common sandpiper, perfectly in focus! There were only a few people in the cafe and no-one had been near the scopes for ten minutes - as the sandpiper was rapidly stalking the edge of the pool - what's the chances of that! I then found another sandpiper - which chased the first and they both ended up on the shoreline right in front of the cafe!
158. Sedge Warbler (15th April - RSPB Marshside, Southport, Merseyside)
Didn't see it, but one was singing from the bramble patch directly opposite the car park on the other side of Marine Drive (a great spot for warblers) when I arrived around 7.00am.
159. Marsh Harrier (15th April - Leighton Moss, Lancashire)
Spotted one from Lillians over the reed bed at the far side of the pool - unfortunately the other occupants of the hide were engrossed in watching a brood of mallard ducklings. I did try to alert them, but my voice was drowned out by all the 'oohs' and 'awws'! Their loss. Later, scanning the skyline (though it was very hazy, I heard later that a cold fog had engulfed Morcambe Bay in the afternoon) I picked up what I initially thought was a buzzard, very high over the moss. As it turned, the wing shape alerted me to harrier, then the sun caught it and I could see the pale head of a female m. harrier. It flew ever higher and disappeared somewhere over the public hide. My best view, however, came as I was heading home in the car, on the road to ??????????. Another female flew past, on the far side of the field next to the layby that overlooks Leighton Moss - probably as good a place as any to watch for m. harriers.
160. House Martin (15th April - Leighton Moss, Lancashire)
Scanning the skyline for raptors from Lillian's Hide, I picked up some hirundi hawking 100ft up. Turned out to be a mixed group of swallows and house martins, the latter's white rumps standing out at a great distance (they where roughly over Public Hide)
161. Ring Ouzel (17th April - Burnt Edge Moor, Grt. Manchester)
A quick trip after work, it was 7.00pm when we got there and I thought we might be a bit late. But Ste spotted one flying across the moor to the fields below, another came from somewhere and chased it into a small scrub sallow. Unfortunately I didn't see them! We walked up to another birder a hundred yards away, and pointed out the ouzel bush to him! Then we all walked back down the track to get a better view (though the bush was several hundred yards away). The two birds obligingly then landed on the ground beside the bush. One looked like an adult male, the other didn't give us a reasonable view. As we were watching I heard a ring ouzel's alarm call and four birds lifted from the moor to the west and flew into a stand of trees - two females and two males. Later, after the other birder had left, Ste spotted the male (pressumably) from the sallow on a fence post to confirm id. Great evening, especially after a couple of disappointing visits to the Great Orm to look for ouzels in the last few weeks.
162. Common Tern (18th April - Pennington Flash, Gtr Manchester)
A quick ten minute trip got me 4 common terns from the car park. Can't get easier than that!
163. Gargany (19th April - Pennington Flash, Gtr Manchester)
Another evening trip, after a tip-off from the Manchester Birding website. Ste found the pair on the submerged sand bar near where ??? Brook enters the Flash at the western end. Walked around the rucks later and found an immaculate little gull in full summer plumage and a black-necked grebe.
White Wagtail (19th April - Pennington Flash, Gtr Manchester)
I spotted them on the path in front of us as we approached the point on the Rucks opposit Horrocks Hide.
164. Common Swift (19th April - Pennington Flash, Gtr Manchester)
Don't think I'd have seen these if we hadn't bumped into another birder. He was looking for swifts and had seen some over Aspull Common. From the opposite side of the Flash we managed to pick up three or four - even at such a distance their distinctive shape was obvious.
165. Cuckoo (20th April - Astley Road, Astley Moss, Gtr Manchester)
Sat on a telegraph wire near Salford fishing club pond off Astley Road - ignored it until it called!
166. Whitethroat (21st April - Lifeboat Road, Formby, Merseyside)
Found by the car park at 6.45am. Should have just got back in my car and gone somewhere else - instead I slogged around the sandhills, etc. for two wheatear.
167. Yellow Wagtail (21st April - RSPB Marshside, Lancs)
A male way out on the marsh. A few white wags, single wheatear, lr plover and a stint. Male and female peregrine on Plex Moss on way home.
168. Little Tern (23rd April - Pennington Flash, Gtr Mancheter)
A late visit to Horrocks Hide, which was full of a party of visiting birders. I spotted the little tern over the water but later it landed on the Spit, to the delight of the visitors. The garganey pair were on the Spit, along with a white wag, a pair of lr plover chasing a r plover, several redshank, common terns and usual suspects.
169. Garden Warbler (24th April - Silver Lane, Risley, Cheshire)
A ten minute walk down the footpath off Silver Lane produced a singing garden warbler.
