Monday, 3 March 2014

Half Way / Amnesia

Spent a very enjoyable weekend on "trip 5 of 10" with John B, Mark A, Rob L and special guest Ian R in the wilds of Norfolk and Suffolk.

This trip is one of 10 planned to see as many species of bird in the UK, visiting destinations for a weekend once a year. Here are the tales from trip 1 to 4:

http://birdingsometimes.blogspot.co.uk/2010/05/crex-crex.html (Mull)
http://birdingsometimes.blogspot.co.uk/2010/05/mull.html (Mull)
http://birdingsometimes.blogspot.co.uk/2011/05/another-journey.html (Norfolk)
http://birdingsometimes.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/northumberland-tour.html (Northumberland)
http://birdingsometimes.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/touring-east.html (NE Scotland/Speyside)

The original concept was to try and see 200 species in the UK over 10 trips. That target has subsequently been revised - see the list at the end of this post.

This time I managed not to take a memory card for the camera! All pics from this trip were with the iPhone.

So, the trip...

We were based in Norwich, arriving late on Friday 28th Feb - no birding just beering.

Saturday 01 March - a circular trip visiting Lynford Arboretum, Santham Downham, Roydon Common, Wolferton, Thornham, Titchwell, Salthouse, Edgefield, Stubb Mill.

Sunday 02 March - Norwich (UEA/John Innes Centre), Acle, Ormsby Broad, Waveney Forest, Oulton Broad, Dunwich and Sizewell.

Targets? Anything that hadn't been seen on previous trips... so nice year ticks like Corn Bunting were a distraction not an attraction - tricky to handle, but a necessary evil for such a "challenge"

The crew - Mark, Me, Rob, John and Ian - we'd just hit the project target of 200 species!

Species 200 of the project - Spoonbill. iPhone-scoped at Salthouse

Common Crossbill, Edgefield - no Parrot for us, with a timetable taking us East for dusk...

Snooze time enroute to Stubb Mill

Stubb Mill - Dusk till Dark: Hods of Marsh Harrier & 2 Hen (1m), Merlin, Tawny Owl, 2 Woodcock, and as darkness fell approx 7 Common Crane more "heard than seen"

Morning 2 - 1 of the Common Crane near Acle, feeding in roadside fields

Same bird as above... iPhone-scoped from inside the car

Parrot Crossbill - Waveney Forest - nice catch up on dipped birds the previous day (and the previous years trip to Speyside)


And another Glossy Ibis - my 5th of 2014! This time at Oulton Broad

Finishing the trip at Sizewell with a pair of Black Redstart (and Peregrine)

Highlights? - Woodlark, Spotted Redshank, Rough-legged Buzzard, Spoonbill, The Stubb Mill "spectacle", Mealy Redpoll, Waxwing, close encounters with Common Crane, Parrot Crossbill, Glossy Ibis, Dartford Warbler and Black Redstart. All in a day or twos birding in East Anglia...

The lists... trip 1 - 5, individual and cumulative totals... Note the missing "easy species" for trips 6 - 10.



Trip Totals 81 117 115 99 112
Cumulating Totals 81 145 181 193 211
           
Species Mull/Iona 8/9 May 2010 Norfolk 27/29 May 2011 Northumberland 23/24/25 Mar 2012 Speyside and Scotland Tour 3/4/5 May 2013 Norfolk and Suffolk 1/2 Mar 2014
Mute Swan Cygnus olor AC 1 1 1 1 1
Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus A     1    
Pink-footed Goose Anser brachyrhynchus A     1 1 1
Greater White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons A     1    
Greylag Goose Anser anser AC 1 1 1 1 1
Canada Goose Branta canadensis AC 1 1 1 1 1
Barnacle Goose Branta leucopsis A     1    
Brent Goose Branta bernicla A     1   1
Egyptian Goose Alopochen aegyptiacus C   1     1
Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna A 1 1 1 1 1
Mandarin Duck Aix galericulata C     1    
Eurasian Wigeon Anas penelope A   1 1 1 1
Gadwall Anas strepera AC   1 1   1
Eurasian Teal Anas crecca A     1 1 1
Mallard Anas platyrhynchos AC 1 1 1 1 1
Northern Pintail Anas acuta A     1   1
Garganey Anas querquedula A   1      
Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata A   1 1   1
Red-crested Pochard Netta rufina A   1      
Common Pochard Aythya ferina A   1 1    
Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula A 1 1 1 1 1
Greater Scaup Aythya marila A     1    
Common Eider Somateria mollissima A 1   1 1  
King Eider* Somateria spectabilis A       1  
Long-tailed Duck Clangula hyemalis A     1 1  
Common Scoter Melanitta nigra A     1   1
Surf Scoter Melanitta perspicillata A       1  
Velvet Scoter Melanitta fusca A       1 1
Common Goldeneye Bucephala clangula A     1 1 1
Smew Mergellus albellus A     1    
Red-breasted Merganser Mergus serrator A 1   1 1 1
Goosander Mergus merganser A     1 1  
Willow Ptarmigan (Red Grouse) Lagopus lagopus A     1 1  
Rock Ptarmigan Lagopus mutus A       1  
Black Grouse Tetrao tetrix A     1 1  
Western Capercaillie Tetrao urogallus BC       1  
Red-legged Partridge Alectoris rufa C   1     1
Grey Partridge Perdix perdix AC   1 1    
Common Quail Coturnix coturnix A   1      
Common Pheasant Phasianus colchicus C   1 1 1 1
Red-throated Diver Gavia stellata A     1 1 1
Black-throated Diver Gavia arctica A       1  
Great Northern Diver Gavia immer A 1        
Yellow-billed Diver* Gavia adamsii A       1  
Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis A   1 1 1 1
Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus A   1     1
Red-necked Grebe Podiceps grisegena A     1    
Slavonian Grebe Podiceps auritus A     1 1  
Northern Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis A     1 1  
Manx Shearwater Puffinus puffinus A 1        
Northern Gannet Morus bassanus A 1   1 1 1
Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo A 1 1 1 1 1
European Shag Phalacrocorax aristotelis A 1   1 1  
Great Bittern Botaurus stellaris A   1      
Little Egret Egretta garzetta A   1     1
Grey Heron Ardea cinerea A 1 1 1 1 1
Glossy Ibis* Plegadis falcinellus A         1
Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia A         1
European Honey-buzzard Pernis apivorus A   1      
Red Kite Milvus milvus AC   1     1
White-tailed Eagle* Haliaeetus albicilla A 1        
Eurasian Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus A   1     1
Hen Harrier Circus cyaneus A         1
Eurasian Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus A     1 1  
Common Buzzard Buteo buteo A 1 1 1 1 1
Rough-legged Buzzard Buteo lagopus A         1
Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos A 1     1  
Osprey Pandion haliaetus A       1  
Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus A   1 1 1 1
Merlin Falco columbarius A         1
Eurasian Hobby Falco subbuteo A   1      
Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus A     1   1
Water Rail Rallus aquaticus A     1   1
Corn Crake Crex crex A 1        
Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus A   1 1   1
Common Coot Fulica atra A   1 1 1 1
Common Crane Grus grus A         1
Eurasian Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus A 1 1 1 1 1
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta A   1     1
Stone-curlew Burhinus oedicnemus A   1      
Little Plover Charadrius dubius A   1      
Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula A   1 1 1 1
European Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria A   1 1 1 1
Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola A     1   1
Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus A   1 1 1 1
Red Knot Calidris canutus A         1
Sanderling Calidris alba A         1
Little Stint Calidris minuta A   1      
Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea A   1      
Purple Sandpiper Calidris maritima A     1    
Dunlin Calidris alpina A   1 1 1 1
Ruff Philomachus pugnax A         1
Jack Snipe Lymnocryptes minimus A     1    
Common Snipe Gallinago gallinago A 1   1   1
Eurasian Woodcock Scolopax rusticola A   1 1   1
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa A   1     1
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica A     1   1
Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus A 1        
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata A 1 1 1 1 1
Spotted Redshank Tringa erythropus A         1
Common Redshank Tringa totanus A 1 1 1 1  
Common Greenshank Tringa nebularia A 1 1 1    
Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos A 1     1  
Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres A   1 1 1 1
Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus A   1      
Little Gull Larus minutus A   1      
Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus A 1 1 1 1 1
Mew Gull Larus canus A 1 1 1 1 1
Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus A 1 1 1 1 1
Herring Gull Larus argentatus A 1 1 1 1 1
Iceland Gull Larus glaucoides A     1    
Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus A 1 1 1   1
Black-legged Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla A 1   1 1 1
Sandwich Tern Sterna sandvicensis A   1   1  
Common Tern Sterna hirundo A   1      
Arctic Tern Sterna paradisaea A       1  
Common Guillemot Uria aalge A 1     1  
Razorbill Alca torda A 1   1 1  
Black Guillemot Cepphus grylle A 1        
Atlantic Puffin Fratercula arctica A 1        
Rock Pigeon Columba livia AC 1     1  
Stock Pigeon Columba oenas A   1 1   1
Common Wood Pigeon Columba palumbus A 1 1 1 1 1
Eurasian Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto A 1 1 1 1 1
Common Cuckoo Cuculus canorus A 1 1      
Barn Owl Tyto alba A   1      
Little Owl Athene noctua C   1      
Tawny Owl Strix aluco A         1
Short-eared Owl Asio flammeus A     1    
European Nightjar Caprimulgus europaeus A   1      
Common Swift Apus apus A   1   1  
Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis A   1      
Green Woodpecker Picus viridis A   1     1
Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major A   1 1 1 1
Wood Lark Lullula arborea A         1
Sky Lark Alauda arvensis A 1 1 1   1
Horned Lark Eremophila alpestris A   1      
Sand Martin Riparia riparia A 1 1   1  
Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica A 1 1   1  
House Martin Delichon urbica A 1 1   1  
Tree Pipit Anthus trivialis A   1   1  
Meadow Pipit Anthus pratensis A 1 1 1 1 1
Rock Pipit Anthus petrosus A 1   1    
Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea A 1   1    
White / Pied Wagtail Motacilla alba A 1 1 1 1 1
Bohemian Waxwing Bombycilla garrulus A         1
White-throated Dipper Cinclus cinclus A     1    
Winter Wren Troglodytes troglodytes A 1 1 1 1 1
Hedge Accentor Prunella modularis A 1   1 1 1
European Robin Erithacus rubecula A 1 1 1 1 1
Common Nightingale Luscinia megarhynchos A   1      
Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochruros A         1
Common Redstart Phoenicurus phoenicurus A   1   1  
Whinchat Saxicola rubetra A 1        
Stonechat Saxicola torquata A 1 1 1   1
Northern Wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe A 1 1   1  
Ring Ouzel Turdus torquatus A     1    
Common Blackbird Turdus merula A 1 1 1 1 1
Fieldfare Turdus pilaris A     1   1
Song Thrush Turdus philomelos A 1 1 1 1 1
Redwing Turdus iliacus A     1   1
Mistle Thrush Turdus viscivorus A 1 1 1 1 1
Cetti’s Warbler Cettia cetti A   1      
Common Grasshopper Warbler Locustella naevia A 1        
Sedge Warbler Acrocephalus schoenobaenus A 1 1      
Eurasian Reed Warbler Acrocephalus scirpaceus A 1 1      
Dartford Warbler Sylvia undata A         1
Common Whitethroat Sylvia communis A 1 1      
Garden Warbler Sylvia borin A   1      
Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla A   1      
Common Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita A 1 1 1 1  
Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochilus A 1 1   1  
Goldcrest Regulus regulus A 1 1 1 1 1
Firecrest Regulus ignicapillus A   1      
Bearded Tit Panurus biarmicus A   1     1
Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus A 1 1 1 1 1
Marsh Tit Parus palustris A   1     1
Crested Tit Parus cristatus A       1  
Coal Tit Parus ater A   1 1 1 1
Blue Tit Parus caeruleus A 1 1 1 1 1
Great Tit Parus major A 1 1 1 1 1
Wood Nuthatch Sitta europaea A   1 1   1
Wallcreeper* Tichodroma muraria A       1  
Eurasian Treecreeper Certhia familiaris A         1
Eurasian Golden Oriole Oriolus oriolus A   1      
Great Grey Shrike Lanius excubitor A     1    
Eurasian Jay Garrulus glandarius A   1     1
Black-billed Magpie Pica pica A   1 1 1 1
Eurasian Jackdaw Corvus monedula A 1 1 1 1 1
Rook Corvus frugilegus A 1 1 1 1 1
Carrion Crow Corvus corone A 1 1 1 1 1
Hooded Crow Corvus corvix A 1        
Common Raven Corvus corax A 1     1  
Common Starling Sturnus vulgaris A 1 1 1 1 1
House Sparrow Passer domesticus A 1 1 1 1 1
Eurasian Tree Sparrow Passer montanus A     1    
Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs A 1 1 1 1 1
European Greenfinch Carduelis chloris A 1 1 1 1 1
European Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis A 1 1 1 1 1
Eurasian Siskin Carduelis spinus A 1 1 1 1 1
Common Linnet Carduelis cannabina A 1 1 1   1
Twite Carduelis flavirostris A     1    
Lesser Redpoll Carduelis cabaret 1   1 1 1
Mealy Redpoll Carduelis flammea A         1
Common Crossbill Loxia curvirostra A 1   1   1
Parrot Crossbill* Loxia pytyopsittacus A         1
Common Bullfinch Pyrrhula pyrrhula A 1     1  
Snow Bunting Plectrophenax nivalis A       1  
Yellowhammer Emberiza citrinella A   1 1 1 1
Reed Bunting Emberiza schoeniclus A   1 1    
Corn Bunting Miliaria calandra A   1      


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