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"
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| The crew - Mark, Me, Rob, John and Ian - we'd just hit the project target of 200 species! |
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| Species 200 of the project - Spoonbill. iPhone-scoped at Salthouse |
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| Common Crossbill, Edgefield - no Parrot for us, with a timetable taking us East for dusk... |
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| Snooze time enroute to Stubb Mill |
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| 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" |
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| Morning 2 - 1 of the Common Crane near Acle, feeding in roadside fields |
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| Same bird as above... iPhone-scoped from inside the car |
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| Parrot Crossbill - Waveney Forest - nice catch up on dipped birds the previous day (and the previous years trip to Speyside) |
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| And another Glossy Ibis - my 5th of 2014! This time at Oulton Broad |
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| 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 |
