It has, as they say, been a funny old year: fairly uneventful spring and autumn passages (for me, at least) but I still achieved my highest annual total (249) since I began this blog 11 years ago. (Having said which: Linda and I both 'hit' the magical 300 year total back when we produced rare bird videos in the 90s)
I made no special long-distance birding trips, but a wedding in Devon, a holiday in Sussex with Mum-in-Law and a nostalgia visit to Bempton with a recently-bereaved friend obviously added a few species.
Without particularly trying, I also saw - and photographed - 138 different species within 5km of the front door.
OK: here are the best, in monthly order:
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| Short-eared Owl, St Benets |
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| Red-breasted Goose, Cley |
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| Glossy Ibis, Rockland |
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| Siberian Chiffchaff, my garden! |
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| Raven, Holkham |
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| American Wigeon, Potter Heigham |
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| Lesser Grey Shrike, Hellesdon |
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| Ring Ouzel, Hickling |
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| Caspian Tern, Hickling |
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| Dartford Warbler, Kelling heath |
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| Spotted Sandpiper, Titchwell |
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| Bee-eaters, Trimingham |
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| Honey Buzzard, Swanton Novers |
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| Icterine Warbler, Winterton |
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| Grey Phalarope, Salthouse |
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| Cirl Bunting, Devon |
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| Great Bustards, Salisbury Plain |
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| Long-billed Dowitcher, Cley |
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| Slavonian Grebe, Whitlingham Lane |
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| Waxwings, Sheringham |
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| White-tailed Eagle, Holkham |
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| Hume's Warbler, Brancaster |
6 comments:
As one who is no bird expert I would welcome the naming of the birds photographed - then I can see how many I got right!
Thank you
Sue
Done!
Did you get them all right? :)
No, only 8.5 - why only 0.5? Didn’t get the right type of Shrike.
Maybe I will do better at the end of the coming year.
Thanks for the identifications.
Sue
My pleasure!
I didn't see a GGS this year: never got around to visiting the brief stayer in the Brecks...
Happy New Year!
Hi David, great pictures.
I also found the labelling of the pictures really helpful - thank you.
Any chance of getting to 250 tomorrow?
A very Happy New Year to you and Linda.
Best regards,
Dave.
Having downloaded both the BOU and UK 400 lists and having gone right through my blog and SD cards, I realise now that my list was in fact over 250! (Forgot Merlin, Manxie, Kittiwake, Red Foot etc etc!)
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