Six months of the yr have now slipped by, so time to evaluation the state of my chook lists – my UK checklist, and my European checklist. Three months in the past the previous was on 139, however it’s now grown to 180, whereas the European checklist was 173, however has now reached a way more passable 303. My goal firstly of the yr was 200 species within the UK and 300 in Europe, so I’ve achieved the latter, whereas the probabilities of reaching the previous are fairly good.
An on a regular basis chook, the Woodpigeon. This one was photographed in my backyard on a moist day in April. One tends to take woodies as a right
Brown however not boring: a Meadow Pipit
An on a regular basis chook it is perhaps, however the cock Blackbird’s track is among the greatest. Blackbirds sing from February via to July
My UK checklist is, in actuality, an English checklist, as I haven’t wandered into the adjoining nations of Wales, Scotland and Eire this yr, and I’ve no plans to take action. Till final month it was an East Anglian checklist, as I hadn’t ventured removed from residence, however a visit to Northern England final month did add some northern specials, equivalent to Dipper and Puffin. That journey was enjoyable, because it jogged my memory of the delights of watching birds like Golden Plover and even Meadow Pipit on their breeding grounds. I see a lot of Golden Plovers within the winter, however (like so many waders) they’re birds reworked when of their breeding finery.
Golden Plovers are a lot extra good-looking when in full breeding plumage
I’ve seen a mere 21 species of waders within the UK this yr, in contrast with 35 in Europe, and it shouldn’t be troublesome so as to add a number of of the birds I’ve seen in Europe to my UK checklist within the subsequent few weeks, as autumn passage beneficial properties tempo. I haven’t, for instance, seen a Greenshank within the UK, nor a Noticed Redshank or Wooden Sandpiper, all three of that are comparatively straightforward to see on the Norfolk or Suffolk coasts in July and August. To be sincere, this does spotlight the marginally ridiculous apply of preserving two lists – why not only one? The reply is as a result of BirdTrack (the bird- recording system I take advantage of most) jogs my memory every time I log-in on the state of my British checklist, however I’ve to scroll right down to Discover Knowledge to examine on how my total World checklist (simply Europe this yr) is progressing.
Wooden Sandpiper. This chook was in Cyprus in April; I’ve but to see one this yr within the UK
There are, inevitably, a number of birds that I actually ought to have encountered by now however have failed to take action. I’ve seen solely a single species of diver (loon) this yr, Crimson-throated, but when I attempt arduous sufficient it shouldn’t be too troublesome so as to add Nice Northern and Black-throated to the checklist by the top of the yr. Nor have I see a skua (jaeger) of any species. Each Nice and Arctic Skuas usually are not troublesome to seek out in Norfolk in September, as they’re attracted by the tern colonies as they migrate south. Pomarine and Lengthy-tailed Skuas are additionally potentialities, and the previous often winter within the North Sea, off the Suffolk/Norfolk coast.
Although I’ve seen Crimson-throated Diver this yr, I’ve but to seek out both a Black-throated or Nice Northern anyplace
There are a selection of birds that I’ve encountered simply the as soon as, however they have been memorable encounters. Probably the greatest was the Lengthy-eared Owl which floated previous me one night once I was out on the lookout for Nightjars on my native heath. It was too darkish for images, however nice to see. Equally memorable was the Corncrake, rasping away at nightfall on the Welney Washes in late June. Two centuries in the past Corncrakes have been frequent birds in Britain, however we now solely have a small remnant inhabitants that survives on the islands of the Hebrides. The Corncrake I heard was a part of a reintroduction mission. For some folks this devalues the chook, however it doesn’t for me, whereas this was the primary time that I’d ever heard a Corncrake singing in England, with all my latest encounters in Jap Europe.
Crakes are among the many most elusive of birds, and none are straightforward to see within the UK. In Cyprus in April I delighted in watching a number of Little Crakes plus a splendid Baillon’s Crake, all of which proved straightforward to see, if not {photograph}. Spring migration is the very best time to see these secretive birds, as as soon as on the breeding grounds they have a tendency to remain in cowl and infrequently present themselves.
Crakes are troublesome to see on their breeding grounds. This Little Crake was on migration in Cyprus
Raptors are all the time thrilling to come across, and I used to be delighted earlier within the yr to get pleasure from a few sightings of wandering White-tailed Eagles in Norfolk. I haven’t completed properly with Golden Eagles, with only a single chook, seen briefly, in Greece, in Could. For the primary time in lots of visits I didn’t see Griffon Vultures on Cyprus, the place they’re severely endangered, however I’ve seen many in Spain this yr in Andalucia and each Cantabria and Castile y León. Northern Spain additionally produced my greatest views of Honey Buzzards (I did see one briefly in Greece in Could). Two years in the past three summered in Norfolk, and I noticed them a number of occasions, however there have been no experiences this yr, so that is one chook that appears unlikely to be added to my 2024 UK checklist.
A wandering White-tailed Eagle in Norfolk in April. This was an sudden encounter
Griffon Vulture: frequent in Spain, however severely endangered in Cyprus
Shrikes are considered one of my favorite households of birds. My first shrike of the yr was a Nice Gray within the Brecks in March, not too removed from residence, whereas Kerkini in Greece gave me the chance to see Crimson-backed, Woodchat, Masked and Lesser Gray, all of which nest throughout the space of the lake. I missed seeing Iberian Gray Shrike in Andalucia in February, however lastly managed to see one in Castile y León final month. I bear in mind when these shrikes are quite common in Spain, however my observations counsel that numbers have declined sharply in recent times.
The shrikes are one of the good-looking of chook households. This can be a male Woodchat, photographed on its breeding grounds in Greece in Could
Itemizing is all a bit pointless until you share the information: I notice all mine on BirdTrack, which not solely permits me to consult with them on the press of a keyboard and a contact of the mouse, but additionally makes them accessible to the British Belief for Ornithology, which runs BirdTrack. The choice to BirdTrack is Cornell’s glorious E-Chook, which is utilized by a number of of my fellow contributors to 10,000 Birds. Each BirdTrack and E-Chook are satisfyingly straightforward to make use of, so there aren’t any excuses for not doing so.
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