Overall, I think 2023 has been a pretty good year birding wise, with one or two stand out moments, only had 3 Lifers and I didn't know I'd had one of those until I looked at the pics! These taking my Life List to 379 all seen in the UK. Though purists would probably say it's actually 367, when all the dodgy ones are taken out😁 The Lifers were a Lesser Scaup seen at Staines Reservoir in January, which only put it's head up twice the whole time I was there. Two Shearwater species Scopoli's and Great Shearwater, the latter well overdue! These were seen on a day trip to the Isles of Scilly, one of the best birding days I've ever had and for me the undoubted highlight of the year! The trip can be read about at the link below
Shearwater Heaven
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| Cory's Shearwater |
We have had 4 trips away this year, it's not extravagant as it sounds as they were all a week or less and two of them was combined with seeing family! All in the UK. The first in Wales, the 2nd in Cornwall, the 3rd a winter trip to the Isle of Mull and finally a mostly family trip to Ipswich !!
The year started quite slowly though a trip to Hampshire produced a Sabine's Gull which showed well.
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| Sabine's Gull |
Trip report at the link
Sabine'sIn March I went to see the Hawfinches at Fairmile Bottom and the Great Grey Shrike at Black Down.
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| Firecrest seen on the climb up to Fairmile Bottom |
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| One of the 60 or so Hawfinches present! |
More at the link
Fairmile Bottom |
| Great Grey Shrike |
See more pics of the Shrike at the link.
April was good for the local Yellowhammers, an American Sparrow and a bit of Seawatching
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| Hurstpierpoint Yellowhammer |
More Hammers at the link
Yellowhammers |
| White-crowned Sparrow |
More pics of the American Sparrow at the link
Sparrow |
| Med Gulls going through past Splash Point Seaford |
Seawatching has been a bit mixed this year, not even seen a Bonxie, but were some good days with a bit of variety, roll on March when I can get me new chair out!!
Seawatch
Our first away trip of the year, with a visit to Wales, South Stack, Ynys Hyr , the Great Orm and Bwlch Nant yr Arian, among the highlights, although local wanders were also productive. Osprey, Red Kites, Choughs, Puffins, Dipper, Pied Flycatchers and Wood warblers among the highlights. The link is to what was probably the best day, for the other days checkout the sidebar on the blog.
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| Red Kites from the feeding station at Bwlch Nant yr Arian, good views of Goosander, plus Redpolls and Siskins here. |
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| Pied Flycatcher |
The rest of the Spring and Summer was fairly quiet, consisting of local walks and trips to Seaford looking for migrants, I found a Wood Warbler on one trip which was cool and at the end of August the Mill Hill, Red-backed Shrike showed beautifully!
Red-backed Shrike
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| Red-backed Shrike |
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| Wood Warbler |
Had a pretty good Whinchat, Wheatear and Redstart year with lots seen through the Spring and Summer, though couldn't find a Spot Fly this year 😢
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| Common Whitethroat |
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| Common Redstart |
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| Wheatear |
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| Whinchat, nice to see a Spring one, plenty seen in the Autumn this year as well! |
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| Stonechat, couldn't have a review of the year without one of these little fellas. Ever reliable, when there is nothing else about there will likely be a Stonechat! |
September brought our trip to Cornwall, the undoubted highlight the Shearwaters from the RMV Scillonian III , but plenty else of interest, though it mainly revolved around not seeing a Citrine Wagtail or a Purple Heron!! 😢😂 But we did see a Woodchat Shrike, a Pectoral Sandpiper, Choughs and lots of White Wagtails!! So overall a great trip and the armchair tick of Scopoli's Shearwater as well as the actual tick of Great Shearwater were certainly the highlights!! Nearly forgot my first ever sighting of Tuna!!!
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| Chough, seen in several places along the coast |
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| Cory's Shearwater |
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| Great Shearwater |
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| Manx Shearwater |
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| Pectoral Sandpiper |
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| Duelling Sanderling |
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| Scopoli's Shearwater |
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| Tuna |
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| White Wagtail |
A great trip.
October was mainly spent local, Ospreys at Arlington and managed to connect with the Long-billed Dowitcher down the Cuckmere, some nice walks on the Downs near the Jack & Jill Windmills
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| Beautiful day down the Cuckmere, got a few nice reflection shots |
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| Long-billed Dowitcher never got close sadly! |
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| Osprey at Arlington, both showed well, but stayed a little distant |
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| Margie getting in on the reflection act! |
Lot more reflection pics at the link
DowitcherNovember was a great month, a trip to Mull but first a trip down to Norman's Bay where not only did the reported Sabine's Gull show well, the attendant Little Gulls also performed. Add in a showy Grey Phalarope and a Short-eared Owl and you have the makings of one of the best days of the year!!!
Full report and loads of pics at the link
Gulltastic
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| Grey Phalarope |
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| Little Gull |
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| Little Gull |
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| Sabine's Gull |
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| Sabine's Gull |
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| Short-eared Owl |
Our first visit to Mull, Otters, Eagles, Hen Harriers, all three Divers, a Buzzard on every post, Slav Grebes, winter plumage Black Guillemots and awesome Scenery the highlights, weather was better than expected and a hundred plus Waxwings on the journey up a very nice bonus!
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| Common Buzzard |
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| Golden Eagle pair with the larger female below |
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| Male Hen Harrier, we saw six during our stay, two were males. |
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| Highland Cow by Margie |
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| Hooded Crow the most awesome of Crows |
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| Otter, saw lots throughout our stay, this one the most cooperative |
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| Red Deer |
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| Scenery by Margie, it really is a beautiful place |
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| Waxwing from the journey up, could of done with a bit of Sun |
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| White-tailed Eagle, love how these can just appear anywhere |
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| I'm gonna blame the light, but I got quite a few of these silhouette shots😁 |
What a place!!! The link is the final day report as it has the best Otter pics, but all the reports had plenty of interest so check them out in the sidebar.
Last day on Mull
December has obviously been a bit of an anti-climax, with most birding opportunities lost due to the weather, work or Christmas shopping. A trip back to Suffolk mainly to see family, did give me a chance for a couple of visits to Abberton in search of the Canvasback, no luck though did see a lot of Pochards 😢😂 On the plus side did have good views of my second lot of Waxwings of the year at a local business park, light was still pants though!
Dipping
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| Great Crested Grebe |
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| Pochard |
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| Still not very good light but at least they came out of the treetops unlike their Scottish counterparts, hopefully if they get to Sussex the Sun will be out and they will be at eye level! |
So all in all a pretty good year, not done many day trips this year, trying to be green, means staying local, but also I struggle to get up early these days!!! 😂 Determined to get a Caspian Tern and a Black Kite on my list next year, like I was last year!!! They don't seem to hang around in one place long enough for me to have a go for them!!😢
Many thanks as always to my better half, Margie, who kept me company most of the time, though she seriously blotted her copybook by refusing to help in the 6 hours spent searching for the Canvasback, but I've forgiven her!!😁😁💓
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