A new Birding Year

 

In some ways 2022 was a disappointing year for bird watching, with only 160 different species seen in the UK. Looking back a few years the count could reach as high as 240. That is a significantly bigger number but then that did always include a weeks winter birding in Scotland and perhaps a willingness to travel further to see the birds.

This year I am determined to do better, if only by a modest degree, so I have set my target as 161. Something to aim for if I am ever lacking the motivation to get out into the countryside.

I can usually get the list off to a good start by spending an hour or so birding the back garden but this year has been a disaster. In a weeks garden birding I have recorded Herring Gull, Crow, Starling and Magpie, with the only small bird being two Blue Tits on the feeders. None of the Sparrows, Dunnocks, Thrushes, Great Tits, Green or Gold Finches or other occasional visitors that I was getting before Christmas. Even our garden Robin has gone AWOL. The Big Garden Birdwatch is going to be a bit of a let down this year.

Fortunately a trip down to Pagham Harbour got the numbers moving with thousands of ducks, waders and geese across the harbour. A really spectacular site when they all took to the air at once. A Peregrine or Sparrow Hawk would have been nice but it was only a light aircraft skimming the reserve.

As usual the waders were too distant for any decent pictures but the Snow Bunting was still present and in the same spot where I had seen it two months ago. By now it must be one of the most photographed birds in the country.

Snow Bunting

Snow Bunting

There were two female Goldeneye, one in the harbour and the other on the Lagoon and a Slavonian Grebe also out in the middle of the harbour.

Goldeneye

The Slavonian Grebe was a bit distant but still worth recording.

Slavonian Grebe

It was good to get the bird list moving a bit faster. The only wader I think I missed was the Whimbrel that has overwintered for the past few years. I must check to see if it is still with us. A couple of life ticks in the local area or perhaps a few Waxwings would be a good next step.