Review of the year 2022

As readers of my blog will know I've been a little tied up this year. My wifes health issues continue, my father in law needs more of my time and of course I now have three grandchildren following the birth of Amelia and Emily earlier this year. Little George is now four and has started school and I very much enjoy my moments in his company. I've seen my good lady hit a milestone birthday and we enjoyed a quiet 40th wedding anniversary too so outside of birding quite a busy year and all of this presents just some of the reasons for my slow birding year in 2022.

My total species seen this year is only 246 but I suppose I should be glad I managed to see more than last years 240. Days out have been very limited and I've tried to save the free time more for new birds. This has proved a decent plan and has delivered ten new birds this year so the review will focus largely on these ten having previously posted about the ones I've missed.

American Robin

The first of the new birds was the American Robin in Eastbourne on 9th February. It was so good I went back for seconds . There have been many previous records and many more unproven reports but this was the first twitchable bird for me since I started listing.

Belted Kingfisher

Snow Goose

Next up was a delayed visit to Lancashire where we were successful in connecting with the long staying Belted Kingfisher, having seen them in the states we were in no rush to make the long journey but in the end the twitch got the better of us. Whilst in the area we also visited Banks Marsh were we ticked Snow Goose having seen many this was perhaps the best "wild" candidate and makes my list as such.

Eleonora's Falcon

The next was a real surprise as news was circulated of an Eleonora's Falcon seen at Worth Marsh in Kent and we didn't hang around getting there. The bird was stunning and performed really well, so well that I visited it twice and like the Robin I got an even better show on the second visit. The day after this second visit I was back in Kent getting what is my worst tick of the year and by that I mean I had the worst views of it than any other bird this year. I was on site for six hours and saw the bird three times for a total of no more than a minute or so despite it calling often. It's s a tick but I'd very much like better views of one at some point.

Turkestan Shrike

My next new bird didn't come until July when a trip to Bempton Cliff in East Yorkshire gave me the chance of seeing my first ever Turkestan Shrike and I do love a Shrike so I was never going to pass up this opportunity. 

Kelp Gull

Whilst digging in my sons garden in early August news broke of a first for Britain just up the road from his house so I made my excuses and successfully twitched the mega on it's first day. I returned again the following day with the camera and the Jims.

Greater Sand Plover

I had to wait until almost the end of August for the next opportunity and it was quite a drive away in Cleveland but a great bird and well worth the effort put in to see it. I'd spent time at this site previously enjoying a very obliging Pom Skua.

Common Nighthawk

My next new bird came as a complete surprise but I was lucky as again this one was quite local and I made it on day one. The bird sat on an urban garden fence all day for all admirers lucky enough to get there.

Alpine Accentor

My last new bird of the year and again luckily local on the Suffolk coast, a site I'd ticked Hournemann's Redpoll before. The Alpine Accentor was on my dipped list so it was great to see this one as there's no better tick than one you've previously dipped. 

So that was my year UNLESS WE GET ANY SURPRISES IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS.

and if you're reading this then may I wish you and yours a great Christmas and a bird filled new year