Its's been another strange year for me, saying a last goodbye to my father in law and all the heartache etc that goes with that, caring for Suzanne as best I can and spending as much time with my three grandchildren as their parents allow me along with keeping myself busy doing odd jobs for family and neighbours when I get the call. I have tried to find some time for birding but as is the pattern of recent years time seems to be getting less and less and I'm getting more reluctant to put in the miles too. That said I've had a few good days out this year and I enjoyed some nice spring passage at Rainham and the KGV too to keep the pointless year list ticking over.
I've now put together a list of all the lifers I've missed in the first six months of 2025 as I tend to do to reflect on opportunities I've failed to take each year and here they are...............
The over wintering Bufflehead remained on Shetland until 30th March but well outside my twitching zone.
The Grey headed Lapwing that arrived on 5th December last year remained at East Chevington, Northumberland until 9th January but again as last year I couldn't justify the time or the money involved in a solo twitch for this one.
The Scops Owl that arrived in Broadstairs Kent on 27th December remained until 9th January but was not seen with any regularity and the twitch was a little unsociable for my liking requiring visiting an urban setting at night and requiring flash lights or a thermal to connect. I do slightly regret not trying due to it being within a couple of hours of home but there'll be another I'm sure. (A second bird was trapped and ringed on Fair Isle on 8th June)
An Eastern Bonelli's Warbler was on Shetland between 19th and 24th April with another on Barra Outer Hebrides on 15th May and another much closer to home at Dungeness on 25th May which although quite vocal was elusive and while I was away on holiday in Norfolk with the grandchildren (Just eight previously accepted records)
Barolo's "type" Shearwaters were "reported" flying past in Devon (19th April) Ayrshire (17th April) and another off Pendeen on 26th June.
Tawny Pipit remains a bogey bird and there have been just three so far this year, one day bird on Scilly (27th April) and two one day birds in Cornwall on 12th and 18th May
Another bogey bird is Eastern Subalpine Warbler and a few have landed this year
Filey East Yorkshire from 20th April until 23rd April (the only twitchable bird from all those reported)
Shetland 22nd April
Fair Isle 23rd April and another from 17th -22nd June
Skokholm 29th April (and a "probable" on Skomer 16th May)
Lundy 1st May and another on 18th May
Outer Skerries, Shetland 11th May
Spurn 20th May
North Ronaldsay, Orkney 6th June until at least 15th June
Gibraltar point Lincs, trapped and ringed on 11th June but not seen after release.
Savannah Sparrow is a very rare vagrant to Britain with just three records until 12th May when one was found on Unst in Shetland. The bird wasn't seen again on 13th. The first record for the species was in 1982 at Portland in Dorset followed by two Fair Isle birds in 1987 and 2003 making this the fourth ever once accepted.
Thrush Nightingale heard on the Isle of Wight on 22nd May but not after.
Collared Flycatcher one on Barra, Outer Hebrides on 23rd May (remains on my dipped list)
Eyebrowed Thrush on Yell, Shetland from 1st June through to the 6th June. A bird I'd very much like to connect with at some point but I can't see Shetland ever making its way into my twitch zone.
A Pallas's Reed Bunting was found on Fair Isle on 2nd June was only seen by those on the island and wasn't relocated the next day in bad weather. (Only four previous records and none twitchable since 1990 at least so this bird would have been a big target for many listers if it had hung around and travel wasn't interrupted by poor weather.) Thankfully well outside my current twitch zone making it easier to deal with in drama, time and money for me.
A Song Sparrow was photographed at Thornwick East Yorkshire on 8th June but news wasn't put out until after dark and the bird wasn't seen on 9th. The 10th saw it refound at Thornwick but I dipped it on 11th after deciding not to drop everything and go for it on 10th which I now regret. (10 previous records)
A Bridled Tern was found in Aberdeen on 12th June and presumed to be the returning bird from last year it proved to be as it quickly headed down to Coquet Island in Northumberland where it was reported on 13th before another report from Minsmere on 14th June ("briefly over the scrape")
In Kent a Western Orphean Warbler was "reported" singing in a private garden down in Cliffe just an hour from home but details were never released so this is one that was never twitchable. (Seven previous records but a first for Kent if accepted)
Blue-cheeked Bee-eater on Iona during the 9th and 10th June with just 13 previous records.
Wilson's Storm Petrel have been reported as flying by at several spots in Cornwall since 16th June
So taking out the non twitchable and the islands which I don't yet twitch I've missed five ticks this year so far. Grey headed Lapwing, Eastern Sub-alpine Warbler, Eastern Bonelli's Warbler, the Kent Scops Owl and the Song Sparrow which I dipped.
I have managed one new bird with the Booted Eagle in Kent
