The challenge of year listing in 2020

As we approach the end of October I find myself looking at the year list again and have to say it's hit a bit of a wall. I sit on 267 and the years total looks likely to be a poor one. November and December historically are quiet months with an average of nine ticks in total over the two months since 2010.

My best November is just eight and my best December is just seven so fifteen would probably be a very optimistic outcome for the rest of this year and that would deliver a years total of just 282 but I have to remind myself that we are in a Pandemic and I was locked down from early March until June and since then travel has been difficult and I've been going solo without the Jims to save compromising them on long car journeys with me. It looks like I have missed the chance to visit Scotland and that's cost me around ten ticks. I had as previously mentioned also hoped to visit Shetland or Scilly this autumn but put that plan on ice due to the virus.

I suppose when bearing the above in mind then the current total is quite respectable and yes I know year listing isn't for everybody and in some quarters it's the subject of derision and there will always be a debate about the impact on the environment driven usually by all those lucky enough to live by the coast and particular birding hotspots meaning that they no longer need to travel to see or find good birds so until such time that I'm lucky enough to be one of them I'll continue travelling to good areas to see good birds and when I am able to call a coastal site home I'll be front of the list of people moaning about everybody else travelling I'm sure. 

Now as winter comes I usually look forward to spending some time closer to home watching some of our wintering raptors too with Short-eared Owl, Hen Harrier and Merlin all obvious favourites and provided we don't get locked in again anytime soon I see no reason why I can't stand in a freezing cold field on my own watching these fabulous birds again this winter.

Little Auk top of my want to see again list for this Autumn

Historically November has delivered a few good vagrants too with the following a sample of the quality on offer at the cost of quantity. 

King Eider, American Wigeon, Little Auk, Long-eared Owl, Surf Scoter, Isabelline Wheatear, Little Bittern, Hume's Warbler, Pallid Swift, Dusky Warbler, Forster's Tern, Cliff Swallow, Pied Wheatear, Crag Martin and Penduline Tit.

Isabelline Wheatear. I'd quite like another before the years out

(Above all birds not seen thus far in 2020 but seen in November between 2010 and 2019)

And then of course there is always the chance of a new bird or two dropping in within reach and allowing me to travel within safe Covid regulations which look set to get worse in the next months not better with Nottingham now out of bounds from tomorrow as well as Wales, large parts of Scotland and most of the north of England. In Essex we sit in Tier two and only time will tell if we move up or down a tier but my gut says we'll be moving to Tier three before too long.

Anyway bring on November which will also see me quietly celebrate another birthday which as readers of my ramblings will know is always a special milestone given my previous trials.

Onwards and upwards.

Stay Safe!

Red-backed Shrike and Shore Lark at St Mary's Bay in Kent

 A nice trip down to Kent yesterday to spend the some time with the birds in St Mary's Bay. The Shrike showed well from the car park by the houses whilst I had to walk down the sea wall to locate the Shore Lark. The weather was a bit overcast and drizzly but I made the most of the time and managed a few acceptable images too. Two of my favourite birds for sure but then I say that about a good few.

Juvenile Red-backed Shrike

Red-backed Shrike

Red-backed Shrike

Red-backed Shrike

Red-backed Shrike

Red-backed Shrike

Red-backed Shrike

Red-backed Shrike

Shrike

Shore Lark

Shore Lark

Shore Lark

Shore Lark

Shore Lark

Shore Lark

Shore Lark

Shore Lark

Shore Lark

Shore Lark

Shore Lark

Shore Lark

Shore Lark

Shore Lark

Shore Lark

Red-backed Shrike

Red-backed Shrike

sorry its very picture heavy post but I couldn't decide which ones to include.

Masked Shrike at Shuart in Kent

Whilst in Norfolk yesterday I had one eye on the Masked Shrike found down in Kent and hoped it would stay long enough for me to connect with it. I was lucky enough to see one before in Yorkshire a few years ago but there has only been three records until this year when one was found in Cleveland before this bird became Britains fifth record once accepted officially.

The Jims needed the Shrike for a tick so I called and arranged to meet them at Shuart this morning. We travelled in seperate cars as is our legal obligation in Essex now but to be fair we have not shared a car since March to limit the chances of Dad contracting the virus. Once parked up I walked down the lane and the Jims soon joined me along with a dozen or so others which was a nice change from the carnage of yesterdays twitch for the Rufous Robin. The Shrike was sat out in the open and gave great scope views for a while before it started to feed on wasps and beetles along the hedgerow. It always sat on the far side of the hedge but on a couple of occasions it allowed a brief view long enough to grab a couple of images. 

Masked Shrike

Masked Shrike

Masked Shrike 

I watched Buzzard and Kestrel drift past before spotting a Short-eared Owl high up in the clouds being mobbed by a crow. Of the birds calling overhead I had several Redpoll a Brambling and lots of Redwing. The bushes lining the footpath were alive with Goldcrests and Rich B had a Dusky Warbler which I tried to help him refind but failed to locate it after an hour looking. At the farm I had a flock of Goldcrest and Long-tailed Tits but couldn't find anything else with them. Later I watched a larger flock of Goldcrest with a single Yellow-browed Warbler. 

I must have seen at least a hundred Goldcrest today which is always a joy and so many familiar faces too.

My cracking weekend ended with the following additions to my year and life lists....

Rufous-tailed Scrub Robin, Masked Shrike, Pallas's Warbler and Red-flanked Bluetail  

Much easier to keep some distance today with the smaller crowd

Year list 267

Rufous tailed Scrub Robin at Stiffkey

I set off this morning with a plan to visit Stiffkey and Holme for some migrant hunting. It rained most of the way up and was still raining when I got to Holme at 8am to find a group of ten birders present in the field beyond the car park and one person reported seeing two Bluetails at first light. Another birder reported Pallas's Warbler on the golf course side of the trees so with no sign of the Bluetails I set off to look for the Pallas's  joined by a couple of other birders. We couldn't find the warbler but did find a cracking Red-flanked Bluetail. I fired off a couple of distant record shots through the dank mist but the bird was spooked by more birders coming from the car park. 

Red-flanked Bluetail so called because it has red flanks and a blue tail

Red flanked Bluetail about to be spooked

Among the new birders was John P and Barry W. and they mentioned the report of Rufous-tailed Scrub Robin at Stiffkey. I had planned not to look at my phone intent on just enjoying a good days birding at both Holme and Stiffkey and this had spoiled that plan. I left for Stiffkey much sooner than planned and managed to park in the Greenways Carpark. I could see a few birders out on the saltmarsh and walked out to join them wearing my face covering and keeping my "social distance". The bird popped up and I managed a record shot and good scope views but as more people arrived it was less comfortable so I left within ten minutes of getting there and decided to go looking for Pallas's Warbler in the campsite woods which was my original plan. Ten Goldcrest came through with some Long-tailed Tits but surprisingly there was no Pallas's with them. A bit further down a couple of guys had cameras pointing to the skies and I knew they had the Pallas's  and sure enough they had. I watched it do a few circuits and managed a couple of pics before I walked back to the car seeing Woodcock flushed from the marsh on the way. The crowd had really built up at the Robin now but I couldn't help try to have one more look which was a mistake as when I got back out it proved very difficult to keep distance especially when the bird showed and everybody wanted to get a view so again I left having seen it fly just the once. When the masses moved I kept away which was difficult as they clearly had views of the bird which I didn't but in the panic to see it some just gave up on the 2m rule which I didn't want to give up after all the hard work I've done since March.

Stiffkey marsh when I arrived

Rufous-tailed Scrub Robin

When I left

The police arrived soon after and demanded that the crowd followed distancing better and looking back from the car park it looked as if most had taken the advise. I've managed my birding since March really well, I've stopped taking my Dad and brother in the car which hurts and I've avoided hot spots, I've tried to stay within a couple of hours from home most of the time and I postponed my plans to bird Shetland or Scilly and coming away from this twitch today I couldn't help feel a bit grubby about the experience which is a shame as under normal circumstances this would be a great gathering for a great bird. 

Pallas's Warbler at Stiffkey

Year list now 266

Life list now 418

More of the Wilson's Phalarope at Keyhaven

 

I had a great time watching the Wilson's Phalarope at such close quarters and you'd think the fact that it came close would help with the images and to a degree you'd be right but I carry a 400mm prime lens which means that once the target gets too close I can no longer focus on it. Then you have the bird being mostly white giving the contrast issues you'd expect. Add in that it swims in an area fringed with reeds and grass so getting a clear shot is a challenge and then you have the fact that its overcast and the light is poor which can help with the contrast but as the bird swims it moves form light to dark water meaning you're forever changing settings to try to expose it whilst  trying to add some shutter speed to the situation. I tried in my amateur way to deal with all the above and I'm relatively pleased with the results. Regardless of the image quality it was fantastic to sit and watch the tiny little bird go about its business with absolutely no regard to the human activity along the footpath just inches from it.

Phalaropes at Keyhaven Hampshire

 A drive down to Keyhaven for first light today delivered a couple of very welcome year ticks in the form of Grey and Wilson's Phalarope.  I had planned on visiting Sunday with a decent bit of sunshine forecast but the thought of the possible weekend crowds put me off but when I arrived it was much quieter but I left at around lunchtime when it started getting busier and I'd had enough of laying around on the wet ground waiting for the birds to swim past me.

Enough words.....here's some images of the birds from today.

Wilson's Phalarope

Wilson's Phalarope

Wilson's Phalarope

Wilson's Phalarope

Wilson's Phalarope

Black-tailed Godwit

Black-tailed Godwit

Grey Phalarope dipping

Grey Phalarope

Year list now 263