Saturday 29 December 2012

The Birding Year


Bird of the year - that White's Thrush

..and how it was caught...in the gas cage!

Roosting Hobby only 6th ever for Farnes!

Stunning late spring surprise; Rustic Bunting

Farnes 10th and Northumberlands 14th Short-toed Lark

August delight: Greenish Warbler

One of 5 Bluethroats to grace the islands this year

Only third ever Radde's Warbler

First Baird's Sandpiper for the Farnes

The Birding Year. It was a truly stunning year on the islands for migrant birds on the Farnes as the islands produced some memorable birding moments during the spring and autumn. Highlights included
Farne Island records 2012
1st White’s Thrush  and Baird’s Sandpiper
2nd Temmnicks Stint
3rd Radde’s Warbler
4th Little Egret
5th Rustic Bunting
5th-7th Olive-backed Pipits
7th Hobby
9th Nightjar
10th Greenish Warbler and Short-toed Lark

Other great highlights included Cory’s Shearwater, Storm Petrel, Leach’s Petrel, Marsh Harrier, Moorhen (rare on the Farnes!), Curlew Sandpiper, Wood Sandpiper (2), Grey Phalarope (2), Long-tailed Skua (7), Sabine’s Gull (3), Mediterranean Gull, Iceland Gull, Glaucous Gull, Wryneck (6), Cuckoo (2), Red-backed Shrike, Great Grey Shrike (2), Hooded Crow (4), Barred Warbler (4), Yellow-browed Warbler (3), Pallas’s Warbler, Icterine Warbler (6), Waxwing (11), Bluethroat (5), Red-breasted Flycatcher (6), Long-tailed Tit (6), Richard’s Pipit (2) and Mealy Redpoll to name but a few!!

A huge list and a great year but what will 2013 bring.....

6 comments:

Alan Pavey said...

A great list of birds for the year.

John Malloy said...

Roosting Hobby photograph is amazing!

Jason Moss said...

A stunning year, by anywhere's standards!

The Hairy Birder said...

What a cracking year you've had and I have enjoyed looking in from time to time. All the best for 2013!

Paul said...

Absolutely cracking year! Looking forward to following you in the new season! Paul Gosling - Farnes 1989

Unknown said...

Pretty good post. I just stumbled upon your site and wanted to say that I have really enjoyed reading your site. Any way I'll be subscribing to your feed and I hope you post again soon. . .
umrah packages
cheap umrah packages
cheap Umrah tickets
cheap Umrah flights
umrah flights
umrah tickets