For those that don't know, there is nothing cryptic about it, year listing is simply listing how many different types of bird you see in a year. Birdwatching Mag is running a #My200BirdYear 'competition' and I've got a few friends to have a go at it too. As many have said, it's a good way to get off your arse and get out to a few more places.
I had a go at year-listing in 2011 and got to 191. Five years later and I think I am a little better at identifying things and knowing where to go to see stuff, or as importantly, which website or twitter feed to keep an eye on. Of course that doesn't guarantee seeing the target bird, but it's like aiming for the men with scopes at Nature Reserves - take every bit of help you can.
I've learnt that to get to close to 200, you need to jump on what ever is local - in particular the things that won't be in the area for long. Rare birds should be very high on your agenda on 'day off' plans.
With that, and the promised good weather in mind, today was all about them.
Cattle Egret and Snow Bunting on the South Coast. Road Trip!
The Cattle Egret are at Warblington. That's right on the Hampshire / Sussex border, after the Hayling Island turn off - so quite a way from Andover. I realise that thinking 'Hayling is far away' probably isn't great considering that there might be a few 'jump in the car' moments to tick off a rare duck that pops up on the Solent on a Monday evening etc.
I figured I would keep an eye on the daily bird website - Hants Birds would be a good idea. Head to Titchfield Haven for the Snow Bunting and then decide whether to head further East if they were still there. Grab a couple of Short Eared Owl on the way back home too.
Hants Birds checked over breakfast and it was decided to go to Mercer Way in Romsey first as the Hawfinch were back.. 9:30 a.m. - begin.
Taking longer than I'd hoped, on a day where it was probably not yet above zero, one lone Hawfinch finally showed its self.
Job done! First year tick of the day. Still hadnt seen a Pheasant.
No news yet of any Cattle Egret or Snow Bunting (at Titchfield), but I headed to the South Coast anyway.
Driving along the sea front, up towards Titchfield Haven I see a lot of people stood in a circle on the beach. The Snow Bunting is still here then!!
Parking up and walking to the ensemble, I add Turnstone and Oystercatcher to the Year List, along with a couple of Brent Geese. Should be a good day! Optimistically I scour the reserve for a Marsh Harrier - why not push the luck a little...
The Snow Bunting is as used to people as the pair I saw last year at Southsea. Another good tick that needed jumping on. It surely wont be here much longer.
Sanderling, Dunlin, Ringed Plover to name a few on the sea front. Still no news of the Cattle Egret, but I decided to head to Warblington too, providing I could find it!
A quick stop to snap the 30 Eider that are miles out to see, but still a Tick!
Close to Emsworth, on the southern side of the A27, I arrive to see an elderly couple looking at a hedge.. (always aim for those with scopes). I ask them if they can see the Cattle Egret and they confirm. Park up and share their view of a few white blobs through a hawthorn hedge 100 metres away. Triff!
A bit of patience and strolling up the road and after a while a couple of Cattle Egret fly in to the field closest to me. I get a few snaps through a small hole in the hedge and am happy with that. Cattle Egret is a 'lifer' for me. Never seen any before.
A few more, better shots over a gateway as I walk back to the car and it's time to drive the short trip to Farlington Marshes - target Short Eared Owls, whilst picking up anything else that might be there.
Farlington..
Kestrel, Avocet and Pintail added to the list, to name a few and I note a lot of cameras, scopes etc. by the reed bed.. Beardies? yes, Beardies!
I've only seen Bearded Tit two times before, managed to get a really poor shot of them once, but had better luck today. At least three in the reed bed close to the path. Result!
Not easy to snap, they land near the top of the reed, which then falls down behind other reeds under their weight. Happy enough with these though.
The Short Eared Owls also popped up whilst I was there. One perched up by the lagoon and two briefly in the Point Field. No Red Breasted Merganser today, so a return trip will no doubt happen soon enough.
Four O'clock and time to walk back to the car and fight the traffic. Happy with the fact that I went to 4 places and saw the 4 things I wanted to see. That, doesn't happen very often at all.
A good day.
Oh, and the Year List is now on .. Sixty Four
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