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| Citrine Wagtail - Adrian Langdon |
Self finds
Finding a 1st winter Citrine Wagtail with Pete at Walmsley Sanctuary was my favourite self find of 2022. My first in Cornwall and a good bird on the north coast, it was the first twitchable record for several years in Cornwall. Other goodies I found included a European Bee-eater at Nanjizal, Red-throated Pipit and Cirl Bunting whilst vis-migging in the autumn at Park Head. American Golden Plover in October and some great seabirds including Wilson's Petrel , Leach's Petrel's and Sabine's Gull's.
Twitching
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| Blackburnian Warbler- Bryher |
2022 has been my best year ever for twitching mega rarities in the UK. Seeing birds you can only dream about until the alert goes on my phone and away I go!
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| Red-tailed Shrike - Bempton |
Nothing can beat the Blackburnian Warbler on Bryher; Isles Of Scilly. I was on the phone to the Scillonian within half an hour of news getting out and by early afternoon the next day it was smiles all around as we watched this stunner with many familiar faces from across the country. I also twitched the Swainson's Thrush on Tresco earlier in October plus two trips to Yorkshire to see Red-tailed Shrike and Black-browed Albatross. Earlier in the year I made a successful trip up to Eastbourne to see my first American Robin and a quick dash up to the Somerset Levels produced great views of a drake Baikal Teal. I was working on the sunday when Britain's first Cape Gull turned up at Gratham Water but thankfully news came out early on Monday and I set off from home at a leasurely time of 8am and had seen this mighty beast by lunchtime. A great learning bird, perhaps more records of Cape Gull will follow now more people have got it on their radar. I also enjoyed several twitches in the south west with Libbie whilst we were travelling around on our holidays. Awesome views of Roller and Olive-backed Pipit in Devon plus Penduline Tit's in Somerset will be remembered for a long time. Dip of the year was missing the Yellow-rumped Warbler on St Mary's; Isles of Scilly by a day. But I still saw a very confiding Red-flanked Bluetail so not all bad.
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| Black-browed Albatross - Bempton Cliffs |
Cornwall
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| Black-faced Bunting - Nanjizal |
I added some quality new birds for my Cornish list which is now in the 360's! A spring Bee-eater at Nanjizal was long overdue, I've never twitched one as I guessed it would find me eventually, it only took 18 years for that to happen! When news broke of a Roller at Praze-an-Beeble every county lister was running to their cars. The first evening didn't happen for me, Pete saw it fly over my head, Steve Rowe heard it and John Chapple had flight views but that was it. So after a sleepless night I was on site at dawn and after a few nervy hours I had great views by 8:30am and it was off to work! Citrine Wagtail was another great bird in Cornwall which found me. Matt Broadbent and co found a county mega in the shape of a Red-necked Phalarope on the Hayle Estuary, I was there within an hour but it had already long gone. I thought it would be many years before I had another chance but just like buses Tony Blunden found a confiding bird in the cove at Lizard Point and I managed to get down in the evening from Newquay to enjoy stunning views with the bird to myself in fading light. I was glad I took the chance and didn't wait until the morning as it wasn't seen again. There was more drama to come in November. When Kester Wilson cooly rang the ringing table to say he was bringing a Black-faced Bunting back to us and would be back soon I was in a state of shock! You never know what might arrive at Nanjizal but this far-eastern vagrant was well off the radar. What a brilliant experience to see it up close and process the finer details with Kester and the crew.
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| Roller |
Western Palearctic
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| Siberian Jay |
A trip to Arctic Norway and Finland with Pete was an adventure of a life time and gave me ten new birds for the WP. Hawk Owl , Great Grey Owl, Tengmalms Owl, Nutcracker, Stellars Eider, Siberian Tit, Siberian Jay, Pine Grosbeak, Red-flanked Bluetail and Brunich's Guillemot. If you ever get the chance to go to Varanger Fjord just go for it! The scenery of the Arctic is just incredible. The birding is difficult but achievable with a bit of info from the internet and common sense in the forests. Looking for owls is best done with a guide though as they are nearly impossible to find on your own. We found a Hawk Owl after several days of searching vast forests but for the rest we needed the help of a local ringer.
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| Stellars Eider |
Foxhole
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| Ring-necked Duck |
Like any local patch for the majority of the year when I'm walking with Libbie, stopping off at a clay pit before work or taking Isaac out after tea for his walk I see next-to nothing. But if you keep looking and checking the birds will come. The drake Ring-necked Duck returned for a short stay in the spring. Along with Red Kite's, my first patch Garden Warbler and a pair of Little Ringed Plover holding territory. Autumn was quieter than last year and basically consisted of one evening of quality migration. As we watched a juvenile Red-footed Falcon a Wryneck perched in full view with several Whinchats nearby, job done! As winter set in Foxhole had one last surprise for me when a cracking 1st winter Caspian Gull pitched up on Christmas Day. I would love to spend more time birding in the area but there isn't much point doing a patchwork challenge or local big year as I have to drive 30 miles a day with my job so spending time on the coast near Newquay works better for me in my spare time for now. In 2023 I'm going to keep a list for the Newquay area as a bit of birding before work gets me out of bed and makes a great start to the day.
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| Wryneck |
Butterflies, Dragonflies and Orchids
We had some great summer trips to New Forest, Isles of Wight and Devon for some new nature.
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| Freshwater Bay; Isle Of Wight |
Butterflies new to us were Glanville Fritillaries on the Isle of Wight and White-letter Hairstreak's at Oreston; Plymouth whilst Libbie had her first Helice type Clouded Yellow at Portland Bill. The Glanville's on Libbie's birthday on a sunny day by the sea in Freshwater Bay was up there with any nature highlights of 2022.
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| Glanville Fritillary |
Dragonflies, what a great year! Norfolk Hawkers at Slapton; Devon was the biggest surprise and made for a great day out. Our week in the New Forest produced Downy Emerald and the rare Southern Damselfly.
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| Southern Damselfly |
Hampshire gave us several new orchids too. A mass of Sword-leaved Hellobrines with White Helleborines got even better when Libbie spotted Birds Nest Orchid in the shade of a giant oak tree in ancient woodland. Whilst on the chalk downs of Wiltshire we saw the raspberry ripple like Burnt Tip Orchid and our last type of Fragrant Orchid; the Chalk Fragrant. A big thankyou to Shaun Cole for help with Orchid sites as we wouldn't have seen any of these without him.
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| Burnt-tip Orchids |
So here's to 2023 being another memorable one!
