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Wednesday 31 December 2014

My Sussex Yearlist 2014

A list of all species (BOU only) seen in Sussex this year. Many thanks to everyone who let me know about any bird news this year. 

238 is a new personal best for me after seeing 235 in 2009. 

The species highlighted indicate a scarce/rare bird and the added info is those species that I saw only one of or in one location. 

1- Mute Swan - Many locations
2- Bewick's Swan - Amberley Brooks
3- Whooper Swan - Ivy Lake
4- Bean Goose - Scotney GP
5- White-fronted Goose - Scotney GP
6- Greylag Goose 
7- Canada Goose 
8- Barnacle Goose - Splash Point
9- Brent Goose 
10- Red-breasted Goose - Splash Point 3/4/14
11- Egyptian Goose - Petworth Park
12- Shelduck 
13- Mandarin - Swanbourne Lake
14- Wigeon
15- Gadwall
16- Teal
17- Mallard
18- Pintail
19- Gargeney - Splash Point
20- Shoveler
21- Red-crested Pochard - Ivy Lake
22- Pochard
23- Tufted Duck
24- Scaup - Rye and Scotney
25- Eider
26- Long-tailed Duck - Church Norton
27- Common Scoter
28- Velvet Scoter
29- Goldeneye
30- Smew - West Rise Marsh
31- Red-breasted Merganser
32- Goosander
33- Ruddy Duck - Scotney GP
34- Quail - Cradle Valley
35- Red-legged Partridge
36- Grey Partridge
37- Pheasant
38- Red-throated Diver
39- Black-throated Diver
40-Great Northern Diver - Selsey Bill
41- Fulmar
42- Sooty Shearwater - Splash Point
43- Manx Shearwater
44- Balearic Shearwater - Splash Point
45- Storm-Petrel - Selsey Bill
46- Gannet
47- Cormorant
48- Shag
49- Bittern
50- Cattle Egret - Pagham
51- Little Egret
52- Great White Egret - Scotney GP
53- Grey Heron
54- Glossy Ibis - Lidsey
55- Spoonbill - Cuckmere
56- Little Grebe
57- Great Created Grebe
58- Red-necked Grebe - Splash Point
59- Slavonian Grebe 
60- Black-necked Grebe
61- Honey Buzzard - Seaford Head
62- Black Kite - Mt Caburn
63- Red Kite
64- Short-toed Eagle - Ashdown
65- Marsh Harrier
66- Hen Harrier
67- Sparrowhawk
68- Buzzard
69- Rough-legged Buzzard - Jevington
70- Osprey
71- Kestrel
72- Merlin - Seaford Head
73- Hobby
74- Peregrine
75- Water Rail
76- Moorhen
77- Coot
78- Crane - Lidsey
79- Stone-Curlew - Littlehampton
80- Black-winged Stilt - Medmerry and Pulborough
81- Avocet
82- Oystercatcher
83- Golden Plover
84- Grey Plover
85- Lapwing
86- Little Ringed Plover
87- Ringed Plover
88- Kentish Plover - Rye Harbour
89- Dotterel - Seaford Head
90- Whimbrel
91- Curlew
92- Black-tailed Godwit 
93- Bar-tailed Godwit
94- Turnstone
95- Knot
96- Ruff
97- Curlew Sandpiper
98- Sanderling
99- Dunlin
100- Purple Sandpiper
101- Little Stint
102- Pectoral Sandpiper - Pulborough
103- Grey Phalarope - Hove
104- Common Sandpiper
105- Green Sandpiper 
106- Spotted Redshank
107- Greenshank
108- Wood Sandpiper
109- Redshank
110- Jack Snipe
111- Woodcock
112- Snipe
113- Pomarine Skua - Splash Point
114- Arctic Skua
115- Long-tailed Skua - Church Norton
116- Great Skua
117- Puffin - Splash Point
118- Razorbill
119- Guillemot
120- Little Tern
121- Black Tern
122- White-winged Black Tern - Rye
123- Sandwich Tern
124- Common Tern
125- Arctic Tern
126- Kittiwake
127- Black-headed Gull
128- Little Gull
129- Mediterranean Gull
130- Common Gull
131- Lesser Black-backed Gull
132- Herring Gull
133- Yellow-legged Gull
134- Caspian Gull - Cuckmere
135- Iceland Gull - Pagham
136- Glaucous Gull 
137- Great Black-backed Gull
138- Feral Pigeon
139- Stock Dove
140- Woodpigeon
141- Collared Dove
142- Turtle Dove
143- Cuckoo
144- Barn Owl
145- Little Owl
146- Tawny Owl
147- Short-eared Owl
148- Nightjar
149- Swift
150- Kingfisher
151- Hoopoe - Climping
152- Wryneck
153- Green Woodpecker
154- Great Spotted Woodpecker
155- Lesser Spotted Woodpecker
156- Great Grey Shrike
157- Magpie
158- Jay
159- Jackdaw
160- Rook
161- Carrion Crow
162- Raven
163- Goldcrest
164- Firecrest
165- Blue Tit
166- Great Tit
167- Coal Tit
168- Marsh Tit
169- Bearded Tit
170- Woodlark
171- Skylark
172- Shore Lark - Splash Point
173- Sand Martin
174- Swallow
175- House Martin
176- Red-rumped Swallow - Steyning
177- Cetti's Warbler
178- Long-tailed Tit
179- Yellow-browed Warbler - Selsey and Seaford
180- Chiffchaff
181- Willow Warbler
182- Blackcap
183- Garden Warbler
184- Lesser Whitethroat
185- Whitethroat
186- Dartford Warbler
187- Grasshopper Warbler
188- Sedge Warbler
189- Marsh Warbler - Seaford Head
190- Reed Warbler
191- Nuthatch
192- Treecreeper
193- Wren
194- Starling
195- Ring Ouzel
196- Blackbird
197- Fieldfare
198- Song Thrush
199- Redwing
200- Mistle Thrush
201- Spotted Flycatcher 
202- Robin
203- Nightingale
204- Red-breasted Flycatcher - Beachy
205- Pied Flycatcher
206- Black Redstart
207- Redstart
208- Whinchat
209- Stonechat
210- Wheatear
211- Dunnock
212- House Sparrow
213- Tree Sparrow - Pevensey
214- Yellow Wagtail
215- Grey Wagtail
216- Pied Wagtail
217- Richard's Pipit - Pevensey
218- Tawny Pipit - Tide Mills
219- Tree Pipit
220- Meadow Pipit
221- Rock Pipit
222- Water Pipit - Pevensey
223- Chaffinch
224- Brambling
225- Greenfinch
226- Goldfinch
227- Siskin
228- Linnet
229- Lesser Redpoll
230- Common Redpoll - Warnham
231- Crossbill
232- Parrot Crossbill - Old Lodge
233- Bullfinch
234- Hawfinch
235- Snow Bunting
236- Yellowhammer
237- Reed Bunting
238- Corn Bunting



Pett, Scotney & Dungeness area 31/12/14

A good day out with the old man. A lot of time was spent at Pett where unfortunately the Yellowlegs failed to show. Other than this, a few nice bits and bobs were scattered about. 

Pett Levels
Ruff - 6
Marsh Harrier - 3

Scotney GP (Sussex End)
Scaup - 1
Black-necked Grebe - 2

Denge Marsh Road/Dungeness
Cattle Egret - 2
Merlin - 1 chased by a Peregrine
Emu - 1

Walland Marsh
Tundra Bean Geese - 3
Whooper Swan - 1
Bewick's Swan - ca. 50

No pics today I'm afraid, the camera would of froze probably, as did I. 

Tuesday 30 December 2014

Cuckmere Haven 30/12/14

At long last I've managed to get out birding since getting back. Work and Christmas has been far too busy for my liking the past few weeks, especially yesterday!!

A quick jaunt down the Cuckmere was very fresh. Birds seen were: 

Greenshank - 1 still
Barnacle Geese - 5
Kingfisher - 3
Dunlin - 5
Ringed Plover - 1

Four days off after today so will hopefully get a chance to see the Yellowlegs (or the Bustard today) tomorrow after dipping the other morning.

 Dunnock
 Redshank on ice
Greenshank



Saturday 20 December 2014

Taiwan

An amazing trip to this small island off the east coast of China with Chris Glanfield, Ian Barnard, Dan & Mike Booker, Harry Ramm and Steve Gent from the States. The main focus were the endemic birds where we managed to see all but two, these being Rufous-crowned Laughingthrush and Taiwan Bush Warbler. Not bad going for the time of year. It was also good to get on Kinmen Island for a small taster of the Chinese birds as well. 

My trip list was 220 species which included 99 lifers. 

Other bits of interest was the superb endemic and nocturnal White-faced Flying Squirrel, Formosan Macaques and a whole host of Butterfly and Dragonfly species, which Chris thankfully photographed an identified most. 

The weather was mainly good with a couple of days being foggy, or wet or in one case absolutely blooming freezing, but in the lowlands it was very hot. The scenery was breathtaking, especially in the north where most of the Endemics are. 

A very worthwhile trip, and many thanks to David Cooper for some last minute info and his detailed blog from his trip there last autumn. 

Looking forward to the next trip, which is just as well as its only three weeks away when I go to South Africa, concentrating on the Northern Cape and volunteering on a game reserve near the Kruger. 


Tuesday 16 December 2014

Taiwan - Day 1 - 2/12/14

Jinshan area incl. Huangqing Rd and Yehliu
Our first day in Taiwan was spent at the NE tip of the island hoping to catch up with some late migrants. I only suffered from a bit of jet lag, but still the first day was very long and by the end I was wilting. However a good range of species seen including one endemic and a couple of Rubythroats being the main highlights.  We finished the day at Wulai where we tried for a Mountain Scops Owl by the police 'station'. 

Youth Hotel
Daurian Redstart - 4
Pale Thrush - 5
Japanese Bush Warbler - 1
Rustic Bunting - 1
Olive-backed Pipit - 2
Dusky Thrush - 1

Shitoushan Park
No sign of the Japanese Robin seen the day before!! 
TAIWAN SCIMITAR BABBLER - 2
Grey Treepie - 3
Black-naped Monarch - 5
Japanese White Eye - 20
Peregrine - 1
Cormorant sp. - 2 (either Great or Japanese, but too distant)

Huangqing Rd
Spot-billed Duck - 20
Vinous-throated Parrotbill - 7 (P.w. bulomachus)
Black-faced Bunting - 3
Golden-headed Cisticola - 5 (C.e. volitans)
Black-collared Starling - 1
Black-shouldered Kite - 2
Created Goshawk - 1
Osprey - 1
Scaly-breasted Munia - ca.20

Yehliu Geopark
Siberian Rubythroat - 2 males - amazing views of one male
Brown Booby - 1 flew South 
Brown-headed Thrush - 1 male
Red-flanked Bluetail - 2
Dusky Warbler - 3
Japanese Bush Warbler - 5
Spotted Dove - 4
Pacific Reef Egret - 1

Wulai Police Station
Mountain Scops Owl - 1 

 Taiwan Scimitar Babbler at Shitoushan Park - our first endemic of the trip
 winter-plumaged Golden-headed Cisticola along the Huangqing Road
 Black-faced Bunting along the Huangqing Road
 Dusky Thrush along the Huangqing Road
 Pacific Reef Egret at Yehliu
 Japanese Bush Warbler at Yehliu
 Brown Booby off Yehliu
 the view from Shitoushan Park - the first four letters of the park is probably the best way to describe the birding here!!
 the river along Huangqing Road
 the famous migration point at Yehliu
 the strange Geology that Yehliu is known for by many tourists
our hotel/prison


Taiwan - Day 2 - 3/12/14

Wulai
The accomation we stayed in tonight was situated right by the river, which resulted in a mad rush at 5am when a Taiwan Whistling Thrush and a Plumbeous Redstart was found just of our balconies under the hotel lights. All of the morning and some of the afternoon was spent birding the Wulai area, before heading west to some hides for better views of the Taiwan Bamboo Partridge. A lot of new and endemic birds today. 

Wulai
TAIWAN WHISTLING THRUSH - 2
Plumbeous Redstart - 3 (R.f. affinis)
TAIWAN BLUE MAGPIE - 9
Bronzed Drongo - 2 (D.a. braunianus)
BLACK-NECKLACED SCIMITAR BABBLER -
White-bellied Erpornis - 10
Grey-cheeked Fulvetta - ca.50
Grey-chinned Minivet - ca.50
Rufous-capped Babbler - 3
White-tailed Robin - 1 female (M.l. montium)
TAIWAN BARBET - 5
Taiwan Scimitar Babbler - 5
Black Eagle - 3
Himilayan Black Bulbul - 10 (H.l. nigerrimus)
Varied Tit - 4 (P.v. castaneoventris)
Dusky Fulvetta - 2 (A.b. brunnea)
TAIWAN BAMBOO PARTRIDGE - 4 seen flying across the road
Maroon Oriole - 1 (O.(t.) ardens)
Grey-capped Pygmy Woodpecker - 2

Hides
Taiwan Bamboo Partridge - 1
Slaty-legged Crake - 1
Grey Treepie - 10
House Swift - 5
Taiwan Scimitar Babbler - 5

 Black-necklaced Scimitar Babbler at Wulai
 Varied Tit at Wulai
 the ultra elusive Dusky Fulvetta. I was in fact pleased to get this shot, despite how poor it is.
 Taiwan Barbet at Wulai
 Taiwan Scimitar Babbler from the hide
 Grey Treepies from the hide
 after brief views in the morning, it was great to have these views in the afternoon. Interestingly, in the morning this species was Chinese Bamboo Partridge, but had been split into Taiwan Bamboo Partridge around midday.



the stunning views around Wulai


Taiwan - Day 3 - 4/12/14

Dasyeushan Road
We stopped many times on this mountain road, and at both high and low elevations seeing a number of sought after Endemics, which included the two Pheasant species. Unfortunately the second half of the day proved to be very wet, but this actually resulted in a good density of species being seen. By the end of the day we were all shivering, so we called it a day. Our next two nights were spent in the Snow Mountain resort. 

Km 4
TAIWAN HWAMEI - 1 
Collared Finchbill - 4
Grey-capped Pygmy Woodpecker - 1
Created Serpent Eagle - 1

River crossing around 12km
Brown Dipper - 2
Rufous-faced Warbler - 5 (A.a. fulvifacies)
TAIWAN YUHINA - 10
Striated Heron - 2
Eyebrowed Thrush - 4
Green-backed Tit - 1 (P.m. insperatus)
STEERE'S LIOCICHLA - 2
Plumbeous Redstart - 4 (R.f. affinis)

Checkpoint
YELLOW TIT - 2
White's Thrush - 1
Black-throated Tit - 5

Km 23
SWINHOE'S PHEASANT - 8 incl. 1 male
Steere's Liocichla - 3
WHITE-WHISKERED LAUGHINGTHRUSH - 3
Vivid Niltava - 3 

Around Km 40
MIKADO PHEASANT - 2

Km 48
TAIWAN FULVETTA - 3


 Swinhoe's Pheasant
 Mikado Pheasant around km 47
 Harry feeding a wild Mikado Pheasant
 Brown Dipper at km 12 (taken by Chris Glanfield)
celebrating seeing the Swinhoe's Pheasants with a drop of Whisky






Taiwan - Day 4 - 5/12/14

Dasyeushan Road incl. Amnashan etc
The day dawned extremely foggy and unfortunately this stayed into the early afternoon despite driving to higher elevations. We struggled with two species of Laughingthrushes but thankfully a flock of Golden Parrotbills lifted our spirits. Despite the weather, a fair spread of species were seen, with the main highlights seen in the last couple of hours of daylight. An Owling session proved pointless but what was encouraging was a clear night. 

Snow Mountain Resort
Nutcracker - 2 (N.c. owstoni)
Taiwan Yuhina - 20

Bamboo Trail, Amnashan
Golden Parrotbill - ca.10 (P.v. morrisonianus)
Mikado Pheasant - 1 male showed down to a few feet. 
FLAMECREST - 4
Beavan's Bullfinch - 4 (P.e. owstoni)
Vinaceous Rosefinch - 2 females (C.v. formosanus)
Large-billed Crow - 2

Police Station walking downhill
TAIWAN BARWING - 2
Nuthatch - 3
Plain Flowerpecker - 1
Jay - 2
TAIWAN WREN BABBLER - 2
COLLARED BUSH ROBIN - 1
Little Forktail -
Black-throated Tit - 20
Green-backed Tit - 20 (P.m. insperatus)
Yellow Tit - 1

 another confiding Mikado Pheasant 
 White-whiskered Laughingthrush at km 50
 female Vinaceous Rosefinch at km 50
 Flamecrest at km 50
 Beavan's Bullfinch at km 50
 Taiwan Barwing opposite the police station
 Green-backed Tit at Dasyeushan
 unfortunately the only picture I got of the stunning Yellow Tit
the group watching the Little Forktail (sort of)
the stunning views after the fog had cleared





Taiwan - Day 5 - 6/12/14

Dasyeushan Road/Anmashan Area, Bamboo Trail and several stops down the mountain

A relief this morning to see clear blue skies, no wind and surprisingly some frost. We walked the grounds around the resort seeing very little before walking the bamboo trail. On our way back down the mountain we stopped at km23 where we got lucky with a Taiwan Hill Partridge. After this, we drove south for a couple of hours where we spent the night in the small village of Bodai. The only disappointment today was the Laughingthrushes when after several attempts of trying to find some, we drew a blank. 

Snow Mountain Resort
Dusky Thrush - 6
Asian House Martin - 2
Collared Bush Robin - 1 male
Plus the usual flocks of Tits and Yuhinas. 

Bamboo Trail
Vinaceous Rosefinch - 2 incl. 1 male (C.v. formosanus)
Yellow(ish)-bellied Bush Warbler - 5 (C.a. concolor)
Nutcracker - 3 (N.c. owstoni)
Little Grebe - 1
Mikado Pheasant - 1 male

Park entrance
Ashy Woodpigeon - 50+
Yellow Tit - 1
Crested Goshawk - 1

KM 23
TAIWAN HILL PARTRIDGE - 1
Swinhoe's Pheasant - 4

 Steere's Liocichla at Snow Mountain resort
 Nutcracker at km 48
 A very showy Mikado Pheasant at Anmashan
 Yellow-bellied Bush Warbler at Anmashan



Dasyeushan Reserve


Taiwan - Day 6 - 7/12/14

Bodai Wetlands/estuary, Aog Wetlands and Alga Wetlands
The whole day was spent in the SW section of the island around a number of wetlands. A really good day notching up plenty of trip ticks whilst also seeing numerous flocks of the rare Black-faced Spoonbills. We finished the day in Tainan where the evening was spent wondering around the city getting lost. 

Bodai Wetlands
Striated Swallow - 30+
White-breasted Waterhen - 5
Yellow Bittern - 4
Long-tailed Shrike - 10
Black-faced Spoonbill - ca. 200
Long-toed Stint - 20
Black-tailed Gull - 3
Saunder's Gull - 10
Yellow-bellied Prinia - 3
Lesser Sand Plover - 10
Greater Sand Plover - 3
Red-necked Stint - 20
Sharp-tailed Sandpiper - 3
Pacific Golden Plover - 5
Turnstone - 1
Common Tern - 1
Curlew Sandpiper - 10

Aog Wetlands
Purple Heron - 1
Black-faced Spoonbill - ca.200
Eastern Marsh Harrier - 1
Ruddy-breasted Crake - 4
Cinnamon Bittern - 2
Gadwall - 8

Aogu Wetland
Richard's Pipit - 3
Daurian Redstart - 2
Black-shouldered Kite - 2


 Black-faced Spoonbills at Bodai Wetlands
 Yellow-bellied Prinia at Bodai Wetlands
 Long-toed Stint at Bodai Wetlands
 Red-necked Stint at Bodai Wetlands
 Red Collared Dove 
 Yellow Bittern at Aog Wetlands
 Ruddy-breasted Crake at Aog Wetlands
 Cinnamon Bittern at Aog Wetlands

Bodai Wetlands