Year totals and review 31/12/11

Sussex Year List - 227 - somewhat gave up around June time, not realising what the autumn was going to bring, and potentially missed out on a record breaking year.

British Year List - 258 - a lot lower than recent years, but other commitments meant less time for long distance twitching.

Best twitch of 2011 - probably the White-winged Scoter off the Aberdeenshire Coast. A great trip with Jake, getting all Scottish specialalities during the 3 day trip on top off the Scoter.

Best UK bird of 2011 - Wilson's Petrel from the Scilly pelagics in August, just in front of the amazing Great Shearwaters.

Best world bird of 2011 - male Drakensberg Rock-Jumper in Lesotho.

The Burgh & Coldwaltham Brooks 27/12/11

The Burgh - after a couple of hours of walking around I finally managed to see the Rough-legged Buzzard well. First seen at a distance, it glided closer and gave great views flying low over fields, hovering and landing on the seed bins.

Also present were 2 ringtail Hen Harriers and 19 Grey Partridge.

Out from Burpham Church were 30 Bewicks Swans including 4 juvs and a Chiffchaff.

Afterwards I visited Coldwaltham Brooks and saw 4 Short-eared Owls, 2 Chiffchaffs, 3 Mandarins over and a Weasel.

Bewick's Swans at Burpham

Rough-legged Buzzard at The Burgh

Short-eared Owl at Coldwaltham

Cuckmere 26/12/11

An adult Yellow-legged was the only Gull of any note in the Cuckmere just north of Exceat Bridge this morning.
Adult Yellow-legged Gull in Cuckmere.

Widewater, The Burgh & Rodmell Brooks 24/12/11

Widewater Lagoon - Snow Bunting 2, Sanderling 15.

The Burgh - Hen Harrier 2 (1M+1F), Red Kite 1, Grey Partridge 8. No sign of the Rough-legged Buzzard.

Rodmell Brooks - Hen Harrier 1F, Short-eared Owl 3.

Snow Buntings at Widewater Lagoons.

Pett, Dungeness, Cuckmere, Rodmell 17/12/11

Pett Levels - Marsh Harrier 2, Avocet 1

Scotney GP - Barnacle Geese 30+

ARC Pit - Great White Egret 2, Tree Sparrow 8, Goldeneye 10+, Chiffchaff 1.

Dungeness Point - Snow Bunting 1 heard!

Cuckmere Haven - Brent Geese 22. No unusual Gulls on the large flock of Greater/Lesser Black-backed Gulls.

Rodmell Brooks - Short-eared Owls 3, Merlin 1, Buzzards 4.

Great White Egret on ARC Pit

Short-eared Owl at Rodmell.

South Africa - 7/11/11

Cape Point - Grey-headed Gull, Hartlaub's Gulls, Jackass (African) Penguins 40+, Cape Sugarbird 2, Cape Siskin 6, Cape Gannets, White-chinned Petrel 2, White-fronted Plover 3, Crowned Cormorant 8, Antarctic Tern, Blacksmith's Plover 2, Three-banded Plovers.

Cape Beach - Levaillant's Cisticola 3, Water Thick-Knee 1, Cape Lesser Swamp Warbler 3, Little Swifts, White-rumped Swifts.

Jackass Penguin

Hartlaub's Gull

Crowned Cormorant

Blacksmith's Plover

Greater Crested (Swift) Tern

Levaillant's Cisticola

South Africa - 8/11/11

Rouiells - Cape Rockjumper 3, Orange-breasted Sunbird 2, Cape Grassbird 2, Familiar Chat 1, White-necked Raven.

Betty's Bay - Bank Cormorant 22, African Penguin 100+, Cape Francolin 2, Pin-tailed Whydah, Brimstone Canary 2.

Harold Porter Bot. Gardens - Swee Waxbill 4, Rock Martin, Southern Double-collared Sunbird 2.

On route to De Hoop - Jackal Buzzards, Blue Cranes, Capped Wheatears, Namaqua Doves, Black Harrier 1, Karoo Korhaan 2.

Cape Sugarbird at Rooiels

Cape Francolin at Betty's Bay

Brimstone Canary at Betty's Bay

Swee Waxbill at Harold Porter

Capped Wheatear on rout to De Hoop

Bokmakierie at De Hoop

South Africa - 9/11/11

De Hoop NP - Great White Pelican 5, African Hoopoe 2, Cape Shoveler, Southern Pochard, Cape Teal, Brown-throated Martin, Fiscal Flycatcher, Yellow-fronted Canary, Denham's Bustard 6, Cape Vulture 7, Black Harrier 1, Cape Clawless Otter.

Malgas - Pearl-breasted Swallow 2, Klaas's Cuckoo 1

Knysna - Dusky Flycatcher, Bar-thraoted Apalis.

Sombre Greenbul at De Hoop

Karoo Prinia at De Hoop

Fiscal Flycatcher at De Hoop

Denham's Bustard at De Hoop

Cape Vulture at De Hoop

Blue Crane at Malgas.

South Africa - 10/11/11

Wilderness NP - Chorister Robin-Chat 6, Knysna Turaco 10, Narina Trogan 2, Greater Double-collared Sunbird, Amethyst Sunbird, Olive Pigeon, Forest Canary 1, Black-headed Oriole 2, African Paradise Flycatcher, Reed Cormorant, Malachite Kingfisher, Terrestrial Brownbul, Green Wood-Hoopoe 2.

Bartlesfontein - Secretarybird

Tradouws Pass - Great Doub. Coll. Sunbird 1, Brown-hooded Kingfisher 1

Honeywood Guest House, Groostervanbosch - Greater Honeyguide 1, Fiery-necked Nightjar 1, African Wood Owl 2.

African Paradise Flycatcher at Wildeness

Bar-throated Apalis at Wilderness

Knysna Turaco at Wilderness

White-throated Swallow at Wilderness

Reed Cormorant at Wilderness

Crappy pic of Secretarybird at Bartlesfontein

Greater Double-collared Sunbird at Tradouws Pass

Amethysts Sunbird at Groostervanbosch

Olive Thrush at Groostervanbosch

South Africa - 11/11/11

Groostervanbosch - Knysna Warbler 1+1h, Yellow-throated Woodland Warbler 1, Black Cuckoo 2, Black Sparrowhawk 2, Forest Buzzard 4, Narina Trogan 2, Olive Woodpecker 6.

Strandfontein Sewage Works - Maccoa Duck 4, Red-billed Duck 2, Southern Pochard, Cape Teal, Black-necked Grebe, Black-shouldered Kite, African Darter 1, Spotted Thick Knee 3, Purple Swamphen 2.

Narina Trogan at Groostervanbosch

Knysna Warbler at Groostervanbosch

Cape Robin-Chat at Groostervanbosch

Black-shouldered Kite at Strandfontein

Cape Teal at Strandfontein

Maccoa Duck at Strandfontein

Sacred Ibis at Strandfontein

Spotted Thick Knee at Strandfontein.

South Africa - 12/11/11

Pelagic - Shy Albatross 20+, Indian Yellow-nosed Albatross 10+, Atlantic Yellow-nosed Albatross 5+, Black-browed Albatross 5, White-chinned Petrel 100+, Pintado Petrel 10+, Great-winged Petrel 10, KERGUELAN PETREL 1, Northern Giant Petrel 5+, Southern Giant Petrel 10+, Sooty Shearwater 10+, Subantarctic Skua 8, Arctic Skua 2, Bank Cormorant 4.

Kirstenbosch Bot. Gardens - Spotted Eagle Owlets 2

Riefvial - Black Crake 1, Purple Swamphen 2, African Spoonbill 1.

Darling area - African Marsh Harrier 2, Cape Clapper Lark 3, White-backed Mousebird 3.

Northern Giant Petrel

Southern Giant Petrel

Subantarctic Skua

Indian Yellow-nosed Albatross

Shy Albatross

Black-browed Albatross

Pintado Petrel

White-chinned Petrel

Giant Petrel sp.

Great-winged Petrel

Cape Gannet

Sooty Shearwater

The mega Kerguelan Petrel - this bird should have been in the antarctic, not off Cape Point. Note the silvery upperwing highlights. The characteristic hovering flight was noted by all present.

Spotted Eagle Owlet at Kirstenbosch Bot. Gardens.