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. 

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

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. 

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 - 3 

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 - 1 

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