South Africa - Day 2 - 14/1/15

I started my 15hr birding day at Akkerendam NR just north of Calvinia where annoyingly the reserve didn't open for cars until 8am. I decided to walk in and then drive in later. A few nice birds knocking about but not the hoped for Cinnamon-breasted Warbler.

I then started the 150km drive to Brandvlei stopping and starting as I went. A long list of species seen here and even better I was alone for the most part. This area of SA is deadly quiet. 

Once arrived in Brandvlei I birded to the east of town until dark where I arrived at my accommodation with a meal waiting for me. A long but rewarding day in temperatures reaching 42 Celsius. 

Species capitalised are lifers and only species of note are included below. 

Akkerendam  NR/Calvinia

Grey-winged Francolin - 8

Booted Eagle - 1

Layard's Tit-babbler - 1

PALE-WINGED STARLING - 20

Mountain Wheatear - 1 female 

Alpine Swift - 5

Bokmakiere - 10

Karoo Prinia - 4

R27-Calvinia to Brandvlei

Yellow Canary - ca. 80

Spike-heeled Lark - 10

TRACTRAC CHAT - 6

Karoo Chat - 10

Familiar Chat - 15

Fairy Flycatcher - 3

Southern Grey Tit - 2

Spotted Thick Knee - 1

South African Cliff Swallow - ca. 100

African Marsh Warbler - 1

BLACK-EARED SPARROWLARK - 1 male

DUSKY SUNBIRD - 2

Grey-backed Sparrowlark - 50

Yellow-bellied Eromomela - 3

Black-chested Snake Eagle - 1

East of Brandvlei

KAROO LONG-BILLED LARK - 5

Long-billed Crombec - 2

Pin-tailed Whydah - 2

Namaqua Warbler - 2

BLACK-CHESTED PRINIA - 1

Namaqua Sandgrouse - 6

 Spike-heeled Lark

 Southern Pale Chanting Goshawk

 Southern Grey Tit

 Namaqua Dove

 Karoo Long-billed Lark

 stunning scenery in Bushmanland

this was my attempt at abandoning my car on the R27. It was for a Black-eared Sparrowlark though, but thankfully this road is as quiet as it looks in this picture.

South Africa - Day 1 - 13/1/15

Being my second visit to this brilliant country (the previous being in 2011 with Chris Glanfield) I am concentrating my first five days in the Northern Cape as this was an area I hadn't yet covered. The two weeks after I'll be volunteering on s game reserve near Hoedspruit.

My Emirates flight arrived early into Cape Town but then the very painful task of queuing at immigration commenced. Once through that obstacle, I got the car from First Car Rental and hit the N7 northbound.

I only stopped once on the N7 as I had to be in Calvinia before dark. The main point of interest today was Nieuwoudtville where I was over the moon to find a stunning Ludwig's Bustard in one of the many cultivated fields just north of the town. This was my main target of the Northern Cape (having missed it in 2011 around the Karoo) so it was a good start. 

Birds in capital letters indicate a lifer, and only birds of interest are included below. 

Cape Town to Vanrhynsdorp

African Spoonbill - 2

Blacksmith Plover - 13

Yellow-billed Duck - 1

South African Shelduck - 3

Black-shouldered Kite - 3

Jackal Buzzard - 4

Blue Crane - 3

Nieuwoudtville  

LUDWIG'S BUSTARD - 1

Cape Weaver - 5

Cape Bunting - 2

Pied Starling - 50

Nieuwoudtville to Calvinia

Southern Pale Chanting Goshawk - 6

Southern Black Bustard - 11

Southern Ant-eating Chat - 2

Large-billed Lark - 10

African Stonechat - 10

White-backed Mousebird - 1

Steppe Buzzard - 5

Grey-backed Cisticola - 1

Mammals today

Yellow Mongoose - 1

Rock Hyrax - 20

Savannah Babboon - 2

the adventure begins

 Ludwig's Bustard - a dream start

 Southern Black Bustard

western cape meets northern cape

Pett, Scotney & Dungeness 11/1/15

Another productive day in the far east of the county and a quick excursion into foreign land. No real surprises but nice to be out. Finally caught up with the Yellowlegs at Pett after two previous dips, but no events of this date five years ago at Pett (King Eider).

Pett Levels

Lesser Yellowlegs - 1

Bearded Tit - 5

Common Scoter - ca.50

Red-throated Diver - 2

Scotney GP (Sussex)

Scaup - 1

Black-necked Grebe - 3

Dungeness area

Whooper Swan - 1 on Walland

Bewick's Swan - 85 on Walland

Cattle Egret - 2

Merlin - 1

Smew - 5

Great White Egret - 4

 Lesser Yellowlegs at Pett - unfortunately not the Greater found today in Hants

 Black-necked Grebe at Scotney

Cattle Egret along Denge Marsh Road

Chichester GPs & West Dean Woods 7/1/15

Finally a morning off, which allowed me to see the Dusky Warbler down at Chichester GPs found on Monday by Adam. It was a great bird to see, and also nice to hear it calling. Having not gone for the 2005 bird at Climping, I was very pleased to claw this one back.

Afterwards I enjoyed a very productive hour just west of Stapleash Farm, West Dean Woods. I soon found four Hawfinch that showed superbly. Also four Red Kites in the area. A great morning out before work.

 Dusky Warbler on East Trout Lake - Sussex Tick

Hawfinch at West Dean Woods

Cuckmere Haven & Pevensey 4/1/15

I was relieved to have survived my standby this morning, and with this good news I was straight out the door and down the patch for the first time this year.

Afterwards I took the old man to Pevensey where we enjoyed the whole afternoon at Horse Eye with continuous views of Short-eared Owls and great scope views of the Richard's Pipit, all topped off with a lovely sunset on a still, calm evening. 

Cuckmere Haven

Greenshank - 1 still on AGP pool

Snipe - 1

Barnacle Geese - 5

Grey Plover - 3

Pevensey Levels

Richard's Pipit - 1 -after re-positioning myself I had great scope views. 

Hen Harrier - 1 ringtail

Short-eared Owl - 6

Marsh Harrier - 2

 Dunlin down the Cuckmere

 Short-eared Owl at Pevensey

 Richard's Pipit at Pevensey

East & West Yorkshire 1/1/15

A great twitch today with Jake, Ian and Adam up to Yorkshire. I drove the whole way which surprised myself as I feel I'm getting too old already for these overnight drives etc.

Anyway, a great start to the year with two British ticks (Blyth's Pipit also a world tick), and both mega status. Very little in the way of supporting casts, but a good day with plenty of laughs. 

Fraisthorpe, Yorks

LITTLE BUSTARD - 1 presumed 1st winter male

A couple of hundred people present at first light, and we fortunately didn't have to wait long to see this awesome bird. It kept low in the kale field but in the scope the views were brilliant. 

Calder Park, Yorks

BLYTH'S PIPIT - 1 - Good scope views when perched in the trees. 

Goosander - 5

Billing Aquadrome, N'hants

Ring-necked Duck - 1 female showed distantly and rather brief 

 Little Bustard at Fraisthorpe

Blyth's Pipit at Calder Park

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