Friday, December 02, 2005

Stuff I missed

Perhaps its a bit early to reflect on the year, but there's a few things I missed and won't see now. I'm not too worried though as I've had a good year, and saw most things I went for, albeit after several attempts in some cases. Here's what I could have seen, in no particular order:
  • Whimbrel - along the Gwent and Glamorgan coast on passage, but never managed to get out at the right time
  • Puffin - missed the Skomer trip
  • Spotted Crake - the Radipole bird hid from us
  • Dotterel - we went too early for the Garreg Lwyd birds. They turned up a week after we went
  • Ring Ouzel - somehow managed to miss the influx and the stragglers last month
  • Wilson's Phalarope - I was stranded on the other side of the Solent
  • Bee-eater - perhaps the dip of the year. Missed the Hampton Bishop pair the last open day of the view point. They reappeared later in the day
  • Squacco Heron - stuck in work when Tim and Dan went
  • Ring-billed Gull - the Cardiff Bay bird was never around when I was there. Could get one later possibly
  • Red-necked Grebe - returning from holiday when it showed up in Kenfig
  • Black Tern - didn't manage to get out when they were on passage through the area
  • White-winged Black Tern - no time available to see the Weston bird
  • Whiskered Tern - didn't know it was at CWP, but probably wouldn't have made it anyway
  • Wood Sandpiper - none at Slimbridge or Goldcliff when we went after the Bee-eater dip
  • Red-backed Shrike - no time to get to the Gower bird
  • Grey Partridge - hoped for one on the New Forest trip and haven't searched the Vale
  • Chough - haven't been West or searched Southerndown yet
  • Little Stint - missed the main wader passage
  • Temminck's Stint - ditto
  • Baird's Sandpiper - ditto
  • Turtle Dove - no chance!
  • Tree Pipit - a shocking ommission
  • Richard's Pipit - dipped the three at Huntspill on the Upland Sandpiper trip
  • Firecrest - missed the birds at Portland and tried Kenfig North pool area without success
I'll draw up a list of highlights at the end of the month.

3 comments:

Tim Hall said...

Main things I've missed: Turtle Dove and Stone Curlew (Martin Down let me down twice). Osprey, none reported from Gower or Chew. Got all the Warblers I expected (although dipping on 3 different YBWs in a day in Cornwall was annoying).
Hope to still add: PF Goose ( Slimbridge), BT and GN Diver( Gower), V Scoter? Dix Pip ?Anything twitchable in last week of the year!

Tim Hall said...

Still hoping for Firecrest also. Wayne, don't forget wintering L Stints @ Slimbridge.

Wayne said...

Thanks Tim. Forgot about stints at Slimbridge. Can't make the Club trip there but will definately go before the end of the year.