Review of 2013

Review of 2013

At the start of 2013 I had made the decision to take the year off from year bird listing (listing all species of birds seen throughout the year).  However, as we crept into February and with a big trip to the Shetlands booked for October, I changed my mind and decided to go for it.  Unfortunately, being that I am in full time employment, restricted by the days I take off and do not have unlimited resources, I will never be able to see as many species as the “big listers” out there and it is therefore just as well that competitive birding is “not my bag” (I prefer to only compete against myself and beat my own previous records).

Last year was a record year for me with the 250 species limit almost broken.  This year, I made things harder for myself; I continued to disallow any birds where there were possible question marks over identification and in addition I also decided to only use the BOURC listing of recognised species instead of the UK400 Club listing (that includes sub species).  Being stricter in my listing has resulted in revisiting previous year lists and revising their totals which means that last year’s reached 247 (instead of 251 which I had previously noted down).

So, the final tally as per BOURC guidelines for this year is 272 and per UK400 Club guidelines is 276 (I have disallowed a Crossbill sp which I saw briefly at Loch Garten in April which could have been a Scottish Crossbill but I will never know).  Both scores are quite respectable I imagine for someone who cannot go birding all the time.

The year had its positives and negatives moments and below are a few of each:-

Positives

• Meeting some friendly birders in Warwickshire (finally).
• Experiencing the Cairngorms in spring and the Shetlands in autumn, both different but equally memorable.
• Meeting new people and making new friends in the Shetlands.
• The final big twitch of the year to see the Brünnich’s Guillemot.
• Helping friends finally obtain sightings of their bogey birds.

Negatives

• Having to put up with miserable birders in all kinds of places.  I know we all have “off” days but it just seems that I meet more miserable people in birding circles than I do in any other walks of life.  Why carry on with something if it makes you so miserable?
• Being subjected to the competitive side of birding.  Why let it destroy friendships? Hobbies are hobbies and are there to be enjoyed.  I love sharing my hobby with others who have the same interest as me and am thoroughly pleased for them if they see a new species that I may not have hooked up with yet and this is because I only compete against myself.  Saying that though, it is always a laugh to send the odd “triumphant text” to those who can take it when a new species is obtained.

Highlights of the year

• Watching a Swift as it came in off the Channel and flew right over my head – magic!
• Seeing a Roller, a bird that I have wanted to see since I was 8 years old.
• Seeing Bee eaters for the first time (even though it was not in the UK but was in the outskirts of Rome).
• I had two target birds for the year – Red-backed Shrike and Pomarine Skua, achieved by the Autumn but a bit of an anticlimax for both even though I have been waiting to see them for many years.
• Finally seeing a Subalpine Warbler in the UK (after dipping on one in Northumberland) a couple of years ago.

Next Year

So, what does next year have in store?  Not sure at the moment, I may give up on year listing and concentrate on twitching but then I may not - Only time will tell as the year unfolds.

I do have a few target birds and they include:-

• Red Footed Falcon.
• Surf Scoter.
• White Stork.
• Common Rosefinch.

And finally - Photo of the year

Sedge Warbler at Otmoor in June

Have a happy new year and enjoy your birding whether it is twitching or patch listing.