My Lists

Listing has always been a big part of my birding life, whether it was a weekend trip to Scotland or a family holiday to Canada, I was always interested in what we saw and the numbers!! (even though they might not have been the highest ones out there). Keeping a trip list has always kept the interest in seeing new birds (or at least trying) when there's not necessarily much potential to do so.

British Life List : 506 (UK400) 484 (BOU) as at 11/02/13
The main one out of all my lists and the one I've put the most time, effort and money into!! NO Irish stuff here though!!! Not that I have a problem with others going "overseas" to get increase their lists!?!?! Seriously though, I'm not one of those to spout off on BirdForum about the wrongs of twitching Ireland, each to their own, I say. Sometimes, I'd like to see some of the MEGAS that turn up each autumn in Southern Ireland such as this little beauty, but in truth, I'm quite relieved that I've never started doing Ireland as I'd feel the need to go for everything. But if I can't change my mind over the Blue-winged Warbler that turned up on Cape Clear back in 2000, and they don't get much better looking than that!!, I'm not going to for some of the lesser rarities that I need.

Although for one of these... I could see a "family trip" being quickly organised and a day off school for Amy!!! Who knows, it might even get Grandad out of his twitching retirement!!!

Norfolk List : 350 (BOU) as at 08/04/11

Living in Norfolk for 25 years obviously gave me an excellent start to my birding and allowed me to build up a decent Norfolk list. During the early years I managed to get some decent blockers: White billed Diver, Pied billed Grebe, Falcated Duck , Oriental Pratincole, Sociable Plover, Little Whimbrel, Greater Yellowlegs, Black Lark, Blyths Pipit, Rock Thrush, Lanceolated Wblr, Aquatic Wblr, Paddyfield Wblr, Ruppells Wblr, Red breasted Nuthatch, Black and White Wblr and Yellow breasted Bunting.

Black Lark - Winterton Dunes 20th April 2008 (Photo: G Herrieven)

Despite living there for the majority of my life, there are still a few glaring ommissions that I keep hoping to pick up on a trip to visit the family, these include: Common Rosefinch, Raven, White tailed Eagle and Great Snipe (2 dips- 1 whilst living in Yorkshire). I've tried to keep the Norfolk list going since moving to Hull with successful trips for: Long billed Dowitcher, Lesser grey Shrike and Stilt Sandpiper.

As the years go by though, Dad's stretching away from me with birds that I might find difficult to get back on him within the region: Red necked Stint, Siberian Thrush (the real one!), Sykes Warbler, Alpine Accentor, Little Swift and Wilsons Petrel, but you never know, it just needs a bit of luck, hey dad?

Trumpeter Finch - Cley, Norfolk June 2010 (Photo: G Herrieven)

Yorkshire List : 241 (BOU) as at 13/04/11

This is definitely a "work-in-progress", with lots of glaring gaps all over. Living in such a bird rich county, I daresay a concerted effort could really push the list up but having failed to get the enthusiasm in the past has seen me miss a lot of stuff that I could find difficult to get back. Rarities such as the recent American Robin and Black throated Thrush, Ring billed Gull (hopefully this will return later this year though), Pied and Desert Wheatears, Eastern Olivaceous Warbler, the list goes on and on... But twitching whilst living in Norfolk helped me get a few decent Yorkshire birds, such as Pechora Pipit at Filey, Lesser Scaup at Anglers Country Park, Desert Warbler at Flamborough and until the recent Pontefract bird,  a real Yorkshire Mega... Laughing Gull in Hull back in 1984.

Western Palearctic List : 521 (NETFUGL) as at 06/06/11

Other than various family holidays and one birding trip to Spain, my Western Palearctic list is essentially my British list. Birds seen elsewhere are as follows:

Croatia: Pygmy Cormorant, Dalmatian Pelican, Rufous Bushchat, Western Rock Nuthatch, Alpine Chough

Egypt: Green backed Heron, Black winged Kite, Purple Gallinule, Senegal Thick-knee, Spur-winged Plover, Laughing Dove, Egyptian Nightjar, Lesser Pied Kingfisher, Little green Bee-eater, Blue cheeked Bee-eater, Rock Martin, Yellow vented Bulbul, Common Bulbul, Graceful Warbler, Clamorous Reed Warbler, Nile Valley Sunbird.

Spain: Egyptian Vulture, Griffon Vulture, Red knobbed Coot, Monk Parakeet, Bonelli's Eagle, Calandra Lark, Thekla Lark, Black Wheatear, Spotless Starling, Rock Sparrow, Rock Bunting

Balearics: Eleonora's Falcon, Moustached Warbler.

Greece: Long legged Buzzard.

World List : 658 (I.O.C) as at 06/06/11

No specific birding trips, so again new species have come from various family holidays and our honeymoon to Bali and Singapore in 2001.

Canada: 2 family holidays. No rare birds, just lots and lots of good birds including a few magical days at Point Pelee with 30+ species of American Warbler.

Bali: Mainly birds seen on and around the beach and a few day-trips out of the resort. Personal highlights include Blue-throated Bee-eater, Savannah Nightjar, Bridled Tern , White-tailed Tropicbird, Fulvous-breasted Woodpecker.

Singapore: Only 3 days spent here on return journey home from Bali. Birds mainly seen wandering around the city and a day trip to Sentoza Island. Main highlights include: Black Eagle, Hwamei.