Monday 23 July 2018

YORKSHIRE LIST - Update

The recent excitement spurred me into action regarding keeping my Yorkshire List topical. It was quite appropriate actually going from disaster to triumph in a few hours. The years slip by and change (not always for the better IMHO) is inevitable. For the record I moved to Yorkshire in 1987 but only started County listing in the early 1990's.

I asked John Hewitt for the latest spreadsheet and I've spent some time trying to get the numbers correct. You know my (dated) thoughts on "changes" but for listing purposes I feel I have to "tow the line".  I promise I won't mention DNA...well just once!

So, for a bit of fun? I've decided to relive some of the ups and downs of the list. It brought back lots of memories...good and bad!

I'll get the disappointments out of the way first...

Holiday dips

July 1989
Stilt Sandpiper - Flamborough/Catwick
Blue-cheeked Bee-eater - Cowden

August 2002
Aquatic Warbler - Spurn

April 2003
Taiga Flycatcher - Flamborough

April 2013
Baikal Teal - Flamborough
Rock Thrush - Spurn
Caspian Tern - Spurn

April 2014
Crag Martin - Flamborough. My second!!! I was actually at home but we had to be at Manchester Airport by noon.

Quite an impressive list of woe BUT as said previously, my holidays are VERY important to me. The April dips could be seen as bad planning but I was fully aware of the consequences. To miss THREE in 2013 was particularly bad luck. I've since got the Tern "back". Be on your toes next Spring as I'll be away again April/May! Missing the Bee-eater and Stilt in July also couldn't be anticipated I feel. Then again...what can!

Work dips

September 1994
Lanceolated Warbler - Filey
Not been teaching long and I had a fixture after school.

October 2016
Black-browed Albatross - Bempton
On the Bus when I got a call from Trevor informing me it was sat on the cliff!!!  Nearly went for a mystery tour!

Family Dip

April 1994
Crag Martin - West Yorks.
Having seen the bird in Leicestershire the day before I was marooned on the Knavesmire in York watching my lads play Football as the bird toured sites in West Yorkshire late afternoon.


Bad Luck/Bad Planning Dips

June 1992
Marmora's Warbler - Made it to Spurn after work but only saw shapes in the half-light at dusk.

September 1992
Penduline Tit - I didn't appreciate the significance of the record for the County at the time.

October 1999
Short-billed Dowitcher - Seen at Bran Sands, South Gare but I couldn't get there in time.

September 2011
Sandhill Crane - long shot but the bird from Scotland was seen at Whitby. I went to Filey but no joy.

September 2016
Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler - frustrating one with the bird trapped at Spurn.

July 2018
Audouin's Gull - you've heard that one!

I think that's it? I was also confused about the Redpolls as I'd read on-line that the IOC/BOU were to recognize two species. Apparently it's now confirmed as three...as before. So, I regain a tick. As I understand it then my current Yorkshire list stands at 387. My complete list can be viewed by clicking the BUBO tab above.

I guess it would be nice to reach 400 before my time is up?

Nearly forgot!!!

To redress the balance, I do have two rather good Yorkshire ticks, both from Spurn...

September 1990
RED-EYED VIREO

October 1995
CLIFF SWALLOW

Other memorable moments over the years for various reasons include...

White-billed Diver
Wilson's Phalarope
White-tailed Sea Eagle
Little Bustard
Ivory Gull
Ross's Gull
Caspian Tern
Roller
Blackpoll Warbler
Bobolink

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