Review of the Year

Has to be done. A few numbers for the record...

According to eBird I saw 397 Species during the Year. My wonderful Texas visit logged 224 adding Sooty Tern...

...to bring my total to 472.  Finding a pair of Cape May Warblers was memorable indeed...

...as was the Magnificent Frigatebird...

...and the ridiculously tame Prothonotary Warbler...

My travels around Britain totalled 194 and included 4 New Birds...

Eleonora's Falcon 

Worth Marshes. Kent

Kelp Gull 

Grafham Water, Leics

Blackburnian Warbler 

Bryher, IOS

Here's one I saw earlier...

Corps Woods, Galveston

Red-tailed Shrike 

Bringing my British List to 536. There's a possibility of a couple more in due course? The Falcon and the Warbler were top drawer additions. Species of legendary status. My four visits to Bryher will remain long in the memory, especially the last one, when I ended up on my own with THE Bird!!!

Around the Village I managed a modest 135 adding a dodgy Parakeet and Pochard. putting me on 188. My Duff total was 83 and gave up a Redstart and Hen Harrier taking my total to 160. 

So, there we go then, the Year is over. I managed to see some quality Species I hadn't seen for quite a while i.e. Smew (drake), Turtle Dove, Pallid Swift, Crane, Black-winged Stilt, Greater Sand-Plover, Wilson's Snipe, Black Grouse, Goshawk, Honey Buzzard, Great Shearwater, Lesser-spotted Woodpecker,  Red-rumped Swallow, Bee-eater (breeding), Woodchat Shrike, Bearded Tit, Brambling (huge numbers).

These days since the advent of Social Media, everyone can rightly have an opinion. However some are more informed than others! As you know, I prefer to share mine here....and not get "nasty". If you've taken the time to dip in regularly or from time to time, I'm flattered and I hope you've found something of interest. I aim to make certain changes (not resolutions) next Year to enhance my Birding and general leisure time.

All being well, I have a trip to Cyprus to look forward too in March/April and my usual fortnight on my beloved Scilly in October. Here's to 2023...I hope you have a good one, wherever it may be...