0622 : Review of 2018.

 2018 was a strange kind of year. The weather went from very cold in March with 3 icy blasts of the "Beast From The East" to a very warm and sunny Summer where rain was something that was as elusive as a live Hen Harrier on a grouse moor. Spring migration seemed very quiet and solid westerlies for weeks and weeks in Autumn meant very little in the way of the expected migrants. Somehow despite all of that I ended up having my most productive year ever by roughly 10% more than ever before.

Osprey

This increase was largely down to getting out and about more, and also getting further afield around Scotland sometimes on my own, sometimes with Paul, Jacqui, Susan, Ian, Nat, and Roy. So firstly a very big thank you to all of them. Also a big thank you to everyone else who has offered, or given, me a lift from A to B at any time (John Anderson in particular, Willie Irvine, Ally Preston) or who has generously shared information or expertise or offered advice (Stuart Green in particular, Chris McGuigan, Ken Shaw, John Nadin, Rob Armstrong, Malcolm Ware, Graham Sparshott, and Alex Shepherd to name a few) and anyone who takes the time to read this blog, or has in any other way benefitted my birding this year, such as finders of the birds I've been fortunate enough to see, and apologies to anyone I've forgotten). Though year-listing isn't everyone's cup of tea it gives me a reason to get out and about when I could easily stay in bed, and the opportunity to learn and gain experience at the same time.

So without any further ado, on with the story of my 2018.......

January 1st was dry and I was out nice and early to kick-start the year-list. A Kingfisher at the ponds in Caird Park before sunrise was nice as was Dipper around sunrise on the Dighty Burn. From there it was the usual route to Broughty Ferry and back. Highlights included Bullfinch, Meadow Pipit and Stock Dove with a total of 54 for the day. Rain all day on the 2nd put paid to getting out birding but I still managed 1 addition with a Grey Wagtail during a quick trip round to the local shop. I headed to Wormiston on the 3rd to try for Lapland Bunting and Twite and was successful with both, along with Corn Bunting and Grey Partridge. Another unexpected surprise was a Mediterranean Gull found by Andy Pay.

On the 6th I did my usual Tayport to Leuchars walk. This produced Raven, Snow Bunting, White Tailed Eagle and Slavonian Grebes as well as Common and Velvet Scoters. The following day it was the Eden Estuary's turn to provide the riches. Scaup, Brent Goose, Pintail, Golden Plover and Whooper Swan being the best birds for the day. The Whhoper Swan took me to 100 for the year. A trip to Riverside Nature Park on the 10th gave me both Snipe and Jack Snipe, the latter far from guaranteed. The 17th added a few more birds with Coot, Iceland Gull and Peregrine in Arbroath and Shoveler, Pochard, Water Rail and Greenshank at Montrose Basin. A Little Gull was added around dusk at Westhaven.

I got out and about on the 24th with Nat for the only time this year with Green Sandpiper at Monikie the main addition. The 28th began dry and I took a bus to Ardler in Dundee to twitch a flock of Waxwings which I found without any trouble. A wander round nearby Camperdown Park for Jay proved fruitless, so plan B was a visit to Ninewells Arboretum where thankfully I found 1 thanks to it squabbling noisily with a Magpie. The 31st of January was my first of many outings this year with Paul Williams who I knew through BirdForum. With Paul working offhsore we arranged to have at least 2 Wednesdays out and about birding when he was back onshore.

Our first day out proved productive with Barn Owl at Kinnordy, Crossbill at Montreathmont and Little Egret among the 78 species seen. Paul got quite a few new ones that I'd seen already (Twite, Green Sandpiper, Iceland & Little Gulls to name a few). Our 2nd outing on the 7th February was spent in Fife and Kinross. Smew at Loch Ore and Green Woodpecker at Portmoak Moss were both added. The 10th of February gave me the opportunity to try somewhere new by foot (and bus) - Rossie Bog in Fife. I was looking for a Great White Egret and thanks to a Fife birder I found it, and was rewarded with amazingly close views for what seemed like ages. I also met Susan Falconer for the first time which proved productive for us both as the year progressed.

More twitching by bus and foot in Fife on the Sunday, this time to Kilconquhar Loch for a Red Crested Pochard which I forgot to video. Jacqui was already there and I got a lift back to Guardbridge from her which saved me a long bus journey. We also arranged for a trip somewhere the following weekend and decided on Perthshire. Nuthatch at Killiecrankie, Glaucous Gull at Pitlochry and Scone Palace's Hawfinches were all safely added to the growing list. Near the end of the first blast of "the Beast From The East" on the 3rd of March I headed north to Nethybridge (thankfully the trains between Perth & Aviemore were still running though the Dundee-Perth weren't but buses were) for a short break with Heatherlea that I had won money off the cost of.

Despite less than ideal conditions over the 3 day's worth of guided birding led by Mark Warren I added 9 species to the year-list though only 2 were not seen again elsewhere/later in the year. American Wigeon and Green Winged Teal were the one-offs. Others added included Golden Eagle, Crested Tit, Merlin, Red Kite and Black Grouse. A Kumlien's (Iceland) Gull adult was a first of age and subspecies for me. A few of the birds I missed out on up north were subsequently found locally - Great Northern Diver on the Tay on the 8th and Brambling on the 9th at Kinnordy. My 500th blog-post was a bit of a major milestone to reach.

Jacqui and I twitched a Black Redstart at Arbroath on a rather cold 18th of March and a few days later Paul and I found our first 'summer' migrant - a Sand Martin at Loch Leven. I met up with Susan on the 28th for a short trip to Mountcastle Quarry for a Greenland White Fronted Goose and a bonus Otter. April the 1st added a few more summer migrants - Chiffchaff and Wheatear at Barry Buddon. A trip to the Eden Estuary early on the 8th got me Swallow and Osprey for the year with the latter giving great views perched on a post in the river.

My 150th species of the year was seen on the 11th of April with a Black Necked Grebe at Elie and Woodcock at Crail along with my first sighting of Bottle Nosed Dolphins off Fife Ness for 2018. A visit to the Tay Reedbeds on the 14th of April added Bearded Tits and Marsh Harrier as well as my first ever sighting of an American Mink and my first butterfly sighting of the year - a Peacock. On the 15th I added Puffin near Auchmithie. I managed to get one of my best ever photos on the 17th - a head-on shot of an Osprey taking off carrying a flat-fish. Unfortunately, and inadvertantly, this photo caused a bit of hassle with others hoping to replicate it. I found a Mediterranean Gull at Letham Pools while out with Paul on the 18th.

A productive morning with Jacqui on the 21st added Short Eared Owl and Whimbrel at Ruddon's Point and Yellow Wagtails near Crail to the list as well as relatively close photos of the Elie Black Necked Grebe. A trip to the Angus Glens with Paul on the 25th added Swift, Ring Ouzel, Common Sandpiper, Redstart and Tree Pipit. On the 28th I decioded to try a train and bus trip to Musselburgh for Surf Scoter and White Winged Scoter. I managed distant views of the former and dipped on the latter. Another trip to the Tay Reedbeds on the 29th added Grasshopper Warbler and Sedge Warbler but no Reed Warbler. Paul and I headed to Perthshire on the 2nd of May which added Wood Warbler to our lists.

A Riverside Nature Park tick on the 5th of May in the shape of a nice Whinchat was a surprise find (number 142 for the park, following on from a Coot I found a few days earlier. Charles Rough took the total to 143 later in the year with the first Great Crested Grebe sighting). On the 6th Jacqui and myself had a very early start to head north to Aberdeenshire in an attempt to get White Billed Diver and to allow Jacqui to visit Troup Head. We were successful with both and also added 3 species of Tern including Little, which I missed out on last year. I headed to Kinnordy on the 8th where I caught up with Wood Sandpiper. I then got a lift to Murton from a local photographer which allowed me to add Little Ringed Plover and Grden Warbler (thanks again, Mark).

I had another attempt at the Musselburgh White Winged Scoter but only managed a subspecies tick in the shape of a nice Grey Headed Wagtail. A trip to Killiecrankie and the Angus Glens with Susan on the 10th added a Sika Deer and a Cuckoo as well as chancing upon a Golden Eagle. By the 11th I was a bit jaded but still managed to add Manx Shearwater courtesy of Stuart Green at Westhaven. A Caspian Gull turned up in Leven on the 11th of May so I planned on catching an early bus through to see it the following morning. Thankfully, Jacqui fancied seeing it too which meant that we arrived eralier than the bus would have. Had I relied on the bus I would have missed it as it flew off while we were watching it. Later the same day, I added a second lifer at Fife Ness Muir with a Marsh Warbler found by Mark Wilkinson who had also found the Caspian Gull the previous evening.

I had another trip to the Tay Reedbeds to try for Reed Warbler on the 13th and this time I was successful though I failed to get a hoped for photo. A week later on the 20th I decided to twitch a Garganey drake at Letham Pools by train and on foot. Thankfully the bird was easily found. On the 23rd I headed for Crail and managed to find a Spotted Flycatcher at Kilminning. Myself and Susan were joined by Roy Williamson who I knew via Twitter, to try for Pied Flycatcher at Killiecrankie. This time we were successful and a Comma butterfly was a nice surprise so far north. On the 30th Paul and I headed for Fife Ness for some sea-watching. A Black Throated Diver and an Arctic Skua made it worthwhile.

A trip to Perthshire on the 6th of June gave me my first ever Golden Ringed Dragonfly but no new birds though Paul got a few for his year-list. Another welcome insect find was a Ruby Tailed Wasp in Dundee City Centre behind Groucho's on the 10th. This was one of my most wanted insects and I managed to get a number of photos in the sunshine. Paul and I headed to Aberdeenshire on the 13th which got us both Elvis the King Eider, though he spent the time asleep. I finally bought the Nikon 200-500mm lens and tried it out successfully on the 20th for the first time. In combination with the D500 it has increased my 'hit' rate. By the end of June my list for the year sat at 191 species, only 14 off my previous best ever year with 6 months remaining.

On the 11th July I was lucky enough to catch sight of a Minke Whale off Fife Ness while sea-watching with Paul. On the 22nd of July, Jacqui and I headed west to try for Mandarins at Balloch then Black Guillemot and Hooded Crow nearby. There was no sign of the ducks and though we managed to see the others we decided to continue on to Oban in the hope of better views. Our encounter there with the Black Guillemots just a few feet away on the pavement was proper "silly grin" birding. The birds totally ignoring the comings and goings of tourists and photographers including us allowing us to get some really close views (too close for my lens at times, but not for my mobile phone!). A Hooded Crow adult and youngster not too far away were also filmed and photographed though rather further away from the cameras than the auks.

Susan and I headed north on the 23rd to Aberdeenshire to get Spoonbill on the Ythan though we spent some time at Montrose Basin first where we got Ruff and Little Stint eventually. Just before we left Newburgh beach I caught sight of a dark looking bird I couldn't identify as it disappeared behind the dunes but it didn't re-appear. An hour or so later a Sooty Tern which had been seen a few days previously then vanished was re-found. Paul and I headed norrth again on the Wednesday to try and see it. Jacqui had travelled up even earlier than us. Myself and Alex Shepherd spotted the bird and all of us eventually managed really good views of a far travlled lifer. Another Comma butterfly was found at St Cyrus on our way back down the road.

I decided on more sea-watching on the 28th and headed for Fife Ness for the day. I managed to see both my hoped for targets - Great Skua and Sooty Shearwater, as well as Manx Shearwaters and Arctic Skuas plus Whimbrel and Mediterranean Gull. I reached the 200 mark on the 4th of August with an early start with Jacqui to try and catch Roseate Tern at Westhaven where Stuart Green had seen a few already. We managed to find an adult and a youngster. Jacqui headed back home and I headed for Arbroath finding another Mediterranean Gull there then on to Lunan Bay where the hoped for pair of Black Terns that I'd missed out on a few days before at Montrose Basin were roosting as I suspected they might be. A Little Gull was an unexpected find there.

August was largely spent trying to see Curlew Sandpiper and Spotted Redshank as well as some sea-watching in the hope of some of the rarer seabirds. Manxies, Bonxies, Arctic Skuas and another young Mediterranean Gull were seen at Fife Ness on the 12th. I eventually managed to see Spotted Redshank using Susan's scope at Guardbridge on the 24th, though I accidentally knocked the scope as I moved to let Susan see the bird and couldn't re-locate it among the milling Redshanks. A trip north to Speyside on 20th with Paul was productive with year-ticks for him and a butterfly lifer for me - Scotch Argus. Myself and Susan twitched a Curlew Sandpiper after work on the 3rd of September which Jacqui and I had missed finding by a few minutes on the 2nd.

Hoping to finally match my previous best total I decided to head once more to Musselburgh on the 5th. I managed to see Pectoral Sandpiper at the Scrapes and eventually found a Red Necked Grebe offshore. Speckled Wood butterflies were numerous also. A Curlew Sandpiper was at Riverside Nature Park on the 9th. I showed Roy the Angus coastal sites on the 11th and ran into Stuart Green at Westhaven who had just found another Little Stint which gave us good views and a young Mediterranean Gull. Jacqui and I headed to Loch Leven on the 12th for another lifer for me which we had brief views of - a Ferruginous Duck, though there was no sign of a Lesser Scaup which had also been seen the day before.This bird took me past my best ever previous total.

On the 13th I photographed a bird which looked smaller and paler than a Greenshank - Marsh Sandpiper?, but which was asleep and overlooked at the time, at the Eden Estuary. One that got away, or just a runt Greenshank? With a trio of very good birds at Barns Ness in Lothian on the 22nd I looked into twitching them by train and on foot. The generous offer of a lift from Ian Laird from Blairgowrie via Twitter was gratefully received. We picked up the first - a Woodchat Shrike (lifer) easily, then required the help of Jacqui's pal, Fiona, to get the second - a Buff Breasted Sandpiper. The third, a Rose Coloured Starling proved impossible to track down so we headed for Musselburgh where Ian added Pectoral and Curlew Sandpiper and I finally caught up with White Winged Scoter (lifer).

Roy offered to take me to try again for the Rose Coloured Starling on the Monday but again it proved elusive. Roy offered again for the Wednesday but I was tired of the travelling so declined. Needless to say Roy saw the bird. While chatting to my pal, Ally about a US Navy helicopter I saw while sea-watching at Fife Ness, I mentioned I might be through his way the following day. He decided to join me even though he isn't really a birder but does sometimes photograph birds. Thankfully, Thursday proved more successful and we ended up with amazing close views of the young Rose Coloured Starling. Another lifer for me, the 3rd that week. On the 28th I went sea-watching again at Fife Ness and managed to see an unexpected Long Tailed Skua, which was very pleasing.

A partially leucistic Linnet was seen with the finch flock at Kilminning on the 3rd of October with Paul. Ian and I headed west on the 6th to try for Taiga Bean Geese, Ruddy Duck and Ring Necked Parakeet. We dipped on all three which shows you can't be lucky all the time. Another Little Stint and a Pomarine Skua were seen on the 8th at Fife Ness. Paul and I chanced upon a Yellow Browed Warbler at Kilminning on the 11th. On the 15th with Susan at Kilminning an odd-sounding warbler led us a bit of a merry dance. In the end it proved to be a Chiffchaff with a hint of a wing bar and not the Greenish Warbler that was mooted by a couple of birders present

I tried Angus for migrants on the 16th and bumped into a Red Breasted Flycatcher at Mains of Usan. Paul and I tried for the Bean Geese at Slamannan on the 17th and drew a blank. The 27th at Fife Ness was one of my most productive sea-watching days ever with a probable Black Throated Diver, plenty Red Throateds, a few Great Northern and an unexpected White Billed Diver, a variety of ducks, a Little Auk, Little Gull and a distant Pomarine Skua with spoons. I tried for a reported Ring Necked Parakeet in St Andrews but drew a blank on the 4th of November. Another Parakeet found by Stuart Green in Carnoustie was half-heartedly unsuccessfully looked for in less than ideal conditions on the 7th. On my 3rd attampt on the 10th I managed to finally square up my life list and Scottish list, having only previously seen Ring Necked Parakeet near London.

I reached another milestone with my blogging - posting my 600th post on the 12th of November. A surprise Spotted Redshank was found by me at Riverside Nature Park on the previous day. Paul and I failed to find a Great Grey Shrike at Montreathmont on the 14th of November, though we had far better luck with the Hoopoe at Montrose Basin the same day which was yet another lifer for me. On the 17th myself and Ian headed for Lothian again to try for Rough Legged Buzzard. We drew a blank but a Hen Harrier was adequate compensation. A Common Crane at Coldstream on the border was close enough to be worth trying for. We succeeded and got amazingly close views of Army Air Corps Apache helicopters on exercise in the same field.

A trip to see Waxwings, Ring Necked Parakeet and Great Grey Shrike with Susan and Roy only delivered on the Waxwings, though I was able to get Black Grouse for Roy later. Crossbills, Slavonian Grebe, Green Woodpecker and a Short Eared Owl were decent enough finds around Tentsmuir on the 26th though a full breeding plumaged Grey Plover was totally unexpected. Paul and I finally caught up with the Taiga Bean Geese on the 27th. Stuart Green found a Shorelark at Barry Buddon in early December but the range was off-limits owing to live firing all week. I gambled on the bird sticking around and went for it early on the morning of Saturday the 8th. Thankfully I was in luck, though the bird was way more skittish than the Fife birds of a few years ago.

Water Pipit had been reported at the Cocklemill Burn near Ruddon's Point in Fife so I decided it was worth twitching as the Lothian birds were seemingly rather mobile this year. The very first Pipit I saw turned out to be the Water Pipit and later in tha day I found a second bird (which we'd suspected earlier in the day as Graham Sparshott had been watching one seemingly at the same time as us along at the Point). Susan and I tried for the Shorelark on a really wild day on the 15th and saw what was probably the bird but couldn't be certain. We tried for Jack Snipe at the Nature Park but drew a blank. The Spotted Redshank however was still around.

While searching for an Angus Water Pipit on the 19th I found a Black Redstart at Arbroath. Jacqui and I tried for Great Grey Shrike at Montreathmont on the 22nd but there was no sign. Lots of Corn Buntings at Boghead Farm and a brief view of the Arbroath Black Redstart were decent compensation. I discovered that the Mandarin Duck in Aberdeen which summers in Norway was actually walkable from the railway station and with nothing much else around I decided to try for it on the 23rd. Thankfully I found it easily and then stopped off at Arbroath and finally had good close views of the Black Redstart.

On Boxing Day I found 3 different Buzzards and possibly 3 different Sparrowhawks in Eastern Cemetery - more raptors than I see in some visits to some of the Angus Glens in an area smaller than a single hillside. 100 or so Waxwings were around on the Kingsway. Paul and I headed out on the 27th to try to add to his year-list with 5 local birds that he still required. We managed 4 - Spotted Redshank, Shorelark, Black Redstart and Surf Scoter with the latter finally found just as we were about to give up, after sunset. I headed out on the 30th not knowing where I might go but ended up around the Leuchars and Tentsmuir area where I found one last bird for the year-list. A pale grey-ish  Redpoll in a flock of obviously brown Lessers. Most likely just a Mealy but a slim chance of an Arctic.

I've noted it as a Redpoll sp. taking my year-list way beyond my previous best to 224 species. If I was counting sub-species too, I could also add White Wagtail, Grey Headed Wagtail, Kumlien's Gull and "Sinensis" Cormorant. I also reached my total without resorting to seeking out schedule 1 birds in breeding habitat during the breeding season so no Dotterel or Capercaillie for me. The one bird I had on my list that I wasn't 100% convinced of (a Hobby over St Andrews) was removed after some thought. I managed 8 lifers this year - Caspian Gull, Marsh Warbler. Sooty Tern, Ferruginous Duck, Woodchat Shrike, White Winged Scoter, Rose Coloured Starling and Hoopoe.

In addition to the birds I've made more of an effort to record animals (mostly mammals), butterflies and dragonflies when out and about. I managed to see 23 species of animal, 17 of butterfly and 6 of dragonfly/damselfly. All in all a really good year for me, and hopefully 2019 will be another good one - fingers crossed for some actual local migration action in both Spring and Autumn. Again there were no reports of Lesser Whitethroats at Riverside Nature Park and they were very scarce elsewhere unlike 2017. Bittern, Ptarmigan, Tawny Owl, Barred Warbler, Great Grey Shrike and maybe Red Backed Shrike were all birds that could reasonably be expected but that I failed to see this year. I certainly can't complain though. Roll on 2019....

Lapland Bunting

Skylark

Corn Bunting

Mediterranean Gull

Goldeneye

Twite

Twite

Common Frog

Grey Heron

Song Thrush

Rook

Jackdaw

Starling

Whooper Swan & Pink Footed Goose

Snipe

Kingfisher

Water Rail

Scaup

Rock Pipit

Iceland Gull

Peregrine

Grey Plover

Little Gull

Green Sandpiper

Pink Footed Goose (despite the orange legs)

Grey Heron

Long Tailed Tit

Goosander

Bullfinch

Robin

Lesser Redpoll

Little Egret

Little Gull & Sanderling

Dipper

Mistle Thrush

Redwing

Jack Snipe

Goosander

Black Headed Gull

Wigeon

Goldeneye

Waxwing

Snipe

Buzzard

Grey Wagtail

Mute Swan

Moorhen & Coot

Barn Owl

Yellowhammer

Redshank

Sparrowhawk

Crossbill

Siskin & Goldfinch

Goldcrest

Grey Wagtail

Stonechat

Great Black Backed Gull

Cormorant

Smew

Bullfinch

Green Woodpecker

Great White Egret

Great White Egret

Great White Egret

Pochard & Red Crested Pochard

Teal

Carrion Crow

Sparrowhawk

Nuthatch

Glaucous Gull

Red Legged Partridge

Hawfinch

Mute Swan, Smew & Greylag Goose

Black Headed Gull

Sparrowhawk

Common Gull

Black Headed Gull

Kittiwake

Wigeon

Fieldfare

Turnstone

Wigeon

Oystercatcher

Bar Tailed Godwit

Shag

Stock Dove

Magpie

Greenland White Fronted Goose & Pink Footed Goose

Otter

Great Tit

Crested Tit

Red Kite

Raven

Red Deer

Mountain Hare

Golden Eagle

Red Legged Partridge

Kumlien's Gull

American Wigeon

Scaup

Barnacle Goose & Pink Footed Goose

Teal, Green Winged Teal, Mallard & Wigeon

Brent Goose

Merlin

Turnstone & Purple Sandpiper

Eider

Long Tailed Duck

Carrion x Hooded Crow hybrid

Dipper

Buzzard

Treecreeper

House Sparrow

Jackdaw

Rook

Buzzard & White Tailed Eagle

Red Squirrel

Slavonian Grebe

Green Woodpecker

Great Northern Diver

Brambling

Greylag Goose

Long Tailed Tit

Whooper Swan

Pheasant

Tree Sparrow

Siskin

Shelduck

Gadwall

Black Redstart

Ringed Plover

Oystercatcher

Cormorant

Stonechat

Herring Gull

Kittiwake

Common Gull

Chiffchaff

Herring Gull

Black Tailed Godwit

Oystercatcher

Pink Footed Goose & Greenland White Fronted Goose

Pink Footed Goose

Pink Footed Goose

Osprey (Blue YD)

Pied Wagtail

Osprey (Blue YD)

Osprey (Blue YD)

Osprey (Blue YD)

Skylark

Buzzard

Tree Sparrow

Redshank

Great Spotted Woodpecker

Black Necked Grebe

Shag

Rock Pipit

Blackbird

Stock Dove

Grey Partridge

Woodcock

Goldfinch

Yellowhammer

Long Tailed Duck

Red Throated Diver

Red Throated Diver

Velvet Scoter

Pheasant

Dunnock

Treecreeper (tongue protruding through lower mandible)

Chaffinch

American Mink

Great Crested Grebe

Common Toad

Sand Martin

Chaffinch

Roe Deer

Linnet

Goldcrest

House Sparrow

Red Throated Diver

Fulmar

Collared Dove

Greenfinch

Skylark

Red Breasted Merganser

Sparrowhawk

Osprey

Osprey

Osprey

Osprey

Sparrowhawk

Mediterranean Gull

Woodpigeon

Jackdaw

Blackcap

Little Grebe

Eider

Black Necked Grebe

Skylark

Short Eared Owl

White Wagtail

Yellow Wagtail

Pink Footed Goose

Red Grouse

Wheatear

Red Squirrel

Ring Ouzel

Redstart

Tree Pipit

Black Grouse

Marsh Harrier

Little Egret

Puffin

Grasshopper Warbler

Marsh Harrier

Coot

Coal Tit

Shelduck

Manx Shearwater

Shag

Black Throated Diver

Arctic Skua

Nuthatch

Whinchat

Wheatear

Whitethroat

White Billed Diver

Gannet

Gannet

Skylark

Whimbrel

Little Tern

Common Tern

Marsh Harrier & Greylag Goose

Wood Sandpiper

Garden Warbler

Greylag Goose

Little Ringed Plover

Skylark, Grey Headed Wagtail & Pied Wagtail

Eider

Wood Warbler

Golden Eagle

Cuckoo

Caspian Gull

Caspian Gull

Black Necked Grebe

Yellow Wagtail

Marsh Warbler

Carrion Crow

Orange Tip

Dipper

Shoveler

Redshank

Mallard

Red Kite

Garganey

Green Veined White

Eyed Ladybird

Swallow

Corn Bunting

Sedge Warbler

Pied Flycatcher

Red Breasted Merganser

Comma

Large Red Damselfly

Tree Pipit

Skylark

Silver Y moth

Pill Woodlouse

Small Heath

Fallow Deer

Treecreeper

Spotted Flycatcher

Common Seal & Herring Gull

Sandwich Tern

Arctic Tern

Kittiwake

Greenshank

Grey Heron

Osprey

Mallard

Woodpigeon

Great Tit

Goosander

Lapwing

Lapwing

Canada Goose

Magpie

Oystercatcher

Bottlenose Dolphin

Common Scoter

Large(?) White

House Martin

Shieldbug sp.

Ruby Tailed Wasp

Ruby Tailed Wasp

Tree Sparrow

Minke Whale & Gannet

Woodpigeon

Small Tortoiseshell

Swift

Small(?) White

Peregrine

Bank Vole

Willow Warbler

Dunlin

Black Guillemot

Black Guillemot

Hooded Crow

Dark Green Fritillary

Sooty Tern

Sooty Tern

Comma

Small Copper

Common Blue

Great Black Backed Gull & Mallard

Manx Shearwater

Great Skua

Cormorant

Whimbrel

Mediterranean Gull

Lesser Black Backed Gull

Buzzard

Little Egret

Woodpigeon

Sparrowhawk

Red Admiral

Painted Lady

Great Skua

Little Egret

Raven & Kestrel

Crested Tit

Red Deer

Scotch Argus

Slavonian Grebe

Black Darter

Long Tailed Tit

Little Grebe

Greylag x Barnacle Goose hybrid

Buzzard

Red Fox

Roseate Tern

Roseate Tern

Willow Warbler

Mediterranean Gull & Black Headed Gull

Swallow

Ringed Plover

Black Tern & Common Tern

Common Sandpiper

Stock Dove

Jackdaw

Oystercatcher

Crossbill

Greenshank

Grey Heron

Whimbrel

Knot

Ruff

Spotted Redshank & Redshank

Goosander

Golden Plover

Sparrowhawk

Red Throated Diver

Arctic Skua

Great Black Backed Gull

Arctic Skua & Kittiwake

Bar Tailed Godwit

Peregrine

Curlew Sandpiper

Speckled Wood

Linnet

Pectoral Sandpiper

Skua sp.

Skua sp.

Black tailed Godwit, Redshank & Curlew Sandpiper

Great Skua

Great Skua

Grey Seal

Brent Goose

Purple Sandpiper

Little Stint & Sanderling

Mediterranean Gull & Black Headed Gull

Gadwall, Tufted Duck, Mallard, Ferruginous Duck, Pochard

Kingfisher

Golden Plover

Brent Goose

Ruff

Shelduck, Peregrine & Redshank

Swallow

Greenfinch

White Tailed Eagle

House Sparrow

Reed Bunting

Snipe

Woodchat Shrike

Wheatear

Buff Breasted Sandpiper

White Winged Scoter

Velvet Scoter

Teal

Sparrowhawk

Arctic Skua

Cormorant

Rose Coloured Starling

Collared Dove

Black Throated Diver

Long Tailed Skua

Barnacle Goose

Arctic Skua

Little Stint

Wheatear

Ringed Plover

Rock Pipit

Sparrowhawk

Arctic Skua

Arctic Skua

Kittiwake

Great Skua

Common Gull

Brambling

Roe Deer

Fieldfare

Chiffchaff

Chiffchaff

Goldeneye

Red Breasted Flycatcher

Roe Deer

Great Northern Diver

White Billed Diver

Velvet Scoter

Little Auk

Great Northern Diver

Moorhen

Wren

Stonechat

Red Squirrel

Linnet (& partially leucistic)

Arctic Skua

Arctic Skua

Little Grebe

Mistle Thrush

Fieldfare

Waxwing

Redwing

Fieldfare & Redwing

Buzzard

Robin

Spotted Redshank

Shorelark

Surf Scoter & Common Scoter

Lesser Redpoll & Redpoll sp. (probably Mealy)

Whooper Swan

Great Crested Grebe

Velvet Scoter & Common Scoter

Dipper

Ring Necked Parakeet

Stonechat

Wigeon

Pied Wagtail

Sparrowhawk

Hoopoe

Hoopoe

Raven

Hen Harrier & Red Grouse

Hen Harrier

Red Grouse

Crane

Crane

Waxwing

Waxwing

Black Grouse

Spotted Redshank, Redshank & Black Tailed Godwit

Teal

Crossbill

Grey Plover, Knot & Dunlin

Taiga Bean Goose

Peregrine

Pied Wagtail

Jay

Shorelark

Short Eared Owl

Sanderling

Pink Footed Goose

Coal Tit

Water Pipit

Water Pipit

Kestrel

Purple Sandpiper

Reed Bunting

Corn Bunting

Mandarin

Mandarin

Black Redstart

Grey(?) Seal

Species seen  (in order, by month)

January 1st - Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Carrion Crow, Siskin, Woodpigeon, Blackbird, Wren, Blue Tit, Goldcrest, Kingfisher, Robin, Mallard, Moorhen, Feral Pigeon, Jackdaw, Dipper, Grey Heron, Great Tit, Black Headed Gull, Pink Footed Goose, Chaffinch, Coal Tit, Starling, Tufted Duck, Dunnock, Mute Swan, Common Gull, Pied Wagtail, Magpie, Fieldfare, Long Tailed Tit, Redwing, Buzzard, Mistle Thrush, Sparrowhawk, Linnet, Oystercatcher, Goldfinch, Redshank, Eider, Turnstone, Shag, Red Breasted Merganser, Meadow Pipit, Cormorant, Greenfinch, Bullfinch, Song Thrsuh, Ringed Plover, Dunlin, Wigeon, Goldeneye, Rock Pipit, Stock Dove.

January (2nd onwards) - Grey Wagtail, Rook, Pheasant, Reed Bunting, Skylark, Yellowhammer, Grey Partridge, Lapland Bunting, Kestrel, Corn Bunting, Great Black Backed Gull, Curlew, Purple Sandpiper, Sanderling, Mediterranean Gull, Shelduck, Red Throated Diver, Kittiwake, Guillemot, Gannet, Stonechat, Twite, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Collared Dove, Bar Tailed Godwit, Treecreeper, Raven, Lesser Redpoll, Little Grebe, Snow Bunting, White Tailed Eagle, Long Tailed Duck, Grey Plover, Common Scoter, Velvet Scoter, Slavonian Grebe, Fulmar, Great Crested Grebe, Razorbill, Scaup, Brent Goose, Pintail, Lapwing, Tree Sparrow, Black Tailed Godwit, Whooper Swan, Teal, Knot, Goosander, Golden Plover, Jack Snipe, Snipe, Coot, Shoveler, Pochard, Water Rail, Greenshank, Iceland Gull, Peregrine, Little Gull, Green Sandpiper, Gadwall, Waxwing, Jay, Barn Owl, Greylag Goose, Crossbill, Little Egret.

February - Smew, Green Woodpecker, Great White Egret, Red Crested Pochard, Nuthatch, Glaucous Gull, Red Grouse, Red Legged Partridge, Hawfinch.

March - Black Grouse, Crested Tit, Red Kite, Golden Eagle, American Wigeon, Barnacle Goose, Green Winged Teal, Merlin, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Great Northern Diver, Brambling, Black Redstart, Sand Martin, (Greenland) White Fronted Goose.

April - Chiffchaff, Wheatear, Swallow, Osprey, Black Necked Grebe, Woodcock, Blackcap, Sandwich Tern, Marsh Harrier, Bearded Tit, Canada Goose, Willow Warbler, Puffin, House Martin, Short Eared Owl, Whimbrel, Yellow Wagtail, Swift, Common Sandpiper, Ring Ouzel, Redstart, Tree Pipit, Surf Scoter, Grasshopper Warbler, Sedge Warbler.

May - Wood Warbler, Whinchat, Whitethroat, White Billed Diver, Common Tern, Arctic Tern, Little Tern, Wood Sandpiper, Little Ringed Plover, Garden Warbler, Cuckoo, Manx Shearwater, Caspian Gull, Marsh Warbler, Reed Warbler, Garganey, Spotted Flycatcher, Pied Flycatcher, Black Throated Diver, Arctic Skua.

June - King Eider.

July - Black Guillemot, Hooded Crow, Ruff, Little Stint, Spoonbill, Sooty Tern, Sooty Shearwater, Great Skua.

August - Roseate Tern, Black Tern, Spotted Redshank.

September - Curlew Sanpiper, Pectoral Sandpiper, Red Necked Grebe, Ferruginous Duck, Woodchat Shrike, Buff Breasted Sandpiper, White Winged Scoter, Rose Coloured Starling, Long Tailed Skua.

October - Pomarine Skua, Yellow Browed Warbler, Red Breasted Flycatcher, Little Auk.

November - Ring Necked Parakeet, Hoopoe, Hen Harrier, Common Crane, Taiga Bean Goose.

December - Shorelark, Water Pipit, Mandarin Duck, Redpoll sp. (probably Mealy).   

Animals seen - Grey Seal, Common Frog, Roe Deer, Red Squirrel, Fox, Stoat, Rabbit, Grey Squirrel, Brown Hare, Weasel, Red Deer, Feral Goat, Mountain Hare, Otter, Bottlenose Dolphin, American Mink, Common Toad, Common Seal, Sika Deer, Fallow Deer, Minke Whale, Bank Vole, Wood Mouse.

Butterflies - Peacock, Green Veined White, Small Tortoiseshell, Large White, Orange Tip, Small White, Comma, Red Admiral, Small Heath, Meadow Brown, Ringlet, Common Blue, Dark Green Fritillary, Small Copper, Painted Lady, Scotsh Argus, Speckled Wood.

Dragonflies - Large Red Damselfly, Common Blue Damselfly, Golden Ringed Dragonfly, Blue Tailed Damselfly, Common Darter, Black Darter.