It's amazing just how quickly the end of the year comes around again. It really doesn't seem all that long ago that I summed up what was a personal record-breaking 2018 in a blog-post and yet here I am again with 2019 to do likewise for. Largely thanks to Ian I managed to add 15 lifers to my life list which is slowly approaching 300, mostly, but not now exclusively from the Scottish mainland - a few visits to England this year meant my not long merged life/Scottish list has diverged into 2 parts once again.
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| Osprey & Common Gull |
I also got out and about and saw some good birds with Paul, Lainy and Adam, Susan, Jacqui as well as with Roy and Carolyn. I also spent a bit of time birding with Matt Jackson, Stuart Green, Fiona McLean, Will Cresswell and John Anderson among numerous others. It was also good to put faces to names and meet some new folk too. Once again, a big thank you to all those I've been fortunate enough to get out birding with, or got a much needed lift somewhere with, or who has shared info on where best to look for certain species, or got me onto a particular bird. My year-list would be far shorter without your help, so thanks again, and I will doubtless catch up with a large proportion of you again in 2020.
And so on to the actual review of the year part. January 2019 began with a trip round Angus with Paul on the 1st which resulted in 70 species seen. The majority of the rarer birds went into hiding for the day so the over-wintering Spotted Redshank at Riverside Nature Park was the main highlight. I met up with Paul in Fife again on the 2nd, though I did add Waxwings in The Howff cemetery in Dundee city centre before catching the bus. Water Pipit at Cocklemill Burn, Raven over the Shell Bay caravan park, Black Necked Grebe at Elie and Crossbill and Smew at Cameron Reservoir all resulted in another productive day out. A return trip to Cameron Reservoir with Susan the following day added a surprise Tawny Owl.
I headed for Lothian on the 4th to meet up with Roy and Carolyn in the hope of adding a few more species. More Waxwings delayed us slightly but we added Twite at John Muir Country Park and Shorelark at Kilspindie (at our second attempt there as well as dipping at JMCP) as well as Surf Scoter off Musselburgh. I refound the elusive Black Redstart at Arbroath on the 5th and also managed decent views of Short Eared Owl on the golf course at Elliot. Another trip out with Paul on the 9th added Ring Necked Parakeet in Carnoustie and Green Sandpiper at Monikie. A trip to try for Taiga Bean Geese at Slamannan followed by an attempt at Ring Billed Gull at Strthclyde Country Park with Ian drew a blank on both targets but a Todd's Canada Goose with a flock of Pink Footed Geese near Slamannan was decent compensation (and a lifer of sorts).
Another trip out with Ian on the Sunday was more successful with a Coue's Arctic Redpoll (and some Mealys) added at Hopes Reservoir up in the hills to the south of Edinburgh. We then headed to Coldstream where we found Great White Egret and Crane stood side by side on the English side of the Tweed. No Apache helicopters this time though. I managed to add Green Woodpecker and Brambling at Tentsmuir on the 16th and Mediterranean Gull was added at Buckhaven with Jacqui on the 19th. A trip to the Angus Glens on the 20th with Jacqui added an unexpected Hen Harrier as well as Red Kite and Black Grouse to the list. A Great Northern Diver was seen off Fife Ness on another trip out with Jacqui on the 24th.
February wasn't quite as productive as January but 2 different Merlins in Fife with Paul on the 6th were welcome. A trip to Scone Palace on 23rd added Hawfinch and Nuthatch and I met a birder from Yorkshire who I'd met there 2 years previously who somehow recognised me - I wish my memory for faces was as good as his clearly was. The 25th was spent at Out Head where I had a productive few hours photographing a Snow Bunting and enjoyed a good chat with Sam Taylor. A pair of Bearded Tits at Loch of Kinnordy on the 26th were another welcome surprise. A trip to Ayrshire with Ian on the 3rd of March added my second lifer of the year - a Chough at Turnberry golf course as well as a Jack Snipe as we wandered back to the car via some pools just off a fairway.
Little Gulls were seen with Paul at Monikie on the 20th and another expedition westwards with Ian on the 30th was very successful. Hooded Crow, Black Guillemot, Pied Billed Grebe and Black Duck all targets successfully found (eventually). The latter 2 species were further lifers for me. A trip to the Tay Reedbeds on the 31st with Susan resulted in a lucky wrong turn which meant we stumbled on a goose flock by Errol airfield where I almost immediately found a European White Fronted Goose and Susan found a Barnacle Goose, both of which were year-ticks. April began with House Martin and Swallow when I tagged along with Kris Gibb and his pal to Birnie and Gaddon on the 7th. Manx Shearwater and Sandwich Tern were noted off Fife Ness on the 8th. A trip north for White Billed Diver with Ian and his pal, Kenny drew a blank though we added Spoonbill at Strathbeg on the way home.
Water Rail, Osprey and Little Ringed Plover were the next additions in April in Angus. I led a guided walk at Riverside Nature Park on the 17th where the first Willow Warbler of the year was the only addition to the year-list. A trip to Crail on the 21st gave me my first Yellow Wagtail of the year and a stop at the Eden Estuary later added Whimbrel also. Wood Sandpiper at Loch of Kinnordy on the 24th was followed by Grasshopper Warbler and Sedge Warbler at the Tay Reedbeds on the 25th. Another trip with Ian through to Lothian on the 26th turned out to be very successful. I spoke to former Birdwatch magazine editor, Dominic Mitchell when we arrived at Musselburgh who confirmed the White Winged Scoter (and Surf Scoter) were close in, and we caught up with them without any problems.
We were joined by Roy and we all headed for Barns Ness where once again we bumped into Dominic Mitchell. This was to prove to be very fortuitous as he later found a Wryneck, then caught up with us to let us know, before re-finding what was a very welcome lifer for us (and a few others who arrived quickly when word went out). In addition we also saw Yellow Wagtail, Grasshopper Warbler, Whimbrel and a Glaucous Gull. It was certainly one of the best days birding of the year. A trip to Crail on the 27th for a Wood Warbler at Denburn Wood and a Pied Flycatcher at Kilminning was also successful. In addition Lesser Whitethroat was also new for the year. A trip out on the 28th with Adam and Lainy McCormack saw us head for the Angus Glens where Cuckoo and Whinchat were adds for my year-list. Another trip out on the 4th of May to Fife with Adam and Lainy added Garden Warbler and Garganey.
A trip north to Aberdeenshire with Paul on the 8th of May added Common, Arctic and Little Tern as well as our first Swift of the year. A trip to the Angus Glens with Susan on the 11th was very successful with Tree Pipit, Redstart, Woodcock, Spotted Flycatcher and Ring Ouzel all noted. Another trip to Aberdeenshire with Paul on the 15th added another lifer in the shape of Iberian Chiffchaff. My first Bonxie of the year was seen off Fife Ness on the 18th. June was largely quiet though a trip west on the 26th with Paul for Hooded Crow and Black Guillemot gave us both Ring Billed Gull at an undisclosed location after a bit of a diversion. A foray into England with Ian on the 29th saw us head for Northumberland. I added 3 lifers - Baikal Teal, Little Owl and Lesser Scaup (at St Abb's) as well as Ruff, Reed Warbler and Avocet for the year.
A Ruddy Shelduck at Montrose Basin on the 6th of July was only my second ever sighting of the species, having seen 4 there years ago. Roseate Tern and Arctic Skua were seen off Westhaven on the 27th. A Sooty Shearwater past Fife Ness on the 17th August was one of only a handful of new species seen that month with White Tailed Eagle added at the Eden Estuary on 26th and a trip to Lothian on 27th giving me both Pectoral and Curlew Sandpipers. Thankfully September proved more fruitful and having attempted and failed to see Black Tern at Dysart on the morning of the 1st with Ian, a trip to Arbroath on the train in the afternoon found 3 of the species together briefly on the rocks near the harbour.
Another trip with Ian to Lothian on the 15th added Little Stint - the only addition of a week's holiday intended to be spent birding. Another week's holiday after a week back at work was thankfully more productive beginning on the 23rd with my first Yellow Browed Warbler and a Red Breasted Flycatcher seen near Kilminning/Fife Ness. Even better was a Little Bunting which I tentatively ID'd later but didn't feel quite confident enough to put out as the photos I'd managed to grab were almost impossible to view in the bright sunshine. Thankfully the ID was confirmed later at home, giving me my bird of the year and a new self-found lifer.
The rest of the week added Pomarine and a few Long Tailed Skua in Angus as well as Barred Warbler with Ian at Kilminning. A possible Yellow Legged Gull seen at Elliot with Susan on the 29th turned out to be more likely a hybrid Lesser Black Backed x Herring Gull. 3 different Mediterranean Gulls, Long Tailed, Arctic and Great Skua as well as an unexpected Black Tern made for a productive day's birding. I turned 50 early in October and took 2 weeks holiday off work to try to find more birds for the year-list. A trip south with Ian on the 4th added another lifer with Greenish Warbler seen, though I failed to get photos owing to its elusive nature.
While browsing Twitter on the 9th I found a photo from Lainy McCormack of a Yellow Browed Warbler that looked a bit odd. I asked her where she'd seen it and if she had anymore photos of it. She had 1 more of the bird which she'd photographed at Kilminning earlier in the day. As I suspected it was actually a Pallas's Warbler so I put word out on the Fife grapevine and arranged with Lainy and Adam to head back over in the morning. There were plenty folk looking when we arrived but Yellow Browed Warbler seemed to be the best of what was still around. Unfortunately, sightings of the species (still needed by Lainy) didn't coincide with Lainy being in the vicinity. By lunchtime, the concensus was that the Pallas's had moved on and most birders left.
I put in extra effort to get YBW for Lainy and eventually just after 1400 a bird popped out in front of us and I tried to get Lainy onto it. As the bird turned I realised that it wasn't a YBW after all, but was actually the very elusive Pallas's Warbler. Unfortunately, I missed out on photos but thankfully Will Cresswell and John Anderson managed to photograph the bird well the following morning but it disappeared before the weekend came around. A trip westwards with Ian on the 14th gave me another lifer - Cattle Egret near Stirling, as well as Blue Winged Teal near Glasgow and the Taiga Bean Geese near Slamannan. A Black Throated Diver was added at Dalgety Bay on the 16th and another trip west on the 23rd with Paul added Ruddy Duck, White Rumped Sandpiper and Snow Goose.
November was rather quiet compared to October but a trip northwards with Ian and his pal Kenny on the 23rd added Crested Tit and American Wigeon. I had a few attempts to see Black Scoter at Lunan Bay but the light was against me the first twice. Thankfully, I was successful on my 3rd attempt on the 30th - though a new scope (a belated 50th birthday present to myself) certainly helped. Another trip to Northumberland on the 7th of December added yet another lifer - a Long Billed Dowitcher as well as a Green Winged Teal to the list. One final addition was made when I headed for Aberdeen for Mac the Mandarin on the 18th, taking my year-list to 233, 9 ahead of the total for 2018. Even with the birds only seen in Northumberland I still beat last year's total for Scotland. There is a possibility that some of the wildfowl may not get accepted by the relevant rarities committees but as things stand 2019 is another record-breaking year for me (and should remain so).
In addition to the year-list stuff there were also plenty of other highlights including a Short Eared Owl in off the sea having predicted to Ian and Matt the very thing potentially happening. Also I managed to find a reasonable number of Roseate Terns and Long Tailed Skuas at the coast. The 3 Black Terns together was another nice find. I spotted another few Yellow Wagtails away from their Crail farms and Skateraw strongholds. A leucistic Eider on the Ythan and a leucistic Pink Footed Goose at Montrose Basin were also nice to see. Spoonbills seemed to be everywhere with roughly a similar number seen in 1 day (8) than I think I've seen in total up to this year.I finally was in the right place to get some close Osprey fishing photos, though the light wasn't brilliant, but I was pleased to get the photos (see main pic for my favourite of the batch).
There were some birds missed that I've caught up in previous years with Red Necked Grebe the main bogey species. Others missed included Bittern, Goshawk, Golden Eagle, Ptarmigan, Iceland Gull, Little Auk, Barn Owl, Red Backed Shrike and Lapland Bunting. There were a few species that should have been gettable with Bluethroat the one that proved the most disappointing with 14 on the Isle of May but apparently none in Fife, as well as birds in Aberdeenshire and Lothian. A Hoopoe at St Abb's which went the other way to St Cyrus, as we headed south to see it was mildly frustrating. An Egyptian Goose also popped up in a few places that I didn't manage to get to.
I added a few new Butterflies to my relatively short list of species seen, with Wall and Small Skipper both seen in Lothian. A new Dragonfly for me was a probable Brilliant Emerald in Glen Orchy. I also managed to ID a few Solitary Bee species in late Spring at various sites. Helping others to add new species to their life lists (and year-lists) is always rewarding and something I hope to continue next year. My list of photographed bird species increased again with only 7 species now requiring a record shot (and 3 others needing an improved photo). Videos were also added for a few more species with only 55 now requiring some sort of video recording. With the camera likely to take a bit of a backseat in 2020 it may be the case that there are not too many additions next year on either list - though it is likely that a camera will accompany me on any twitching trip for lifers.
Photos can be seen here - https://www.flickr.com/photos/stonefaction/albums
and Videos can be seen here - https://www.youtube.com/user/stonefaction/videos
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| Snipe |
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| Kestrel |
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| Buzzard |
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| Buzzard |
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| Water Pipit |
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| Raven |
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| Black Necked Grebe |
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| Crossbill |
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| Great Black Backed Gull |
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| Teal |
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| Whooper Swan, Coot &? |
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| Tawny Owl |
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| Waxwing |
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| Shorelark |
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| Peregrine |
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| Black Necked Grebe |
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| Shoveler |
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| Sparrowhawk |
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| Kingfisher (with Prawn) |
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| Black Redstart |
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| Rock Pipit |
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| Little Egret |
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| Ring Necked Parakeet |
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| Green Sandpiper |
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| Wigeon |
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| Bullfinch |
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| Twite & Goldfinch |
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| Pink Footed Goose & Todd's Canada Goose |
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| Pied Wagtail |
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| Mealy Redpoll & Lesser Redpoll |
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| Lesser Redpoll & Coue's Arctic Redpoll |
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| Crane & Great White Egret |
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| Moorhen |
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| Great Tit |
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| Dunnock |
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| Grey Plover |
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| Mediterranean Gull |
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| Black Tailed Godwit |
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| Red Kite |
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| Red Grouse |
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| Hen Harrier |
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| Great Spotted Woodpecker |
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| Oystercatcher |
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| Surf Scoter & Common Scoter |
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| Song Thrush |
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| Stonechat |
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| Dunlin |
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| Shelduck |
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| Redshank |
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| Lapwing |
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| Skylark |
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| Red Throated Diver |
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| Red Throated Diver |
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| Golden Plover |
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| Dipper |
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| Raven |
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| Pheasant |
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| Siskin |
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| Short Eared Owl |
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| Short Eared Owl |
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| Cormorant (probable Sinensis race) |
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| Greylag Goose |
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| Grey Heron |
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| Brambling & Chaffinch |
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| Tree Sparrow |
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| Goldcrest |
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| Long Tailed Tit |
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| Corn Bunting |
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| House Sparrow |
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| Green Woodpecker |
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| Greenshank |
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| Skylark |
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| Crossbill |
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| Skylark & Merlin |
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| Merlin |
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| Brent Goose, Pintail, Oystercatcher & Teal |
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| Pintail, Wigeon & Teal |
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| Turnstone |
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| Sanderling |
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| Surf Scoter |
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| Carrion Crow |
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| Skylark |
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| Long Tailed Duck |
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| Linnet |
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| Pied Wagtail |
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| Rook |
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| Carrion Crow |
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| Black Headed Gull |
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| Turnstone |
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| Mistle Thrush |
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| Eider |
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| Shag |
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| Great Black Backed Gull |
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| Herring Gull |
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| Woodpigeon |
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| Nuthatch |
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| Hawfinch |
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| Coot |
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| Reed Bunting |
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| Scaup |
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| Snow Bunting |
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| Snow Bunting |
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| Starling |
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| Teal |
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| Goldeneye |
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| Pheasant |
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| Little Egret |
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| Black Tailed Godwit |
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| Mallard |
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| Mediterranean Gull |
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| Chough |
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| Chough |
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| Jack Snipe |
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| Buzzard |
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| Black Redstart |
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| Fulmar |
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| Green Sandpiper |
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| Rock Pipit (probable Littoralis race) |
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| Jackdaw |
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| Goldfinch |
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| Bar Tailed Godwit |
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| Lesser Black Backed Gull |
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| Little Gull |
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| Moorhen |
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| Grey Heron |
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| Redshank & Spotted Redshank |
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| Stock Dove |
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| Tufted Duck x Pochard (or Scaup) hybrid |
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| Snipe |
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| Red Kite |
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| Black Guillemot |
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| Pied Billed Grebe |
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| Great Northern Diver |
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| Redshank & Greenshank |
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| Hooded Crow |
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| Black Duck |
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| Barnacle Goose & Pink Footed Goose |
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| Pink Footed Goose & (European) White Fronted Goose |
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| Whimbrel |
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| Shelduck |
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| Osprey |
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| Shelduck |
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| Osprey |
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| Wood Sandpiper |
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| Marsh Harrier |
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| Common Gull & Marsh Harrier |
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| Shoveler |
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| Wood Sandpiper |
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| Marsh Harrier |
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| Chaffinch |
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| Gadwall |
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| White Winged Scoter & Velvet Scoter |
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| Surf Scoter & Common Scoter |
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| Grasshopper Warbler |
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| Wryneck |
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| Glaucous Gull, Herring Gull & Great Black Backed Gull |
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| Yellow Wagtail |
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| Wheatear |
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| Woodpigeon |
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| Wood Warbler |
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| Wood Warbler |
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| Stock Dove |
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| Pied Flycatcher |
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| Pied Flycatcher |
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| Lesser Whitethroat |
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| Wheatear |
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| Whinchat |
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| Common Sandpiper |
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| Lapwing |
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| Black Grouse |
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| Snipe |
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| Red Grouse |
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| Common Tern |
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| Whimbrel |
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| Common Tern |
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| Common Scoter |
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| Ringed Plover |
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| Rock Pipit |
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| Woodcock |
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| Cuckoo |
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| Song Thrush |
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| Ring Ouzel |
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| Ring Ouzel |
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| Wheatear |
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| Spotted Flycatcher |
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| Mute Swan |
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| Osprey |
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| Iberian Chiffchaff |
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| Kittiwake |
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| Garganey |
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| Crane |
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| Dunnock |
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| Collared Dove |
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| Corn Bunting |
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| Gannet |
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| Gannet |
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| Manx Shearwater & Gannet |
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| Great Black Backed Gull |
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| Gannet |
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| Shag |
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| Eider |
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| Sandwich Tern |
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| Whitethroat |
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| Mallard |
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| Eider |
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| Curlew |
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| Shag |
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| Cormorant |
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| Puffin, Guillemot & Razorbill |
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| Oystercatcher |
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| Manx Shearwater |
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| Grey Partridge |
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| Great Skua |
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| Fulmar |
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| House Martin |
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| Garden Warbler |
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| Yellowhammer |
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| Pochard |
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| Pochard |
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| Garganey |
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| Carrion Crow |
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| Whimbrel |
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| Skylark |
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| Garganey |
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| Lesser Redpoll |
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| Common Tern & Little Tern |
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| Willow Warbler |
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| Tree Pipit |
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| Redstart |
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| Sedge Warbler |
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| Sparrowhawk |
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| Wigeon |
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| Chaffinch |
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| Raven |
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| Marsh Harrier |
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| Spoonbill |
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| Spoonbill |
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| Spoonbill |
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| Tree Sparrow |
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| Guillemot |
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| Little Tern |
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| Ring Ouzel & Kestrel |
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| Lesser Redpoll |
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| Spotted Flycatcher |
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| Whinchat |
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| Swift |
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| Ring Billed Gull |
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| Black Guillemot |
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| Black Guillemot |
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| Black Guillemot |
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| Black Guillemot |
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| Spoonbill |
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| Baikal Teal & Greylag Goose |
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| Baikal Teal |
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| Little Owl |
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| Lapwing & Avocet |
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| Reed Warbler |
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| Reed Warbler |
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| Lesser Scaup |
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| Wren |
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| Greenfinch |
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| Tree Sparrow |
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| Roseate Tern |
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| Arctic Skua |
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| Arctic Skua |
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| Arctic Skua |
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| Arctic Skua |
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| Peregrine |
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| Peregrine |
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| Peregrine |
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| Great Skua |
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| Sandwich Tern |
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| Roseate Tern, Arctic Tern |
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| Willow Warbler & Spotted Flycatcher |
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| Marsh Harrier |
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| Marsh Harrier |
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| Garganey, Lapwing & Greylag Goose |
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| Mediterranean Gull |
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| Black Headed Gull |
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| Mallard |
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| Sparrowhawk |
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| Blackcap |
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| Whitethroat |
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| Dunlin |
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| Dunlin |
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| Ringed Plover |
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| Sanderling |
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| Osprey |
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| White Wagtail |
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| Buzzard |
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| Goosander |
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| Kingfisher |
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| Goosander |
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| Grey Heron |
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| White Tailed Eagle & Osprey |
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| Common Sandpiper |
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| Oystercatcher |
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| Cormorant |
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| Grey Heron |
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| Little Egret |
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| Pectoral Sandpiper |
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| Great Crested Grebe |
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| Velvet Scoter |
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| Surf Scoter |
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| Carrion Crow |
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| Meadow Pipit |
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| Arctic Skua |
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| Arctic Skua |
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| Arctic Skua & Herring Gull |
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| Dunlin |
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| Eider |
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| Swallow |
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| Swallow |
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| Pintail |
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| Ruff, Common Gull & Black Headed Gull |
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| Ruff & Common Gull |
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| Ruff |
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| Osprey |
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| Osprey |
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| Osprey |
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| Osprey |
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| Common Gull |
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| Kingfisher |
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| Stock Dove |
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| Jackdaw |
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| Black Headed Gull |
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| Mallard |
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| Herring Gull |
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| Yellow Wagtail |
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| Mediterranean Gull |
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| Ruddy Shelduck & Shelduck & Lapwing |
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| Mediterranean Gull & Black Headed Gull & Common Tern |
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| Little Gull & Black Headed Gull |
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| Stonechat |
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| Swift |
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| Willow Warbler |
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| Coot |
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| Grey Heron |
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| Starling |
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| Turnstone |
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| Great Black Backed Gull |
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| Great Skua |
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| Great Skua |
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| Knot & Ringed Plover |
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| Herring Gull |
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| Mediterranean Gull |
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| Mediterranean Gull |
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| Little Gull |
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| White Wagtail |
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| Black Tern |
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| Black Tern, Arctic Tern & Common Tern |
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| Black Tern & Common Tern |
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| Wheatear |
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| Greenshank |
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| Collared Dove |
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| Sparrowhawk |
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| Wheatear |
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| Ruff |
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| Great Black Backed Gull |
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| Greenshank |
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| Herring Gull |
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| Roseate Tern & Common Tern |
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| Roseate Tern |
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| Little Gull |
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| Little Stint |
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| Slavonian Grebe |
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| Red Grouse |
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| Coal Tit |
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| Robin |
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| Coal Tit |
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| Yellow Browed Warbler |
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| Yellow Browed Warbler |
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| Red Breasted Flycatcher |
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| Red Breasted Flycatcher |
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| Golden Plover |
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| Little Bunting |
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| Little Bunting |
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| Little Bunting |
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| Grey Wagtail |
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| Yellow Wagtail |
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| Arctic Skua |
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| Roseate Tern, Common Tern & Arctic Tern |
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| Curlew Sandpiper, Dunlin & Redshank |
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| Magpie |
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| Goldcrest |
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| Teal |
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| Jay |
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| Mediterranean Gull & Black Headed Gull |
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| Turnstone |
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| Arctic Tern & Common Tern |
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| Common Tern |
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| Grey Heron |
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| Common Tern & Roseate Tern |
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| Arctic Tern |
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| Arctic Skua & Tern sp. |
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| Skua sp. |
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| Mediterranean Gull |
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| Skua sp. |
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| Skua sp. |
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| Skua sp. |
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| Spotted Flycatcher |
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| Treecreeper |
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| Long tailed Skua |
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| Cormorant |
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| Arctic Skua |
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| Long Tailed Skua |
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| Herring x Lesser Black Backed Gull hybrid |
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| Common Tern & Long Tailed Skua |
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| Black Tern |
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| Great Skua |
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| Starling |
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| Wheatear (with deformed upper mandible) |
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| Stonechat |
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| Barred Warbler |
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| Redwing |
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| Yellow Browed Warbler |
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| Yellow Browed Warbler |
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| Kingfisher |
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| Rock Pipit |
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| Treecreeper |
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| Short Eared Owl |
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| Red Throated Diver |
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| Brent Goose |
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| Peregrine (with prey) |
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| Sparrowhawk |
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| Fieldfare |
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| Stonechat |
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| Stonechat |
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| Common Gull |
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| Cormorant & Eider |
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| Brent Goose |
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| Black Throated Diver |
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| Ruddy Duck |
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| White Rumped Sandpiper |
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| Snow Goose, Canada Goose & Greylag Goose |
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| Little Grebe |
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| Peregrine (with prey) |
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| Red Grouse |
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| Great Grey Shrike |
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| Great Grey Shrike |
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| Canada Goose |
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| Cattle Egret |
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| Cattle Egret |
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| Redwing |
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| Whooper Swan |
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| Great Crested Grebe |
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| Shoveler & Blue Winged Teal |
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| Slavonian Grebe & Great Crested Grebe |
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| Cormorant |
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| House Sparrow |
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| Cormorant (probable 'Sinensis' race) |
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| Curlew & Oystercatcher |
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| Curlew |
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| Oystercatcher |
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| Ringed Plover |
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| Golden Plover |
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| Razorbill |
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| Mediterranean Gull |
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| Red Breasted Merganser |
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| Velvet Scoter |
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| Redshank |
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| Eider |
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| Reed Bunting |
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| Meadow Pipit |
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| Meadow Pipit |
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| Little Egret |
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| Grey Plover, Dunlin & Knot |
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| Crested Tit |
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| Crested Tit |
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| Crested Tit |
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| Treecreeper |
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| Crested Tit |
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| American Wigeon, Wigeon, Common Gull & Oystercatcher |
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| Pink Footed Goose |
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| Snipe |
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| Lapwing, Golden Plover & Dunlin |
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| Teal, Redshank & Long Billed Dowitcher |
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| Black Headed Gull |
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| Mandarin |
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| Mandarin |
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| Mandarin |
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| Common Gull |
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| Red Breasted Merganser |
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| Starling |
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| Waxwing |
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| Great White Egret |
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| Crossbill |
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| Oystercatcher |
As mentioned above, in 2020 I will be birding less with my camera in tow so (new) photos may not feature quite so often in this blog which may have some effect on the numbers choosing to read it, which are already a little lower than I'd like given the effort required to produce it. If the numbers do drop below a particular level then I will have to once again reassess things. Sharing links to the blog-posts on Facebook or retweeting links on Twitter may well add viewers and hopefully add a few new regulars to the audience this blog reaches. I chose not to allow ads on the blog so I make no financial gain from doing this but it is nice to know that there are people taking time to read my posts and the more that do, the longer I will continue to produce it. Happy and productive birding in 2020, folks.
My 2019 lifers - (Todd's Canada Goose - subspecies only), Coue's Arctic Redpoll, Chough, Pied Billed Grebe, Black Duck, Wryneck, Iberian Chiffchaff, Baikal Teal, Little Owl, Lesser Scaup, Little Bunting, Greenish Warbler, Pallas's Warbler, Cattle Egret, Black Scoter and Long Billed Dowitcher.
