Autumn Half term 2106: Bird List

A marvellous week of getting outside, helped by fantastic weather. Visits to Wiltshire, Hampshire and North Norfolk meant I drove for nearly 800 miles, which was not so much fun.

Curlew at Wells-next-the-sea.

83 species were seen, which beats my previous record of 80. This is pleasing after my list this year for Term 1 fell short of my previous record by 25 species.

Lapwing at Cley.

Autumn half-term is one of my more established lists, with records going back to 2011, making 2016 the sixth year.

Long-tailed Tit at Friston Forest.

Of the 83 species seen:
26 have been seen at this time on all 6 years.
9 were new species to this period
2 were lifetime firsts (Great Bustard and Long-tailed Duck)
2 were patch ticks (Mistle Thrush and Redwing).

Wren at Coombe Hill, Eastbourne.

Notable species include:
The migrating juvenile Osprey at Ellisfield in Hampshire.
Water Pipit at Langford Lakes in Wiltshire. A species I am used to seeing in the Cuckmere valley and at West Rise Marsh.
Pink-footed Geese at Wells-next-sea, thousands of them!
Ring Ouzels, four late birds over the patch.

Gadwall at Langford Lakes, Wiltshire.

The list:

Mute Swan

Pink-footed Goose

Greylag Goose

Canada Goose

Brent Goose

Shelduck

Eurasian Wigeon

Gadwall

Eurasian Teal

Mallard

Northern Shoveler

Tufted Duck

Long-tailed Duck

Pheasant

Great Crested Grebe

Grey Heron

Little Egret

Northern Gannet

Cormorant

Red Kite

Marsh Harrier

Common Buzzard

Osprey

Kestrel

Moorhen

Coot

Great Bustard

Oystercatcher

Ringed Plover

Grey Plover

Northern Lapwing

Dunlin

Common Snipe

Black-tailed Godwit

Eurasian Curlew

Common Redshank

Turnstone

Black-headed Gull

Common Gull

Lesser Black-backed Gull

Herring Gull

Great Black-backed Gull

Stock Dove

Woodpigeon

Feral Pigeon

Collared Dove

Kingfisher

Green Woodpecker

Magpie

Jay

Jackdaw

Rook

Carrion Crow

Raven

Blue Tit

Great Tit

Skylark

Swallow

Long-tailed Tit

Goldcrest

Firecrest

Wren

Treecreeper

Starling

Ring Ouzel

Blackbird

Song Thrush

Redwing

Mistle Thrush

Robin

European Stonechat

Dunnock

House Sparrow

Grey Wagtail

Pied Wagtail

Meadow Pipit

Rock Pipit

Water Pipit

Chaffinch

Greenfinch

Goldfinch

Linnet

Corn Bunting