Term 4 2017: Bird List

Term 4 is my third bird spotting period of the year, running from Monday 20th February to Friday 31st March. This post details the species I saw, along with several record shots.

Male Crossbill at Broadwater Warren. This was only my third ever sighting of this species.

The weather this year meant the transition from winter to spring was clearly covered during the 40 days. This was reflected in the range of species seen, from Bramblings at Old lodge on 20th February, to Blackcaps in the Eastbourne scarp-edge woodland on 13th March.

Male Teal north of Alfriston in the Cuckmere valley.

I saw a total of 110 species, which was a significant increase on the 92 species from 2016. There were two lifetime firsts: Woodcock at Broadwater Warren and Ring-necked Duck at Dungeness. The most surprising omission was Rock Pipit, which is resident locally along the coast.

Lesser Redpoll, Broadwater Warren.

These species were also added to my 2017 year list:
Lesser Redpoll
Brambling
Yellow-legged Gull
Avocet
Mediterranean Gull
Sandwich Tern
Little Tern
Wheatear
Pintail
Blackcap
Chiffchaff
Mandarin
Swallow
Tree Sparrow
Garganey
Black-winged Stilt
Cattle Egret

These new species took the 2017 year list to 145. By comparison, this time last year the total was 115, which bodes well for my ambition to reach 200 UK species.

 White Wagtail, near Drusillas.

It was really nice to note the transition from wintering species like Brent Geese, Brambling, Redwing, Fieldfare and Water Pipit to the first of the spring migrants such as Chiffchaff, Wheatear, Sandwich Tern, Swallow and Garganey.

Brambling, Old lodge.

Redwings and Fieldfares at Knepp.

Brent Geese at Birling Gap. These birds were flying east on the start of their return migration to Siberia.

I was delighted to see my first Tree Sparrows for years, at Dungeness, and I was pleased to see Mandarins at Weir Wood reservoir. There were two notable UK firsts in Black-winged Stilt and Cattle Egret; I saw both species in South Africa last year.

Yellowhammer at Horseshoe Plantation.

Sanderlings at Camber Sands.

Mediterranean Gull at Rye Harbour.

Sandwich Terns at Rye Harbour.

Pintail and Shoveler at Arlington Reservoir.

Distant Green Woodpecker at Arlington Reservoir.

Terrible photo of a Chiffchaff at Wych Cross.

Long-tailed and Tufted Duck at West Rise Marsh.

Egyptian Geese at Weir Wood Reservoir. These birds were investigating the Tern raft.

Pochard at the Ark Pit, Dungeness.

Female Garganey at Hankham Level.

Full Term 4 2017 Bird List:

Mute Swan	Cygnus olor
Greylag Goose	Anser anser
Canada Goose	Branta canadensis
Barnacle Goose	Branta leucopsis
Brent Goose	Branta bernicla
Egyptian Goose	Alopochen aegyptiaca
Shelduck	Tadorna tadorna
Mandarin Duck	Aix galericulata
Eurasian Wigeon	Anas penelope
Gadwall	Anas strepera
Eurasian Teal	Anas crecca
Mallard	Anas platyrhynchos
Northern Pintail	Anas acuta
Garganey	Anas querquedula
Northern Shoveler	Anas clypeata
Common Pochard	Aythya ferina
Tufted Duck	Aythya fuligula
Ring-necked Duck	Aythya collaris
Long-tailed Duck	Clangula hyemalis
Goosander	Mergus merganser
Red-legged Partridge	Alectoris rufa
Pheasant	Phasianus colchicus
Northern Fulmar	Fulmarus glacialis
Little Grebe	Tachybaptus ruficollis
Great Crested Grebe	Podiceps cristatus
Grey Heron	Ardea cinerea
Little Egret	Egretta garzetta
Western Cattle Egret	Bubulcus ibis
Cormorant	Phalacrocorax carbo
Marsh Harrier	Circus aeruginosus
Sparrowhawk	Accipiter nisus
Common Buzzard	Buteo buteo
Kestrel	Falco tinnunculus
Peregrine Falcon	Falco peregrinus
Moorhen	Gallinula chloropus
Coot	Fulica atra
Oystercatcher	Haematopus ostralegus
Black-winged Stilt	Himantopus himantopus
Avocet	Recurvirostra avosetta
Ringed Plover	Charadrius hiaticula
European Golden Plover	Pluvialis apricaria
Northern Lapwing	Vanellus vanellus
Sanderling	Calidris alba
Woodcock	Scolopax rusticola
Common Snipe	Gallinago gallinago
Eurasian Curlew	Numenius arquata
Common Redshank	Tringa totanus
Turnstone	Arenaria interpres
Kittiwake	Rissa tridactyla
Mediterranean Gull	Larus melanocephalus
Black-headed Gull	Chroicocephalus ridibundus
Common Gull	Larus canus
Lesser Black-backed Gull	Larus fuscus
Herring Gull	Larus argentatus
Yellow-legged Gull	Larus michahalis
Great Black-backed Gull	Larus marinus
Little Tern	Sternula albifrons
Sandwich Tern	Sterna sandvicensis
Stock Dove	Columba oenas
Woodpigeon	Columba palumbus
Feral Pigeon	Columba livia
Collared Dove	Streptopelia decaocto
Green Woodpecker	Picus viridis
Great Spotted Woodpecker	Dendrocopos major
Magpie	Pica pica
Jay	Garrulus glandarius
Jackdaw	Corvus monedula
Rook	Corvus frugilegus
Carrion Crow	Corvus corone
Raven	Corvus corax
Blue Tit	Cyanistes caeruleus
Great Tit	Parus major
Coal Tit	Periparus ater
Marsh Tit	Poecile palustris
Skylark	Alauda arvensis
Swallow	Hirundo rustica
Long-tailed Tit	Aegithalos caudatus
Common Chiffchaff	Phylloscopus collybita
Blackcap	Sylvia atricapilla
Goldcrest	Regulus regulus
Wren	Troglodytes troglodytes
Nuthatch	Sitta europaea
Treecreeper	Certhia familiaris
Starling	Sturnus vulgaris
Blackbird	Turdus merula
Fieldfare	Turdus pilaris
Song Thrush	Turdus philomelos
Redwing	Turdus iliacus
Mistle Thrush	Turdus viscivorus
Robin	Erithacus rubecula
European Stonechat	Saxicola rubicola
Northern Wheatear	Oenanthe oenanthe
Dunnock	Prunella modularis
House Sparrow	Passer domesticus
Tree Sparrow	Passer montanus
Grey Wagtail	Motacilla cinerea
White Wagtail	Motacilla alba
Pied Wagtail	Motacilla yarelli
Meadow Pipit	Anthus pratensis
Water Pipit	Anthus spinoletta
Chaffinch	Fringilla coelebs
Brambling	Fringilla montifringilla
Greenfinch	Chloris chloris
Goldfinch	Carduelis carduelis
Linnet	Linaria cannabina
Lesser Redpoll	Acanthis cabaret
Common Crossbill	Loxia curvirostra
Yellowhammer	Emberiza citrinella
Reed Bunting	Emberiza schoeniclus
Corn Bunting	Emberiza calandra