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Fatbirder's Top 1000 Birding Websites

Santa Clara County, June 2000

Wood-pewee, warbling vireo, common merganser (aka goosander), great-tailed grackle, black swift and black-throated grey warbler put the list at 158. Living as I was at the top of Page Mill Road, my San Mateo total also used to inch along and began to look a little respectable on 88, especially after a July 8 visit:

“I [...]

Build a British Bird List

New to, or just recently started birding? Wonder which are the birds you’re most likely to see? The first part of this book lists 250+ species in just that order. Now you have a plan to make a solid start on your British list. The next part lists likely sites for the species towards the [...]

Wrens Split: Birds to Go Solo

In a shock announcement, appropriately on July 4, the species’ manager IOC said that the Troglodytes Family – American twins, Hiemalis and Pacificus, and leader Troglodytes himself – will pursue their own solo careers. Pacificus, at his California forest retreat, cited artistic differences for the rift. Hiemalis is out of reach somewhere on the Eastern Seaboard and, back here in the Midlands, Troglodytes refused to comment.

Repercussions more…

Spotted Flycatcher, RSPB Ham Wall

Lytes Cary Topiary

Another new species for my Somerset list with an adult feeding two juveniles yesterday evening. Technically Lytes Cary should have the honour because a spotfly was hawking near the pictured bits of topiary late afternoon. In the name of efficiency though I’ll not add that National Trust house to my site inventory, unless it comes up with a real stonker some time.

Not that more…

2008: Walpole-Nornalup National Park

Western Spinebill

My honeyeater tally rose to seven, with another lifer no less: western spinebill. Three families separate scrubbirds and honeyeaters at this prehistoric end of the taxonomic spectrum: bowerbirds; Australasian treecreepers; Australasian wrens. This last family then contributed lifer number 885 in the form of a more…

Whinchats, Glen Orchy

Red Deer, Loch Tulla

Yes, whinchats. In the plural. Two family groups five years since my last sighting down in Galloway Forest. The year list gallops on to 185 – my best since 2004.

And no, this chap isn’t a whinchat. He was browsing near Loch Tulla when I pulled into the car park and quite unfazedly carried on browsing. So unfazed was he that he crossed to the other side of my car, where the passenger window was open, and calmly more…

Musselburgh, East Lothian

Musselburgh

This is one of my most southerly locations for velvet scoter. It’s also good for common scoters and reliable for little gull. All three were in evidence last week, and a common sandpiper gave me a nice bonus as my 96th species for the site. It’s one of my top spots. I got an even bigger surprise with the more…