TonyQ's Big Year 2024

[TonyQ]

305.UK.49 Lesser Redpoll   Carduelis/Acanthis cabaret           

Upton Warren, Worcestershire           30.03.24

[TonyQ]

UK.50 Chiffchaff          Phylloscopus collybita           

Already seen in India

Upton Warren, Worcestershire           30.03.24

[TonyQ]

306.UK.51 Goldfinch   Carduelis carduelis   

Our Garden, Birmingham        07.04.24

I have struggled with Goldfinch this year. We see them pretty well every day but it has often been in poor light. So I gave in and have posted one sitting waiting to go on the feeders!

[TonyQ]

307.UK.52 Bullfinch     Pyrrhula pyrrhula       

In the rain, (M) Our Garden, Birmingham        10.04.24

(F) Our Garden, Birmingham        11.04.24

 

I have struggled to get these in decent ligh this year also!

[TonyQ]

308.UK.53 Common Redpoll  Carduelis/Acanthis flammea

New BIrd for us        

Our Garden, Birmingham        07.04.24

Our Garden, Birmingham        07.04.24

A Lifer for us - and in our garden!

Despite the name this is not that common in our area (The Lesser Redpoll is the most common) . The bad weather has been an advantage for this sighting. There was a very big storm in the UK and this led to a number of these being seen in the area. We were delighted that one stopped by for some refueling (indeed when we looked the next day there were two of them)

[xelas]

Congratulations on passing by #300! And on the quality of all bird photos, really excellent and the bar is now very high.

[Peter Connan]

15 hours ago, xelas said:

 the bar is now very high.

 

Indeed, and from most of the BY participants!

[Kitsafari]

great additions from the UK. we didn't had such good luck with goldfinches in Spain or in England. 

[TonyQ]

@xelas@Peter Connanthank you

@Kitsafarithank you - shame, Goldfinches are pretty birds (but you do have a lot of colourful birds where you live)

 

A few more catching up with the UK

 

309.UK.54 Pochard  Aythya ferina    

Upton Warren, Worcestershire           12.04.24

[TonyQ]

310.UK.55 Sedge Warbler  Acrocephalus schoenobaenus          

Coney Meadow, Worcestershire        30.04.24

We really like the time of year when Sedge Warblers and Reed Warblers arrive. It is a real pleasure walking along  a canal, listening to them chattering away and trying to catch a glimpse of them

[TonyQ]

311.UK.56 Curlew  Numenius arquata          

Upton Warren, Worcestershire           12.04.24

[TonyQ]

312.UK.57 Common Tern  Sterna hirundo    

Upton Warren, Worcestershire           09.05.24

[TonyQ]

313.UK.58 Linnet  Carduelis cannabina        

Distant heavy crop, Coney Meadow, Worcestershire        09.05.24

[TonyQ]

314.UK.59 Ringed Plover  Charadrius hiaticula           

Upton Warren, Worcestershire           09.05.24

Much less common in this area than the Little cousin

[TonyQ]

315.UK.60 Oystercatcher  Haematopus ostralegus      

Upton Warren, Worcestershire           09.05.24

[TonyQ]

316.UK.61 Redstart  Phoenicurus phoenicurus           

Very high up in a tree, Wyre Forest, Worcestershire 11.05.24

[TonyQ]

317.UK.62 Dipper  Cinclus cinclus    

Wyre Forest, Worcestershire 11.05.24

Very low light, but a long time looking did get rewarded!

[TonyQ]

318.UK.63 Pied Flycatcher  Ficedula hypoleuca           

Wyre Forest, Worcestershire 11.05.24   

We go to the Wyre Forest each year about this time. The three birds here are reasonably reliable, but we were disappointed to miss out on Wood Warblers. We have seen (and heard) them here a number of times in previous years, but no luck this time. Still, it is always an enjoyable visit.      

[PeterHG]

It’ a shame you missed the Wood Warbler ( I haven’t seen one in quite a few years), but the three you got are good ones. At least they would be for me.

[TonyQ]

@PeterHGwe were pleased with the three birds we got there and it was an enjoyable visit!

 

The next few move my UK total along, but not my overall Big Year Total. All have been seen and counted in India.

I keep track of the UK total each year and at the moment it is relatively low!

 

UK.64 Eurasian/Common Teal  Anas crecca

Upton Warren, Worcestershire           01.02.24

                       

UK.65 Little Ringed Plover  Charadrius dubius           

Upton Warren, Worcestershire           30.03.24

                       

UK.66 Pied Wagtail  Motacilla alba   

Upton Warren, Worcestershire           30.03.24

                       

UK.67 Common Sandpiper  Actitis hypoleucos           

Upton Warren, Worcestershire           12.04.24

                       

UK.68 Grey Wagtail  Motacilla cinerea         

Upton Warren, Worcestershire           12.04.24

                       

UK.69 Collared Dove  Streptopelia decaocto

Grimley, Worcestershire         17.05.24

 

UK.70 Swallow  Hirundo rustica        

Coney Meadow, Worcestershire        19.05.24

Baby, Coney Meadow, Worcestershire            02.06.24

 

UK.71 Bar-headed Goose  Anser indicus     

LIkely the same individual we have seen the last few years, Cannon Hill Park, Birmingham           16.06.24           

[TonyQ]

And a few  that do move the total slowly along

 

319.UK.72 Swift  Apus apus  

Our Garden, Birmingham        15.05.24

[TonyQ]

320.UK.73 Common Whitethroat  Sylvia communis       

Grimley, Worcestershire         17.05.24

[TonyQ]

321.UK.74 Buzzard  Buteo buteo      

Grimley, Worcestershire         17.05.24

[TonyQ]

322.UK.75 Reed Warbler  Acrocephalus scirpaceus      

Grimley, Worcestershire         17.05.24

Grimley, Worcestershire         17.05.24

Great to hear them and catch glimses as they jump about in the reeds. An enjoyable struggle/challenge to photograph - manual focus needed sometimes!

[TonyQ]

323.UK.76 Greenfinch  Carduelis chloris      

Coney Meadow, Worcestershire        19.05.24