2023 round up

I had this up and ready to post when my good friend and fellow birder David told me he had a brambling in his garden, so I hung on till New year's eve and hot footed it up to Carnalea this morning and dipped out. Heading out after lunch and a phone call to say the brambling is showing well so up we went and got number 161 for the year at the second attempt. Thank you David - and it would be churlish of me not to put on some of his recent photographs taken at the feeders in his garden which is where the rustic bunting appeared two years ago. 

Sparrowhawk is a regular visitor!

Chaffinch with brambling

Brambling

Brambling

Tree sparrows every winter

So back to the quick and short round up of 2023 which is coming to an end soon. The totals were as follows

The year list finished on 161 plus the 26 birds seen in Alaska, claiming 187.

The North Down patch ended on 70.

The RSPB/WOW/Kinnegar patch ended on 94.

Both patches notched up one more each since the last post and they were unusual birds. The garden produced a treecreeper and WOW turned up not one but two great spotted woodpeckers - a male and a female. The two woodpeckers were coming to the peanut feeder at WOW and to be honest I am not sure I have had better views anywhere. I have seen them in England but not as close and not for such a prolonged view. Views in Northern Ireland tended to be brief and frustrating, but not any more. These two guys performed and also gave good flight views as they flew in to the feeder and then away. As usual both patch lists had serious omissions as did the 2023 list but let's concentrate on the positives. 

The Irish garden bird survey continues to entertain with numbers and variety. As well as the treecreeper I also had a jay in the garden and two visits from the sparrowhawk. The song thrush is still around and goldfinches and greenfinches have put in appearances. I also have regular visits from house sparrow and linnet. Blackcaps have provided 2 females and a male.

Blue-billed teal is still around WOW

Unseasonal greenshank

Male GSW

Male GSW

Female GSW

The female appeared on a grey wet drizzly day while the male pitched in on a bright sunny day. We have had quite a few of the former recently which has made photographs challenging at times. Some days I have looked out and decided not to bother, just enjoy the birds!! 

Here's hoping for a bird filled 2024 and here's hoping David and I  can kick off with the annual January 1st Round the Lough to kickstart the list. I have pencilled in a trip or two to Bolton as well as Tyneside, and hopefully I will get back to Islay again. A lot of this was will depend on the orthopaedics - but I can always sit in WOW or the back room with a pair of binoculars and as David says - "Anything can turn up anywhere"

2023

160: Willow tit

161: Brambling

+USA/Canada: 26 = 186 for the year

NDCP: 

70: Treecreeper

Belfast RSPB

94: Great spotted woodpecker