Review of the year 2018

Salford Priors GP had a great year considering our habitat challenges recording a record 144 species. An adult Caspian Gull being added by Jon on the last Sunday of the year. We didn't have any real superstars but the headline will be us recording 3 Grey Phalaropes on the same day breaking the West Midlands record. Other noteable sightings included a Short-eared Owl,  Arctic Tern, Great White Egret, Iceland Gull, 3 Little Gull and Marsh Harrier which are not annual visitors.

Personally I recorded 231 species around the county yet still didn't run into any Tree Sparrows or Red/Black Grouse. Many thanks to all those birders & friends I've shared some great moments with and those who have slogged round in the mud with me at the pits. Special mention to the Squire, Chris, Rolly, the Captain & Mark C. 

I observed 14 new species of which most involved a great deal of traveling. Surely the midlands can throw us a goodie in 2019. Norfolk took the crown as the county with most lifers from Dorset which didn't get me any this year. October was the key month of year with the Scillies being very kind to us.

1) Snowy Owl (Lincolnshire) March
2) American Bittern (Suffollk) April
3) Green Heron (Pembrokshire) May
4) Moltoni's Warbler (Norfolk) June
5) Greater Sand Plover (East Riding) July
6) Booted Warbler (Suffolk) September
7) Ortolan Bunting (Hampshire) September
8) Grey Catbird (Cornwall) October
9) Grey-cheeked Thrush (St.Agnes - Scillies) October
10) Red-eyed Vireo (Bryher - Scillies) October
11) Rustic Bunting (St Marys - Scillies) October
12) Stejneger's Stonechat (Norfolk)
13) Little Auk (Norfolk)
14) Pied Wheatear (Lancashire)

My top 10 favourite birds in 2018 have been judged based on experience seeing them as much as the rarity as sometimes seeing a rarity is far from a great days birding but something you have to put with if you want to experience more varied species.

1) Red-eyed Vireo - This stunning bird is a real Scilly & Cornwall specility so impossible to twitch from the midlands. Thankfully this bird was found on the day we were viewing the Grey Catbird in Cornwall and it thankfully re-appeared on Bryher to give us another Scillies lifer.

2) Greater Sand Plover - Tied up at cricket this looked it could be one that was out of reach. A strange communication exchange with the Squire led us to leave at 4pm to Spurn. Thankfully the traffic and daylight were on our side to see this fantastic bird when then moved on over night.

3) Grey Catbird - This american superstar kindly stayed the required four nights to enable us to see it on the way to the Scillies in October. After seeing the bird we had a fantastic day around Cornwall taking in some supurb birds.

4) Green Heron - A 3 1/2 hour drives to south Wales resulted in watching this amazing Heron in the garden of the local MP. Expecting a real scrum, the twitch was totally the opposite with everyone present getting amazing views of the bird fishing.

5) Moltini's Warbler - Everything about this twitch could go wrong with distance, logistics and stickability all in question. Thankfully the journey to Blakeney Point went like clockwork we even managed to get a boat both ways to save the massive walk. I had never been to Blakeney Point before so it ws great to explore this area of Norfolk.

6) Rustic Bunting - After five days in Cornwall & the Scillies this bird was an amzing bonus. On arrival it looked we would be lucky to see the bird due to it's location on private land but as it turned out we got amazing scope views.

7) Ortolan Bunting - The Ortolan Bunting made my top 10 rather than the Snowy Owl as this was a way better experience. I'd wanted to see a Ortolan since I'd starting birding so to see one close in a lovely location was very pleasurable.

8) American Bittern - A long journey to Suffolk was needed to see this stonking bird. Our patience was really tested as after 3 hours 15 minutes there was no sign,then suddenly in overtime Rolly picked up the american visitor coming straight towards us down a drainage channel.

9) Grey Phalarope - I was pleased to find not one but three at the pits it was a day which will be long remembered. Thankfully the restoration contractors have moved on so it was great to welome many visitors to the site.

10) Black-throated Diver - A real December surprise on Arrow Valley Lake, Redditch just a five minutes from home. The bird has been present all over Christmas. Fantastic bird to watch at close quarters.

I would like to thank the team at West Midland Bird Club for their continued support and not forgetting the team at Upton Warren which remains one of my favourite places to visit.