Monday 16 July 2012

Nirvana

Profound peace of mind acquired (thanks for that, Wikipedia): a leisurely Saturday morning pedal and 100% of (revised) target achieved: Yellow Wagtail (156) and Corn Bunting (157)! Telling that it took until mid-July to find these once-common species but that's another - less happy - story...

Percentage of target to date - 100%
Distance cycled - 482.6mls / 776.7km
Latest addition - Corn Bunting (157) 14 July

Monday 9 July 2012

WHIMBREL!

All quiet in the office on Friday afternoon - that was until Andy Musgrove came running through shouting "WHIMBREL!!" at the top of his voice! Whilst some colleagues grabbed bins, ran downstairs and dashed outside, I opted to stay on the first floor, open the window, climb on the windowsill and stick my head out as far as I dared. Fortunately I made the right choice, as I managed to catch 3 rounds of flight calls from my elevated position: Whimbrel (155) OML!

NB: To keep things interesting (for me), I've decided that Black-tailed Godwit and Red-crested Pochard ought to be included as annual in my 15km radius, so my target moves up to 157...


Percentage of target to date - 99%
Distance cycled - 465.8mls / 749.6km
Latest addition - Whimbrel (155) 6 July

Thursday 5 July 2012

Wet-my-list... Wet-my-list... Wet-my-list...

Can you tell what it is yet? Yet another 20 mile evening pedal but this time a double reward: first a Marsh Harrier (153) dropping in to roost in a cereal field - it helps if you know which one to stand near - then better still, the unmistakeable sound of a Quail (154) quip quip-quipping into action.

(Belated) Happy Independence Day, y'all!

Percentage of target to date - 99%
Distance cycled - 465.8mls / 749.6km
Latest addition - Quail (154) 4 July

Monday 2 July 2012

Gripped

Although Lakenheath RSPB is just outside my 15-km radius, Lakenheath airbase is not, so this pic - taken there by a 'civilian' on 13 June - is somewhat gripping:
Having never fluked one, nor lowered myself to twitch one, Black Kite is a bit more galling than various other species that have been within my radius this year but just not feasible by bike, for various reasons: Bewick's Swan, Black-necked Grebe, Wood Sandpiper, Whimbrel, Black Tern, Wryneck, Pied Flycatcher and Ring Ouzel, to name a few. 
(I blame my missing the other two Black ones on Mr Mills, who dragged me away to Speyside for a week in early May.
 Still, it could've been much worse: the Long-billed Dowitcher was found the evening before we headed north!)

Percentage of target to date - 98%
Distance cycled - 446.4mls / 718.4km
Latest addition - Turtle Dove (152) 23 June