Looking back
The year started slowly. Very slowly. It took me 11 days to see a House Sparrow... I had managed to bag a wintering Blackcap in the garden by then, though.
February saw the addition of some scarcer species - Eider, Jack Snipe & White-fronted Goose - while March provided the first minor rarities - Green-winged Teal & Ring-billed Gull.
April started with potential highlight of the year: an imm. White-tailed Eagle over Wirral! Unfortunately for me, I was watching the bird from the north side of the river and the bird was nothing more than a distant soaring silhouette! The month continued with the usual flurry of spring migrants although I failed to catch up a number of species, Redstart & Pied Flycatcher being the most notable. April ended with another quality raptor, this time a Black Kite.
Exams meant May slipped by far too uneventfully, although a Woodchat Shrike at Marshside on the 20th was something of a shock.
The doldrums hit in June with just one species added - Roseate Tern at Seaforth. Things picked up again in July with a small influx of Storm-petrels past the Wirral coast, Lancashire’s long-staying Glossy Ibis finally moving [and staying] south of the border and a White-rumped Sandpiper at Seaforth.
August was all too quiet although some north-Wirral sea/beach watching added Manx Shearwater & Pomarine Skua while a Great White Egret joined the Glossy Ibis at Marshside. A nor'west blow in September brought small numbers of Leach's Petrels with it, one of which did me the favour of struggling out past Crosby foreshore along with a couple of Fulmars. October saw some real rarity action with a Blyth's Reed Warbler at Red Rocks on 7th and a Radde's Warbler at Leasowe on 16th.
Back in uni and now working weekends, the last two months of the year were spent trying to catch up with what I had missed in the first winter period when I had the time. Snow Bunting, Black Redstart & Hen Harrier dragged the final total to 173.
So there ya go! Not bad really - certainly better than the 150 target I was aiming for. It's done the trick in making me realise as well that there are actually birds in Merseyside! And hopefully it will go some way to promoting birding in the county. I wouldn't be too surprising if a much higher total could be set given a bit more time, effort & luck; 200+ sort of range. Jason Stannage has set the bench-mark with a total of 177 and big thanks goes to him for the support over the last 12 months, and also to Chris, John, Simon & Ralph who joined in with the shenanigans.
Will I do it again next year? Well, I'd like to... but I'm going to be a bit tied up with things so maybe I'll keep count but I won't be aiming to smash any records. My main plan is to concentrate on my county life list given that it's only 17 higher than my 2007 year list!!!
Huge thanks as well to everyone who has helped me over the year with news and out in the field: Allan, Chris, Chris, Jane, John, Paul, Phil, Phill, Steve, Steve, Tom & everyone else who I've forgotten to mention.
For a more general look back over 2007, see HERE.
posted by Stephen Menzie @ 11:59 PM
