Catching up

Since the summer there have been some additions to the list which now stands at 142 species, all seen in the UK. These are the latest additions (entries in red are lifers).

• Chough, 8/07, Pembrokeshire Coast Path.
• Linnet, 8/07, Pembrokeshire Coast Path.
• Corn bunting, 8/07, Pembrokeshire Coast Path.
• Kittiwake, 8/07, Pembrokeshire Coast Path.
• Fulmar, 8/07, Pembrokeshire Coast Path.
• Purple sandpiper, 8/07, Pembrokeshire Coast Path.
• Gannet, 8/07, Pembrokeshire Coast Path.
• Dunlin, 9/07, Lindisfarne.
• Eider, 9/07, Lindisfarne.
  

Eider duck taken in Lindisfarne harbour by Caradoue.

• Sandwich tern, 9/07, Lindisfarne.
• Redpoll, 9/07, Fairburn Ings.
• Great egret, 9/07, Leighton Moss RSPB.
• Bittern, 9/07, Leighton Moss RSPB.
• Common crossbill, 14/10/07, Timble Ings.
• Red-flanked bluetail, 20/10/07, Flamborough Head.

Striking chalk cliffs at Flamborough Head. While returning to my car after a morning spent here with my wildlife course a woman, seeing my binoculars, shot out of her house and said "You'd better get yourself up to ... they're releasing it on private land". So, following the throng, I arrived in a small copse to see an extremely rare 1st winter Bluetail being released. The nearest this bird normally gets to the UK is Eastern Finland, seriously lost on its migration to South-east Asia!

• Brambling, 27/10/07, Dalby Forest.

The Bramblings flew up from under my front wheel as I negotiated the mountainbike trails of Dalby Forest with my brother.

Amongst all this I've started learning to kayak with Bradford and Bingley Canoe Club and splashed out on my own touring boat. A Dagger Charleston.

My new toy on the shore of Ullswater. Photo by Caradoue.

I put it through its paces a couple of weekends ago on Ullswater, in the Lake District, following the canoe trails established on the lake by Eden Rivers Trust and Canoe England. We also walked on the fells nearby and saw a Red squirrel.

Looking back towards Ullswater in morning mist from Kirkstone Pass.