This is a chronological record of a selection of my own bird sightings which I find of interest due to some unusual aspect of the record - including things like plumage variants and behaviour. In most they are of no particular significance but might just be of interest to people who've birded the same places, or recorded the same individuals.
I prefer to find my own birds, rather than chase after others' rarities, and most of the birds listed here were my own finds (those which I didn't find myself or discover independent of any specific information are marked with an asterisk*).
Most of the locations are in the UK the exceptions being a small number of sightings from the Faeroe Islands, Russia, Japan, Finland, the US and Nigeria. Banchory and Loch of Strathbeg are located in NE Scotland, North Ronaldsay is one of the Orkney Islands, and Bardsey Island is off the Llyn peninsula in North Wales.
1973 9 October - ID of male and female Blackbird, also Starling and Carrion Crow on aerial, Banchory
1974 4 October - Aberlady Bay visit
1975 28 August - Edinburgh zoo visit, decided an Avadavat would be a good pet
1976
22 April - pair of Osprey, Loch of Lowes
(bred here from 1969, the year I was born!)
8 May - 2 pairs Raven, Beinn Dearg, Skye
197914 July - visited Common Gull colony in Correen Hills near Rhynie
25 August - Hen Harrier, on moor near Rhynie (the sort of thing that can inspire a lifetime love of wildlife, but unlikely to be seen now due to the huge intensification of grouse moor management, with endemic and systematic persecution of native wildlife, proof here at the very same place: Gamekeeper shooting Hen Harrier on Cabrach and all so an ultra rich elite can enjoy killing things, robbing ordinary people of our heritage, an utter disgrace in modern Scotland; hopefully as a new generation grow up in this country, an enlightenment in the appreciation of our native wildlife for what it is, rather than killing it, will finally put an end to an out-dated industry built on criminality)
1981July - Golden Eagle, Toe Head, Harris
July - Corncrake, Harris
198420 July - 2 Peregrines caught young crow, near Inchnadamph, Ross and Cromarty
198523 April - late Waxwing, Raemoir Road, Banchory
8 June - Osprey carrying fish mobbed by 4 Oystercatchers, Gicht, Aberdeenshire
198631 May - 13 Dotterel, Glas Maol, Cairngorms
8 July - 2 Black-throated Divers with 2 chicks, near Ben Stack, Sutherland
11 July - female Hen Harrier attacked male Merlin with prey, hillside near Gordonbush, Loch Brora
27 September - Glossy Ibis, single briefly at Starnakeppie, Loch of Strathbeg, flew off SE - 8th for NE Scotland, following records in 1844, 1880, 1902, 1907, 1920 and 1938; presumably same refound by the warden on 30 October and last seen on 23 November; sadly, the remains of a dead bird were found in January of the following year
31 December - dead Black-headed Gull, ringed as healthy adult, Vaasan Uääni, Finland, 25 June, 1981, and controlled at c. Southport Pier, 25 February 1986 (distance 1832km, direction WSW, duration 5 years, 6 months, 6 days)
198721 February - 3 Puffins on sea, Bullers of Buchan (at the time, said to be earliest Scottish record for return to breeding site)
26 May - Wryneck glimpsed, Dinnet, upper Deeside
6 June - Fulmar flying west, Loch of Leys, Banchory (c. 15 miles from coast)
1 August - Osprey carrying small fish W, Kirkton of Culsalmond, Inverurie
8 August - c.8 Storm Petrel flying round rocks close inshore, Dundonnie, Boddam, Peterhead (wind NW5 and WNW5-6 previous day)
17 October - Swift sp., Snettisham, Norfolk
31 December - 2nd-win Ring-billed Gull*, ad. Mediterranean Gull, Seaforth, Merseyside
198826 July - 2 Storm Petrels S, Loch Linnhe, Fort William, after strong SW wind (SSW6-7 previous day)
27 July - 13+ Storm Petrels flying around inside the harbour, flat calm conditions (but up to SW6 previous afternoon), Mallaig
4 August - Least Sandpiper*, Cove, Aberdeenshire (3rd for Scotland, 16th for Britain)
198924 June - Little Stint, Rosehearty, Aberdeenshire
14 July - Gannet high over Kinellar, Blackburn, Aberdeenshire (c. 6 miles inland)
16 August - Albino Swallow, Woolhillock, Westhill, Aberdeenshire
3-11 September - up to 4 Scarlet Rosefinch, North Ronaldsay
7 September - male Scarlet Rosefinch* caught and photographed by warden, North Ronaldsay
7-14 September - male Mandarin, North Ronaldsay (7th for Orkney)
8 September - total 829 Sooty Shearwater N in two main flocks (313, and 383 individuals), off North Ronaldsay
11 September - flock of 8 Grey Heron in off sea, joined by juv from Gretchen Loch, continuing south, North Ronaldsay
13 September - Barred Warbler*, Red-breasted Flycatcher*, Holland House, North Ronaldsay, Yellow-browed Warbler*, Lum, North Ronaldsay (for the latter, earliest Scottish record at the time)
29 September - imm. Golden Eagle chasing deer down steep slope on Meall Tionail, Bynack Lodge, Cairngorms (published as Short Note in Scottish Bird News, 17, 7, March, 1990)
199010 January - 2nd-win Iceland Gull, roost by Dee at Crathes, Banchory (c. 15 miles inland)
26 March - Kumlien's Gull*; Banff
15 June - Red-backed Shrike*, 3 Woodlark; Thetford Forest at Santon Downham
6 August - Ivory-phase Fulmar, off Mousa, Shetland, several Common Crossbill, Lerwick, Shetland
10-11,22 August - Chiffchaff, 7 Goldcrest, Vidalundin Park, Torshavn, Faroe Islands
11-23 August - 13+ Common Crossbill, various locations (Torshavn, Gjogv, Oyndafjordur, Klaaksvik, Kunoy), Faroe islands
24 August - Willow Warbler, pair, Kunoy plantation, Faroe Islands
27 August - 7 Goldcrest, Chiffchaff, a second individual with yellow feet, light brown legs, but weak Chiffchaff song/call, Vidalundin Park, Torshavn, Faroe Islands
1 September - juv Pectoral Sandpiper, Anachie Lagoon, St Fergus (14th for NE Scotland)
10 September - Red-necked Grebe, Donmouth; Baird's Sandpiper*, Anachie Lagoon, St Fergus (2nd for NE Scotland)
18 September - Grey Phalarope, Starnafin, Loch of Strathbeg (9th for NE Scotland since 1950; 27th record overall)
199131 May - 1500 Lesser Blackback (of adults, 29 out of 64 adjudged L.f.intermedius with 2 coal-black, apparently as dark as L.f.fuscus), Hurst End, Cranfield, Bedfordshire
8 September - 3 young Goldfinch fledged from nest at Lanchester Hall, Cranfield Institute, Bedfordshire
21 September - Kittiwake with light brown legs, Macduff
12 October - Goshawk over Cranfield Institute, Bedfordshire (a genuine one, not a mis-ID)
199210 September - c. 11,000 Lesser Blackback, 4,300 Blackheaded Gull; Stewartby Lake, Bedfordshire
11 September - c. 40 Black Tern circling lake at dusk, Brogborough reservoir, Bedfordshire
29 November - c. 28,000 gulls (mainly Black-headed Gulls), Stewartby Lake, Bedfordshire
19931 January - albino Rook, Paythorpe, Lancashire
24 January - c. 20,000 Black-headed Gulls, Stewartby Lake, Bedfordshire
19 April - male Ring-necked Duck*, Killington reservoir, M6
1995
28 November - albino Oystercatcher, Morecambe
19966-13 September - imm./female Red-backed Shrike, Cape Clear Island, County Cork
11 September - c. 50 Storm Petrels seen on pelagic trip S off Cape Clear Island, County Cork
25 October - several Killer Whales, Girdleness, Aberdeen
199714 August - Corncrake walking amongst tourists in park in central Moscow
13 October - juv Barred Warbler, Cristin, Bardsey Island
17 October - 4 Mediterranean Shearwater, 2 (+4 probable) Pomarine Skua, off South End, Bardsey Island
199816 April - Red-breasted Goose*, Starnafin, Loch of Strathbeg
26 October - American Wigeon*, Hayle estuary, Cornwall
27 October - 74 Storm Petrel W (12:45-17:10hrs, wind WSW7-8 at times, could barely stand), Porthgwarra, Cornwall, Firecrest, Penberth, Cornwall
30 October - juv Surf Scoter*, Helston Loe, Cornwall, male Ring-necked Duck*, male Black Duck*, Stithians Reservoir, Cornwall
199914 June - 2 Quail calling, Brancaster, Norfolk
16 June - Laughing Gull* at the Three Swallows pub, Cley-next the sea, for less than one minute
26 September - 10 Black-crowned Night Heron, 5 Fork-tailed Swift, 2 Red-necked Stint, Lake Kasumigama, Tsuchiuria, Japan
2 October - Arctic Warbler, Sooty Flycatcher, 2 Japanese White-eye, 2 Grey-tailed Tattler, c. 60 Black Kite, 2 Blue Rock Thrush, Enoshima Island, Shonan, Japan
20008 January - Waxwing, West Riding, Bricket Wood, Herts.
5 September - Long-tailed Skua, 2 juv W off Great Orme, Great White Egret, Alaw estuary
20011 February - 1st-win Laughing Gull*, Stewartby Lake, Bedfordshire (1st for Beds); while we were watching it 4 Waxwings landed in the tree above us!
31 May - male Thrush Nightingale in vigorous song, shore on lake at Espoo, Helsinki
23 June - male Black Redstart in song on roof of Moss Bros, Watford Town Centre
2-5 July - Corncrake: 3+ calling, near cemetry at Bhatarsaigh; 6 calling, Eolaigearraidh, Barra; 3 calling, Acairseid Mhor/Na Pairceanan, Eriskay
3 July - 3rd-sum Iceland Gull at cockleshell dump in backyard of Barratlantic fish factory - Aird Mhidhinis/Bagh Shiarabagh, Barra
8 July - Water Rail, Common Crossbill at Horgabost, Harris
11 July - pair of Black-throated Diver with two young, northern Skye
12 July - Storm Petrel - 5-10 individuals feeding about 2 miles SE of Sgeir Fhiaclach Beag, off east coast of Barra (from Lochboisdale to Castlebay ferry)
26 August - Serin - single over our garden in Garston, Watford; the high-pitched buzzing call betrayed its presence, and the distinctive erratic bouncing flight confirmed its ID, probably the same was seen later in the week in central Watford
27 October - Mediterranean Shearwater S off Strumble Head, Pembrokeshire
28 October - Willow Warbler (late!), Black Redstart, 6 Blackcap, 15000 Starlings S at Whitesands, Pembrokeshire, and another Black Redstart on the roof of St David's Cathedral
10 December - Dartford Warbler, Hatch End Pond, New Forest
20025 March - Belted Kingfisher and Swamp Sparrow - pond at Holiday Inn, Gaithersburg, Maryland
June/July - Barn Owls (possibly breeding) found not far from my home in Watford
11 July - Colour-ringed Canada Goose at the Moor Mill near St Albans which had been ringed as an adult exactly 8 years previously on the River Thames at Hampton
23 October - Lesser Yellowlegs*, Amwell gravel pit, Herts
10 November - Brown Sunbird at Whispering Palms, Badagry
11 November - Fire-bellied Woodpecker - Nigeria Conservation Foundation reserve at Lekki
14 November - Long-crested Eagle high over Lagos expressway S of Ibadan
15 November - c. 20 Wood Sandpiper, c. 20 Common Sandpiper, pair of Long-legged Pipits (1st for Nigeria! - record published as Thibault et al. (2012) "First records of Long-billed Pipit for Nigeria and Benin" in Bull African Bird Club 19(2) 2012)
17 November - Slender-billed Weavers in garden in Festac Town
24 December - 8 pale-bellied Brent Goose, Donmouth, Aberdeen
200315 March - male Firecrest at my workplace, BRE, Watford
9 August - Least Sandpiper*, Tring, Herts (1st for Herts, 28th for Britain)
12 August - stunning view of Red Kite over airfield near our house in Watford
19 September - group of Sandwich Terns over our house calling late evening, our first child having been born that morning!
2004
18 March - Avocet on dam at Hilfield Resr, Herts, went onto the water at dusk (17:15hrs) and drifted out onto reservoir; by 18:40hrs had approached within a few metres of the gull roost flock in the middle of the reservoir; at 18:46hrs (40 mins after sunset) stretched wings upwards once, then a couple of seconds later suddenly took off direct from the water, moving initially W in the direction it was facing but glimpsed flashing back to the right, perhaps circling to gain height; did not call; not present following day so this was probably its departure
26 April - flock of 26 Little Gulls giving marvellous views over Marsworth Resr, Tring, part of a record movement of 40+ birds through
30 April - mixed flock of waders including 14 Bar-tailed Godwits and 10 Grey Plovers NE over Hilfield Resr, Herts
21 May - male Great Spotted Woodpecker scaling the brick wall of the office building at Hilfield Resr, Herts - took c. 60s to climb from 2m to top, mainly with one foot on corner but also grasping wall and flapping to maintain height; once on top climbed horizontally pecking under top slab
12 September - ad Long-tailed Skua E past Craigielaw, Lothian
7 October - ad Mediterranean Gull, red colour ring 7P8 (ringed as an adult on 14 May 2004 by the Vistula at Zwirownia, Skoki Duze, west of Warsaw, Poland (52 36N 19 24E), distance 1505km, direction WNW; first seen in the area on 7 August 2004), Ferny Ness, Lothian
6 December - flock of 175 Waxwings feeding on Swedish Whitebeam berries at Craigmillar in Edinburgh (part of large influx)
18 December - ad Mediterranean Gull, light green colour ring, Seton Sands, Lothian (presumed 3CT6)
15 January - albino Yellowhammer, Balgone, East Lothian
2 February - 2 Little Auks W past Ferny Ness, Lothian, occasionally dropping onto water (part of large influx)
24 March - flock of 111 Waxwings feeding mainly on rosehip berries at Tranent A1 junction, Lothian
18 May - f/imm Marsh Harrier SE over A1 near Blindwells, Lothian
19 June - Common Quail in song on Whitekirk golf course during BBS
27 June - 3rd-sum California Gull - St Luis Reservoir, San Jouquin Valley, California; Anna's Hummingbird, Nuttall's Woodpecker and Loggerhead Shrike all seen in San Jose urban area
3 July - male Common Nighthawk hunting over Edinburgh USA golf course, Brooklyn, Minneapolis
14 August - Long-tailed Skua SE past Barns Ness, Lothian
21 August - albino House Martin, Balgone, East Lothian
19 September - Chinese Little Bittern, Chinese Pond Heron, 70+ Azure-winged Magpie, imm Black-headed Gull - Summer Palace lake, Beijing, China
25 September - juv Pectoral Sandpiper at a flood in East Lothian (18th for Lothian)
5 November - 1-2 ad Mediterranean Gull regular in Seton Sands roost from this date until year end, including Polish-ringed bird 7P8 (7/10/04 above)
20064 January - Black-necked Grebe, Ferny Ness, Lothian (and several dates thereafter until 18 February)
29 January - 24 Common Crossbill, Longniddry c/p 2, Lothian
12 March - a colour-ringed female Snow Bunting seen at Drem Pools. East Lothian, was one of a number caught in a project at Caister-on-sea, Norfolk, during winter 05/06; the ringer reported that the bulk of the flock had remained in the ringing area until a couple of weeks prior to this sighting
20 May - as part of winning SOC team logged 127 species in Lothian in a 24-hr bird race (total seen by at least 3 of team was 125); highlight of the day was a male Goshawk with prey; full account here
3 June - added Grasshopper Warbler to current garden list, bird reeling 450m NW of house by coast road (species 69, or 90 for all gardens)
13 June - 2 Spoonbill, Boo, Cantabria, Spain
13 June - 13 Sanderling, Playa de Liencres, Cantabria
17 June - 3rd-sum Great Blackback, 6 Common Scoter, 3 Spoonbill, Purple Heron - Laredo-Santona; 7 Grey Plover (6 1st-sum), Somo, Cantabria; Great Blackback, Astillero
19 June - birding in Pico de Europas, Cantabria - lifers including Crag Martin (20+), Griffon Vulture (20+), Egyptian Vulture (2), Alpine Chough
19 June - Audouin's Gull in evening roost at San Vicente de Barqueta, Cantabria, Spain (2nd for Cantabria, after first at Somo on 5/5/02)
23 June - 1st-sum Great Blackback, Somo, Cantabria
13 August - adult Roseate Tern ENE past Gullane Point, Aberlady
17 August - adult Mediterranean Gull red-7P8, as above, back in Seton Sands roost, Lothian
24 August - Common Terns calling over Longniddry during the night as they departed S on migration, presumably overland to the Solway
14 November - 5 (2 ad, 2nd-win, 2 1st-win) Mediterranean Gull in Seton Sands roost near our house (probably the highest indivdual total yet recorded in Scotland); a good autumn for them here, a total of 41 bird-days, with at least 9 different birds present, probably more
28 December - flock of redpolls appeared visible from our house in Longniddry, including 12+ Mealy Redpolls
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