Garden target lists

Lothian

After a year at the new house in Lothian the garden list reached 61 species (6/8/05); a neighbour had reached 83 so there are still some to get, including one or two easy ones; the following is a list of 25 possible species which would be needed to catch up, let's see if any are accurate predictions:

1. (Mallard - Should be easy!) - a pair NE over east of village on 25 February 2007
2. (Canada Goose - Another likely suspect - small flock of moult migrants N over on 5 June 2010
3. (Barnacle Goose - Moves around with local Pinkfeet) - 4 over on 29 October 2005
4. (Common Crossbill - Got this in Herts in the 2002 breakout - surely a likely candidate here near the coast) - 5 over on 9 October 2005
5. (Common Chiffchaff - Likely in spring/autumn) - first to fall, calling bird on 3 September 2005
6. (Sand Martin - A probable over spring 2005) - 4 over W on 15 April 2006
7. (Stock Dove - Regular nearby) - 1 over on 12 August 2006
8. (Jay - Possible in autumn) - 1 over on 2 October 2010
9. (Mute Swan - Must fly over from time to time) - 5 over on 22 October 2005
10. (Teal - fairly common in the area) - 3 over on 2 December 2010
11. (Reed Bunting - Possible in winter or on passage - 1 calling over, snow lying, 30 November 2021
12. (Brambling - Perhaps in winter or on passage) - 1 over calling on vismig 30 October 2010
13. (Lesser Redpoll - Possible over) - single in song over on 15 April 2006
14. (Common Tern - Regular at coast nearby) - several over after dark on 24 August 2006, and other dates thereafter
15. (Dunlin - Must fly over from time to time) - one over in rain just after midnight on 21 October 2006
16. (Common Snipe - Must pass over now and again) - one in hard weather January 2018, seen twice on second occasion looking as if going to land in garden; deep snow lying
17. (Common Sandpiper - Possible over) - heard over in rain at 23:44hrs 14 August 2007
18. (Whimbrel - Possible over) - heard over in rain at 23:32hrs 14 August 2007
19. (Common Whitethroat - Common in surrounding countryside - female in garden on 8 May 2010
20. (Treecreeper - May pass through with tit flocks) - single alighted in tiny front garden on 11 September 2006
21. Spotted Flycatcher - Seen nearby outside the village
22. Garden Warbler - Seen in another garden in the village
23. (Wigeon - Moves along coast) - 1+ over on 2 December 2010
24. Gannet - Ought to be visible occasionally throo telescope high over sea 1km N
25. (Tree Pipit - Several heard over on migration on nearby coast) - 1 N over 21 April 2020
26. Yellow Wagtail - not infrequent as a migrant in the area

Species added to the list which were not envisaged are:

1. Grey Plover - single over at night on 5 September 2005
2. Grasshopper Warbler - reeling bird audible in May-June 2006
3. Common Redpoll - a small flock present over New Year 2007
4. Ringed Plover - heard over to north at 23:55hrs on 14 May 2007; plenty on the coast at this time of year so should have been no surprise
5. Quail - nocturnal migrant on 1 June 2007
6. Bar-tailed Godwit - heard over in rain at 00:20hrs 15 August 2007
7. Barn Owl - screech heard 02:08hrs 27 July 2008, quite a surprise within the village but also heard summer 2008 and since then sometimes daily, even seen flying over the garage!
8. Black-tailed Godwit - heard over in rain at 00:18hrs 2 August 2010
9. Coot - heard over in mist at 01:13hrs 7 August 2010
10. Tree Sparrow - a couple on 30 October 2010 and several dates into winter, subsequently has become a regular in this part of the village
11. Woodcock - 2 over in roding flight excursion on 8 May 2011; had thought more likely to get this species in autumn/winter as nearest regular breeding/roding area is a couple of miles NE
12. Short-eared Owl - one during the bumper arrival in autumn 2011
13. Osprey - holy grail finally on 1 July 2012, drizzle
14. Fulmar - a long shot, given declined inland breeders, but one on 15 May 2013
15. Little Egret - another unthinkable a few years ago but expanding so rapidly, finally seen on 9 August 2014
16. Mediterranean Gull - a lot of effort expended looking for this predictable species, regular on coast and commuting to feed inland - finally added on 7 August 2015
17. Nuthatch - when we moved here in 2004 this was still a rarity in Lothian, but has seen a huge expansion since including throughout the neighbouring Gosford Estate, and being seen on feeders regularly at the east end of the village - calls finally heard on 20 July 2016, species 100!
18. Yellowhammer - common locally, but high sedentary, a presumed field hopping local migrant high SW on 12 December 2016, 1C
19. Sedge Warbler - distant bird in song at coast, straining my ears, mid-May 2018
20. Green Sandpiper - nocturnal migrant early August 2018
21. Water Rail - 5 records of nocturnal migrants 9 April to 21 May 2020
22. Common Scoter - nocturnal migrant 14 May 2020
23. Lesser Whitethroat - singing bird in gardens north 5 June 2021

Remaining targets seen locally: Raven, Red Kite, Merlin, Marsh Harrier; Yellow Wagtail (one heard, unconfirmed), Green Woodpecker, Twite, Snow Bunting...

Kincards

Visits home now very infrequent, but most obvious omissions are:

1. Linnet - overhead
2. Teal - most fly over occasionally
3. Common Snipe - must fly over occasionally
4. Chiffchaff - not common in the area though
5. Hen Harrier - a probable once eluded me, seen nearby