2009 total: 173
life list: 182
Not too bad really considering the general lack of outings in the second half of this year, and that I missed out on my big autumn holiday. Generally 2009 has been totally shit, so 2010 doesn't have to try too hard to be an improvement really.
Highlights for 2009 include a pair of montagu's harrier, barn owls, penduline tits, a bittern flying right over our heads, and spoonbills (which are always awesome). Oh, and the robin in Hanningfield attacking Parus. My favourite birds of 2009 had to be the white storks in France, but due to their frenchness don't count to my total. They are just ridiculously big...
Birds missing from my list that really shouldn't be include whooper/berwicks swans, eider, garganey, any exciting herons, golden eagle, osprey, red kite, dipper, lesser spotted woodpecker, dartford warbler, tree sparrow.... loads basically.
The aim for 2010 will be to make the big 200, and if the trip to Mull goes ahead this should be easily achieveable. I would also like to get a decent sight of a kingfisher, to make more of an effort with seabirds, and to finally work out whether or not brambling are a myth. More importantly, I would like to see this "smart looking black and red bird" that my mum claims to have seen in our garden. If we have a bullfinch here i want evidence!
The target zoo-wise will be to try to get away from my desk a bit more and take some photos of all the awesome stuff that lives there. We have a new male gorilla that is shaping up to be a handsome chap, and have had plenty of very cute babies of late. Personally I have my fingers crossed for mini aardvarks.
So here is to a better 2010...
