Wednesday 31 December 2008

A year to remember

As 2008 nears it's end and the Aussies start to enjoy 2009 time to think back to a year that had good birds, some memorable dips, and not just the FTSE, some good friends that sadly were taken from us and memorable trips to India, Cornwall and Ireland. The good birds of 2008 were many from a Kentish perspective and though there were lean times through the year the autumn threw up some great birds and the spring had a few good moments of magic 'in the valley'. The star birds would have to be the Green Heron at West Hythe, Black Stork at Seaton, American Golden Plovers, Desert Wheatear and Red-footed Falcons. From a national perspective I rarely wandered out of the county bar a few trips to Essex, a trip to the White-crowned Sparrow in Norfolk early in the year and a memorable day in South Wales watching paint dry 'plus a few Little Egrets'
I gained five Kent ticks this year and saw some good local birds with Caspian Gull, Waxwing, Firecrest, Dartford Warbler and Fulmar!!
The World list neared the magical 6000 mark only to be cruelly brought back down 30 species or so again with the recent Clements updates and American alliance species lumping session!
http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/corrections/Nov08overview Hopefully 2009 will be bird filled, and another batch of goodies in Kent and maybe' just maybe that 'Great Bustard' will once again set toe in the grand old county of Kent for all to see
Happy New Year


2 comments:

Tony Morris said...

Have a good one Barry,
best wishes,
Tony

Barry said...

cheers Tony. Glad you had a good day at Marton Mere, happy memories of our trip with Ann there all those years ago in the icy conditions.