Jamaica, Feb 2024

A two week holiday with Karen along the northern coast of Jamaica. 

I managed all bar one of the possible 29 endemics (missing Jamaican Blackbird), which was better than expected. Mostly thought I just enjoyed birding in warm weather and seeing some great birds. 

Jamaican Crow

Greater Antillean Banaquit

Spotted Sandpiper

Brown Pelican

Royal Tern

Magnificent Frigatebird

Laughing Gull

Green Heron 

White-winged Dove

Zenaida Dove

Collared Dove

Yellow Warbler

Northern Parula

Prairie Warbler

Yellowthroat 

Northern Mockingbird

Antillean Palm-swift

Vervain Hummingbird 

Loggerhead Kingbird

Cattle Egret

Common Starling

Greater Antillean Grackle

Great Egret

American Redstart 

American Kestrel

White-crowned Pigeon

Jamaican Woodpecker

Cape May Warbler

Barn Swallow

Red-billed Streamertail

Killdeer

Yellow-faced Grassquit

Caribbean Martin

Jamaican Euphonia 

Belted Kingfisher

Palm Warbler

Jamaican Mango

Yellow-throated Warbler

Ruddy Quail Dove

Jamaican Becard

Grey Kingbird

Rufous-tailed Flycatcher

Crested Quail Dove

Black-billed Parrot

Green-rumped Parrotlet

Yellow-billed Parrot

Olive-throated Parakeet

Jamaican Lizard Cuckoo

Jamaican Tody

Jamaican Elaenia

Sad Flycatcher

Jamaican Oriole

Orangequit

White-chinned Thrush

Worm-eating Warbler

Ovenbird

Jamaican Vireo

Jamaican Spindalis

Arrowhead Warbler

Greater Antillean Elaenia (Jamaican)

Black-throated Blue Warbler

Yellow-shouldered Grassquit

Greater Antillean Bullfinch

Chestut-bellied Cuckoo

Merlin

Jamaican Pewee

Glossy Ibis

Blue Mountain Vireo

American Barn Owl

Northern Potoo

Jamaican Owl

Antillean Palm Swift

Black-billed Streamertail

White-eyed Thrush

Jamaican Tody

Louisiana Waterthrush

Black-and-white Warbler

Ring-tailed Pigeon

Common Yellowthroat

Caribbean Martin

Common Starling

White Nun. 27th Jan 2024

The first local drake Smew for a good few years spent a couple of weeks at Newchurch, just down the road. 

6th January 2024

A jaunt around Crosby Marina and Parkgate. The highlights were the long-staying Black-throated Diver, and a drake Common Scoter. The latter was sat on the edge of the smaller pool - possibly the first time I've ever seen one out of the water and at close range. At Parkgate in the late afternoon, there were the usual throngs of Pink-footed Geese and commoner wildfowl. Two or three Great Egrets were seen on the marsh, along with multiple Little Egrets. Marsh Harriers were harder to count, but probably around half a dozen were hunting. Two separate ringtail Hen Harriers put in performances, with one  giving prolonged views as it harried anything and everything. 

Common Scoter drake, looking very dapper in the sun.

Black-throated Diver

2024 - New Years Day in North Wales

After weeks and weeks of wind and rain, 2024 started off with a rare calm day. Malc, Mark and I had a casual day out which initially consisted of dipping on Waxwings in multiple locations before a look on the sea at Llandulas. The usual large numbers of Common Scoter were mostly distant, again as usual, but decent in good light. A single male Velvet Scoter flew through, as did 3 Red-throated Divers. There were several rafts of Great-crested Grebes, a handful of Red-breasted Mergansers and a single drake Eider, and a couple of Fulmars were seen too. Nothing rare, but pleasant enough.

We decided to head off towards Llyn Brenig, but shortly after setting off a flock of roadside Waxwings brought us to an abrupt stop and we enjoyed spectacular views of at least 32 birds, often at eye-level. It's a shame the day was dull, but the views were splendid. It's been a good winter for these gorgeous northern visitors, so I was very pleased to finally see these birds.

We dragged ourselves away and onwards to Llyn Brenig, but the annual Great-grey Shrike had vanished as it so often does. A few Crossbills flew over, but that aside birds were thin on the ground.