Lesser Florican - August 2023

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Saturday 31 December 2011

Year totals and review 31/12/11

Sussex Year List - 227 - somewhat gave up around June time, not realising what the autumn was going to bring, and potentially missed out on a record breaking year.

British Year List - 258 - a lot lower than recent years, but other commitments meant less time for long distance twitching.

Best twitch of 2011 - probably the White-winged Scoter off the Aberdeenshire Coast. A great trip with Jake, getting all Scottish specialalities during the 3 day trip on top off the Scoter.

Best UK bird of 2011 - Wilson's Petrel from the Scilly pelagics in August, just in front of the amazing Great Shearwaters.

Best world bird of 2011 - male Drakensberg Rock-Jumper in Lesotho.

Tuesday 27 December 2011

The Burgh & Coldwaltham Brooks 27/12/11

The Burgh - after a couple of hours of walking around I finally managed to see the Rough-legged Buzzard well. First seen at a distance, it glided closer and gave great views flying low over fields, hovering and landing on the seed bins.

Also present were 2 ringtail Hen Harriers and 19 Grey Partridge.

Out from Burpham Church were 30 Bewicks Swans including 4 juvs and a Chiffchaff.

Afterwards I visited Coldwaltham Brooks and saw 4 Short-eared Owls, 2 Chiffchaffs, 3 Mandarins over and a Weasel.


Bewick's Swans at Burpham


Rough-legged Buzzard at The Burgh

Short-eared Owl at Coldwaltham

Monday 26 December 2011

Cuckmere 26/12/11

An adult Yellow-legged was the only Gull of any note in the Cuckmere just north of Exceat Bridge this morning.
Adult Yellow-legged Gull in Cuckmere.

Sunday 25 December 2011

Widewater, The Burgh & Rodmell Brooks 24/12/11

Widewater Lagoon - Snow Bunting 2, Sanderling 15.

The Burgh - Hen Harrier 2 (1M+1F), Red Kite 1, Grey Partridge 8. No sign of the Rough-legged Buzzard.

Rodmell Brooks - Hen Harrier 1F, Short-eared Owl 3.





Snow Buntings at Widewater Lagoons.





Saturday 17 December 2011

Pett, Dungeness, Cuckmere, Rodmell 17/12/11

Pett Levels - Marsh Harrier 2, Avocet 1

Scotney GP - Barnacle Geese 30+

ARC Pit - Great White Egret 2, Tree Sparrow 8, Goldeneye 10+, Chiffchaff 1.

Dungeness Point - Snow Bunting 1 heard!

Cuckmere Haven - Brent Geese 22. No unusual Gulls on the large flock of Greater/Lesser Black-backed Gulls.

Rodmell Brooks - Short-eared Owls 3, Merlin 1, Buzzards 4.

Great White Egret on ARC Pit

Short-eared Owl at Rodmell.



Monday 12 December 2011

South Africa - 7/11/11

Cape Point - Grey-headed Gull, Hartlaub's Gulls, Jackass (African) Penguins 40+, Cape Sugarbird 2, Cape Siskin 6, Cape Gannets, White-chinned Petrel 2, White-fronted Plover 3, Crowned Cormorant 8, Antarctic Tern, Blacksmith's Plover 2, Three-banded Plovers.

Cape Beach - Levaillant's Cisticola 3, Water Thick-Knee 1, Cape Lesser Swamp Warbler 3, Little Swifts, White-rumped Swifts.



Jackass Penguin

Hartlaub's Gull

Crowned Cormorant


Blacksmith's Plover


Greater Crested (Swift) Tern


Levaillant's Cisticola













South Africa - 8/11/11

Rouiells - Cape Rockjumper 3, Orange-breasted Sunbird 2, Cape Grassbird 2, Familiar Chat 1, White-necked Raven.

Betty's Bay - Bank Cormorant 22, African Penguin 100+, Cape Francolin 2, Pin-tailed Whydah, Brimstone Canary 2.

Harold Porter Bot. Gardens - Swee Waxbill 4, Rock Martin, Southern Double-collared Sunbird 2.

On route to De Hoop - Jackal Buzzards, Blue Cranes, Capped Wheatears, Namaqua Doves, Black Harrier 1, Karoo Korhaan 2.

Cape Sugarbird at Rooiels

Cape Francolin at Betty's Bay

Brimstone Canary at Betty's Bay

Swee Waxbill at Harold Porter

Capped Wheatear on rout to De Hoop

Bokmakierie at De Hoop











South Africa - 9/11/11

De Hoop NP - Great White Pelican 5, African Hoopoe 2, Cape Shoveler, Southern Pochard, Cape Teal, Brown-throated Martin, Fiscal Flycatcher, Yellow-fronted Canary, Denham's Bustard 6, Cape Vulture 7, Black Harrier 1, Cape Clawless Otter.

Malgas - Pearl-breasted Swallow 2, Klaas's Cuckoo 1

Knysna - Dusky Flycatcher, Bar-thraoted Apalis.

Sombre Greenbul at De Hoop

Karoo Prinia at De Hoop

Fiscal Flycatcher at De Hoop

Denham's Bustard at De Hoop

Cape Vulture at De Hoop

Blue Crane at Malgas.











Thursday 8 December 2011

South Africa - 10/11/11

Wilderness NP - Chorister Robin-Chat 6, Knysna Turaco 10, Narina Trogan 2, Greater Double-collared Sunbird, Amethyst Sunbird, Olive Pigeon, Forest Canary 1, Black-headed Oriole 2, African Paradise Flycatcher, Reed Cormorant, Malachite Kingfisher, Terrestrial Brownbul, Green Wood-Hoopoe 2.

Bartlesfontein - Secretarybird

Tradouws Pass - Great Doub. Coll. Sunbird 1, Brown-hooded Kingfisher 1

Honeywood Guest House, Groostervanbosch - Greater Honeyguide 1, Fiery-necked Nightjar 1, African Wood Owl 2.

African Paradise Flycatcher at Wildeness

Bar-throated Apalis at Wilderness

Knysna Turaco at Wilderness

White-throated Swallow at Wilderness

Reed Cormorant at Wilderness

Crappy pic of Secretarybird at Bartlesfontein

Greater Double-collared Sunbird at Tradouws Pass


Amethysts Sunbird at Groostervanbosch



Olive Thrush at Groostervanbosch

















South Africa - 11/11/11

Groostervanbosch - Knysna Warbler 1+1h, Yellow-throated Woodland Warbler 1, Black Cuckoo 2, Black Sparrowhawk 2, Forest Buzzard 4, Narina Trogan 2, Olive Woodpecker 6.

Strandfontein Sewage Works - Maccoa Duck 4, Red-billed Duck 2, Southern Pochard, Cape Teal, Black-necked Grebe, Black-shouldered Kite, African Darter 1, Spotted Thick Knee 3, Purple Swamphen 2.

Narina Trogan at Groostervanbosch

Knysna Warbler at Groostervanbosch

Cape Robin-Chat at Groostervanbosch

Black-shouldered Kite at Strandfontein

Cape Teal at Strandfontein

Maccoa Duck at Strandfontein

Sacred Ibis at Strandfontein


Spotted Thick Knee at Strandfontein.















South Africa - 12/11/11

Pelagic - Shy Albatross 20+, Indian Yellow-nosed Albatross 10+, Atlantic Yellow-nosed Albatross 5+, Black-browed Albatross 5, White-chinned Petrel 100+, Pintado Petrel 10+, Great-winged Petrel 10, KERGUELAN PETREL 1, Northern Giant Petrel 5+, Southern Giant Petrel 10+, Sooty Shearwater 10+, Subantarctic Skua 8, Arctic Skua 2, Bank Cormorant 4.

Kirstenbosch Bot. Gardens - Spotted Eagle Owlets 2

Riefvial - Black Crake 1, Purple Swamphen 2, African Spoonbill 1.

Darling area - African Marsh Harrier 2, Cape Clapper Lark 3, White-backed Mousebird 3.

Northern Giant Petrel


Southern Giant Petrel


Subantarctic Skua


Indian Yellow-nosed Albatross


Shy Albatross


Black-browed Albatross





Pintado Petrel


White-chinned Petrel


Giant Petrel sp.


Great-winged Petrel


Cape Gannet


Sooty Shearwater


The mega Kerguelan Petrel - this bird should have been in the antarctic, not off Cape Point. Note the silvery upperwing highlights. The characteristic hovering flight was noted by all present.





Spotted Eagle Owlet at Kirstenbosch Bot. Gardens.