A NEW SURREY YEAR LIST RECORD IN 2011

My aim was to beat my 2010 record total and hopefully reach 200, having missed a few birds. Here is a brief account:

January

Started well with Whitefronts on the 1st, it took me 364.5 days in 2010, .5 days in 2011. Other notable birds included the Bewick's Swans at Cobham and the Eider at Bucklands. I also managed to slip out of Surrey for the Northern Harrier in Norfolk and the putative Slaty-backed Gull at Rainham. Year list 110

The putative Slaty-backed Gull on the right.

February

A few extra birds added, the Great Grey Shrike at Thursley took five attempts but best birds were Kittiwake at Walton and Grey Plover at Beddington. I also made my next foray out of Surrey to see an Oriental Turtle Dove, having previously seen Rufous Turtle Dove on Orkney in 2002. Year list 121

'Oriental' Turtle Dove in Oxon

March

Migrants started to come in by the end of this month by which time I'd had Common Scoter at Frensham plus Avocet at the London Wetland Centre having dipped two at Walton. Year list 136

April

Many more migrants this month, including difficult species such as Bar-tailed Godwit and Little Tern. Amazingly, I heard but didn't see two Common Cranes that flew over Beddington but saw one not long after. Year list 162

May

May is where the year ticks start to slow down but I added difficult species such as Turnstone, Sanderling, Arctic Tern and Raven. In normal years I could just go to suitable habo and find Dartfords but after two snow covered, cold, winters, I heard of a spot to see them on Chobham Common. Year list 166

June

Apart from an evening trip to see Nightjar and Woodcock, I picked up Turtle Dove, which is becoming more and more scarce in Surrey, plus Quail (second bird after only hearing the first), and Black-tailed Godwit. I also got to see the White-throated Robin in Hartlepool, one of the most amazing twitches i've been to and the White-winged Scoter in Scotland Year list 177 

The White-throated Robin, Hartlepool headland

No barrier can keep a birder from his quarry

I was only trying to snap the Hough Gun Battery

The White-winged Scoter

July

A couple of quality birds this month in the shape of Surrey's fifth Red-rumped Swallow, found by Brian Milton at Unstead SF and, my Beddington dream bird, a Black Kite, Surrey's fourth and found by myself. It turned out to be my only Surrey life tick of the year. I rounded the month's year ticks off with a Whimbrel. Surrey year list 180

August

By this time off the year, you're looking for good birds and I managed to bag a couple in the shape of a Hoopoe, only my third in Surrey and a nice get back having been cheated out of one in 2010, and my third Surrey Wryneck.  A Little Stint turned up at Beddington, which was a bonus for the month.

September

September is a month of waders and so it came to pass when I bagged Spot Red at the London Wetland Centre, Knot at Walton, a very welcome Grey Phalarope at Frensham plus I found a Curlew Sandpiper and my fourth Pec Sand at Beddington plus an Osprey to boot. I even got over to Weir Wood to see the Long-toed Squint on the day it's ID was confirmed. Surrey year list 189

Crippling views of the Long-toed Squint

October

The run of good birds continued when I picked up a Spotted Crake at Beddington then a Yellow-browed Warbler at Newdigate but the best day was on the 25th when I started off with a Short-eared Owl at Beddington, continued with  two Hen Harrier at Thursley and finished off when Dave 'The Walton Ninja' Harris found Surrey's sixth record of Shorelark at Walton. Unfortunately, Shorelark wasn't a Surrey tick for me having seen the 85 Barn Elms bird. Sadly I dipped the Rufous-tailed Robin in Norfolk (but saw another Red-flanked Blutail), and the Cornish Tanager but I finished the month just two species away from a new Surrey year list record. Surrey year list 194

The Red-flanked Bluetail at Holme

November

November started well with two Brent Geese at Walton (followed by more at Beddington), just one to go for the record. I beat my old record when a superb male Snow Bunting turned up at Beddington (my third there in three years), 196 it was. There was just over seven weeks to go and many species possible to get me to 200. My next bird in November was Bearded Tit, which I caught up with at the London Wetland Centre. Surrey year list 197

December

It was a great start to December when I bagged a superb adult Glaucous Gull at Beddington on the 1st. 198 with over four weeks to go. Alas, that was it. The mild weather didn't help and the extra Divers, Grebes, Ducks etc I needed just didn't turn up. Maybe I'll have another go for 200 some time. It may just be possible.

As always, many thanks for all the help and encouragement received throughout the year. Special thanks, as always, goes to the patch watchers and I have to mention Dave 'The Walton Ninja' Harris, Gerry 'Gerrycola' Hinchon, Shaun 'Dunnockman' Peters, Graham 'H Bomber' James, Martin 'North Ron' Gray, David 'Devil Birder' Campbell, Gordon 'PP' Haye and Steve 'Captain Hurricane' Spooner, the Tice's Meadow Crew, the Holmethorpe Crew and not forgetting all of the Beddington massive and all Surrey birders I have missed out. See you all in Surrey soon.