TonyQ's Big Year: Number 4

[TonyQ]

A few more for the UK that have already been posted from India

 

UK76. House Sparrow  Passer domesticus   

Earlswood, nr Birmingham      22.05.2019

 

UK77. Little Ringed Plover  Charadrius dubius          

Upton Warren, Worcestershire           15.05.2019

 

UK78. Common Sandpiper  Actitis hypoleucos         

Upton Warren, Worcestershire           17.04.2019

 

UK79. Lapwing  Vanellus vanellus     

(f) Upton Warren, Worcestershire           17.04.2019

(m) Upton Warren, Worcestershire           17.04.2019

 

UK80. Swallow (Barn)  Hirundo rustica          

Earlswood, nr Birmingham      22.05.2019

Earlswood, nr Birmingham      22.05.2019

Edited June 2, 2019 by TonyQ

[TonyQ]

291.UK81. Swift  Apus apus  

Our Garden, Birmingham        03.06.2019

[TonyQ]

292.UK82. Sanderling  Calidris alba  

Upton Warren, Worcestershire           09.05.2019

Upton Warren, Worcestershire           09.05.2019

I put the second photo in to show how small they are compared to a gull. I am often surprised by how small many waders are (I am a slow learner!)

[TonyQ]

293.UK83. Black Tern  Chlidonias niger        

Upton Warren, Worcestershire           09.05.2019

Upton Warren, Worcestershire           09.05.2019

[TonyQ]

294.UK84. Chiffchaff  Phylloscopus collybita 

Upton Warren, Worcestershire           09.05.2019

[TonyQ]

295.UK85. Water Rail  Rallus aquaticus        

Upton Warren, Worcestershire           23.03.2019

Always a treat to see a Water Rail!

[Peter Connan]

And a great shot too!

[xelas]

Al re nice @TonyQ but Water Rail is a rare find! Five more to enter the #300.

[PeterHG]

Agree on the Water Rail, great find and great shot! Love your comparison photo of the Gull and Sanderling. That is a huge difference, indeed!

[michael-ibk]

Good to see you move forward Tony! Only five to go - what treat do you have in store for #300 I wonder?

[Soukous]

terrific looking Lapwings @TonyQ, real Lapwings that is.

[TonyQ]

@Peter Connan @PeterHG @Soukous @xelas @michael-ibk  thank you!

A few now from the Wyre Forest, about an hour's drive away

 

296.UK86. Tree Pipit  Anthus trivialis

Very high in the tree, Wyre Forest, Worcestershire  12.05.2019

 

[TonyQ]

297.UK87. Mandarin  Aix galericulata

(m) Wyre Forest, Worcestershire  12.05.2019

(f) Wyre Forest, Worcestershire  12.05.2019

(f) Wyre Forest, Worcestershire  12.05.2019

An introduced species, now living wild in many places in the UK.

[TonyQ]

298.UK88. Wood Warbler  Phylloscopus sibilatrix     

Wyre Forest, Worcestershire  12.05.2019

Not as commonly seen as a number of the other warblers. This was only our second sighting - the previous on (last year) was a few hundred metres away from this one!

[TonyQ]

299.UK89. (European) Pied Flycatcher  Ficedula hypoleuca

New bird for the UK  

Wyre Forest, Worcestershire  12.05.2019

[TonyQ]

And for 300, I have chosen

300.UK90. Dipper  Cinclus cinclus     

Wyre Forest, Worcestershire  12.05.2019

Only my third sighting of a dipper and the first locally. We have looked for them on this river a few times, but this was our first success. (It is about 100m from the Mandarin above). I think they are lovely birds, and their behaviour is very interesting.

 

Wyre Forest, Worcestershire  12.05.2019

We were delighted to see that there was also a chick present (a first for us), and then

We noticed there were 2 chicks!, Wyre Forest, Worcestershire  12.05.2019

[xelas]

Congratulations, @TonyQ! Any of your last 5 birds would be great candidates for #300; personally I would chose Mandarin, such a colourful duck. Who cares if it is not a local one .

[Tdgraves]

Well done on 300

 

[Kitsafari]

congrats on the 300th! the dipper is a dashing bird, indeed

 

[Peter Connan]

Congratulations on reaching 300, and that even before mid-year (just)! Lovely bird and shots to reach the total on too!

[PeterHG]

Congratulations on #300. Beautiful bird indeed and I also love your Mandarin shot!

 

[lmSA84]

Congrats on the triple ton! Beautiful Dipper

[michael-ibk]

Congratulations Tony, well done! As always I've been greatly enjoying your Big Year. The Dipper is one of my favorites so excellent choice for #300. 

[Soukous]

300 before the end of June. Excellent achievement.

[pedro maia]

Congrats on the 300th Tony, a beautiful one, never heard of it.