Reach for the skies!!! My tern to fly high!

[Dave Williams]

However, a bonus and unexpected bird was in store

499)Greater Scaup

Greater Scaup.    BY499 by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[Dave Williams]

I resisted photographing the Feral Pigeons preferring this one instead

If the worst comes to the worst I have this one literally in the bag. In full feeding plumage too.

 

Happy Christmas everybody!

 

[PeterHG]

A perfect one for #500 ! Happy Christmas to you and yours too!

[Galana]

Just one is 33.333% there.

[Peter Connan]

Serves 13? 13 what? Ants?

 

Merry Christmas Dave!

[Kitsafari]

Hope you had a terrific Christmas and good feast. there is a shortage of turkeys here, so i can't even use that for the BY! 

Hope you are having more wine and another good feast today! 

[Dave Williams]

Foul weather not just today but forecast for the rest of the month so I was pleased to discover this shot from earlier this year on a hard drive I'd forgotten about. Panic over 500 achieved and that me done!

 

500) Little Egret

Little Egret   Big Year 500!!!!! by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[Kitsafari]

Congrats on the half century! and still five days to spare!

[PeterHG]

Congratulations on your hard-won 500! An excellent achievement with only days to spare.

[Dave Williams]

Just been totting up where I got the images, I haven't bothered with duplicates which don't count  just new additions as I went along.

 

January. 14days.     Cuba  49

April.        7 days.    Cyprus 44

April/May 10 days   Spain. 35

May         10 days    Bulgaria 22

August   38 days    S.Africa 194

December 14 days Senegal 54

Jan-Dec.  272 days.   UK 102

 

It's easy to throw money in pursuit of this wildlife photography game but interesting that other than the UK shots a last minute all inclusive deal to Cyprus was the best value!!  The two specific bird hide photography trips the worst! You just need to pick the seasons too of course.

 

I'm wondering where next year will take me. Lost for ideas at the moment but tempted to go for something a bit different. I'm forgetting European pro bird hide and looking further afield for something new to do without Claire if necessary, she can take a trip with daughter-in-law again!  Recommendations welcome. 

 

 

 

[TonyQ]

Well done on reaching 500 @Dave Williams- an impressive achievement 

[Tdgraves]

Congratulations on the 500 @Dave Williamsis that your best ever?

[Dave Williams]

Just now, Tdgraves said:

Congratulations on the 500 @Dave Williamsis that your best ever?

 

Easily. My previous record for sightings was only 400 way back in 2008 although in fairness I haven't actually kept a record since then only of photos in the BY thread. Not sure what that was, I'll have to look.

[Dave Williams]

Well,well I am surprised, I had hit 400 previously.

2017 362

2018 375

2019 410

2020 173

2021 161

2022 500

 

 

[Peter Connan]

Well done Dave! A very impressive total for just about anybody but Michael.

 

If I may ask, best value in what terms? Bird per pound or bird per day? I would think that, in larger countries with more biomes, the lower cost of "local" travel would make longer trips more cost effective (like your trip here)? Or are costs in SA just higher than us Saffers would like to believe?

[Dave Williams]

7 hours ago, Peter Connan said:

Well done Dave! A very impressive total for just about anybody but Michael.

 

If I may ask, best value in what terms? Bird per pound or bird per day? I would think that, in larger countries with more biomes, the lower cost of "local" travel would make longer trips more cost effective (like your trip here)? Or are costs in SA just higher than us Saffers would like to believe?

I’ll answer that later Peter meanwhile in a moment of self congratulation I have discovered 2 duplicates. I have only hit 498 and in the meantime lost time too. It’s past midnight and I have little time left. 
Aghhhhh! What will fate bestow? The jury is out!

[Dave Williams]

16 hours ago, Peter Connan said:

Well done Dave! A very impressive total for just about anybody but Michael.

 

If I may ask, best value in what terms? Bird per pound or bird per day? I would think that, in larger countries with more biomes, the lower cost of "local" travel would make longer trips more cost effective (like your trip here)? Or are costs in SA just higher than us Saffers would like to believe?

£'s per bird Peter. Mind you for a local bird the Turkey was pretty expensive and not particularly enjoyable. It won't feature on my list next year!

Flights and car hire to South Africa was more expensive than a two week all inclusive package to Cuba  or Senegal. Had I been to Senegal before SA the count there would have almost doubled but at SA's expense. Home , especially locally is of course the most economic way of adding to the count and can be just as enjoyable too.

[PeterHG]

11 hours ago, Dave Williams said:

I have only hit 498

Ah, that's a shame with only a few days left. I do hope you';; find two more!

[Galana]

11 hours ago, Dave Williams said:

I have only hit 498 and in the meantime lost time too. It’s past midnight and I have little time left. 

Oh bugger. I feel your pain. I was just smiling warmly when you for the Egret and then it went.

 

And no luck with the Turkey either. It was introduced and you are not allowed to eat your ticks anyway.

 

Edited December 28, 2022 by Galana
updated text

[TonyQ]

Keep looking @Dave Williams, still some time!

[Zim Girl]

Oh no, what a shame!  I was just about to congratulate you on a half century, well done on 498 all the same and don't give up, you never know!

[Dave Williams]

This one is from Cuba ! Not introduced, it flew there

[Galana]

4 hours ago, Dave Williams said:

This one is from Cuba ! Not introduced, it flew there

In a Hercules??

[xelas]

 

 

On 12/27/2022 at 5:19 PM, Dave Williams said:

Recommendations welcome. 

 

I have very limited knowledge about birds&birding but I know a lot about GBP/EUR/USD per .... From my travels, Costa Rica gave me a lot of birds for a reasonable budget.

 

Congratulations on "almost 500"! Why it should be a round number anyway ?

Edited December 29, 2022 by xelas

[michael-ibk]

There‘s still the Feral Pigeon - go get it, now now now! And since we don‘t care that much about rules, why not accept the Turkey? Both of them.

 

OTOH, you might like to try for another bonus bird just to be on the safe side - sure about your Scaup?