Tuesday 29 December 2009

NON-STOP BIRDING REVIEW 2009

2009 was all about the development of the main projects I am involved in- Beddington Farmlands Urban Nature Reserve, Birding Azores and a pro-environmental music project. A good year overall with the usual disasters thrown into the mix.

Beddington Farmlands


Pretty much all good on this front. New tours, the restoration works have commenced, new publications, new group structure, new website and some great birds: New website here: http://www.beddingtonfarmlands.org.uk/

Roger's photos here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmNblzlGTHY&feature=autofb

2010 Outlook: Publishing of the 'Birds of Beddington Farmlands', the Carshalton Environmental Fair, more birding tours and of course the continuing development of what will become London's largest urban nature reserve.

The Azores


As for the foreign patch it had to be the best year yet for American vagrants.
Some 2009 links:
Corvo Blog by Olof Jonnson
http://corvo2009.blogspot.com/
Azores Rarity Photo Exhibition by Vincent Legrand
http://www.facebook.com/people/Vincent-Legrand/689917570#/album.php?page=1&aid=104065&id=1074672044
Corvo Birders Photo Gallery
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=153217&id=701232517&ref=mf#/album.php?page=1&aid=153217&id=701232517
and as always the main source of info:
http://www.birdingazores.com/
2010 Outlook: Further winter exploration, new spring seabird exploration, new publications and the overall continuing contribution to development of birding on the Azores.


Eco-Music Project
Overall a roller coaster- lots of ups and downs but good fun. Promo stuff here:
http://www.theebryans.com/
2010 outlook: Who knows. Be warned more of this coming.

YEAR PHOTO SUMMARY
Top to bottom - Sandwich Tern, Spoonbill, Common Buzzard and controversial gull at Beddington, Beddington Birding Tours and Fea's and Wilson's Petrel from Azores pelagics.












Below are Azores photos of Ovenbird by Rafa Armada and Bobolink and Black-throated Green Warbler by Vincent the Great. The painting of Thee Bryans is by Twigg McNettle.








And the plan for 2010- full steam ahead into the unknown. HAPPY NEW YEAR.

NON-STOP BIRDING X REVIEW HERE:
http://peteralfrey.blogspot.com/2009/12/non-stop-birding-review-2009.html

2 comments:

john said...

A delightful blog post. I have thoroughly enjoyed reading about your birding adventures. I am impressed by the care that British birders give to gull identification, and how weather affects local bird movements. Here in Alaska, we practically ignore both sub-adult gulls, and weather,(because it is almost always bad).

Peter Alfrey said...

Cheers John,
Alaska is on my wish list. In the meantime if you decide to give the Alaskan sub adults gulls a second look would like to see a photo gallery.
Happy New Year
Peter