Non-stop Birding Review 2024, January to June

Here's a photo summary of the first half of 2024 which covers updates on our birding and nature projects at  Little Oak Group and birding and mothing adventures through the year in my personal quest to see 800 species of bird in the Western Paleartic and 5000 in the World and find as many rare birds and moths on the way. 

JANUARY 

After leaving the Old Vicarage in late December we started the year off at a rental in Thame while waiting to move to the Selsey Peninsula. The rental was on one of those hellish red brick Wimpey home estates built on green space but it was actually quite nice as was next to Cuttlebrook Nature Reserve and had a bit of habitat in the form of the SUDs. 

Local winter birding highlights around the estate included a couple of Knot (above) in the Thame Valley and a few Great Egrets (below)  

I did a couple of visits to Otmoor too

A new application was submitted by Valencia in January for the troubled Beddington Farmlands project. 

FEBRUARY

The first family trip of the year was to Madeira. While the boys are young I'm visiting some kid fiendly easy destinations to pick off a few scattered WP ticks. Trocaz Pigeon (above),  Madeiran Firecrest (below) and Madeiran Chaffinch (below that) were three endemics that I needed. Trip report HERE

Canary Island Red Admiral 

Had the moth trap out at the holiday rental (below) and had a few lifers including Traveller (above) 

Madeira- a stunning destination 

MARCH

The first proper birding trip of the year was to Estonia to go for Stellar's Eider (above) and a few mammals. Dipped Moose. Trip Report HERE.

Other highlights on the Estonia trip included Long-tailed Ducks, Eagle Owls, wild geese and dramatic winter scenes (above) 

A couple of new birding investments in March-a new mirrorless R7 and 100-500m lens and a compact sound recorder 

A retrospective lifer in March when Dick Forsman confirmed the identity of this Saker Falcon from a previous trip to Azeribaijan in 2022. 

Early Gall Moth to pheromone lure at the Thame Rental- the first UK moth lifer of the year 

APRIL

We did an Easter holiday trip to Devon to visit Jaffa and stayed in a forest lodge on the edge of Dartmoor. Goosanders were on the river (above) and we twitched the Devon beavers (below) 

The moth trapping was pretty good at the woodland lodge with Marbled Pug (above) and Grey Birch (above that) amongst a few lifers 

Meanwhile back at the Thame Rental, caught a Northern Drab which was also a lifer. The moth trapping was actually not bad due to close proximity to the Cuttlebrook corridor. 

The first publication of the year was this note on the discovery of Steppe Gulls that we made in 2023 in Azerbaijan. Copy HERE. 

MAY

The highlight of May was another birding trip to Azeribaijan with Vincent, Harry, Renee and Elvin. Trip report HERE.  A couple more WP ticks including Shikra (below- second image down) and Black-winged Pratincole and we also found a hybrid Crested x European Honey Buzzard (4th image below) only the 2nd for Az. Loads of other birds including Red-fronted Serin (above) and Rufous-tailed Scrub Robin,  Blue-cheeked Bee-eater, Broad-billed Sandpiper, Pallas's Gull, Red-necked Phalarope and Black Francolins. 

Birding in the Caucasus 

Had a few moth lifers out in Az including this nice Banded Tiger 

The Thame garden produced another moth lifer, Double-striped Knot-horn 

At the end of May we completed on the Selsey Peninusla homestead purchase which we got refurbished before moving into in June

JUNE

We only had a couple of weeks at the new Selsey Peninsula home before we had to go and stay with family in Australia for more works to be carried out. The first full day birding on the Peninsula produced an American Golden Plover (below) and a Golden Oriole so a pretty nice start. The first local rarity I found was this Roseate Tern (above). Haven't actually found much since! 

Dog's Tooth was the first moth lifer in the new garden 

Ahead of our trip to Western Australia I finally got myself a thermal 

No sooner had we arrived at the new home were we on the road again. First stop Singapore (above and below) on the way to Western Australia.