2019 Wildlife Highlights

This is probably the longest post I've ever done. The highlights of 2019. As Jacob started pre-school in October we made the most of our last year of freedom by getting in as much travel as possible. So here's the wildlife highlights through the whole year. Found a few good birds, some good moths and saw loads of excellent and mind blowing stuff! Started and ended the year with a rare Gallinule. 

January

 Allen's Gallinule on Fuerteventura

 Dwarf Bittern on Fuerteventura

 Houbara Bustard on Fuerteventura

 Found this Yellow-browed Warbler on Fuerteventura

Glaucous Gull at Beddington 

 February

 Found this Pale-bellied Brent on Sheppey

 Short-eared Owls on Sheppey

 A record matching year for Water Pipit at Beddington 

 Black-throated Diver at Holmethorpe, Surrey 

 Pine Beauty and Buttoned Snout (below) in the Beddington traps during the 'hot' February 

 African Piculet in Ghana

 Blue Leaf Pansy in Ghana

 Black Mamba in Ghana (not this species but not sure what it is- a Cobra sp?) update 080424- its a Western Black Tree Snake  

Oleander Hawkmoth in Ghana 

 March

 Med Gull at Beddington 

 Cranes over Otmoor 

 Found this migrating adult Iceland Gull over Beddington 

The first spring Wheatears are always an annual highlight- Beddington 

 April

 Little Gulls at Farmoor

 Male Scaup at Staines 

Found this Spotted Redshank at Otmoor 

 May

 Balearic Warbler on Majorca

 Mediterranean Flycatcher on Majorca

 Marbled Teal on Majorca

 Summer Asphodel on Majorca

 Lilford's Wall Lizard, Majorca

 Spot Fly's back at the Old Vic

 Dewick's Plusia back at Beddington- a record year this year 

A stunning Netted Pug at Beddington- a first for the farmlands 

June

 Black Hairstreak at Bernwood Meadows 

Pale Water Veneer- a first for Beddington 

 Privet Hawkmoth at the Old Vic 

 Silky Wainscot at Beddington- a first for site 

Small Blue on the Inside Croydon walk to Roundshaw Downs 

July

 Eastern Gorilla in Uganda

 Chimpanzee in Uganda 

 Shoebill in Uganda

 Green-breasted Pitta, Uganda

 L'Hoerst's Monkey, Uganda

 African Grey Parrot, Uganda

 Grauer's Broadbill, Uganda

 White-crested Turaco, Uganda 

 Lesser Jacana, Uganda 

Biblical numbers of Belenois auroa in Uganda 

Three-horned Chameleon, Uganda 

 Golden Pearl at Beddington- a first for site 

 Spectacle and Dark Spectacle at Beddington 

Pine Hawkmoth at the Old Vic 

August 

 Alpine Swift in Bulgaria

 Tawny Pipit and Black-headed Bunting, Bulgaria

 Bee-eater, Bulgaria

 Convolvolus Hawkmoth, Bulgaria

 Flocks of Golden Oriole, Bulgaria (up to 50+)

 Lappet, Bulgaria

 Lesser Emperor, Bulgaria

 Pale Shoulder, Bulgaria

Pied Wheatear, Bulgaria

September 

 Juvenile Montagu's Harrier, Bulgaria

 First-winter Citrine Wagtail, Bulgaria

 Juvenile Broad-billed Sandpiper, Bulgaria

 Another stunning autumn male Pied Wheatear

 Episema glaucina, Bulgaria

 Jersey Black Arches, Bulgaria

 Marsh Warbler, Bulgaria

Found this Terek Sandpiper, a national rarity, Bulgaria

 Ruff at Farmoor

A platter of Sallows and autumn moths, the Old Vic

 October

 Hermit Thrush, Corvo, Azores (Vincent Legrand) 

Short-finned Pilot Whales, an Azores tick (Vincent Legrand) 

Found this RB Merg at Farmoor

 November 

 Flyover Woodcock on Sheppey

 Otmoor Otter

 One of very few Caspian Gulls at Beddington this year 

 Adult female Scaup at Farmoor

Tundra Bean Goose in Lisbon- a first for Portugal

 December 

 Goldeneye at Staines (and finally saw the Long-tailed Duck the same day)

Slavonian Grebe at Farmoor 

American Purple Gallinule- ok I didn't find this bird or even see it but I did identify it yesterday from photos while compiling the 2017 Azores report. Originally thought to be a Moorhen I was pleasantly surprised when I opened up the file to see the Azores 10th American Purple Gallinule photographed by Stanislaw Czyz.