Having now completed and sent my 2013 records to the County Recorders (get yours in now, click on the "Records" tab above), and updated my usual year list, whilst it was clearly a stellar year for rare and scarce birds in Pembrokeshire (including of course a few personal highlights: Isabelline Wheatear and Peter & Rosemary's wonderful Western Orphean Warbler, to name but 2), it was interesting to reflect on what I didn't see.
For example:
- No Wood Warbler, Pied Flycatcher, Redstart or Tree Pipit - clearly I need to get into some woodland!
- No Common or Arctic Tern, nor any skuas of any sort whatsoever - errmm, maybe I need to go to Strumble this year! (but don't hold your breath Adrian Rogers)
- No Hen Harrier....oh dear
- No Whinchat, Cuckoo or Grasshopper Warbler - Preselis anyone?
- No Dipper or Kingfisher - what??!! The latter for the last 2 years!
- No Brambling (though I did see one in Northumberland in October)
- No Spotted Redshank....more or less lost to us a wintering species now?
- And, shamefully, no Tawny Owl......twit twoo
Already I'm looking forward to the rest of 2014. Now, where did I put my 'bins?