Total UK Species in February 2022: 68
New “Year Ticks” in February 2022: 14
New “Life Ticks” in February 2022: 0
The first birding group trip up to Hoylake for a high tide was called off due to bad weather but a couple of days later, on the 3rd February, we went on our own to cover the same ground making stops at Hoylake, Wallasey Beach, New Brighton Marine Lake and Neston Old Quay. This gave us great views of a single Snow Bunting at Holake but more at Wallsay Beach. We also got all the usual suspects at New Brighton and were lucky to get our Puple Sandpipers etc. before a Peregrine stooped down on them and scattered them.
A birding group trip to Neumann’s Flash on 8th February was pretty standard but we did get nice Goldcrest, Mealy Redpoll and some Redwing so that was three nice year ticks.
Another trip on the 15th took us to RSPB Conwy and Little Orme. Whilst RSPB Conwy was the usual fare, Little Orme proved to be fantastic with Chough, Red-throated Diver, Shag, Fulmar and even an Icelandic Gull to finish the day off – incredible.
We missed the last birding group day which was supposed to be to Sandbach Flashes. We have had continuing work done on the house so this has kept us at home more than we would have wished.
In the garden we continue to have our pair of Grey Wagtails, though one is more usual than two. We also had a pair of Robins and the odd Starling, some Goldfinch and the usual tits as well as feral and wood pigeons – of course.
New Species this month for 2022
- Snow Bunting at Hoylake and Wallasey Beach on 3rd February 2022
- Snipe at Neston Old Quay on 3rd February 2022
- Great Crested Grebe at Neumann’s Flash on 8th February 2022
- Goldcrest at Neumann’s Flash on 8th February 2022
- Long-tailed Tit at Neumann’s Flash on 8th February 2022
- Nuthatch at Neumann’s Flash on 8th February 2022
- Mealy Redpoll at Neumann’s Flash on 8th February 2022
- Redwing at Neumann’s Flash on 8th February 2022
- Greylag Goose at RSPB Conwy on 15 February 2022
- Shag at Little Orme on 15 February 2022
- Chough at Little Orme on 15 February 2022
- Iceland Gull at Little Orme on 15 February 2022
- Red-throated Diver at Little Orme on 15 February 2022
- Fulmar at Little Orme on 15 February 2022