It's the end of year 3 of birds!!
At the end of 2021 I decided that 2022 was going to be my first real attempt at a 'Big Year', or at least the biggest big year I could really practically do.
A Big Year in simple terms is where bird watchers/enthusiasts spend the year attempting to see and identify as many different species of birds in the wild as possible. There are leader tables that include the US & Canada and Worldwide birders but the traditional Big Year can end up being terrible for the environment, of which is home to the beautiful birds being spotted, due to the amount of travel undertaken, including numerous flights throughout the year.
That being said, my Big Year will probably seem like a very Little Year to many as I only stuck to my home counties as well as a couple of places we drove to on small holidays. I have neither the time nor money to dedicate a full 365 to doing nothing but travelling the width and breadth of the UK (or world!) in search of birds but I can still compete with myself and previous years haha!
Some people also count birds they have physically seen, however, I am only counting those who I have photographed. There were a few awesome bird encounters had in 2022 that were sadly not caught on camera, but that's just tough ha.
In 2020 my annual total was 34, with 4 more at 38 in 2021. See the birds I photographed in both 2020 and 2021 in the posts below.
At the end of 2021 I decided that 2022 was going to be my first real attempt at a 'Big Year', or at least the biggest big year I could really practically do.
A Big Year in simple terms is where bird watchers/enthusiasts spend the year attempting to see and identify as many different species of birds in the wild as possible. There are leader tables that include the US & Canada and Worldwide birders but the traditional Big Year can end up being terrible for the environment, of which is home to the beautiful birds being spotted, due to the amount of travel undertaken, including numerous flights throughout the year.
That being said, my Big Year will probably seem like a very Little Year to many as I only stuck to my home counties as well as a couple of places we drove to on small holidays. I have neither the time nor money to dedicate a full 365 to doing nothing but travelling the width and breadth of the UK (or world!) in search of birds but I can still compete with myself and previous years haha!
Some people also count birds they have physically seen, however, I am only counting those who I have photographed. There were a few awesome bird encounters had in 2022 that were sadly not caught on camera, but that's just tough ha.
In 2020 my annual total was 34, with 4 more at 38 in 2021. See the birds I photographed in both 2020 and 2021 in the posts below.
The Birds of 2020:
The Birds of 2021:
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Birds Photographed in December!
Robin
Release Dove (White Rock Dove/Common Pigeon)
Common Pigeon
Herring Gull
Starling
Curlew
Long Tailed Tit
Heron
Cormorant
Little Grebe
Herring Gull
Starling
Curlew
Long Tailed Tit
Heron
Cormorant
Little Grebe
Blackbird
Oystercatcher
Kestrel
Rock Pipit
Wood Pigeon
Blue Tit
Redshank
Turnstone
Crow
Mute Swan
Mallard
Black Headed Gull
Oystercatcher
Kestrel
Rock Pipit
Wood Pigeon
Blue Tit
Redshank
Turnstone
Crow
Mute Swan
Mallard
Black Headed Gull
Yearly Total - 65
Species of the Year so far:
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The end of 2023 brings the end of 2022's birds and I know now that next year I need to be ahead of the game and post monthly to keep up to date. It's lovely looking back to the previous year and enjoying the memories that come with those photos but it can get a bit confusing.
Anyway, 65 species in 2022 is an exciting total considering the previous years of 34 and 38 respectively. I can't imagine breaking the 100 mark and doubt I have in 2023 (unless I count collection birds at WWT too) but it is a goal for 2024 at least! Bird watching is one of my greatest pleasures in life and I'm so grateful to live somewhere with such a wonderful variety all on my doorstep. None of the photos taken in this project have been outside of North East England and South West Scotland which I think makes it even more special.
Thanks for following along and keep an eye out for a double dose of birds in the new year when I have not only 2023's Big Year to chronicle, but 2024 in real time too.
Ancona Duck
Bantam Chicken
Blackbird
Black Headed Gull
Blue Tit
Bullfinch
Buzzard
Canary
Carrion Crow
Chaffinch
Coal Tit
Collared Dove
Coot
Common Starling
Common Pigeon
Cormorant
Crollwitzer Turkey
Curlew
Dunnock
Eider Duck
Emden Goose
Emu
European Robin
Fulmar
Gannet
Goldfinch
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Great Tit
Grey Heron
Grey Wagtail
Guillemot
Herring Gull
House Sparrow
Jackdaw
Kestrel
Kittiwake
Little Grebe
Long Tailed Tit
Magpie
Mallard
Moorhen
Mute Swan
Oystercatcher
Partridge
Pheasant
Pied Wagtail
Pink Footed Goose
Puffin
Raven
Razorbill
Red Kite
Redshank
Release Dove (White Rock Dove/Common Pigeon)
Rock Pipit
Sand Martins
Sandpiper
Saxony Duck
Song Thrush
Spotted Flycatcher
Stonechat
Swallow
Turkey
Turnstone
Wood Pigeon
Wren
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The end of 2023 brings the end of 2022's birds and I know now that next year I need to be ahead of the game and post monthly to keep up to date. It's lovely looking back to the previous year and enjoying the memories that come with those photos but it can get a bit confusing.
Anyway, 65 species in 2022 is an exciting total considering the previous years of 34 and 38 respectively. I can't imagine breaking the 100 mark and doubt I have in 2023 (unless I count collection birds at WWT too) but it is a goal for 2024 at least! Bird watching is one of my greatest pleasures in life and I'm so grateful to live somewhere with such a wonderful variety all on my doorstep. None of the photos taken in this project have been outside of North East England and South West Scotland which I think makes it even more special.
Thanks for following along and keep an eye out for a double dose of birds in the new year when I have not only 2023's Big Year to chronicle, but 2024 in real time too.
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