Running Bird List 2022 ... (1 Viewer)

[dantheman]

... aka known as Run Birding or Bird Running apparently, a thing. Eg -

Run-Birding: Want to run a four-minute mile and spot all your favorite birds? Read on.

Recently, my wife and I have been combining two of our favorite outdoor activities – birding and running. We run at our favorite birding hotspots, eyes-wide and ears perked, and stop only when we see or hear something interesting. We coined it “bird running” and it has been a welcome escape from...

www.lockhaven.com

I've just recently started up running* (mid-December), partly to see if I can, partly to get exercise, and to get outside locally more.

*(My running is actually probably more jogging, and sometimes slow enough that I could probably walk faster)

 

[dantheman]

January 1st was a big walk down to the coast (so doesn't count), first 'run' of the year on Sunday 2nd Jan from home. 4.22km (2.6 miles) early evening. Pretty grey and didn't really see much - ran along a trackway and then explored some footpaths back towards home. Most exciting birds seen Grey Heron and Buzzard in flight.

 

[dantheman]

January 4th. Mid afternoon (3pm) - longer run from home to reach nearby Argal Reservoir. Was going to reach the dam, have a look see, and then run back, but decided to make it a bit longer and run alongside College Res as well. Ended up being a minimum of 4 miles (app said 3.6 miles, but it decided to pause and miss out a chunk in the middle, not very useful for monitoring purposes). Went around the back of College Res - unrunnable in some sections, which not a bad thing as gives more scope for listening/observing properly, not that I encountered much as a result.

Rain meant plenty of mud elsewhere underfoot. Two Teal a yeartick flying over the pathway around College. Other highlights a Little Egret, and 2 Chiffchaff alongside the res too. Running and birding kind of go together, kind of don't. You're outside, which is good, but it's harder to concentrate on birds - excess brainpower used on running seems to be detrimental to subconsciously picking up birdsong, and a fleeting shape flying out of a hedgerow you would instantly know as either a Robin or a Dunnock seems to need extra concentration to not only register, but work out what it is, interestingly. The calling Chiffchaffs threw me at first too. Weird.

So, the running bird list so far (minor play on words)-

1 Herring Gull
2 Jackdaw
3 Carrion Crow
4 Starling
5 Blue Tit
6 Pied Wagtail
7 Blackbird
8 Chaffinch
9 Magpie
10 Robin
11 Little Egret
12 Black-headed Gull
14 Redwing
15 Chiffchaff
17 Long-tailed Tit
18 Wren
19 Grey Heron
20 Moorhen
21 Mallard
22 Wigeon
23 Coot
24 Cormorant
25 Woodpigeon
26 Rook
27 Buzzard
28 Goldfinch
29 Song Thrush
30 Pheasant
31 Dunnock
32 Mute Swan
33 Teal

Not in order seen (I could try and work it out, but as mentioned, harder to get this right whilst running), future updates will be in order added though. Hope to add some further afield locations too as time goes by.

 

[dantheman]

Wasn't going to post every time I go out, but a few additions to the running total this afternoon.

Was going to pop out for 2 miles but it ended up being 4 ... still exploring the local area*. Two Bullfinch flying away ahead of me were a perhaps overdue year tick, grateful for their gleaming white rumps in this case, and heard House Sparrows chirruping away just after I finished and was walking back home on the short 'cool down' walk. Best though wasn't a bird, but a large mammal in the wooded area beside a bridleway that runs alongside the main road - a Roe Deer. Best (closest) views I've had in years, as it startled and moved away a short while to the next clearing parallel to the bridleway a couple of times before heading off perpendicular and out of sight. Buzzard on a telegraph pole and Redwings in the woods in the same area.

*(Not because I got lost, rather just carried on a bit further and had the energy to)

 

[dantheman]

Out again this afternoon ... meant to be working on the house but hey. 5 miles down to and around the Reservoir and back home. Took a rucksack this time so I could take binoculars - worked well and surprisingly comfortable. Perhaps not much in it and it was cold so didn't get uncomfortably sweaty. Was lovely and sunny earlier in the day but heavy rain just before I left (actually delayed me a bit), but one bonus was did not see a single person out walking! Big downside was lots of big puddles to circumvent/navigate around. Breaks were pretty brief and minimal (about 4 or 5 for a quick scan or to check something out) - in future I might stop for slightly longer if necessary to scan properly.

Another Bullfinch (those white rumps sure are handy),and caught up with a couple more obvious species - Jay (white rump again) and Grey Wagtail, with year tick Snipe at College Res around the back, and scanning the waterfowl, 2 distant Shoveler. Couldn't pick out Gadwall in amongst the Coot and Wigeon though; there had been 2 on the 1st Jan. Lots of gulls but could only really scan and hope that I'd pick anything different if there was anything - distant and gloomy. Did manage Great Crested Grebe too, and 2 Teal again. Tufted Ducks too of course - on both reservoirs, realise this is an omission from earlier! Coming around to the dam and a brief circuit of a scrubby area added Stonechat to the yearlist. A small warbler flew up from the side of the path and into Gorse - a Chiffchaff. Looked good for potential Siberian Chiffchaff (whitish under, mostly greyish above with green in wings) but dithered about getting the bins out and when I decided to stop properly it was too late as it flew back down to beside the reservoir. Didn't call at all which is also interesting. Oh well. Redwing, Song Thrush but not many other passerines. Realise still not recorded Great Tit whilst on the run.

Update to the running total:

34 Tufted Duck (from 4th Jan)
35 Bullfinch
36 House Sparrow
37 Jay
38 Grey Wagtail
39 Snipe
40 Shoveler
41 Great Crested Grebe
42 Stonechat

 

[dantheman]

Went down into Falmouth today for a recce for some work, and decided to take my running gear with me as the coast was beckoning. Ended up running from (and around) Swanpool along the coast and esplanade(?) to Pendennis Point and back. About 7 - 8 miles in 2 hours, although the running app failed to record most of the way back, frustrating again. With a fair few short breaks, pace around 4mph I guess (said it wasn't fast).

Anyway, parked up alongside Swanpool, got out and changed, ate an egg sandwich I'd just bought in poundshop, and set off around and up Swanvale, looking askance to my right the whole way in the spirit of acquiring a Water Rail. And half way along the path up Swanvale there one was, pootling around in the flooded leaf litter. I didn't even have to break my stride! (I then had a change of heart and stopped, but it was under some branches so I carried on). A Nuthatch was 'space invadering' in some boughs above somewhere just out of sight. Back around Swanpool a couple of Little Grebe, along with the other usual waterfowl - Coots and Tufties and 2 Mute Swan.

Back to the coast and Swanpool Beach and the Fulmars were on their cliffs, along with some rather distant Shags on the sea. Towards Gylly Beach the coast path rises up a bit, and a quick stop or two to scan the exposing reef of Swanpool Point added Oystercatcher to the list and a much-hoped for Ringed Plover (a regular spot in recent years.) Nothing of interest on the sea at all, despite the calm conditions and having the bins with me.

Along the path towards Castle Beach and a Feral Pigeon was added, took the steps down to the beach and ran across the sand and clambered over a few rocky incursions (it was mid-tide), and on the approach to Castle Beach proper a small brown passerine flycatching was a hopeful sign. To the bottom of the steps, and sure enough, a nice female-type Black Redstart was hunting the rocks and swathes of seaweed, along with a female Stonechat. Up to the road again and Pendennis Point, but nothing new apart from a single Meadow Pipit. Not a single Rock Pipit yet! I was also hoping for Whimbrel, but nothing, nor any divers or grebes out on the sea or in the Carrick Roads. At this point the running app said 3.5 miles in 50 minutes, but thereafter it was pretty useless at staying on and focussed ...

Around the top of Pendennis alongside the castle with some common passerines including Redwings, and back to the seafront again,with a Great Black Back Gull. Another bird spotted whilst running was a trio of Turnstone, but thought I'd better stop and double-check nothing else more unusual, but just 9 Turnstone in the end. Up to Swanpool Cemetery where a Blackcap tacking away in the top of a bush was added to the list, but no Firecrest or Green Woodpecker. Still need Coal Tit for the year too. Anyway, back to Swanpool, nothing extra until I ended my run just the other side of Swanpool Beach on the rocks and a quick scan of the assorted gull roost. A single ringed Mediterranean Gull! Along with 3 or 4 Lesser Black-backed Gulls.

Just the single Med Gull, no Great Northern Diver or Rock Pipits! The best thing is it means still additions to look forward too ...

 

[dantheman]

Out for another longish (2 hour) run on Thurs 13th afternoon to and around Argal and College Reservoirs. Nothing exciting waterbird wise, but did add a couple of extra species.

Update to the running total:

10th January

43 Water Rail
44 Nuthatch
45 Little Grebe
46 Fulmar
47 Shag
48 Oystercatcher
49 Ringed Plover
50 Feral Pigeon
51 Black Redstart
52 Meadow Pipit
53 Great Black-backed Gull
54 Turnstone
55 Blackcap
56 Mediterranean Gull
57 Lesser Black-backed Gull

14th January

58 Goldcrest
59 Coal Tit


Aware that I haven't recorded Great Tit on lists above - probably have seen but will wait. Also GSW, Linnet and Sparrowhawk amongst other common species still to record.