Well, I have been a bit slack in keeping my list up-to-date, so here are some brief developments.....
September:
Additions to the UK list were:
145. Shag - several seen passing Church Point in Newbiggin during an Autumnal high tide (along with gannets feeding close in)
146. Greenshank - seen a couple of times at Bothal Pond in the second half of the month
October:
In the UK:
147. Water Rail - my first for a couple of years, seen at Cresswell Pond
148. Spotted Redshank - a UK list lifer, also seen at Cesswell Pond, calling nicely as it flew in to the exposed mud in front of the hide.
And, on a night visit to Cresswell, looking for the aurora borealis, I had a close encounter with a very cute woodmouse [12]
149. Kingfisher - finally, first sighting of the year of the River Wansbeck kingfisher in Morpeth!
In Spain, during a few days at a conference, starting with a trip to a small nature park on the edge of Baixador de Vallvidrera called Panto de Vallvidrera:
113. Robin
114. Wren - new for my Spain life list
115. Blue tit
116. Great Spotted Woodpecker
117. Jay - new for Spain
118. Coal tit
119. Red-billed Leiothrix* - a lifer, and my reason for going to this particular place!
120. Crested tit - new for Spain
121. Common Starling - whisper it, but new for Spain!
122. Common redstart
And a further addition in Barcelona itself:
123. Monk parakeet*
(* two species new for the year)
ANd finally, on a trip to France last week with work, staying in the ancient city of Pérouges:
27. Black redstart
28. Jay - new for France life list
29. Green woodpecker
30. Jackdaw
31. Goldfinch
(also an assortment of flycatchers and warblers, but not seen for long enough to identify any of them!)
And still in France, a short trip out to the "la Dranse" lake district, stopping at Étang Chapelier:
32. Kingfisher
33. Great white egret
34. Little grebe
35. Mallard
36. Marsh tit
37. Great spotted woodpecker
38. Little egret
39. Ferruginous duck - new for France
with one further addition to the mammal list coypu [13]