Thursday, April 01, 2021

End of March 2021

Last week in March, 2008, I was on 125 (inc 17 'elites'). Year total: 189
Last week in March, 2009, I was on 131 (inc 22 'elites'). Year total: 187
Last week in March, 2010, I was on 126 (inc 15 'elites'). Year total: 177
Last week in March, 2011, I was on 130 (inc 18 'elites'). Year total: 182
Last week in March, 2012, I was on 134 (inc 21*(22) 'elites'). Year total: 183
Last week in March, 2013, I was on 128 (inc 20*(21) 'elites'). Year total: 187
Last week in March, 2014, I was on 124 (inc 17*(18) 'elites'). Year total: 187
Last week in March, 2015, I was on 114 (inc 11*(12) 'elites'). Year total: 172
Last week in March, 2016, I was on 127 (inc 13*(14) 'elites'). Year total: 188
Last week in March, 2017, I was on 134 (inc 23*(24) 'elites'). Year total: 186
Last week in March, 2018, I was on 124 (inc 14**(15) 'elites'). Year total: 195 (NEW record)
Last week in March, 2019, I was on 136 (inc 22**(23) 'elites'). Year total: 192
Last week in March, 2020, I was on 131 (inc 19**(20) 'elites'). Year total: 190
Last week in March, 2021, I was on 149 (inc 33** (32)'elites'). Year total: 195
 * () Modern counting with Smew as an 'elite'
 ** () Modern counting with Smew as an 'elite'; plus (starting 2018) following changes:
Demoted from 'elite' to 'core': Crane, Cetti's Warbler, Bittern & Egyptian Goose
Promoted from 'core' to 'elite': Jack Snipe, Avocet, Turtle Dove, Barnacle Goose

Here, once again, is the traditional state of my personal PBC (Peterborough Bird Club area) year list summary, as of the end March (2021).
Wow, this year has been insane, so far! Despite the restrictions of Lockdown 3, it has been exceptional for diversity in the PBC area in the first three months of the year, with an absurd number of 'elites'. Indeed, as you can see, I have outscored my previous best ever End of March score (136 in 2019) by a full 13 bird species! A lot of this has to with an unusual rush of usually sea-going fish-eaters and their ilk, turning up in the Beast from the East 2. Highlights have included 2 Great Northern Divers, 2 Red-throated Divers, 2 Shags, 2 Red-breasted Mergansers, 3 Iceland Gulls, Ring-necked Duck and Kittiwake, Red-necked Grebe and Black Redstart. We have had wintering Spotted Redshank and Bar-tailed Godwit, and the scarce egrets have become daftly numerous, particularly Great White Egret. And at the last minute, my earliest Ring Ouzel(s) by more than a week (30.3.21), was an extra bonus!

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