Tuesday 6 March 2012

NEXT 1ST FOR PUGNEYS?

Pugneys has recorded a total of around 240 species in its 30 or so year history, not bad for a heavily used public area within walking distance of a city centre. The local patch lads have again been discussing some of the more glaring omissions and possibilities for future new species.

With this in mind i have canvassed 2 predictions each from most of the locals and have decided to put them here as a bit of fun! not really a competition but the winner gets a painting of the bird in question - i would suggest using it to either cover up that nasty stain on the wall in the downstairs bog or as a makeshift paperweight in the bills drawer!...

So here are folks predictions, guess i should start with mine;

JH - Great White Egret and Glossy Ibis.  with 4+ records locally in recent years GWE seems likely although it will surely be just a fly through, similarly Glossy Ibis is only getting commoner and must occur sooner or later.



DP - Bonapartes Gull and Lesser Scaup. Maybe Bonapartes seems a bit ambitious but with a record at Fairburn and our regular roost of BHGs you never know! Lesser Scaup is a popular pick although ruling out a hybrid seems to bit getting more and more difficult so a nice male please!



KP - Spotted Crake and Bairds Sandpiper. Both possible although tracking down any Crake would be an acheivement! Bairds has occured as close as Broomhill so could happen, get there quick as the dogs will love this one!!

DD - Rough Legged Buzzard and Lesser Yellowlegs. RLB could occur anywhere so a migration watcher might get lucky one day whilst L-Legs has a slightly better chance than most rare waders due to our small population of Redshank.



IB - Red Rumped Swallow and Purple Heron. both very possible, we have large gathering of Hirundines on the main lake and P Heron has occured several times locally.










SC - Common Crane and Bluethroat. Crane seems very likely to reward the migration watchers and whilst Bluethroat may seem fanciful we do have the habitat though so you never know!


CN - Hoopoe and Broad Billed Sandpiper.  Hope you are right Chris! Hoopoe could occur anywhere in spring and there are odd inland records of BBS so fingers crossed!










MH - Great White Egret and Lesser Scaup. Popular choices Mick, now get out and find either!

CP - Lesser Scaup and Glossy Ibis. Again, more than 1 vote for both of these, although CPs chances of connecting are slim as he lives in Scotland !

MF - Wryneck and Penduline Tit. Interesting picks from Mark, Wryneck certainly a possibility for the bush basher whilst Wintersetts recent Penduline gives hope as we have equally suitable habitat for that species.

MP - Wryneck and Cattle Egret.  Another vote for Wryneck, and with 2 records from 'over the hill' why not although at least 1 was found in a net! Cattle Egret is another good shout although no livestock on site so its another fly through probably!

EA - Spotted Sandpiper and Rose Coloured Starling. Spotted Sand has been recorded a couple of miles away and several other times locally so seems a good shout. R C Starling may be harder as even Starlings are getting pretty scarce! One recorded in a garden a few miles away in the 90s gives hope though...

So there we have it, loads of good birds to aim for this spring and nobody even mentioned Grey Phal, Great Skua, R B Shrike, Y B Warbler, Night Heron, etc etc .... GOOD HUNTING!!







No comments:

Post a Comment