A fairly vintage year on patch

Although I've so far failed to add any further year ticks in December, overall the 144 species that I've gleaned at Galley in 2013 makes it the second best year total since records began (2004), beaten only by last years monstrous 149. With a whopping five full fat patch ticks, it shapes up pretty well, leaving me just 3 short of the magic 200 barrier! First of the year's patch tickage was this fine female long-tailed duck, back in January.

Exhibit A

This was followed in April by a distant but definite velvet scoter, which you can read about here.

August weighed in with a fine wood sandpiper, while 2 spotted redshanks nearly slipped through the net one September evening, but were sorted out the following morning. Final patch tick of the year involved this fine pair and a friendly push in the right direction from a loyal slave!

galley geese

Aside from the patch ticks, there was a good haul of decent migrants at Galley this year,including yellow wagtail, at least 3 wrynecks, 2 red-backed shrikes, red-breasted flycatcher and yellow-browed warblers. The seawatching was red-hot at times, with big numbers of big shears and a fantastic fea's day too!

yellow fever

fat neck

Shrike-tastic!

who ate all the flies?

In other news, I managed to twitch a hefty four (count 'em) Irish ticks, I think - black duck, gull-billed tern, mongolian plover and  serin:

Dack Blucks

oooof - bird of the year I think

Mizen Serin - lovely!

Bring on 2014 I say! Happy New Year (List!)