Beautiful Birds (and other wildlife) ~ 2014 Update

With the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch scheduled for this coming weekend, it seemed a good moment to post my updated 2014 list. All the birds in my Home Patch list also appear in my complete list. I am only noting my initial sightings of a species, but have been surprised at the number of Turnstones I have seen in 2014, largely at Woodbridge on the Deben estuary and at Southwold (where I got wet feet in my attempt to get a wave-edge photograph).
 

Goldfinch - I saw my first one of 2014 today

Blue indicates that the bird was seen somewhere other than on my home patch or at Minsmere.
Yellow indicates my home patch.
Purple indicates Minsmere. 

If you click on the bird names in the list immediately below, you will be taken to the RSPB site about the species mentioned.

1. Bar-tailed Godwit (1 bird, 9 January, Pin Mill) 
2. Barn Owl (1 bird, 12 January, Minsmere) 
3. Blackbird (1 bird, male, leucistic stripe, 8 January, home patch)
4. Black-headed Gull (about 25, 3 January, Woodbridge)
5. Blue tit (2 birds, 2 January, home patch) 
6. Buzzard (1 bird, 11 January, near Eyke)
7. Canada Goose (small flock, 9 January, Wherstead)
8. Carrion Crow (about 20, 5 January, field near Leiston)
9. Chaffinch (2 birds, 5 January, Minsmere)
10. Collared Dove (1 bird, 5 January, up the lane from Minsmere reserve)
11. Common Scoter (1 bird, 12 January, Minsmere) - red conservation status
12. Cormorant (several, 4 and 5 January, Minsmere and Ipswich Waterfront)
13. Curlew (2 birds, 19 January, Minsmere)
14. Dunnock (1 bird, 5 January, Minsmere) 
15. Egyptian Goose (4 birds, 1 February, near Lackford Lakes)
16. Goldfinch (1 bird, 22 January, home patch)
17. Great Northern Diver (1 bird, 16 January, Alton Water, Shotley Peninsula) 
18. Great Spotted Woodpecker (1 bird, 27 January, home patch) 
19. Great tit (2 birds, 4 January, home patch)
20. Green Woodpecker (1 bird, 12 January, Minsmere)
21. Greenfinch (7 birds, 5 January, Minsmere) 
22. Grey Heron (1 bird flying over, 4 February, home patch) 
23. Greylag Goose (small flock, 16 January, Wherstead)  
24. House Sparrow (4 birds, 12 January, Minsmere)
25. Herring Gull (1 bird, 3 January, Woodbridge) - red conservation status
26. Jackdaw (4 birds, 1 February, Ickworth)
27. Kestrel (2 birds, 5 January, Rendlesham)
28. Lapwing (9 birds, 4 January, Woodbridge) - red conservation status
29. Little Egret (1 bird, 27 January, home patch) 
30. Long-tailed tit (3 birds, 2 January, home patch)
31. Magpie (2 birds, 2 January, home patch) 
32. Mallard (1 bird, 5 January, Minsmere) 
33. Marsh Harrier (2 birds, 12 January, Minsmere)
34. Moorhen (1 bird, 5 January, Minsmere)
35. Mute Swan (2 birds, 3 January, Woodbridge) 
36. Oystercatcher (1 bird, 16 January, Wherstead)
37. Pheasant (1 female bird, 5 January, Minsmere)
38. Pied Wagtail (1 bird, 15 January, Waterfront, Ipswich) 
39. Redshank (2 birds, 9 January, Pin Mill) 
40. Redwing (about 9 birds, 26 January, local hospital) - red conservation status
41. Reed Bunting (2 birds, 19 January, Minsmere)
42. Robin (1 bird, 1 January, home patch) 
43. Shelduck (8 birds, 19 January, Minsmere) 
44. Shoveler (2 birds. 19 Januray, Minsmere)
45. Song Thrush (1 bird, ringed, 17 January, home patch) - red conservation status
46. Teal (about 20 birds, 19 January, Minsmere) 
47. Turnstone (15 birds, 3 January, Woodbridge)
48. Wigeon (about 10 birds) 16 January, Wherstead)
49. Wood Pigeon (11 birds, 4 January, home patch)
50. Wren (1 bird, 8 January, home patch) 

Home Patch list for first sightings ...

1. Blackbird (1 bird, male, leucistic stripe, 8 January)
2. Blue tit (2 birds, 2 January)
3. Chaffinch (1 bird, 8 January)
4. Dunnock (1 bird, 8 January) 
5. Great Spotted Woodpecker (1 bird, 27 January)
6. Great tit (2 birds, 4 January)
7. Greenfinch (1 bird, 8 January) 
8. Grey Heron (1 bird flying over, 4 February)
9. Little Egret (1 bird flying over, 27 January) 
10. Long-tailed tit (3 birds, 2 January)
11. Magpie (2 birds, 2 January)
12. Robin (1 bird, 1 January) 
13. Song Thrush (1 bird, 17 January, home patch, ringed) - red conservation status
14. Starling (1 bird, 10 January)
15. Wood Pigeon (11 birds, 4 January)
16. Wren (1 bird, 8 January)

First wild mammals of 2014 ...

1. Grey Squirrel (1, 12 January, Minsmere) 
2. Fox (1, 1 February 2014, Lakenheath)
3. Muntjac Deer (1 doe, 11 January, Rendlesham Forest) 
4. Otter (2, 12 January, Minsmere)  
5. Rabbit (several, 5 January, Minsmere) 
6. Red Deer (2 does, 12 January, Minsmere)
7. Stoat (1 fleetingly, 12 January, Minsmere)

First arachnids of 2014 ...

1. Unidentified spider (8 January, home patch)  

First flies of 2014 ...

1. Unidentified flies, ?Blue bottles (25 January, home patch)