2021 year list

I gave up on twitching years years ago for many reasons but, like a lot of birders, I like to keep a list of the species seen during the year. I used to expect to get 200+ species but in recent times153 has been my top and I have probably enjoyed my birding as much if not more. So its a new year so a new list and I wondered how others who keep lists are getting on with theirs. The corvid19 restrictions will limit the distance most of us will be travelling but many will have good birding not far from our doorsteps. So how is your 2021 bird list going in these strange unusual times ? I, like loads of others, am in that  "vulnerable  at risk" group so have been shielding but we still managing a decent local walk carrying our bins and I have managed 43 species in the first two weeks of the year and I've really enjoyed it. Chris has managed 46 species but her eyes are better than mine. Let's hope things with the virus will improve enough for us to catch some of the incoming Spring birds. Until then we will get on and enjoy what we have, take care folks.

  • Well done, S, on the likely total for this year. What was your best ever UK count? And please tell us more about Ecuador--presumably you have been there?
  • A poor year for me with 146 species seen but pleased that 130 were seen in our local area. A few species missing from the local lists which we normally get but that's birding for you
  • Hi Ann

    I mentioned Ecuador in response to a bucket list question- It's been at the top of my go-to list for about 10 years :

    Alaska is my retirement trip- someday - and I had to cancel Washington state during 2020:
    I'm missing Lesbos in spring too:

    Might have to go to Shetland again this autumn depending on COVID etc....

    S
  • Hi

    I did a post about my year lists on here a few months back - but now can't find it :(

    S
  • Found It!!

    It's under  the 2021 year list  thread in chat

    I don't keep a list of lists but I know I got 250 in 1983-  Didn't go abroad that year: 
    had a job , no serious gf , had a great crew ( still bird with 2 of them occasionally) and went birding every weekend, did Speyside in summer and Scilly in Autumn.

    S

  • Thanks. I should have just read back on the thread for the answer--sorry. 250 is not bad at all! Re: Ecuador, would you go to the Galapagos as well as to mainland Ecuador? Might as well, if you can arrange it. I love videos of Blue Footed Boobies--they always seem to be admiring their feet at every step; makes me laugh every time I see them. You may or may not have read my reply to Hazy about places for a bucket list--I mentioned some places where my birding expert contact in the US has visited. I forgot to include the Galapagos--she won a competition and had a free trip there! And if you have not already been to Alaska, I could put you in touch with her for that. She went to Alaska at least twice for her ABA Big Year, then lived in Alaska for several years, and she also did an Alaska Big Year when she lived there (the only hitch with that was that no one knew what the previous record was!) She no longer lives there but knows many birders there, bird guides, and places to stay--sometimes one person or a couple provide all of those things which makes things very convenient. If that is of interest, PM me once you settle on doing an Alaska trip. For all our sakes, I hope that the notion that 'Covid cannot last forever' will not be like 'It will all be over by Christmas' at the start of the first world war...
  • Hi-

    if I sort Alaska I'll ring one of my American Tour leader buddies and go for 3 weeks :0

    S
  • Always great to have contacts. How many US birding trips have you been on, or are those tour leaders people you know having met them as fellow birders on trips elsewhere than in the US? Three weeks, yes, at least, but when in the year? Spring migration possibly? And would you plan to take the boat to the Island of Attu in the Aleutians? Expensive and takes time, but catches many birds blown over from east Asia. Of course, if you've already done a lot of birding in Asia, you would not need to go to Attu, something which North American birders want to do. There used to be flights to Attu; not sure if those were ever re-introduced.