I had to put my hobby on hold during December due to illness and busyness with buying a house, working and coursework for my degree due. I've still been reading about birds (H for Hawk, Birdwatching magazine and Stephen Moss amongst others) and keeping an eye on the various reporting sites though. All in all I spent only around 5 months of this year (June - Nov) on birding at the weekends but it still was very memorable for me and I hit my target of 100.
I'll have a new garden within a couple of months but in the 8 years I lived here in this one I have had great garden sightings for a very small patio garden in the middle of a council estate. Highlights included regular Goldfinches, Buzzards flying over (and perched on neighbour's roof), 2 Grey Wagtails that have become recent flyovers, Great Spotted Woodpecker and a territory-zealous Dunnock (now called a Hedge Accentor apparently, I learned today) who guards the bird feeder and his bush home against blackbirds, collared doves and in particular his nemesis the Robin.
As I'd never kept any form of bird list before 2014 all my birds were lifers this year but lifers in the true sense and highlights of my year were Osprey, Whooper and Bewicks Swans, Goldcrest (when pursuing Hawfinch which still eluded me) and a Ringed Plover doing it's funny "distraction dance" to lead me away from the nest at a building site I was working at.
Birding feels real and adds a different dimension to life which I am so glad to have rekindled. Although the listing element is just a cherry on top as it's watching any birds I enjoy, I finished the year with 113 species on my UK year list (and therefore my life list) which placed me 283 on Bubo rankings.
2015 is going to be a busy one for me with hopefully moving into my new house and completely renovating it, completing my degree and continuing in my full time job. Luckily birds are everywhere though and I can't wait to see what 2015 brings my way!
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