TOTAL NUMBER OF SPECIES RECORDED IN BRITAIN AND IRELAND COMBINED IN 2011

2011 proved to be a RECORD YEAR with no less than 452 species recorded in Britain and Ireland. It happened to coincide with a year that I took out from Year Listing and frustratingly I saw just 69% of this year's bumper total

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Monday, 2 January 2012

DARK-EYED JUNCO in the New Forest

On Boxing Day 2011, non-birdwatchers noticed and photographed an odd 'chaffinch' feeding with other birds in the car parking area of Hawkhill Inclosure, 2.5 miles west of Beaulieu, in the New Forest (Hampshire) at about SU 350 020. They saw the bird again on 30 December and then notified Keith Betton by sending him images of the bird. It turned out to be a first-winter male DARK-EYED JUNCO and consequently the 453rd species to be recorded in that record year.

Although not seen on New Years Day, an enthusiastic attempt was made at seeding an area of the car park and this quickly did the trick - the bird showing well today on a number of occasions, feeding alongside Dunnocks, Robins, Reed Buntings and Chaffinches.

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