What is this list?

38 Replies to “What is this list?”

1. Hi Mark

   My guess would be Stanwick Lakes. I have seen all of these there, the only dodgy one being nuthatch, I haven’t seen that one there.

2. From train windows whilst travelling in Britain I’d wager, including whilst stopped in stations! No Sparrowhawk?

   1. that was going to be my guess i assume it’s wrong though as Mark has allowed it

      1. That was my initial guess as well but there is no red kite which would have featured from any train in Marks area.

         1. Bob – good thinking

3. The list is too short for Stanwick Lakes – my Elton Reservoir list is 2.5 times bigger than this and the site is much further north than Stanwick. I like Chris’ suggestion for it being a train list but reading Mark’s comments suggests he has allowed the post because it is a red herring (also red kite is a ‘gimme’ just south of Peterborough). It cannot be an RSPB reserve list because a day at places like Titchwell or Minsmere would net a bigger list even in winter. However, it is perfectly possible for this to be an RSPB Member’s Weekend list albeit that Mark must have been unlucky to miss the waxwings back in 2005 or 2006. There seems to be an almost urban theme to the species list but I am not sure why great black-back gull is not there so could it be some kind of ‘seen from gardens’ list?

4. I’d guess at an urban list, seen within the boundaries of towns and cities.

5. Are they in order of your favourites? It’s just because the Linnet is last.

6. I’ve got it!

   They’re all pubs down the King’s Road – Chelsea – masses of them – but I could only remember them up to the Six Bells (half-way) in which I listened to the Jazz then fell over and magically waking-up at the Dunnock !Or was it the Peewit?

   At least I think it was the Dunnock – it could of course be the …….. Peewit !
   Or ….

   So what’s my prize?

7. seen while in restaurants?

8. Race courses?

   1. David – well done! You got it first.

9. Parks and gardens?

10. Seen going to Rushden and Diamonds away matches?

    1. Peter – interesting idea. But no. Good thinking though.

11. Anything to do with the Minox??

    1. Sarah – that’s a good idea but my ‘with the Minox binocular list) overlapped with this one but was much longer and included Med Gull, Long-taile duck, Velvet Scoter etc. Those binoculars have already seen about 100 species.

       1. Not even indirectly to do with the Minox?
          O real trixy like RSPB Christmas cards, which it aint as there is a nice Smew by Robert Gilmore on those.

          1. andrew – very indirectly and only marginally to do with Minox – so that is probably more hindrance than help.

             Several people (first of Whom was David McGrath at c11am) have guessed correctly – or should I say worked it out brilliantly. That’s why their posts haven’t appeared.

12. Chiffchaff, yet no other summer warbler but swift, swallow and housemartin. Fieldfare but no redwing. So probably not close up observation so I would still think seen from something. We don’t know how old the list is so did you ever ride a bike, Mark.

13. More than one locality….doh!…From the National Hunt Racecourses of the UK ?

    1. Ernest – correct

14. Maybe birds you have seen incidentally on television programmes (ie not including specifically wildlife themed programmes)?

15. How about birds seen at British racecourses?

    1. Allen – of course! You’ve seen quite a few of them with me. Newbury tomorrow.

16. Garden or ********** or both!

17. I’d guess it has to be from indoors, but not just any old indoors. So not just the office, perhaps birds seen during meetings. Or a specific series or type of meetings. You could probably get a similar list from RSPB Council meetings, but I’m sure Mark was always fully focussed on the business of the day.

    1. Alan, Oystercatcher from the Lodge or Holburn? I am sure one of us must be on the right lines. I was also tempted by the Minox answer but he must have seen red kite with those.

       1. I thought about The Lodge too Bob but I was also based there up to 2007 and there is no nightjar, woodlark, great grey shrike, hobby or Dartford warbler. I am also revising my idea about a garden list if only because it hardly seems possible not to have sparrowhawk. Birds at conferences seems reasonable but then again so does birds seen at race meetings.

       2. I’ve seen an oystercatcher from Sandy station though I agree that’s not the same as the Avocet Room. Even so it seems to me the larger challenge is to explain what’s not on the list as others have pointed out above. Apart from those, how about magpie but not jay? That would tend to confirm urban, but as they are pretty much co-extensive in London the only difference is that the former are more common therefore suggesting very limited observing oppportunities.

          How about HoC, Scottish and Welsh Assemblies? (Though I’d expect that to include peregrine.)

18. Birds seen at Horse racing events?

19. SW7 5BD

20. I’d wager that they have all been seen on or from race courses.

21. BGBW list from yours and Grandma’s and other locations? Not sure where all those water birds are from though….

    1. Jennifer, If you are right you might get disqualified for insider trading.

22. Your racecourse list 🙂

    Incidentally, I saw a Sparrowhawk try to take a Collared Dove in my front garden this afternoon!

23. Cheating almost,guess it must be Cheltenham Racecourse.

    1. Dennis – not just Cheltenham, but yes!

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