December Blog

Well here it is my last blog of 2022 and what a year it’s been as you probably know this year marked a milestone for me and that was celebrating 20 years of Birding. Although my actual anniversary is on 16th February I have been celebrating my anniversary all year and I thought in this blog I will do a highlights blog I hope you enjoy it.

January

This year I had moved my feeder pole closer to the lounge window to stop the birds feeding getting near the nest boxes case they discourage them and I put my mealworms out on the dish which was a hit with Blackbirds and the occasional Robin.

February

My 20th anniversary month and a great start on my local patch I was watching a couple of Blue Tits when a blue flash zipped past me so I had a look and to my surprise and amazement it was a Nuthatch. I filmed it and took a photo of it until it flew away and when I turned back a Robin was sitting and staring back at me.

Sadly on my actual anniversary it was going to be a very wet for me to go to The Botanic Gardens which was my first ever local patch so I went the day before and had a great day because I spotted a Kingfisher in the pond. On my actual anniversary I just sat back and reflected on what a great 20 years it’s been.

March

I had a very successful Twitch at Figgate Park a Water Rail had been spotted so I thought I’d have a look since it’s been ages since I last saw one. There were a lot of people there to see it and I was very lucky that the bird did show up so I was delighted.

April

It was this month my interview on The Casual Birder Podcast talking about my 20 years as a Birder was released and like my other interviews got great reviews and feedbacks.

At the end of the month I went back to Benbecula for another holiday and it was there I listened to The Dawn Chorus which included a Cuckoo.

May

At the beginning of the holiday it was a lovely sunny day and the first bird I saw circling above the house was a Buzzard.

The highlight of the holiday was seeing a Short Eared Owl.

June

It was a pretty quiet month but I did enjoy a walk one day and watched Swifts in the sky.

July

I enjoyed watching a Bullfinch at the feeders as well Herring Gulls one day.

On a walk on The River Almond I spotted a Heron sunning itself in the sun and when I got home a Herring Gull was enjoying a drink in the dish I left out.

September

With The Edinburgh Festival taking place in August Birding took a back seat in August but I kicked off my Autumn Birding with a trip to Bergen Norway . There wasn’t any new birds to see but I had a great time .

When I got back had a great day Birding at The Scottish Seabird Centre in North Berwick watching Turnstones & Redshanks.

As September was nearing the end it was that time when we start seeing flocks of Geese in the sky and on my birthday that us exactly what happened.

October

I had a great morning on Cramond Beach watching flocks of Waders and Cormorants as well as Lapwings. it was a great morning and nice and sunny.

I finally made it back to Loch Garten Nature Reserve as a Birder I went especially for The Crested Tit and after a walk I headed to the feeder station were nit only did I see The Crested Tit I also saw a Treecreeper and Goldcrest.

November

I spent most of November enjoying the birds at Cammo Local Nature Reserve who have recently installed a new pond in the fields let’s hope next year it will be full of wildlife and bird life.

And finally December

I will tell you what birds I saw in December next year I hope you enjoyed my 2022 highlights blog and I just wanted to thank you for your support on my 20th anniversary year I hope you have a Merry Christmas & A Happy New Year for 2023.