June 2018 Summary

June 2018 : Summary

UK Species Year List to June: 157
Total UK Species in June: 97
New “Year Ticks” in June: 25
New “Life Ticks” in June: 1

Year ticks in June

1. House Martin at RSPB Conwy on 4th June
2. Red-breasted Merganser at The Spinnies Aberogwen in 4th June
3. Black Guillemot at Cemlyn Bay on 4th June
4. Arctic Tern at Cemlyn Bay on 4th June
5. Sandwich Tern at Cemlyn Bay on 4th June
6. Guillemot at RSPB South Stack on 5th June
7. Puffin at RSPB South Stack on 5th June
8. Razorbill at RSPB South Stack on 5th June
9. Gannet at RSPB South Stack on 5th June
10. Kittiwake at RSPB South Stack on 5th Jun
11. Chough at RSPB South Stack on 5th June
12. Stonechat at RSPB South Stack on 5th June
13. Fulmar at RSPB South Stack on 5th June
14. Little Tern at Gronant Dunes on 5th June
15. Tree Sparrow WWT Caerlaverock 13^th June
16. Hooded Crow at Dunstaffnage 15^th June
17. Raven at Dunstaffnage 15^th June
18. Common Eider on Mull 17^th June
19. Golden Eagle near Loch na Keal Mull 17^th June
20. White-tailed Eagle near Loch na Keal Mull 17^th June
21. Rock Pipit at  Calgary Bay Mull 17^th June
22. Shag at Lunga, Treshnish Islands on 18^th June
23. Corncrake (heard only) on Iona on 19^th June
24. Lesser Whitethroat at Aberlady Bay on 26th June
25. Roseate Tern at Coquet Island on 27th June

Life ticks in June

1. Iceland Gull [Life Tick] Tobermory Harbour on 23rd June

Summary

June was an exceptional month weather-wise bringing really good weather to most parts of the country. Our birding month started with a birding group visit to north Wales taking in RSPB Conwy, The Spinnies at Aberogwen, Cemlyn Bay, RSPB South Stack and Gronant Dunes. These two days gave us fifty-three species and a good number of year ticks.

The other great birding event of the month was our trip to Scotland which brought us mixed weather From the 11th to the 22nd we experienced some rain in Scotland and particularly on Mull but for the rest of the country throughout the month there was a heatwave the like of which has not been seen for years. WIth hot, dry, sunny and cloudless skies in most of the mainland. The details of our Scotland trip can be seen here but this also gave us great additions to our year list like only Mull can. It Tobermory where we got our only life tick of the holiday – an Iceland Gull in Tobermory Harbour.

We got back right at the mnd of the month and the breeding birds had obviously dispersed a bit but we still were getting visits from Blackbirds to eat and bathe and also a Nuthatch several times a day just to eat. There were a few Goldfinches around and small numbers of Tits. The Woodpigeons continue to dominate whenever they are gicven a chance.