Review Of 2016....A Year Of Birding.

Well what a good years birding 2016 was,with particularly the autumn producing the goods,the best i have experienced in my thirtieth year enjoying this fine hobby.Many great highlights were enjoyed throughout the year and some fantastic days again at Spurn.Yorkshire blew everyone out of the water this autumn with some mouthwatering birds on offer which included among others the British mainlands first record of Siberian Accentor,Yorkshire's second record of Eastern-crowned Warbler,a stunning juvenile Black-browed Albatross and a continuous run of good birds in the Spurn area which included Yorkshire's second Pallas's-grasshopper Warbler,Isabelline Wheatear(3rd record),Pine Bunting,4 Red-flanked Bluetails(2 on one day,including an adult male),Brown Shrike(First record for Spurn),both Siberian and Stejneger's Stonechat,Eastern-black Redstart and a fall of 9 Dusky Warbler together on one day.
 New personal species/races seen by myself during the year included the elusive Rufous-turtle Dove at Otford in Kent,The Western-purple Swamphen(Swampie) at both Minsmere RSPB in Suffolk and unbelievably,later at Alkborough Flats in Lincolnshire(Potentially Britains first record),The stunning Siberian Accentor(The First British mainland record) at Easington near Spurn,the mooted Stejneger's Stonechat at Spurn,the beautiful male Eastern-black Redstart at Skinningrove in North Yorkshire,Brown Shrike again at Spurn and finally the cracking Dusky Thrush at the lovely village of Beeley in Derbyshire,which is still present as we speak.
 There are too many good day's to right in this review,but please look through my blog at my posts.I would just like to say a big thank you to all my fellow birders who i have spent some great times this year,particularly the Spurn lads for providing us with a fantastic selection of great birds to see.The following are some of my fave photo's taken through the year,not all of rare's and not all of birds.
 Here's looking to an enjoyable and rarity filled 2017.

Purple Sandpiper,Filey Brigg,February.

Monsal Head,February.

Dunlin,East Halton Skitter,March.

Avocet,North Cave Wetlands,May.

Kittiwake,Bempton Cliffs RSPB,July.

Adult Gannet,Bempton Cliffs RSPB,July.

Juvenile Cuckoo,New Holland,July.

Icelandic Black-tailed Godwit,Frampton Marsh RSPB,July.

Western-purple Swamphen,Minsmere RSPB,August.

Adult Squacco Heron,Barton Pits,August.

juvenile Baird's Sandpiper,Hatfield Moor NNR,September.

Wheatear,Easington,October,

Holderness Field,Kilnsea,October.

1st winter Little Bunting,Spurn Point,October.

Spurn Point And The Humber Estuary,October.

Olive-backed Pipit,Easington,October.

Siberian Accentor,Easington,October.

Stormy Spurn,October.

Skinningrove,North Yorkshire,October.

1st winter male Pied Wheatear,Redcar,October.

1st winter male Eastern-black Redstart,Skinningrove,October.

Goxhill Haven,November.

Redshank,Scarborough,November.

1st winter Dusky Thrush,Beeley,Derbyshire,December.

Male Firecrest,Goxhill Marsh,December.

Song Thrush,Hessle,December.

Waxwing,Hessle,December.