The Big Year is over. This post is our last post and it’s long overdue to write it. The net result of the Year is 761 different species which AFAWK is the new record. Hopefully we’ll see the record challenged in the upcoming years.
The last bird, number 761, was ticked at home in Sweden, a Greater Yellow-legs. The bird was gone for a while and rediscovered by us. It was a truly great feeling.
Update-2019: Including couch ticks, we’re now at 763
Update2-2019: Lost a few Cat-C species, and we’re now down on 759. For example the Germans removed the Yellow-headed Amazon.
The following list is interesting, it shows the countries visited, number of ticks in that country as well as accumulated.
| Kuwait | Jan 1st – 12th | 156/156 |
| England | Jan 14th – 19th | 77/233 |
| Sweden | Jan 19th – 31st | 21/254 |
| Morocco/W. | Sahara Feb 2nd – 21st | 103/357 |
| Netherlands | Feb 22nd & 28th | 3/360 |
| Portugal/Spain | March 1st – 3rd | 15/375 |
| Sweden | March 4th – 13th | 24/399 |
| Netherland | March 21st – 22nd | 13/412 |
| Israel | March 23rd – 5th | 75/487 |
| Hungary | April 6-7 | 7/493 |
| Kuwait | April 9th – 13th | 20/513 |
| Mauretania | April 17th – 21st | 12/525 |
| Morocco | April 23rd – 29th | 7/532 |
| Egypt | May 2nd – 12th | 25/557 |
| Georgia | May 16th – 19th | 15/572 |
| Turkey | May 21st – 29th | 22/594 |
| Romania | May 30th – 31st | 2/596 |
| Italy/France | June 1st – 5th | 10/606 |
| Cyprus | June 6th – 8th | 2/608 |
| Kazakhstan | June 10th – 14th | 7/615 |
| Russia | June 16th – 29th | 26/641 |
| Svalbard | July 8th -10th | 9/650 |
| Poland/Germany/ France/Spain/ Mallorca/Corsica/ England/Germany |
June 17th – 27th | 18/668 |
| Norway | August 9th – 11th | 2/670 |
| Azores/Madeira/Portugal | August 18th – 27th | 27/697 |
| UK/Ireland/Netherlands | September 13th – 22nd 15/712 | |
| Azores | October 4th – 20th | 14/726 |
| England/Denmark/Sweden | October 24th – 27th | 1/727 |
| Norway/Iceland | November 3th – 7th | 4/731 |
| Cap Verde | November 16th – 21st | 16/747 |
| Portugal/Canary Islands/Sweden/ Norway/Canary Islands/ Switzerland/Portugal |
Nov 23 – Dec | 5 13/760 |
| Sweden | Dec 23rd Greater Yellowlegs Sweden | 761 Species |
Lately we have been giving a talk at different conventions. Denmark, Holland and Finland so far. We’re also invited to Switzerland later this year. The talk tries to focus more on birding in the WP than on our year per se.
Future ticks that we may get for free include the 4 Cat-E species we made efforts to see, Javan Myna, Pin-tailed Whydah, Scaly-breasted Munia and Blue-crowned Parakeet.
Future splits are also possible,
- Gull split, Barabensis, Heuglini
- Mahgreb, Seebohms Wheatear
- Saharan/Streaked Scrub Warbler
So – thank you all for following us and making our Big Year better. We have truly enjoyed all interactions with you all. The amount of help we have received in all countries was staggering. So – again – thanks !!! See you in the field somewhere.
Thank you for a splendid year. It has been great fun to follow and read about all your adventures. I hope to get the chance to listen to one of your presentations. Good Luck!