Week 52
25 - 31 December 2025
During my big year, I will update my blog most weeks. This is the fifty-second week's recap. The number next to the day indicates my Scottish year list at the end of that day. Birds written in italics indicate year ticks.
December 29 - Day 363: 208
Today, we were at Shotover CP, near where we live in Oxford. We didn't see many birds other than a Goldcrest, Red Kite, Wren, Robin and most exciting of all, a couple Nuthatches.
December 30 - Day 364: 208
Today, we were in Kidlington, near Oxford, at Cuttleslowe Park. We were with friends, so I couldn't do too much birding while we were there, I saw a Pied Wagtail and another Red Kite, but a highlight was hearing a flock of Ring-necked Parakeets.
That afternoon, I was at Christ Church, in central Oxford, in search of Black Redstart. I was busy scanning a flock of geese, when another young birder (quite rare!), bumped into me. We were looking at the many Canada Geese, and saw a couple of white geese, between some Greylag Geese. We first thought they were Snow Geese, but I soon got a glimpse of white primaries/secondaries, meaning they were just feral Greylags. We were chatting about our birding when I noticed a small bird flying by the windowsills of the building. A quick check with my binoculars revealed, its identity, a Black Redstart! I was very happy to find it, since to get into the gardens (where the bird was being seen), you had to pay, and the tickets had sold out. I also managed to get the other birder onto the bird, and we enjoyed short, but delightful views of the bird as it flew between the buildings.
https://ebird.org/checklist/S291325809
December 31 - Day 365: 208
Today, the last day of my big year, I will look back on the past 365 days, and wonder whether this was all a good idea, before deciding it was and starting all over again tomorrow! I hope you have all reached your birding goals for this year (if you had any) and that this passion for avifauna has brought you some joy. It sure has in my case, and I hope to keep learning, expanding my knowledge and seeing good birds in the years to come.
I am very excited about a trip we are going on next month. Leaving on January first, we fly from Heathrow to LAX, before arriving in French Polynesia for a month of birding, snorkelling, and relaxing, while still having to do homework from nearly 15,000km away! I will be sharing my birding and wildlife adventures from there as often as I can.
Here are some questions I've been asked about my big year:
Q: What was the best bird of 2025?
A: Red-breasted Goose on Islay in February (Week 7), since it was very rare and a self-found.
Q: What was your total?
A: 208 species.
Q: How many miles?
A: Nearly 10,000, although less than 7,000 were for birding.
Q: Would you do it again?
A: It was an amazing experience and I would do it again, however it would not be reasonable to do it every year and I think I will take a more relaxed approach to birding now my big year is over.
