I DON'T normally blow my own trumpet, but just this once I'll allow myself a small fanfare.
This year I've been taking my birding more seriously, trying to improve my ID skills in the field and noting down the first time I've seen a species of bird this year, ie. year-listing.
Trying to improve my odds, I've sat down and worked out where I need to go to look for which species.
Then I've gone out in fair weather and foul and looked hard.
So far my persistence has paid off. I felt a deep sense of satisfaction as I counted up the number of birds ticked by January 31: 150 species in total!
Now that's not world record breaking, but it's a very respectable total indeed for just one month's birding and even puts me ahead of a lot of North Wales' best birders!
OK, so I've had the benefit of spare time to look for the easier birds and help from some expert birding friends when it comes to nailing the harder ones, but it's still not bad for a comparative beginner, and a female one at that!
So next time a patronising Anglesey café owner asks me if I'm just “tagging along” with some of my male birding friends, I'll be delighted to tell her that no, they're struggling to keep up with me!
