I choose 10 "Target" birds each year, not always a new species, but something not usually seen or nice to see. Here is this years list:

Dottrel
Twite
Long-tailed Duck
Ring Necked Parakeet
Hawfinch
Ring Ouzel
Red Grouse
Smew
Golden & Grey Plover in Summer plumage

15 days into the year and have already ticked two off, Smew and Twite!

There are Scaup at Chorlton WP most years - just keep scanning those Tufties !

Target Birds in Gr. Manchester: -

I've got so many to go at, but Bittern, Little Egret, (it was a rarity when I lived there), Scaup, Med. Gull, and Firecrest would all be most welcome additions in 2011.

In an ideal situation, they would all turn up at the same time, at say.... Elton!

Cheers,
Mike P.

Now I wonder what people are planing this weekend, will you stay in Greater Manchester, or venture out of county, if you do here are some blasts from the past, for January 15th and 16th.

Sociable Plover Orkney 1969
Snowy Owl Suffolk 1964
American Robin Dorset 1966

Great Bustard Suffolk 1987
Ross's Gull Southport 1983 thats not far from here.

Enjoy whatever you find.

Keep Birding

I'd really like to knock off 10 new spp to get me up to the magical 200 in GM mark, but two that have consistently given me the run around are Wood Warbler and Firecrest. Either of these in the county (and ideally in Wigan, preferably at Pennington or Virridor) would be fantastic!!

Hoping for a Firecrest or something decent Duck-wise at Chorlton WP for the Manchester list.

Checking and hoping!!

As I am doing an Oldham borough list, any bird beginning with A,E,Q or V as whatever it is, it would be a borough tick

Locally, something at Roman Lakes (a rare duck would do) or Ludworth Moor where I dream of Lapland/Snow Buntings, SE Owls and passage raptors.

County-wise I think something like Hoopoe or a reedbed specialist at Wigan - how about Bearded Tit, Penduline Tit or Great Reed Warbler.

Those would do for now,

Cheers, John

A LSW, preferably in worsley woods, or a hobby would be my choices

I would like to see a Little Egret in Tameside

Hopefully 2011 is the year when you can hear a Nightjar back on the mosses again.

Going to be spending a fair bit of time on Carrington Moss in the coming year so a good mossland species like a Cuckoo will do. Not asking for much really but considerably hard to hear these days.

I would like to find a Redstart in Wigan Borough, it's an annoying hole in my Borough (and County ) List!

what do the good folk of the forum wish to see in 2011 i would like to see merlin and hen harrier in gm or maybe a passage osprey would be nice ps happy new year to all