24 April 2026

39 Lifers and 7 Countries: A Mega-Roundup of Highlights 2024-2026


It’s been a while! After ten years of blogging, I took a two-year break to recharge. Sometimes it’s hard to tell if these posts find their way to fellow birders or just drift off into the digital ether. But the birds kept showing up, so I’m back with a massive roundup of highlights and eBird trip reports from my many destinations!

If you enjoy these updates, please drop a quick comment. Even a simple 'hello' lets me know I’m not just talking to myself, and it really helps keep the motivation alive. Enjoy the sightings!

If you need info on any of the locations, birds, travel, hire cars, or even where we stayed, I'd be happy to help.

Cyprus 11-17th October 2024


A 7-day trip, staying at Ayia Napa end, managed 3 lifers and finally a Lime swallowtail. 
88 bird species seen

Slender-billed Gull - Larnaca


Lesser- Spotted Eagle - Orolinki


Trek Sandpiper - Larnaca


Lime Swallowtail, Butterfly - Larnaca

Tui Cruise January 2025

 including British Virgin Islands, Sint Maarten, Saint Kitts, Antigua, Saint Lucia,
23–29 Jan 2025


Our second TUI cruise, 9 lifers and an excellent trip.
41 species seen

Broad-winged Hawk, St Lucia


Antillean Crested Hummingbird- St. Lucia


Lesser Antillean Bullfinch, Antigua


Pearly-eyed Thrasher - Virgin Gorda


Purple-throated Carib - St. Lucia

Canada to California May 2025

4–10 May 2025



7 amazing days, we hired a car, and it made a huge difference to getting around and exploring, I'd recommend! 5 lifers with 93 species seen. I've included some of the sealife we saw, as it was unforgettable.

American Bald Eagle + Glaucous-winged Gull, Vancouver, Canada


American dipper, Big Sur, California


Black-footed albatross, Monterey, California


Violet-Green swallow, Vancouver, Canada


Humback Whale, Monterey, California


Risso's Dolphin, Monterey, California


Pacific white-sided dolphin, Monterey, California

Mallorca July 2025

21–28 Jul 2025


A return visit, after 7 years away, I still love Mallorca! Just one lifer with 77 species seen.

Purple Heron, Parc Natural de s'Albufera


Zitting Cistcola, Parc Natural de s'Albufera


Thekla Lark, Son Real


Stone Curlew, Parc Natural de s'Albufera

Cyprus October 2025

20–29 Oct 2025


Back to one of my favourite places with 10 days, 97 species and 3 Lifers.

Black Stork, Achna Dam


White-throated Kingfisher, Akrotiri Marsh, tower hide


Hen Harrier, Paphos STW

Norway (Tromso)

4–7 Dec 2025


My 59th birthday treat, Tromso is a beautiful place, Orca, Humpbacks, but sadly, with only 4 hours of sunlight, made daytime photography difficult. The snow was everywhere, a hot tub and a hire car, the best time was still had!
1 lifer+1 sub species 10 species seen.

Little Auk


Northern Lights, every night!


View from Fjelheisen

 Caribbean criuse Jan 2026

Including: Aruba, Caribbean Netherlands, Curaçao, Dominican Republic
Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands (U.S.)
13–27 Jan 2026
71 species


15 Days with multiple islands in the Caribbean, 17 Life ticks, We hired cars on some islands, so much better and cheaper than going on tours and making many more amazing Memories.

Crested Carcara- Curacao


Aruban burrowing Owl, Aruba


Hispaniolan Woodpecker, Dominican Republic


Greater Antillean Bullfinch, Isla Catalina, DR


 White-necked Crow, Saona Island, DR


Puerto Rican Lizard Cuckoo, Puerto Rico


Not just Birds, snorkelling is a must, we saw Barracuda, Turtles and Octopus!!!  & Butterflies 

Green Turtle Frederiksted, US Virgin Islands


Caribbean Reef Octopus, Curacao 


Hispaniolan Zebra Longwings, Isla Catalina

6 Days and a Spring return to Cyprus, 106 species, 1 Lifer.

Collared Flycatcher, Asprokremmos Dam


Greater Short-toed Lark, Mandria


Asprokremmos Dam is so different from October, but still only half full.


Cretzschmar's bunting, Mavrokolympos Dam

Cyprus Wheatear, Mavrokolympos Dam


The Lifer Desert Finch, Sunset Point


A really nice find by me was a  Barred Warbler, which caused a bit of a twitch at Agia Varvara


Wood Sandpiper, Sprio's Pools, Lanarca

Hoopoe, Asprokremmos Dam


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2 October 2024

Monterey to Anaheim, California Sept 2024

Date:  6th -13th September
Location: Monterey Bay & Anaheim, California
Weather: Monterey Bay - 14C to Anaheim - 30C
Species Highlights: Sea Otters, Orca, Humpback Whale, Wrentit, Sora, Loggerheaded Shrike

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Photographs Wayne & Lauren

Many problems and annoyances on this trip, this is how it started...
We started our trip leaving on the National Express to London Heathrow, but just outside Chippenham, the driver decided he had loaded too many cases onto the coach and stopped in a layby. After a few phone calls to his boss, they called taxis to take a few people off the coach and onward, we had to just wait and then carried on our journey around 1.5 hours later. Oh well, these things happen I suppose. We stayed in the Premier Inn overnight and after a great breakfast headed to the Airport, all good with boarding in fact early onto the plane, the Plane started to taxi to take off......
"Hello this is the captain speaking, I'm afraid we have a problem and have to return to the stand, it shouldn't be long" 
Famous last words, 5 hours later we were loaded off the plane and trying to get another flight, it was Friday, and Virgin offered us a flight on Sunday!!!
We argued and managed a flight to Los Angeles instead of San Francisco, overnight in a hotel a few hours of sleep, and then 7am to San Francisco, all this time thinking our cases would be on the flight, this was not the case, after wasting many hours in San Francisco trying to get our cases back, with no help from anyone, we left the Airport with no clothes to get a taxi to Monterey Bay. 
Promises of cases to be delivered and $65 dollars a day as compensation, to be continued......
We arrived in Monterey after a 100-mile Uber ride and at 4pm got to the Hampton Inn, Monterey to unpack. Oh wait that didn't take long!!
With a small lake on the doorstep, we did a quick wander around it produced our first birds of the trip, almost dark so no pictures, Great-Tailed Grackles, California Scrub Jay, Heermann's Gull, and Western Gulls. Food and early start for our whale trip.
We chose Monterey Bay Whale Watch for our trip. While waiting in the harbor there was plenty to see.

Brown Pelican 


Southern Sea Otter


We'd been a few places before to see these, but mammal lifers for us all.


Brandt's Cormorant, just look at those eyes!




Western Gull, Pelagic Cormorant, Surf Scoter, and Osprey amongst the other birds, a brief safety talk and onto the boat, seasickness tablets a must, and my Ginger sweets were working well.
Not far out of the Habour, the fog descended making viewing very difficult, but 15 mins into trip a group of 5-6 Orca's were seen, just. We waited for them to resurface but no further sign.


Common Guillemot, Gull's, and Sooty Shearwaters were appearing out of the mist, but our first Humpback was spotted.




Californian Sea Lion


The Fog was starting to clear giving us better views, there were thousands of Sooty Shearwater gliding over the water.


Pink-Footed Shearwater


The boat stays at a distance and the Whales come to the boats, no chasing of whales here.


Spy Hopping


Pelagic Cormorant and Whimbrel were seen as we returned to the harbor


A constant stream of Pelican flew overhead


The harbor walls were full of Sea Lion, and Cormorants


We hadn't really got the views we had wanted so re-booked for the afternoon trip, had dinner, and returned to the dock.

Brewers Blackbird feeding around the Crab Pots.


Osprey (carolinensis)


Again the fog was still there, a real shame as around the harbor the blue skies and warmth was beautiful, a few more humpbacks were seen. We really wanted that killer shot, breaching or a hunting Orca but although breaching was happening it was miles off, that being said the whales came very close giving us the opportunity to smell the whale's breath, mmmm.


Almost, but not quite. 
It was an amazing experience, I'd definitely recommend Monterey. 


We walked around Monterey Bay to find a restaurant, this Anna's Hummingbird showed extremely well, as they do.



San Carlos Beach is the beach the Sea Lions decided it was theirs and they descended on the beach in numbers, making the authorities having to shut down the beach, once popular with sun bathers, good on the Sea Lions!


The following morning another taxi to Monterey Airport and back to San Francisco, still no cases and more incompetence from Virgin. We left dis-heartened to fly to Los Angeles and carry on our trip, after a few visits to Target for clothes, the temperature was 104c so jeans and jumpers were not good.
The plan was for my Wife and girls to go to Disney and for me to go birding, perfect.

On Tuesday the 10th, I left at first light in a taxi to visit Irvine Regional Park, I'd been before and it was great. 7am I entered the park a large area that nestles at the base of hills/mountains

Cottontail Rabbit


Acorn Woodpecker, lots of these here


Plenty of evidence of their activity


California Towhee


Very pleased to hear the sound and the photograph this lifer, Wrentit


California Thrasher


Western Bluebird


Californian Quail


Greater Roadrunner


5 hours 37 species one lifer. 
A huge fire was reported on the news, this the evidence from Irvine Park, which was 12 miles from the fire. 
Airport Fire was in Orange and Riverside counties in Southern California. 
The fire had burned 23,519 acres 36 squared miles.


37 species 7 miles walked.

When I arrived back at the hotel in Anaheim I was very pleased to contact my family who were in Disney to say our cases were Fedx overnight 5 days late. 
I see a large compensation claim incoming!


The girls got back late from Disney, and I was in bed ready for another early start. 
Huntington Central Park, again I've visited before but in January so it would be interesting to see a change of season.
7am and I was standing in the car park hoping for a good day.

Great Blue Heron


Snowy Egrets were scattered in the small ponds.


3 Green Heron also, much smaller than the previous


House Wren


Just shallow ponds here but there must be lots of fish as Osprey plus 3 species of Heron, 2 Egret species all in good numbers.


Female Vermillion Flycatcher


The captive-released birds are expanding here with the Pin-tailed Whydah an African species giving great views, with around 10+ individuals seen, is this worrying for the native species?


Lots of Black Phoebe catching flies.


Dark-Eyed Junco


Allen's Hummingbird


In the not so secret Garden here Allen hummers feed for a few seconds and then just sit perfectly for a few snaps.



On my previous trip I'd missed the Great Horned Owls, so I was determined to find them, luckily another birder was looking up, I checked in the canopy and saw one bird, despite walking around the large tall trees couldn't get a better view, but happy.


In numbers across California, Scaly-Breasted Munia another escapee.


Song Sparrow


40 species 3.5 miles walked. 
I left the park and walked towards Bolsa Chicsa on the coast. About a mile away through a housing estate I would enter via the rear of the reserve.
Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve

Greater Yellowlegs



Snowy Egret


 Killdeer


 Killdeer in Flight


Double-Breasted Cormorant


Forster's Tern


White-Faced Ibis


Blue-Winged Teal


Turkey Vulture


Reddish Egret



Whimbrel


Loggerheaded Shrike


Long-Billed Curlew


Willet


Western Sandpiper


Willet


Marbled Godwit


More Willet, Marbled Godwit


The numbers here were, 15 Black-Necked Stilt, 22 Marbled Godwit, 4 Long-Billed Dowitcher, 1 Spotted Sandpiper, 60+ Western Sands, 30+ Least Sands, 2 Grey Plover, White Pelican, Brown Pelican, 2 Yellow-Crowned Night Heron, 6 Turkey Vultures, 2 Osprey, Blue & Cinnamon Teal as you can see full of birds and great for photography too

Western Sandpiper


48 species 5 miles walked

Today was the last full day and Lauren, came with me, we decided on IRWD San Joaquin Marsh & Wildlife Sanctuary, Irvine, A taxi ride, and again at 7am we entered the marsh.

Western Grebe there is also Clark's Grebe here along with a few hybrid


Caspian Tern


The fantastic Black Skimmer


My second visit but still haven't got them Skimming, Lauren did!


Californian Quail no fear.



Black-Necked Stilt


Very chuffed to find 2 Sora a life tick


Killdeer displaying


Californian Thrasher


Swinhoe's White-Eye another escapee that's taking over.


Black Phoebe, I'd say the most common bird on this trip


Turkey Vulture on the hunt


Black Skimmer


Fiery Skipper


66 species 7 miles walked

So that was California Sept 2024, 116 species seen 6 life ticks, lots of good and bad memories with the cases and Virgin Atlantic, but would I do it again...too right in fact researching for next year already.

Any Tips or Help. Comment or Email us 


EBIRD trip report here

Lauren's YouTube Channel here videos will be updated for the trip soon
Thanks For Looking! 
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  Thanks For All Your Support!

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Location: California, USA
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