NORTH DOWNS & BEYOND

#BWKM0   ND&B garden challenge DAY 42 For me, one of the ornithological discoveries of this lockdown period has been the number of Blackcaps through the garden. We normally have two or three wintering birds, but once they have departed there is the expectation of just a couple of brief singers before a few birds turn up in the autumn. Not this year. For at least a fortnight there has been a daily helping of birds moving through (or around) the garden, mostly males. They invariably sing in brief bursts as they make their way along a ribbon of vegetation that threads through the nearby gardens, none of them staying for more that a few minutes. When I take my daily exercise - mostly around the nearby roads - it is obvious that they are are also plentiful elsewhere - singing birds being heard with surprising regularity. We do have a male holding a (suspected) territory in a small copse within earshot of the garden - his song can be heard from the same area throughout the day. T...

#BWKM0   ND&B garden challenge DAY 41 Epsom Downs, Surrey. Yesterday morning. You peer out of an upstair's window and there, on the windowsill, is sitting an unfamiliar bird. Exotic and bedraggled. All salmon-pink with black-and-white barred wings - and look at that crazy crest! What is it? It's quite tame, sitting out the heavy rain, so you take a picture. Fortunately you know somebody who is interested in birds and show them the image. A Hoopoe! A rarity from the continent, so best not release the news in these times of social distancing, otherwise you will have a gaggle of rule-breaking birders peering over the fence. You look out for it several times during the day, but it isn't to be seen. It has gone. Thanks to Josephine S for the alert. Neither she, or myself, saw the bird. I would like to acknowledge the observers for their permission to use the picture, but it is best to maintain their anonymity to put off any birding detectives from trying to track t...

#BWKM0   ND&B garden challenge DAY 40 I bet quite a few of us can identify with these words, especially those who are locked-down inlanders: I must go down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky, And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by; And the wheel’s kick and the wind’s song and the white sail’s shaking, And a grey mist on the sea’s face, and a grey dawn breaking. I must go down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied; And all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying, And the flung spray and the blown spume, and the sea-gulls crying. I must go down to the seas again, to the vagrant gypsy life, To the gull’s way and the whale’s way where the wind’s like a whetted knife; And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow-rover, And quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trick’s over. John Masefield. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++...

#BWKM0   ND&B garden challenge DAY 39 Most of the gardens in the collective have not seen appreciable rain for weeks, so the forecast of a drop of the wet stuff both tomorrow and Wednesday is more than welcome. I have already started to daydream of flocks of terns and waders deciding to cut across Surrey and over my garden in response to it, but in reality will most probably spend tomorrow looking at the cloud and wondering why they haven't all turned up. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ OUR  COMBINED TOTAL (BRITISH ISLES GARDENS) IS 179 SPECIES     Still to be recorded are: Pochard, Common Sandpiper, Arctic Skua, Arctic Tern,  Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Kingfisher,  Whinchat. Today's additions are: Bonxie (Richard P) and Bittern (Martin C). Our oversea's gardens (New Zealand and Albania) add an additional  26 SPECIES   with Benne A, in Albania, adding Golden Oriole, Serin, Sardinian W...

#BWKM0   ND&B garden challenge DAY 38 Blue skies + light winds = raptors drifting through - at least that is the case here in Banstead. Another day of Common Buzzards and Red Kites dribbling through, mostly eastwards. I must have surpassed 300 CBs and 70+ RKs so far during the challenge, but even so, each and every one of them gets a good grilling and they still have the power to excite me. Maybe it's because that I can still clearly remember the days when just the one would have me dancing around the garden with joy. Long may they drift on by... ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ OUR  COMBINED TOTAL (BRITISH ISLES GARDENS) IS 177 SPECIES     Still to be recorded are: Pochard, Common Sandpiper, any skua, Arctic Tern,  Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Kingfisher,  Whinchat. Our oversea's gardens (New Zealand and Albania) add an additional  22 SPECIES  You can find the combined #BWKM0 list by c...

#BWKM0   ND&B garden challenge DAY 37 Our Bridport correspondent (Gavin H) is on a roll, having had much success with his new noc-mig recording gear. After a Stone Curlew earlier in the week, he has followed this up with a Nightjar last night, which had the decency to call while he was out in the garden. My own 'naked' efforts have really hit a slump, with very little being heard beyond Tawny Owls and Foxes. But the show must go on, I know that the birds are up there... We also welcome our 60th garden into the collective. Still 12 days to go... ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ OUR  COMBINED TOTAL (BRITISH ISLES GARDENS) IS 177 SPECIES     Still to be recorded are: Pochard, Common Sandpiper, any skua, Arctic Tern,  Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Kingfisher,  Whinchat. Our oversea's gardens (New Zealand and Albania) add an additional  22 SPECIES  Today's additions are: Nightjar (Gavin H) You...

#BWKM0   ND&B garden challenge DAY 36 A bit of a garden 'day off' for me, with a brief hour session between 07.00 - 08.00 hrs, then several 10-15 minutes looks throughout the day. Projects indoors are finally winning over my time. I will, of course, be sitting out there again tonight! I now have the added incentive of trying to compete with Steve B (in nearby Ewell, only a mile away), who has gone and purchased a fully-blown noc-mig set-up. Every call he records and identifies will be a reminder to me of what I am missing. He is already reaping the benefits, as you can see in today's 'garden firsts' below. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ OUR  COMBINED TOTAL (BRITISH ISLES GARDENS) IS 175 SPECIES     Still to be recorded are: Pochard, Common Sandpiper, any skua, Arctic Tern,  Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Kingfisher,  Whinchat. Our oversea's gardens (New Zealand and Albania) add an additional  22 S...

#BWKM0   ND&B garden challenge DAY 35 Dylan W kindly provided this image of a Chiffchaff from his Thanet, Kent garden There was a mini-landmark here in Banstead today, as I chalked up my 70th species for this challenge when a group of four Common Swifts scooted through. Back on March 20th I estimated that I should reach 60, possibly 65 species, but considered 70 to be too ambitious a target. I have now used up all of my 'banker' species however. Of the possibles still to come there is an outside chance of a late Fieldfare or Brambling; a Lesser Redpoll in what has been a dire winter for them locally; or a drop-by Willow Warbler or Lesser Whitethroat, neither annual in the garden. I have been aware of reports of flocks of Mediterranean Gulls flying over gardens to the south, west, north and east of me and scan the skies in hope. I still haven't given up on a Marsh Harrier or Osprey paying me a fleeting visit - and have a quiet confidence that there must be some mor...