Always learning

#BWKM0 ND&B garden challenge
DAY 27

How well did we know the status of the birds that visited our gardens before the 'lockdown' started? Well, in my case not well at all. I have recorded seven firsts since March 20th, and some of those have now been multiple - Greylag Goose (twice), Brent Goose (twice), Gadwall, Teal (three times), Common Scoter (twice), Merlin and Coot. Note that they are all non-passerines. I have struggled to record Black-headed and Common Gull - just ONE of each, whereas I'd have wagered on them being of daily occurrence. My single Goldcrest and Long-tailed Tit has me scratching my head as to why they have been so scarce. My totals of 119 Common Buzzard and 24 Red Kites most pleasing and higher than I would have thought. I could have told you that I would observe a dribble of Chaffinches passing overhead during March, but not the 100-300 daily processions that I witnessed. Of course, this might be an abnormal year, and if I were to repeat this exercise next March and April I'd be knee deep in Goldcrests and wondering where all the Buzzards had gone. 

OUR COMBINED TOTAL (BRITISH ISLES GARDENS) IS 158 SPECIES   Still to be recorded are: Pochard, Tufted Duck, Dunlin, Bar-tailed Godwit, Common Sandpiper, any skua, Common Tern, Arctic Tern, Razorbill, Swift, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Kingfisher, Common Redstart, Whinchat, Lesser Whitethroat, Garden Warbler.

Our oversea's gardens (New Zealand and Albania) add an additional 15 SPECIES

Today’s additions are: Long-eared Owl (Sam B)

You can find the combined #BWKM0 list by clicking on the right-hand tab above.

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ENTRIES
Our 'garden collective' stands at 58.

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Garden firsts
Sam B (Enniskeane, Cork) - Long-eared Owl
Paul D (London) - Common Whitethroat
Seamus E (Thornton Cleveleys, Lancs) - Wheatear
Bob S (Worcester Park, London) - Greylag Goose

There have been 138 garden firsts across the competition.

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Visual interlude - #6 Prawle Point, Devon
Close your eyes. Hear that rattling song? It's a Cirl Bunting...
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How are we getting on?
Alphabetical order by first name. The first figure is the garden score as on March 20th. The second is since then (as up to date as I am aware).

Arjun D (Wallington, Surrey) - 74/60; Bene A (Tirana, Albania) xx/30;
Benno W (Goodnestone, Kent) xx/37; Bernard B (Ruckinge, Kent) 107/57; 
Bob S (Worcester Park, Surrey) 86/32; Callum M (Hemel Hempstead, Herts) 64/61;
Cheech A (Langley Vale, Surrey) xx/38; Chris P (Claygate, Surrey) - 43/39; 
Dave B (Chatham Islands, Pacific Ocean) 30/21; Dave P (Shoreham, West Sussex) - 55/41; 
David S (West Raynham, Norfolk) - 87/56; Debbie S (Portland, Dorset) 155/41; 
Dylan W (Thanet, Kent) 111/50; Ed S (Farncombe, Surrey) - 79/77;  
Gavin H (Bridport, Dorset) xx/43;  Geoff B (Chessington, Surrey) 69/28; 
Gill H (Tenterden, Kent) 60/31; Gordon H (Redhill, Surrey) 80/43; 
Ian K (Leigh, Surrey) 62/37; Ian S (Sidcup, Kent) - 113/48; 
Ian W (Merton Park, London) 86/43; Isaiah R (New Malden, London) 76/52; 
John P (Banstead, Surrey) xx/xx; Jono L (Wanstead, London) 83/64; 
Josephine S (Leatherhead, Surrey) 40/37; Justin T (Charmouth, Dorset) 59/32;
Mark D (Dorking, Surrey) 59/51; Mark H (Littlestone, Kent) 135/61:
Mark N (Stutton, Suffolk) - 77/60; Martin C (Lydd, Kent) 140/80;
Mathew B (Wrotham, Kent) - 33/44; Matt P (Pulborough, West Sussex) 126/94;   
Michael D (Craster, Northumberland) 106/57; Mike P (Malling, Kent) 70/58; 
Mike R (Battle, East Sussex) 97/50;  Oscar D (Chiswick, London) - 67/52;
Paul D (London) 84/43; Pete B (Shadoxhurst, Kent) 101/54;
Phil B (Ramsgate, Kent) 54/30; Rebecca G (Balham, London) xx/13;
Reuben B (Tufnell Park, London) - 45/43; Richard F (Pinner, London) 63/35;
Richard P (Charmouth, Dorset) - 101/65;  Robin S (Cranleigh, Surrey) - 101/51; 
Sam B (Enniskeane, Cork) - 67/59; Seamus E (Thornton Cleveleys, Lancs) - 67/37; 
Sean M (Pinner, London) - 50/37; Seth G (Uig, Skye) 64/50;  
Stephen R (Harrogate, Yorks) 66/40; Steve C (Guildford, Surrey) 66/36; 
Steve G (Banstead, Surrey) - 92/67; Steve T (Ewell, Surrey) 59/36;
Steve W (Hawes, N Yorks) - 91/49; Stewart S (Howick, Northumberland) 131/66;
Sye W (Aston Clinton, Bucks) - xx/31; Tony B (Woodford, London) 69/50;
Wes A (Capel, Surrey) - 96/79

Comments

Steven W said…
Steve. Today I recorded Peregrine & Stock Dove on the garden list, taking me up to 51. The latter was also a 1st for the garden. Cheers
15 April 2020 at 20:52
Steve Gale said…
Thanks Steven, I’ll add those to tomorrow’s post.
15 April 2020 at 21:01
Simon Douglas Thompson said…
I just wouldn't know what was flying over me
15 April 2020 at 23:52
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