More on noc-migging

#BWKM0 ND&B garden challenge
DAY 34

There has been a lot of chat going on about noc-migging recently, mostly emanating from new adoptees of this dark art. As much as it is bringing a new dimension to their birding, it is also causing them to ask some fundamental questions. One of our competitors, Jono L, wrote a compelling post about it which you can read by clicking here. As a naked noc-migger I hear all of my overhead calls as they happen, but must confess to wishing that I had recordings of some of the calls that I do hear, so that I have the ability to subsequently check them. Last night was a case in point. I was out in the garden as darkness fell when a single call - fairly distant - came out of the gloom.

"Chew-it!"

I froze, hoping that it would call again. Nothing. My mind was then in turmoil. It sounded like a Spotted Redshank. But then again, had I heard a distant female Tawny Owl? I normally wouldn't consider that you could confuse the two, but context goes out of the window as you stand in the dark with your imagination running riot. It didn't sound quite right for the owl - but then again, being honest, not quite right for the wader either. There was nothing I could do but forget about it. Consign it to the 'I wonder what that was' folder. If only I had obtained a recording...

I'm still mulling it over today. The angel on my right shoulder is saying "No Steve, you're getting carried away with yourself, it was a Tawny Owl." However, the devil on my other shoulder is whispering "Tawny Owls go 'ku-vit' not 'chew-it!!'"

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OUR COMBINED TOTAL (BRITISH ISLES GARDENS) IS 172 SPECIES   Still to be recorded are: Pochard, Common Sandpiper, any skua, Arctic Tern, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Kingfisher, Whinchat, Lesser Whitethroat.

Our oversea's gardens (New Zealand and Albania) add an additional 22 SPECIES 

Todays additions are: Bar-tailed Godwit (Steve G)

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 59

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Garden firsts
Richard P (Charmouth, Dorset) - Whitethroat

There have been 171 garden firsts across the competition.

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Visual interlude - #13 Beesands, Devon

When I first came across this view, while walking the South Devon coastal path, I had to rub my eyes in disbelief. It was as if somebody had constructed my dream birding patch. I didn't know that this village existed, never mind the small water body that is separated from the beach by rough grassland. Look at all those fields, all the hedgerows and those copses! What goodies have graced this site and which birder had the good fortune to call it home? And it gets even better - there is a pub in the village! That is Start Point you can see further along, the Prawle just around the corner. Nirvana!

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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) - 74/66; Bene A (Tirana, Albania) xx/30;
Benno W (Goodnestone, Kent) xx/37; Bernard B (Ruckinge, Kent) 107/61; 
Bob S (Worcester Park, Surrey) 86/35; Callum M (Hemel Hempstead, Herts) 64/61;
Cheech A (Langley Vale, Surrey) xx/38; Chris P (Claygate, Surrey) - 43/40; 
Dave B (Chatham Islands, Pacific Ocean) 30/29; Dave P (Shoreham, West Sussex) - 55/43; 
David S (West Raynham, Norfolk) - 87/59; Debbie S (Portland, Dorset) 155/50; 
Dylan W (Thanet, Kent) 111/53; Ed S (Farncombe, Surrey) - 79/77;  
Gavin H (Bridport, Dorset) xx/46;  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) 86/47; Isaiah R (New Malden, London) 76/52; 
John P (Banstead, Surrey) xx/xx; Jono L (Wanstead, London) 83/67; 
Josephine S (Leatherhead, Surrey) 40/40; Justin T (Charmouth, Dorset) 59/32;
Mark D (Dorking, Surrey) 59/54; Mark H (Littlestone, Kent) 135/61:
Mark N (Stutton, Suffolk) - 77/60; Martin C (Lydd, Kent) 140/85;
Mathew B (Wrotham, Kent) - 33/50; Matt P (Pulborough, West Sussex) 126/104;   
Michael D (Craster, Northumberland) 106/60; Mike P (Malling, Kent) 70/62; 
Mike R (Battle, East Sussex) 97/51;  Oscar D (Chiswick, London) - 67/64;
Paul D (London) 84/44; Pete B (Shadoxhurst, Kent) 101/47;
Phil B (Ramsgate, Kent) 54/30; Rebecca G (Balham, London) xx/15;
Reuben B (Tufnell Park, London) - 45/44; Richard F (Pinner, London) 63/35;
Richard P (Charmouth, Dorset) - 101/75;  Robin S (Cranleigh, Surrey) - 101/53; 
Sam B (Enniskeane, Cork) - 67/64; Seamus E (Thornton Cleveleys, Lancs) - 67/40; 
Sean M (Pinner, London) - 50/39; Seth G (Uig, Skye) 64/50;  
Stephen R (Harrogate, Yorks) 66/43; Steve C (Guildford, Surrey) 66/37; 
Steve G (Banstead, Surrey) - 92/69; Steve T (Ewell, Surrey) 59/36;
Steve W (Hawes, N Yorks) - 91/58; Stewart S (Howick, Northumberland) 131/74;
Stuart C (Walkern, Herts) - xx/63;  Sye W (Aston Clinton, Bucks) - xx/40;
Tony B (Woodford, London) 69/52; Wes A (Capel, Surrey) - 96/86

THE CHALLENGE WILL END AT 18.00hrs ON THURSDAY MAY 7th