Over half way

For most birders, the thought of a Wheatear in the garden is the stuff of fantasy, but yesterday this popped up in Seamus E's garden in Thornton Cleveleys, Lancs
#BWKM0 ND&B garden challenge
DAY 28

This afternoon the government announced a further period of 'lockdown', in effect taking us up to Thursday May 7th. Although measures may indeed carry on after then, it seems that that is an opportune date to call time on the #BWKM0 ND&B challenge. We have another three weeks in which to bump those totals up and can still pretend to have a valid excuse to stand out in the garden birding. That will mean that by May 7th we will have spent almost 50 days searching the skies, bushes, lawns and trees from our gardens/windows. By then I'm sure that we will all be ready to call it quits. So, we are over half-way through this laid-back celebration of our garden birds and birding camaraderie. I hope that you haven't used up all of your ornithological stamina, as you are going to need plenty more of it for this final stretch...

OUR COMBINED TOTAL (BRITISH ISLES GARDENS) IS 159 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: Greenshank (Martin C)

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
Steve W (Hawes, N Yorks) - Stock Dove

There have been 139 garden firsts across the competition.

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Visual interlude - #7 Watergate Bay, North Cornwall
You can take the coastal path between Porth and Trevose Head and will be lost for words as you search for superlatives to sum up the views that continually open up before you. Sandy bays, rugged cliffs, blue seas and, at the right time of year, steep slopes that are home to swathes of wild flowers. The birding is good too, with Ravens, Peregrines, the odd Chough and the real chance of stumbling across a rarity.
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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) 111/51; 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) 40/38; 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) 140/82;
Mathew B (Wrotham, Kent) - 33/46; Matt P (Pulborough, West Sussex) 126/96;   
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) - 101/66;  Robin S (Cranleigh, Surrey) - 101/51; 
Sam B (Enniskeane, Cork) - 67/59; Seamus E (Thornton Cleveleys, Lancs) - 67/37; 
Sean M (Pinner, London) - 50/38; Seth G (Uig, Skye) 64/50;  
Stephen R (Harrogate, Yorks) 66/42; Steve C (Guildford, Surrey) 66/36; 
Steve G (Banstead, Surrey) - 92/67; Steve T (Ewell, Surrey) 59/36;
Steve W (Hawes, N Yorks) - 91/53; Stewart S (Howick, Northumberland) 131/66;
Sye W (Aston Clinton, Bucks) - xx/40; Tony B (Woodford, London) 69/50;
Wes A (Capel, Surrey) - 96/81

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

Comments

Steven W said…
Hi Steve. Green Woodpecker & Tree Pipit to add for me today please (53)
16 April 2020 at 20:52
The Hairy Birder said…
Hello Steve,

I added Skylark yesterday (16th) to my lockdown list, taking me to 38.

Cheers,

Seumus

Seumus E Thornton Cleveleys, Lancashire
17 April 2020 at 11:26
Michael Drage said…
Thanks for your stamina Steve!

Razorbill at last (but nowt else) brings me to 106/58
17 April 2020 at 16:49
Steve Gale said…
Thanks again for your input chaps, it is much appreciated!
17 April 2020 at 17:56
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