What's missing?

#BWKM0 ND&B garden challenge
DAY 17

Most of us have been at this for over a fortnight now, and new species are becoming all the more difficult, although incoming migrants will, of course, give us a chance of bolstering our scores. But what has been bothering me more over the past few days are those species that I thought that I would have recorded by now but are still missing. Time is ticking away on several of them. My 'missing in action' species are: Canada Goose (irregular here but should still appear), Common Gull (how on earth I haven't seen one I do not know, although Black-headed Gulls have been very scarce), Grey Wagtail (an odd bird here with erratic but regular records), Fieldfare (getting a bit late now), Mistle Thrush (has always been scarce) Brambling and Redpoll (both in very low numbers locally this winter and time running out to see the former species). I'm sure that you've got your own species that you are still waiting for to show up.

OUR COMBINED TOTAL IS 137 SPECIES   We still seem to be missing Pochard, Tufted Duck, Ringed Plover, Dunlin, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Kingfisher, House Martin.

Today's additions are : Fulmar and Manx Shearwater (Richard P), Goosander and Sedge Warbler (Matt P), Corn Bunting (Dylan W), Kittiwake and Firecrest (Mark H)

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New entries

Mark H (Littlestone, Kent)
Garden list of 135 species.
Highlights include White-tailed Eagle, Black Stork, Serin and Snow Bunting.

Rebecca G (Balham, London)
has so far recorded 7 species including Canada Goose and Ring-necked Parakeet.

Mike P (Malling, Kent)
Garden list of 70 species.
Highlights include Gannet, White Stork, Black Redstart, Ring Ouzel.

This brings our 'garden collective' up to 55.

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Garden firsts

Dave P (Shoreham, West Sussex) - Sandwich Tern
Ian K (Leigh, Surrey) - Lesser Black-backed Gull
Dylan W (Thanet, Kent) - Corn Bunting
Josephine S (Leatherhead, Surrey) - Cormorant
Mike P (Malling, Kent) - Ring Ouzel

There have now been 88 garden firsts across the competition.

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Honorable mentions

Wes A (Capel, Surrey) had an Osprey move through very early this morning, only his second garden record.

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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) - 74/55; Benno W (Goodnestone, Kent) xx/29;
Bernard B (Ruckinge, Kent) 107/47; Bob S (Worcester Park, Surrey) 86/28;
Callum M (Hemel Hempstead, Herts) 64/xx; Cheech A (Langley Vale, Surrey) xx/34;
Dave B (Chatham Islands, Pacific Ocean) 30/18; Dave P (Shoreham, West Sussex) - 55/38;
David S (West Raynham, Norfolk) - 87/45; Debbie S (Portland, Dorset) 155/33;
Dylan W (Thanet, Kent) 111/43; Ed S (Farncombe, Surrey) - 79/71;
Gavin H (Bridport, Dorset) xx/35; Geoff B (Chessington, Surrey) 69/xx;
Gill H, Tenterden, Kent) 60/24; Gordon H (Redhill, Surrey) 80/39; 
Ian K (Leigh, Surrey) 62/32; Ian S (Sidcup, Kent) - 113/44;
Ian W (Merton Park, London) 86/34; Isaiah R (New Malden, London) 76/42;
John P (Banstead, Surrey) xx/xx; Jono L (Wanstead, London) 83/54;
Josephine S (Leatherhead, Surrey) 40/30; Justin T (Charmouth, Dorset) 59/xx;
Mark D (Dorking, Surrey) 59/50; Mark H (Littlestone, Kent) 135/67:
Mark N (Stutton, Suffolk) - 77/58; Martin C (Lydd, Kent) 140/66;
Mathew B (Wrotham, Kent) - 33/40; Matt P (Pulborough, West Sussex) 126/78;
Michael D (Craster, Northumberland) 106/48; Mike P (Malling, Kent) 70/51;
Mike R (Battle, East Sussex) 97/41; Oscar D (Chiswick, London) - 67/48;
Paul D (London) 84/35; Pete B (Shadoxhurst, Kent) 101/42;
Phil B (Ramsgate, Kent) 54/25; Rebecca G (Balham, London) xx/7;
Reuben B (Tufnell Park, London) - 45/38; Richard F (Pinner, London) 63/35;
Richard P (Charmouth, Dorset) - 101/60; Robin S (Cranleigh, Surrey) - 101/47;
Sam B (Enniskeane, Cork) - 67/52; Seamus E (Thornton Cleveleys, Lancs) - 67/27;
Sean M (Pinner, London) - 50/35; Seth G (Uig, Skye) 64/42;
Stephen R (Harrogate, Yorks) 66/35; Steve C (Guildford, Surrey) 66/35;
Steve G (Banstead, Surrey) - 92/60; Steve T (Ewell, Surrey) 59/xx;
Stewart S (Howick, Northumberland) 113/46; Sy W (Aston Clinton, Bucks) - xx/22;
Tony B (Woodford, London) 69/42; Wes A (Capel, Surrey) - 94/68

Comments

bob smith said…
Hi Steve
My list is up to 28 species. Nothing spectacular -a Kestrel and Canada geese over. Do hour watching at dawn then another at 2pm and casual in between. The singing Robin s good value with his high perch atop an oak 50metres from the garden then the same one in the garden a bit later.

all the best
5 April 2020 at 18:44
Gibster said…
Darnit, missed today's deadline. Up to 42 here in Uig now Steve. Mallard is proving to be my bogey bird, strangely absent from the slither of river mouth I can see from here.
5 April 2020 at 19:03
Steve Gale said…
Thanks Bob, thanks Seth. No deadline worries Seth, I update well into the evening.
5 April 2020 at 19:59
Michael Drage said…
Guillemot on my list a few days ago.
Might be interesting to see cumulative list.
Great work Steve, appreciated.
5 April 2020 at 22:17
Steve Gale said…
Thanks Michael for your kind words and the Guillemot. I will get round to publishing the cumulative list.
5 April 2020 at 22:33
Fleetwood Bird Observatory said…
Hello Steve,

My lockdown list up to and including 5th April is on 28 after adding Chaffinch.

It's slowing down; I need some migrants!

Cheers,

Seumus

Seumus E Thornton Cleveleys, Lancashire
6 April 2020 at 10:56
Steve Gale said…
Don’t we all Seamus!
6 April 2020 at 11:37
Bernard B said…
Just Linnet and GBB gull since last update, total now is
49
6 April 2020 at 16:26
bob smith said…
One new species for the watch-Collared dove so now on 29. A scarce species now.
Sparrow hawk made its usual entry. Could do with a Willow warbler in the birch

Best Wishes
6 April 2020 at 17:58
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