Breeders

#BWKM0 ND&B garden challenge
DAY 47

Having been keeping a close eye on the garden over the past seven weeks, I have quite a good idea of what is breeding (or at least attempting to breed) in, or close to, our house. I've never been one to show an interest in nests, eggs, or breeding behaviour, having firmly nailed my colours to the ornithological masts of identification and migration. However, when needs must... species observed in territorial behaviour, nest building or carrying food were:  Sparrowhawk (one pair), Common Buzzard (two pairs), Kestrel (one pair), Feral Rock Dove, Stock Dove, Collared Dove, Woodpigeon, Ring-necked Parakeet, Tawny Owl (two pairs), Green Woodpecker, Wren, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Blackcap, Coal Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Jay, Magpie, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Starling, House Sparrow, Greenfinch (three to four pairs) and Goldfinch.

I would normally expect Great Spotted Woodpecker, Long-tailed Tit, Goldcrest, Nuthatch and Chaffinch to be breeding, but they appear to be missing this year.

No real surprises, although the Greenfinch total is the highest for quite a few years. I did get a little paternal towards some of those birds nesting in (or adjacent) to the garden. The drama of one particular morning was based around a Magpie harassing a cat that was climbing the nesting tree. After 15 minutes of trying to get further up the tree to see why the crow was so insistent that it shouldn't, the cat decided that a few blows to the head, and a possible fall, were not worth it.

Goldfinch courtesy of Dylan W

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OUR COMBINED TOTAL (BRITISH ISLES GARDENS) IS 185 SPECIES   Still to be recorded are: Arctic Skua, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Kingfisher, Whinchat.

Our oversea's gardens (New Zealand and Albania) add an additional 26 SPECIES  

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 61

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Garden firsts
Josephine S (Leatherhead, Surrey) - White Stork, Sand Martin

There have been 213 garden firsts across the competition.

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Visual interlude - #26 Froward Point, Devon

I don't need to write much. A footpath that demands to be walked. It gets more memorable the closer you get to the sea. I really must return one day.

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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).

Alastair F (West Mainland, Orkney) 100/66; Arjun D (Wallington, Surrey) 74/67; 

Benne A (Tirana, Albania) xx/40; Benno W (Goodnestone, Kent) xx/43; 

Bernard B (Ruckinge, Kent) 107/67; Bob S (Worcester Park, Surrey) 86/37; 

Callum M (Hemel Hempstead, Herts) 64/61; Cheech A (Langley Vale, Surrey) 31/39; 

Chris P (Claygate, Surrey) 43/42; Daniel W (NW London) xx/xx; 

Dave B (Chatham Islands, Pacific Ocean) 30/29; Dave P (Shoreham, West Sussex) 55/45; 

David S (West Raynham, Norfolk) 87/64; Debbie S (Portland, Dorset) 155/50; 

Dylan W (Thanet, Kent) 111/59; Ed S (Farncombe, Surrey) 79/83;  

Gavin H (Bridport, Dorset) xx/53;  Geoff B (Chessington, Surrey) 69/30; 

Gill H (Tenterden, Kent) 60/34; Gordon H (Redhill, Surrey) 80/46; 

Ian K (Leigh, Surrey) 62/42;  Ian S (Sidcup, Kent) 113/52; 

Ian W (Merton Park, London) 86/51; Isaiah R (New Malden, London) 76/59; 

John P (Banstead, Surrey) xx/xx; Jono L (Wanstead, London) 83/70; 

Josephine S (Leatherhead, Surrey) 40/44; Justin T (Charmouth, Dorset) 59/32; 

Mark D (Dorking, Surrey) 59/60; Mark H (Littlestone, Kent) 135/80: 

Mark N (Stutton, Suffolk)  77/62; Martin C (Lydd, Kent) 140/92; 

Mathew B (Wrotham, Kent) 33/53; Matt P (Pulborough, West Sussex) 126/113; 

Michael D (Craster, Northumberland) 106/64; Mike P (Malling, Kent) 70/64; 

Mike R (Battle, East Sussex) 97/55; Oscar D (Chiswick, London) 67/64; 

Paul D (London) 84/44; Pete B (Shadoxhurst, Kent) 101/53; 

Phil B (Ramsgate, Kent) 54/30; Rebecca G (Balham, London) xx/15; 

Reuben B (Tufnell Park, London) 45/45; Richard F (Pinner, London) 63/35; 

Richard P (Charmouth, Dorset) 101/86;  Robin S (Cranleigh, Surrey) 101/57; 

Sam B (Enniskeane, Cork) 67/69; Seamus E (Thornton Cleveleys, Lancs) 67/47; 

Sean M (Pinner, London) 50/43; Seth G (Uig, Skye) 64/58; 

Stephen R (Harrogate, Yorks) 66/47; Steve C (Guildford, Surrey) 66/39; 

Steve G (Banstead, Surrey) 92/70; Steve T (Ewell, Surrey) 59/51; 

Steve W (Hawes, N Yorks) 91/64; Stewart S (Howick, Northumberland) 131/77; 

Stuart C (Walkern, Herts) xx/63; Sye W (Aston Clinton, Bucks) xx/45; 

Tony B (Woodford, London) 69/53; Wes A (Capel, Surrey) 96/90

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