Hoop hoop hooray!

#BWKM0 ND&B garden challenge
DAY 45

To see a scarce bird in or over your garden is the stuff of dreams. We have a few gardens in our collective that are positioned on coastal headlands, or adjacent to RSPB reserves, where there is a certain expectation that such birds will - and sometimes can -  pay you a visit. For most of us, we can but dare to daydream that it will happen. But this morning, in Capel (Surrey), happen it did. Wes A was standing outside his back door, mug of tea in hand, when a Hoopoe decided to fly across his field of view, giving time to get the telescope onto the bird as it flew off NNE. Wes could stand in that very same spot for the next 100 years, binoculars at the ready, and not be able to repeat it. That is birding, and that illustrates what rewards await the diligent birder. Trouble is, 999 times out of a thousand, the prize will not be as good as an inland Hoopoe.

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OUR COMBINED TOTAL (BRITISH ISLES GARDENS) IS 184 SPECIES   Still to be recorded are: Arctic Skua, Arctic Tern, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Kingfisher, Whinchat.

 Today's additional species: Hoopoe (Wes A)

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
Wes A (Capel, Surrey) - Hoopoe
Steve T (Ewell, Surrey) - Whimbrel
Josephine S (Leatherhead, Surrey) - Egyptian Goose
Mark D (Dorking, Surrey) - Coot
Chris P (Claygate, Surrey) - Grey Wagtail
Matt P (Pulborough, W Sussex) - Great Crested Grebe
Dave P (Shoreham, W Sussex) - Mediterranean Gull

There have been 208 garden firsts across the competition.

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Visual interlude - #24 Box Hill, Surrey
This is the view looking north, across the zig-zag road and towards Mickleham Downs. Here be Adonis Blues, Musk Orchids, Straw Belles and Hawfinches. Never a dull moment.
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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) 100/61; Arjun D (Wallington, Surrey) 74/67; 
Benne A (Tirana, Albania) xx/40; Benno W (Goodnestone, Kent) xx/43; 
Bernard B (Ruckinge, Kent) 107/66; Bob S (Worcester Park, Surrey) 86/37; 
Callum M (Hemel Hempstead, Herts) 64/61; Cheech A (Langley Vale, Surrey) xx/38; 
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) 60/33; Gordon H (Redhill, Surrey) 80/46; 
Ian K (Leigh, Surrey) 62/42;  Ian S (Sidcup, Kent) 113/52; 
Ian W (Merton Park, London) 86/50; Isaiah R (New Malden, London) 76/59; 
John P (Banstead, Surrey) xx/xx; Jono L (Wanstead, London) 83/68; 
Josephine S (Leatherhead, Surrey) 40/42; 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) 97/53; 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) 101/85;  Robin S (Cranleigh, Surrey) 101/56; 
Sam B (Enniskeane, Cork) 67/69; Seamus E (Thornton Cleveleys, Lancs) 67/45; 
Sean M (Pinner, London) 50/42; Seth G (Uig, Skye) 64/57; 
Stephen R (Harrogate, Yorks) 66/47; Steve C (Guildford, Surrey) 66/38; 
Steve G (Banstead, Surrey) 92/70; Steve T (Ewell, Surrey) 59/49; 
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

Comments

Alastair said…
Steve, got Arctic Tern from the garden today. Had a tern yesterday but it was just too far away, however, in a couple of hours this morning (when I was trying very hard to get a Slav Grebe for the list - if I'd known about this game at the beginning that would have been a shoe-in) one flew by at identifiable range (there was another this evening as well). I added Swallow yesterday, finally, couldn't be 100% on a distant Sand Martin though. Other things added to my LDL today were Osprey, great views of one fishing Loch of Bosquoy before it went off north (not a common bird here), Stonechat, a distant pair on power lines. I think the distant Peregrine seen very far away as I was trying to add the Hoy WT Eagles to my LDL is to be added as well. A great morning though with a flock of ten Blackwits north and the most Red-throated Divers ever in one go, 8 different ones, and lots more of interest before the haze made viewing anything but the nearby Shunan impossible.
4 May 2020 at 00:00
The Hairy Birder said…
Hello Steve,

I added Whimbrel, a calling bird(s) over my garden last night. This was a garden first for me and takes my lockdown total to 46.

I'm surprised that I haven't recorded Whimbrel before over my garden, as I have a few waders on the list, perhaps it's just that I haven't spent as much time standing outside after dark with a beer in my hand as I have recently!

Cheers,

Seumus

Seumus E Thornton Cleveleys, Lancashire
4 May 2020 at 11:08
Bernard B said…
Hi Steve, Swift #67
4 May 2020 at 15:04
BirdingCheech said…
Hi Steve,

thanks for your reply regarding birdtrack. I have tried using it the last few days. Gone back to using eBird. Just find it so much easier and user friendly. Anyway yesterday was a brilliant day, got to see my first BullFinch here in Langley Vale and whilst out in the garden I saw a Wood Warbler, which has been seen around Langley Vale Woods recently. before this all started, the most birds I had ever seen in my garden was 31, yesterday I got to see my 39th bird. I know it is not the back garden, but I have also been amazed by how many birds are in Langley Vale Woods since this all started.

Cheech Albanese 31/39
4 May 2020 at 15:40
Steve Gale said…
Once again, thank you all for your updates and comments.
4 May 2020 at 17:12
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