Here they come!
#BWKM0 ND&B garden challenge
DAY 16
The southerly airflow is here, the temperature is warming up, and an increasing number of our collective gardens are starting to record summer migrants. As we go deeper into April this migrant trickle will become a torrent. It is easy to assume that, as we are 'locked down' in our gardens, we will largely miss out on this, but that isn't strictly true. We might not get the numbers that coastal sites and inland hill tops might enjoy, but the humble back garden does and can act as a refuelling spot as well. Over the years I have seen a wide selection of warblers, chats and flycatchers utilising gardens and urban parks. If the weather conspires and rain pushes them down you can experience all sorts of weird and wonderful displaced species in the most unpromising of places. We also have a strong wader passage to come, one that does not neglect the inland birder - just a case of ears on stalks at night or 'eyes to the skies' during the day if the weather is right. Together with hirundines, swifts, wagtails and pipits making their way through the country (and over our gardens) it is not a month to be sitting indoors.
Today we have also surpassed the landmark total of 50 gardens. Good birding one and all!
OUR COMBINED TOTAL IS 127 SPECIES We still seem to be missing Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Kingfisher and Firecrest.
Today's additions are : Little Ringed Plover (Matt P), Black-tailed Godwit (Matt P), Red-legged Partridge (Benno W) and Wheatear (Dylan W)
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New entries
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Garden firsts
DAY 16
The southerly airflow is here, the temperature is warming up, and an increasing number of our collective gardens are starting to record summer migrants. As we go deeper into April this migrant trickle will become a torrent. It is easy to assume that, as we are 'locked down' in our gardens, we will largely miss out on this, but that isn't strictly true. We might not get the numbers that coastal sites and inland hill tops might enjoy, but the humble back garden does and can act as a refuelling spot as well. Over the years I have seen a wide selection of warblers, chats and flycatchers utilising gardens and urban parks. If the weather conspires and rain pushes them down you can experience all sorts of weird and wonderful displaced species in the most unpromising of places. We also have a strong wader passage to come, one that does not neglect the inland birder - just a case of ears on stalks at night or 'eyes to the skies' during the day if the weather is right. Together with hirundines, swifts, wagtails and pipits making their way through the country (and over our gardens) it is not a month to be sitting indoors.
Today we have also surpassed the landmark total of 50 gardens. Good birding one and all!
OUR COMBINED TOTAL IS 127 SPECIES We still seem to be missing Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Kingfisher and Firecrest.
Today's additions are : Little Ringed Plover (Matt P), Black-tailed Godwit (Matt P), Red-legged Partridge (Benno W) and Wheatear (Dylan W)
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New entries
Jono L (Wanstead, London)
Garden list of 83.
Has so far recorded 52 species including - yes, you've guessed it - Common Scoter.
Cheech A (Langley Vale, Surrey)
has so far recorded 34 species including Lapwing and Tawny Owl
Benno W (Goodnestone, Kent)
has so far recorded 29 species, including our first Red-legged Partridge!
Phil B (Ramsgate, Kent)
has so far recorded 25 species, and has a historical list of 54.
This brings our 'garden collective' up to 52.
Garden list of 83.
Has so far recorded 52 species including - yes, you've guessed it - Common Scoter.
Cheech A (Langley Vale, Surrey)
has so far recorded 34 species including Lapwing and Tawny Owl
Benno W (Goodnestone, Kent)
has so far recorded 29 species, including our first Red-legged Partridge!
Phil B (Ramsgate, Kent)
has so far recorded 25 species, and has a historical list of 54.
This brings our 'garden collective' up to 52.
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Garden firsts
Isaiah R (New Malden, London) - Brent Goose, Coot
Richard P (Charmouth, Dorset) - Coot
Stephen R (Harrogate, Yorkshire) - Common Scoter
Josephine S (Leatherhead, Surrey) - Mallard, Rook
Ed S (Farncombe, Surrey) - Little Grebe
Arjun Dutta (Wallington, London) - Lapwing
Jono L (Wanstead, London) - Common Scoter
Mark N (Stutton, Suffolk) - Sand Martin, Peregrine
There have now been 82 garden firsts across the competition.
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Garden focus
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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) - 74/48; Benno W (Goodnestone, Kent) xx/29;
Bernard B (Ruckinge, Kent) 107/47; Bob S (Worcester Park, Surrey) 86/21;
Callum M (Hemel Hempstead, Herts) 64/xx; Cheech A (Langley Vale, Surrey) xx/34;
Chris P (Romney Marsh, Kent) - 176/62; Dave B (Chatham Islands, Pacific Ocean) 30/18;
Dave P (Shoreham, West Sussex) - 55/36; David S (West Raynham, Norfolk) - 87/45;
Debbie S (Portland, Dorset) 155/33; Dylan W (Thanet, Kent) 111/41;
Ed S (Farncombe, Surrey) - 79/71; Gavin H (Bridport, Dorset) xx/33;
Geoff B (Chessington, Surrey) 69/xx; Gill H, Tenterden, Kent) 60/24;
Gordon H (Redhill, Surrey) 80/39; Ian K (Leigh, Surrey) 62/29; Ian S (Sidcup, Kent) - 113/43;
Ian W (Merton Park, London) 86/33; Isaiah R (New Malden, London) 76/42;
John P (Banstead, Surrey) xx/xx; Jono L (Wanstead, London) 83/52;
Josephine S (Leatherhead, Surrey) 40/27; Justin T (Charmouth, Dorset) 59/xx;
Mark D (Dorking, Surrey) 59/49; Mark N (Stutton, Suffolk) - 77/55;
Martin C (Lydd, Kent) 140/65; Mathew B (Wrotham, Kent) - 33/39;
Matt P (Pulborough, West Sussex) 126/76; Michael D (Craster, Northumberland) 106/48;
Mike R (Battle, East Sussex) 97/41; Oscar D (Chiswick, London) - 67/48;
Paul D (London) 84/35; Pete B (Shadoxhurst, Kent) 101/40;
Phil B (Ramsgate, Kent) 54/25; Reuben B (Tufnell Park, London) - 45/38;
Richard F (Pinner, London) 63/35; Richard P (Charmouth, Dorset) - 101/54;
Robin S (Cranleigh, Surrey) - 101/46; Sam B (Enniskeane, Cork) - 67/52;
Seamus E (Thornton Cleveleys, Lancs) - 67/27; Sean M (Pinner, London) - 50/35;
Seth G (Uig, Skye) 64/39; 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) - 94/66
Richard P (Charmouth, Dorset) - Coot
Stephen R (Harrogate, Yorkshire) - Common Scoter
Josephine S (Leatherhead, Surrey) - Mallard, Rook
Ed S (Farncombe, Surrey) - Little Grebe
Arjun Dutta (Wallington, London) - Lapwing
Jono L (Wanstead, London) - Common Scoter
Mark N (Stutton, Suffolk) - Sand Martin, Peregrine
There have now been 82 garden firsts across the competition.
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Garden focus
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| A Room With A View - starring Matt P - looking out across Pulborough Brooks |
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| Gordon H, modelling the latest in viewing towers, Redhill, Surrey |
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| Sean M's place of tranquility in Pinner, London |
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) - 74/48; Benno W (Goodnestone, Kent) xx/29;
Bernard B (Ruckinge, Kent) 107/47; Bob S (Worcester Park, Surrey) 86/21;
Callum M (Hemel Hempstead, Herts) 64/xx; Cheech A (Langley Vale, Surrey) xx/34;
Chris P (Romney Marsh, Kent) - 176/62; Dave B (Chatham Islands, Pacific Ocean) 30/18;
Dave P (Shoreham, West Sussex) - 55/36; David S (West Raynham, Norfolk) - 87/45;
Debbie S (Portland, Dorset) 155/33; Dylan W (Thanet, Kent) 111/41;
Ed S (Farncombe, Surrey) - 79/71; Gavin H (Bridport, Dorset) xx/33;
Geoff B (Chessington, Surrey) 69/xx; Gill H, Tenterden, Kent) 60/24;
Gordon H (Redhill, Surrey) 80/39; Ian K (Leigh, Surrey) 62/29; Ian S (Sidcup, Kent) - 113/43;
Ian W (Merton Park, London) 86/33; Isaiah R (New Malden, London) 76/42;
John P (Banstead, Surrey) xx/xx; Jono L (Wanstead, London) 83/52;
Josephine S (Leatherhead, Surrey) 40/27; Justin T (Charmouth, Dorset) 59/xx;
Mark D (Dorking, Surrey) 59/49; Mark N (Stutton, Suffolk) - 77/55;
Martin C (Lydd, Kent) 140/65; Mathew B (Wrotham, Kent) - 33/39;
Matt P (Pulborough, West Sussex) 126/76; Michael D (Craster, Northumberland) 106/48;
Mike R (Battle, East Sussex) 97/41; Oscar D (Chiswick, London) - 67/48;
Paul D (London) 84/35; Pete B (Shadoxhurst, Kent) 101/40;
Phil B (Ramsgate, Kent) 54/25; Reuben B (Tufnell Park, London) - 45/38;
Richard F (Pinner, London) 63/35; Richard P (Charmouth, Dorset) - 101/54;
Robin S (Cranleigh, Surrey) - 101/46; Sam B (Enniskeane, Cork) - 67/52;
Seamus E (Thornton Cleveleys, Lancs) - 67/27; Sean M (Pinner, London) - 50/35;
Seth G (Uig, Skye) 64/39; 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) - 94/66
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| Sparrowhawk, over Banstead today |
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