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