Patchwork Challenge

Check out Richard Gregsons brilliant Green Birding site. Here, Richard encourages birders to approach their hobby in a more ecologically sustainable manner, and shows that there are many advantages to birding with a reduced carbon footprint. I could go on about it all here but there is a lot at Green Birding so instead, I'll thoroughly recommend you go and have a look yourself! Richard has decided to take on the PWC format and make it applicable to North American birders by adapting the scoring system (using ABA codes) and slightly modifying the patch size rules - but essentially, the PWC foramt is going global! There's no reason at all why this can't be adopted in other countries too - all you need is a means of dividing species up into different rarity (and therefore points) levels. We wish Richard very good luck with promoting this on the other side of the pond, and hope that it becomes an annual fixture over there (as we hope it does over here, too!) Hopefully Ri...

Sorry for another bad pun but again I'll blame Mark for this one. Owen has a healthy points lead over Niall in 2nd who in turn is closely followed by Eamonn. These scores may be outdated as I pinched soem from the wonderful blog http://patchbirdingireland.blogspot.ie/  so check there for the very latest. The comparative league see's Paul M pip Neal at Rathlin to the top spot by 1%, meanwhile patch challenge old timer Colin at Galley props up the table and points leader Owen finds himself 2nd bottom! Ireland Position Name Patch Species Points % 1 Owen Foley Ballycotton 120 159 49.6 2 Niall T. Keogh Kilcoole/Newcastle/Blackditch ECNR 113 140 71.61125 3 Eamonn O Donnell Ninch/Laytown 112 138 N/A 4 Dave Suddaby Blacksod 96 130 60.18519 5 Tom M Kilmore Quay 101 127 54.2735 6 Keith Bennett Ballyquintin 99 126 N/A 7 Neal W Rathlin Island 93 115 90.55118 8 Paul Walsh Brownstown Head 92 114 78.08219 9 Michael O'Donnell Kilmichael/Kilpatrick/Kilgorman 91 108 N/A 10 Co...

The south coast proudly boasts the highest points total, Mathew pipping Ben at Bardsey by 2 points. Henry makes up the top three on the north coast, only 9 pts from the top. Henry holds a large lead in the comparative table, 122% already is an impressive score. Below him it is very close with Marc (99%) & Graham (98%) about 0.2% between them in 2nd and 3rd. Wales Position Name Patch Species Points % 1 Mathew Meehan Newport Wetlands 119 142 N/A 2 Ben Porter Bardsey Island 110 140 51.47059 3 Henry Cook Conwy RSPB 119 133 122.0183 4 Ken Croft Soldier's Point 108 128 N/A 5 Marc Hughes Great Orme 97 123 99.19355 6 Julian Hughes RSPB Conwy 105 114 N/A 7 Henry Cook Little Orme 92 113 94.16667 8 Graham Powell Ogmore to Southerndown 79 91 98.91304 9 Steve Stansfield Bardsey Island 68 80 29.41176 10 Adam Tilt Cefn Drum and Bryn-bach-Common 52 54 79.41176 11 Alison C LlanfairTalhaearn 38 40 N/A 12 Paul Derbyshire Penmaenmawr/llanfairfechan 0 0 N/A Wales Position N...

Andy J has a massive points lead, 41 pts, with Ian, in 2nd, also holding a comfortable 25 pt lead over Adam in 3rd. Mark L at our most southerly patch is currently last although 74 points is respectable as the patch is considerably smaller than 3km squares! Andy J is also top of the comparative table, although his lead is somewhat less with Ian less than 0.2% behind him and with Chris in 3rd only 3% behind it is yet another really close mini league. South Coast Position Name Patch Species Points % 1 Andy Johnson Sandy Point 142 192 74.56311 2 Ian Roberts Samphire Hoe 115 151 74.38424 3 Adam Faiers Sandwich Bay 108 126 N/A 4 Joost Brandsma Hythe 101 116 N/A 5 Cameron Bespolka St.Catherines hill, winchester 104 112 N/A 6 Liam Curson Cuckmere Haven and Splash Point 85 100 62.89308 7 Chris P...