Bresser and Forest Optics Best Find March 2015

The Bresser and Forest Optics Best Find Competition is the highlight of the Patchwork Challenge year. This is the best find of the whole patchworking year as voted for by you, the competitors. 

For the winner of the competition, those fine folk at Bresser and Forest Optics are very generously furnishing the winner with a pair of Bresser Montana 8.5 x 45 Binoculars worth £665.00. Follow the link to check out this superb reward for one lucky contender.

Bonaparte's Gull at Tramore - thanks to Michael Cowming

March and still no mega's seen on patch anywhere, indeed PWC only had one rare bird during the month, Bonaparte's Gull. However there were a few of them in the UK and Ireland with two lucky patchworkers finding their own. Arlo Jacques at Tramore Blackstrand in Ireland, and John Bowler who found a first winter bird on patch at Balephuil on the Isle of Tiree. 

Ring-billed Gull at Pennyghael - Bryan Rains

Heading up the list of scarce birds seen in March was another gull, this time Ring-billed which was with birds found by four patchers and again in the western half of our area. 

Another of Brian's photos of the Ring-billed Gull

Ilya Maclean down at Loe Pool (Cornwall), with John Headon, Hugh Town and Lower Moors (Scilly Isles) not too far away. Travelling a little further north and west we get to Blacksod in Ireland where Dave Suddaby also found a bird. Probably the easiest of them of all was the one that walked into Bryan Rains garden at Pennyghael on Mull, a benefit of having your home within patch. 

The only other scarce bird with more than a single mention was Surf Scoter. Eammon O'Donnell found one at Ninch/Laytown in Ireland whilst Henry Cook on his Little Orme patch also came up trumps. 

In Norfolk, Alison Allen found 5 Common Crane on her Thorpe-Next-Haddiscoe patch meanwhile on the other side of the country at Ogmore Estuary in Wales, David Ripley scored with a Great White Egret. Other birds of note in March were Goshawk found on 3 separate patches, I'll not mention names or patches for obvious reasons but you know who you are guys. 

April looks to have a little more colour than this months slightly monochrome selection. The yanks are coming!