Sean Foote - North Portland #PWC2016 part 3

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March round-up 2026

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Hello from the Patchwork Challenge team! We sincerely hope you have enjoyed taking part in the third month of #PWC2026! If you have yet to sign up and are interested in joining this year's competition, then please do by following this link:    https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1iZORva8WZXRiaCZcQUE9CNmog3k0EhnhW-GflGqNYoA/edit?usp=sharing March for many felt like the first proper signs of spring were beginning to appear, with Ospreys, Wheatears, hirundines and the first few summer migrant warblers all being recorded on patches. There was plenty to discover during March with one of, if not the best, being a potential Irish Coal Tit in a garden on Tiree! There were a couple of other very notable birds recorded on patches, with the discoveries of a Pacific Diver in Cornwall and Bonaparte's Gull in Shetland. Although these weren't the only excellent birds noted, with a few superb patch records coming in from up and down the competition.  April is a fantastic month, or at...
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What is the 'patchwork' challenge?

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The birding fraternity has seen a shift in attitudes recently, with many birders turning their attention from twitching towards rarity finding.   As a result, there also seems to have been an upturn in the profile watching a local patch. The advantages of watching a local patch are obvious. Low fuel costs and travel time aside, great pleasure can be derived from getting to learn a place inside out, observing how the seasons change, and getting value from common species that otherwise wouldn’t get a second glance. Throw in the potential for the odd rare bird or scarcity and to me, you have a really exciting, involving way to enjoy your birding. So what could enhance the patch watchers enjoyment a little? Well, perhaps adding an element of competition would do the trick. We’re a competitive bunch, us birders, both with our peers and ‘internally’ as well. We like a gloat, we like to add things to lists, and we like to know what the numbers are. So why not see if we can add a ...
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Blast from the past:- Black Lark, Winterton Dunes, Norfolk, 20 April 2008 by Sean Offord.

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With the spring being very quiet, snowy, cold and generally miserable so far one of our patchers has kindly set us up nicely for April with an account of pure patch gold from April 2008. I will hand the rest over to Sean............. Sunday 20 th April 2008 was the day after my youngest son’s third birthday party.   The morning was drizzly and overcast, and the easterly wind which had been blowing for three days was still persisting.   Over the last few days I’d been watching the wind maps with mounting excitement, as the little arrows all steadfastly marched due west, right across the continent.   But Winterton dunes, my local patch, had remained cold and quiet, with hardly any signs of migration.   We were putting it down to poor weather in Europe stopping anything from moving.   After a day of family outings, it was nearly 4pm when I finally made it into the North Dunes, just as the wind appeared to have dropped a little and the sun had come out. ...
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