Coastal South Minileagues - January 2016

As ever, the Coastal South leagues are are eagerly awaited, and the array of species seen in January have not disappointed. Highlights included (but were not limited to!) Penduline Tit, Bonaparte's Gull, Firecrest, and Black Brant.

Amy Robjohns tops the comparative leader board this month at the ever awesome Titchfield Haven with a respectable 63%, giving her a 6% lead over Mark Lawlor at Guernsey: Hommet to Rousse. Both have set quite a lead over the other patches who are currently lingering well below the 50% mark (although, it is only January, after all!).

#patchgold Barn Owl at Titchfield Haven (Credit: Amy Robjohns)

Moving on to the Coastal South Points Minileague, Joe Stockwell sets the standard at Ferrybridge to Weymouth with 98 species and 121 points. He added two species which didn't feature on his patch last year: Bittern and Little Gull. In second place is Amy Robjohns at Titchfield Haven where she connected with Penduline Tit, Iceland Gull and Barn Owl to leave her with 99 species and 115 points for January. Very close in third place is the Dawlish Warran patch where Kev Rylands managed a great mix of species including Bonapartes Gull, Purple Sandpiper, Yellow-browed Warbler, Sandwich Tern, Velvet Scoter, Firecrest, Cirl Bunting, Coal Tit, Treecreeper and Little Gull. Excellent!

Ilya Maclean also bagged some cracking species at Lizard point with highlights being Ross's Gull, Rose-coloured Starling, Grey Phalarope, Pomarine Skua, Balearic Shearwater, Manx Shearwater, Great Skua and Yellow-legged Gull. 

Bonus points for the month included a Black Brant at Sandy Point for Andy Johnson; Siberian Chiffchaff at Loe Pool for Ilya Maclean; and Yellow-browed Warbler at Lizard Point for Ilya Maclean. Cracking stuff!