Islands Minileague - March 2016

While a number of challengers suggested March was a quiet month on their respective islands, there was still a steady progression up the minileagues and highlights added by a number of folk this month. The humble Woodpigeon graced the paths of both Emma Webb and Russel Neave at Sanday providing them with a much needed tick. Elswhere, more common mainland species attracted attention with Great tit for Ed Tooth on the Farne Islands, a tricky combination of Jackdaw and Rook for Alastair Forsyth at Palace, Birsay, a #patchgold Mute Swan for John Headon at Hugh Town and Lower Moots, and finally a Mistle Thrush at Brevig for Bruce Taylor. 

John Bowler at Balephuil made no additions to his patch list for the month, instead trading it for the warmer climes of Cambodia, where he managed 350 species and 130 world lifers including Giant Ibis! While he listed no highlights for the month, Steve Minton did make do with multiple viewings of the aurora from Scatness...

Awesome aurora (Credit: Steve Minton)

Moving on to the comparative minileague, David Wood moves his Oa, Islay patch into pole position, knocking Paul Higson down into second place. Having finished in third last month, IanT at Askernish now finds himself dropping into fifth behind Bryan Rains and Barrie Hamil in third and fourth. A number of patchworkers broke the 50% barrier in March - Steve Minton, Stuart Taylor and Sean Morris.

No change at the top of the points league with John Bowler and his Balephuil patch still reigning supreme on 94 species and 146 points despite being in Cambodia for six weeks. Paul Higson at Quoyangry is slowly catching up, closing the gap to nine points. Will that sabbatical off patch prove costly for John Bowler next month!?

Elswhere, Mark Newall connected with a Water Pipit on the Isle of May (3rd island record and a patch tick), however, it wasn't enough to keep him from descending two places down the league. Sean Morris managed to move both his patches up the board from last place. A brute of a Glaucous Gull graced his Kilmory patch but more impressively, Sean added 433 BirdTrack records for Kilmory and 659 records for Kinloch. Great effort!