The first month of #PWC2025!
January can be a rollercoaster of a month as a patch birder. The buzz of January 1st, when everything is fresh and new soon feels like a distant memory when you are struggling for a new species midway into the month. That said, it can kick up some oddities that are hard to come by for the rest of the year, especially if hard weather comes in. There has been a hint of hard weather movement this month, with a few patches picking up things like White-fronted Geese and Smew, while out of place waterbirds at others. February will hopefully do one of two brings, bring colder weather pushing birds around to find suitable feeding or even off the continent and this looks set to happen with colder easterlies from the continent coming in after the first week of the month or what could happen towards the end of the month is temperatures rising a little giving the first glimmers of spring. This may get the first Oystercatchers on the move inland, or get things like Pink-footed or Brent Geese on the move... and well by the time that is all over, it will be March and spring will be ready to unspring!
For those seeking out those extra bonus points in the dark winter days, February is the month to be looking through flocks of gulls, trying to pick out something juicy like a white winger, an out of place Mediterranean or even Bonaparte's or Ross's Gull (the day I type this a Ross's Gull has turned up on the Hebrides), or look through flocks of ducks for things like American Wigeon, Green-winged Teal or Lesser Scaup. There is things out there to be found, February in the past has turned up wintering American passerines, with in recent history an American Robin in Eastbourne in 2022, and the famous Northern Mockingbird in Devon in 2021 that ended up touring Britain, so those with housing estates in their patches should have some hope of something gripping. Best of luck!
Mute Swan, a #patchgold for Mark Lawlor on Guernsey being only the second sighting on his patch in over 20yrs of watching!
The Scores!
The leading scores so far are fairly spread across mini-leagues with Inland North England, Coastal South England and Coastal East England taking the top three spots of the 3km league.
Ben Moyes takes an early lead at Swillington Ings with 107 points, 57% of his comparative score. Hot on his heels, we have Kevin Rylands at Dawlish Warren with 105 points but only at 44% of his comparative score of 241. Also with a comparative score of 241 we have James Brown in Lowestoft area with 99 points.
The highest comparative score so far is at 72% from Alan Dawson in Cholsey, Oxfordshire 10km, with Dan Webb close behind at 70% from Sellack 10km. The 3km patch with the best comparative score is belongs to Freddie Matthews in Winchester with 63%. Some slow starts for some with Paul French's patch in Easington at only 11% and David Parnaby on Fair Isle at 20%. Lots of spring migrants are yet to come, so I'm sure we'll see these scores climb as birds start to get moving!
The Green league is so far championed by Allan Kelly's home patch with 95 points and David Roche hot on their heels in Papa Westray with 93 points.
And finally, James Brown takes the 10km early lead at Hopton with 126 points.
We will be posting each of the mini-league scoreboards in next months update, when hopefully more competitors have entered their scores into the spreadsheet.
Patch Highlights:
Many of you have shared your highlights so far this year and it's brilliant to see your patches kicking off to a great start.
Inland North (11 patches): Waterfowl are some of the trending highlights of this mini league, with Lee Wiseman having a Ring-necked Duck and Brambling at Gouthwaite Reservoir 3km², whilst Ben Moyes has wracked up 95 species so far at Swillington Ings with a drake Scaup, Slavonian Grebe, Red-crested Pochard and Caspian Gull. Ciaran Rowett, at WWT Martin Mere, found a Snow Goose, as well as having Brambling, Hen Harrier and Goldeneye.
Inland Midlands (10 patches): At Colwick Park, Tom Shields benefited from the cold weather movements, having his first Smew on patch since 2021, as well as a Caspian Gull and Whooper Swans. In Dereham, Dan Leadley is two up compared to January 2024, with Snipe and Water Rail included in his totals. Siberian Chiffchaff, Bittern and a flock of 27 White-fronted Geese from Paul Sofley's patch at Ladywalk NR. A self found Ring-necked Duck brings Dan Webb's 10km patch in Sellack to 89 points.
Coastal East England (16 patches): James Brown had a Black Redstart in both of his patches, as well as a Spotted Redshank in Hopton 10km. Paul Newton, Hawsker Bottoms to Robin Hoods Bay 3km², also had Black Redstart, and in Whitby 10km from home, 2 Water Rails and White-fronted Goose. In Easington, Great White Egret and Lapland Bunting were seen by Paul French on his 10km.
Meanwhile, Duncan Watson informs us that the Ross's Gull in Tynemouth was well worth a £25 emergency taxi from the office, that's certainly one good excuse to get out of work! This gull was also relocated on John Chapman's patch, NE South Tyneside.
Coastal South (10 patches): Kevin Rylands at Dawlish Warren had a Green-winged Teal, Red-necked Grebe and Water Pipit, bringing the species total up to 87. Johnathon Burton, Chyngton Farm to Cuckmere Haven: Barnacle and White-fronted Geese, Caspian Gull and Water Rail
Inland South (20 patches): In Chard 10km, Dave Helliar added Jack Snipe, Brambling and Hawfinch to his patch year list. Jack Snipe was also a higlight for Geoff Wyatt in Day's Lock Oxon. Freddie Matthews in Winchester had Golden Plover and Great White Egret. Conor MacKenzie Sutton Courtenay has already reached 59% of his comparative score and had a Siberian Chiffchaff on their patch.
Estuarine (4 patches): Little Owl and a pair of Common Scoter were the best birds of Peter Hazelwood's patch at Oldbury Power Station. Gordon Hodgson ,at Frampton, Splatt and Saul Warth had a lovely Yellow-browed Warbler.
Islands (10 patches): Steve Dudley had an island tick in Westray with a cracking male Smew being his highlight, as well as Green-winged Teal in his 10km. White-fronted Goose and unseasonal Red-throated Divers were seen by David Parnaby out on Fair Isle. David Roche, Papa Westray had both Little and Mediterranean Gull on his patch.
Three 'Russian White-fronted Geese' (left hand birds) in flight with Greylags (and a sheep in the background) at the Meadow Burn, Fair Isle on 27th January 2025, David Parnaby.
Inland Scotland (6 patches): Mike Hodgkin had his best non-Scilly view of Jack Snipe & Little Egret in Penicuik 10km, whilst Lee Hesp had an absolute mega on his patch in Strathyre, a Greenfinch!
Coastal Scotland (12 patches): In North Berwick, Little Auk was seen by Andre Whewell's on their patch.
No highlights given for the following categories so hopefully we'll hear more in February:
Coastal Wales (4 patches), Coastal West England (1 patch), Inland Ireland (1 patch)
And we are still awaiting sign ups from patch birders in Coastal Ireland and Inland Wales so if you know anyone with a patch who would be keen to join, let them know!
We are now at 105 patches, 44 of which are Green and 77 with previous scores to be entered into the comparative league. Don't forget to encourage your friends to take part to increase the challenge! Thank you to everyone who has updated their scores this month and included their patch highlights. We look forward to seeing how you all get on in through February.
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