Patchwork Challenge: October round-up 2025

Hello from the Patchwork Challenge team!

We hope you have enjoyed taking part so far this year, but that certainly was a slow October if we ever knew it! We do really appreciate everyone taking part and sharing what they have seen and done, it is what keeps the competition alive!

For the rest of November, remember to keep a look out for that last rare Siberian vagrant wherever your patch might be! While I have been pulling this together, many of both Pallas's and Hume's Leaf Warblers have been gracing the coasts of Britain, with even a Pallas's turning up inland Wiltshire! Other scarcer species turning up have included Richard's Pipits, Great Grey Shrikes and Dusky Warblers, all inland too. It is the time of year to be on the look out for the more regular later autumn species like Hen Harrier, Waxwings, Lapland and Snow Bunting, Shore Lark, Twite and fortunatly these species have a habit of showing up just about anywhwere! Coastal patches have been picking up on some late seawatching too, mostly Little Auks and the odd Pomarine Skua but a report of a Black-browed Albatross in Norfolk today keeps spirits high for something rarer! As it gets colder on the continent too, more wildfowl will hopefully be shifted across for our shores, so remember to keep an eye out for that elusive Smew or less elusive Bewick's Swans!

It is a fantastic time of year to see large migration spectacles, as well as trying to find something different. Looking at visible migration is one of the best ways to bolster your patch lists, as there is a good chance of getting something different flying over that wouldn't normally stop in (for example wildfowl or waders on a dry patch). November is normally amongst the peak timings for movements of things like Woodpigeons which can provide spectacular movements of tens thousands in a single morning with massive flocks spanning across the sky but it is also Stock Doves, Starlings, Thrushes, Rock Pipits, Buntings, Larks as well as inland wildfowl (the last few days have seen good numbers of Brent Geese inland!). Keep those eyes and ears pointed to the skies!

Woodpigeons on migration, Amy Robjohns

Leading scores by mini league 3km²:

Inland North England: Ben Moyes, Swillington Ings - 210 points

Inland Midlands: Pete Sofley, Ladywalk NR - 181 points

Inland South England: Matthew Dick, RSPB Lakenheath- 164 points

Inland Scotland: Alex Ash, Kilmacolm - 91 points

Inland Wales: Nicholas Beswick, Mynydd Llangatwg - 58 points

Coastal East England: Jack Pettit, Spurn - 371 points

Coastal South England: Jacob Spinks, Dungeness Bird Observatory 3km² - 324 points

Coastal West England: Sean O'Hara, Leasowe/Meols/Hoylake - 162 points

Coastal Scotland: Rob Hughes, Nybster- 213 points

Coastal Wales: Peter Howlett, Cardiff Bay - 135 points

Estuarine: Gordon Hodgson, Frampton, Splatt & Saul Warth - 179 points

Islands: John Bowler, Balephuil - 324 points

Top Comparative Scores:

John Bowler, Tiree 10km radius - 125%

Paul French, Easington 3km² - 119%

John Bowler, Balephuil 3km² - 119%

Steve Lister, Swithland Reservoir 3km² - 116%

Rob Hughes, Nybster 3km² - 115%

Nina O'Hanlon, Nybster 3km² - 115%

Owen Tattersall, Figham Common 3km² - 114%

Paul Whitehouse, Stanley Ferry Flash and Southern Washlands 3km² - 113%

Ben Moyes, Swillington Ings 3km² - 111%

Neil Burt, Godinton, Hothfield & Singleton 3km² - 109%

Tom Shields, Nottingham Trent Valley 10km radius - 109%

Steve Dudley, Westray 10km radius - 109%

David Roche, Papa Westray 3km² - 109%

Inland North, England:

Ben Moyes at Swillington Ingsis still well in the lead by 39 points with 210 scored so far, putting him ninth overall in the comparitive scores. His October highlights include Glossy Ibis, Raven and Long-eared Owl. The battle for second is very close with the next three particpants all being five points apart. Duncan Bye is still in second at Wheldrake Ings on 171 points, picking up Brambling this month. Lee Wiseman is in third at Gouthwaite Resevoir, trailing just one point behind Duncan after finding a fantastic Yorkshire record of Lesser Scaup. Ciaran Rowett at Martin Mere is on 166 points after finally picking up Peregrine. Mike Leakey at Bishop Middleham picked up a couple of points during the month, putting him on 141 points. Owen Tattersall at Figham Common noted some nice species with Hawfinch, Great White Egret and Redpolls. It then gets very tight with the next four participants being ten points apart. Paul Whitehouse at Stanley Ferry is leading this battle with 99 points (and 113% comparitive), Nigel Harris at Middletons is on 95 points, Phil Woollen at Mollington is on 93 points and Nick Morgan at Ainderby Steeple is on 90 points. Gavin Orr at Pontefract Park is on 88 points, with the months highlights being Pink-footed Goose and Shoveler.

Inland Midlands, England:

Pete Sofley at Ladywalk Nature Reserve is on 181 points, picking up an excellent list of highlights with Ruff, Red-crested Pochard, Golden Plover, Marsh Tit, Scaup, Crossbill, Yellow-browed Warbler, the best however a patch find tick Yellow-browed Warbler and patch tick Curlew Sandpiper. Steve Atkinson at Middle Tame in second, finally breaking the 100% comparitive score barrier with 161 points. Andy Sims at Boultham Mere and Swanpool in third on 138 points but only one point is Steve Lister at Swithland Reservoir, who has scored a whopping 116% comparitive score so far this year. Steve's highlights were two Whooper Swans, a Dunlin, Rock Pipit, four Red-crested Pochards and two late Garganey. Brian Hedley only gained one point over the month, although he picked up a nice range of more regular species but quickly following Brian in the leaderboard is Tom Shields at Colwick Park, who is on 114 points leaving him on a comparitive score of 105%. His highlights included Common Scoter and Red-crested Pochard, the latter the first record there since 2021.

Over in the 10km league it is incredibly tight at the top of the table with Richard Harbird at Redditch and Andy Sims at Swanpool neck and neck at the top on 161 points! Richard picked up Brent Goose, with this being only the fourth record for his 10km radius. They are then quickly followed by Tom Shields at Nottingham Trent Valley who is on 158 points, he picked up on the Glossy Ibis influx leaving him on 109% comparitively. Steve Lister at Loughborough had his best month of the year with 86 species recorded, with all his best birds being on his 3km patch. William Lambourne at Ledbury is on 139 points (trailing Steve by five points). He had a good month with plenty of highlights including Black Redstart, 100+ Crossbills, nine Hawfinch, seven Brambling and supposed 'patch gold' of two Egyptian Geese! He is quickly trailed by Dan Webb at Sellack who is on 137 points.

Brent Goose, Richard Harbird

Inland South, England:

Matthew Dick added only Yellow-browed Warbler at RSPB Lakenheath but it kept him up the top of the minileague with 164 points and 103% comparitive score. Matthew was a massive 20 points ahead, Geoff Wyatt at Day's Lock. There was very little change to this minileague, John Pritchard at Ver Valley was the next to have any change to his scores with four points scored, Wigeon and Crossbill which have only occured a couple of times in a decade while Dartford Warbler was a patch tick! The latter being a patch tick after 29 years of watching and a county rarity. A superb find. Gareth Casburn at Ardley ERF picked up a few points, leaving him on 118 points. Gareth Blockley at Grimsbury Reservoir picked up six points this month, putting him one point ahead of Neil Burt. Neil had a brilliant month with Cetti's Warbler and Dartford Warbler being patch ticks. Charlie Joseph at Weald CP added six points to his tally, leaving him on 95 points, level with Josh Hedley at Willen Park. Charlie had highlights of Brambling and Black Redstart. Tom Bedford at Lye Valley in Oxford picked up some nice species, especially considering the more urban location of the patch by watching out for visible migration, by doing so he noted four Crossbills, Redpoll, Reed Bunting, Linnet and Brambling, all of which new for his patch year list.

In the 10km league, there was no change in the top two, with Dave Helliar at Chard not being able to advance on his 150 points which is the exact score he finished on last year and Alan Dawson at Cholsey still on 88 points. Jeff Gooding at Roding Valley Meadows however added 10 points with nine species, edging him closer to the 100% comparitive total.

Yellow-browed Warbler, Matthew Dick

Coastal East, England:

Jack Pettit at Spurn is now leading this league by just over a hundred points, after finishing October on 371. The two main highlights for the month were seeing the Observatories first ever record of Black-faced Bunting but also the finding of his first ever British rarity with a Hume's Warbler. Owen Beaumont just across the river at Saltfleetby-Theddlethorpe Dunes is second so far with 270 points and a decent list of month highlights which include Dusky Warbler, Red-backed Shrike, six Glossy Ibis, Slavonian Grebe and Twite. Paul French in Easington is on 241 points, but a whopping 119% comparitively, his highlights were a garden Yellow-browed Warbler and a very showy Pectoral Sandpiper. James Brown at Lowestoft is in fifth, with 224 points, with the only new bird of the month being Yellow-browed Warbler. Stuart Ainsworth at Gibraltar Point is on 214 points with Yellow-browed Warbler and Jack Snipe, with the latter his first in two years. Duncan Watson at Tynemouth picked up a few of the more regular bits, these included at least four Yellow-browed Warbler, Short-eared Owl and Crossbill but however there was a lack of anything really good, which can be said for most patches across October. Will Scott undoubtedly picked up the bird of the month with the White-throated Needletail cruising up and down his Bempton Cliffs patch, a stressful drive back home from Tophill Low so I hear! John Chapman at NE South Tyneside witnessed no change there but Paul Newton at Hawsker Bottom picked up eight new points in October, although no considerable highlights. In the 10km league, Nige Lound at Gibraltar Points NNR gained 16 points during the course of October, keeping him in the top spot with 286 points. Next is Paul French on 281 points from Easington, just five points shy of Nige. As well as Paul's 3km highlights, he managed to add the Spurn Black-faced Bunting to his 10km list. James Brown at Hopton is on 231 points, joint comparitively on 86% with Paul Newton at Whitby, they also a share their highlights with Yellow-browed Warblers.

Hume's Warbler, Jack Pettit

Coastal South, England:

Still in the top of this league is Jacob Spinks at Dungeness Bird Observatory with 324 points scored so, putting him on 105% comparitvely. His highlights include good falls and vismigs of common birds, but the stand-out being finding both juvenile Pallid Harrier and Red-footed Falcon. Kevin Rylands at Dawlish Warren is in second in this league, having picked up two Garganey, Dartford Warbler and after waiting a long time for one, a flock of six Caspian Gulls! Although a sign of the times, a Yellowhammer is in fact rarer than all of them! Kevin's other patch, Teignmouth window, picked up a few new species including the second ever record of Wigeon! Otherwise Common Gull, Jay and Skylark.

Jacob at Dungeness only added birds to his 10k list from his 3km patch, but extended his tally to 367 points. Bob Ford added one point to his commendable on-foot from Weymouth list, finishing October on 208 points.

Coastal West, England:

Sean O'Hara has gained four points in October, leaving him tantilisingly close to the 100% comparitive mark with 99%! He has scored 162 points by the end of October.

Inland Scotland:

Lee Hesp at Strathyre is slowly edging forward, adding both the regular winter thrushes to his patch year list scores leaving him on 60 points scored so far this year. Unfortunatly that is the only change in this league.

Coastal Scotland:

Rob Hughes at Nybster is still very much leading the charge, currently in-front by 33 points with a total of 213 points scored and a comparitive of 115%. October was certainly quieter here than late, with Firecrest being the only notable highlight. Dylan Daunt at Musselburgh is still in seond. Andrew Whitehouse is still on 172 points for Girdle Ness and Torry. Nina O'Hanlon at Nybster has added a couple more points to her tally, so she now equals Rob's comparitive score of 115%, also for Nybster. Nina's highlight also is Firecrest, for which it has been a fantastic autumn for this species across Britain. Andrew Whewell at North Berwick East is in fifth, he also added a couple more points to his score in October. Nick Littlewood at Portsoy is now on 152 points for the year, leaving him just shy of 100% comparitive - Nick's highlights include Velvet Scoter and a patch tick Barnacle Goose. Rich Arthurs is still on 134 points at Gullane/Aberlady Bay. Rob Hughes at John O'Groats added 16 points to his score with Firecrest, Hawfinch and best of all, a Northern Treecreeper.

In the 10km league, Rob Hughes from Nybster is up front on 237 points giving him a comparitive score of 98%. He is overtaken in the comparitive score by Nina, who is on 108% in third.

Firecrest, Nina O'Hanlon

Pomarine Skua, Andrew Whitehouse

Coastal Wales:

Peter Howlett at Cardiff Bay was the only change in this mini-league and he had a good month with Glossy Ibis a patch mega, as well as Hobby, Grey Phalarope and Brent Goose. He is now on 135 points and a total of 101% comparitive score.

Islands:

John Bowler is still in the top spot on Balephuil, and it doesn't look like he will be moved anytime soon with a 24 points difference betwen first and second place. John's impressive list of highlights includes finding Hume's Warbler and Lesser Scaup amongst a good variety of other species like Slavonian Grebe, Waxwing and Coot! His excellent year is highlight by a 119% comparitive score. In second we have David Roche at Papa Westray, he is on a very respectable 300 points and a comparision percentage of 109%.His highlights were a Red-breasted Flycatcher and a Dotterel, the latter the latest every Orkney record by a little over two weeks. David Parnaby on Fair Isle is still in third. Steve Dudley on Westray is only one point behind David Parnaby, with 215 points. He added a brilliant eight species to the year list, one of these being a #PatchGold Red-necked Grebe, being just the third island record. The only other notable was a garden Waxwing. Sea Morris at Kilmory on the Isle of Rum broke the hundred points barrier with 103% from 142 points scored. His highlights include Yellow-browed Warbler and Waxwing while his other patch, Kinloch, gained a couple of points through October.

In the 10km league, John Bowler on Tiree is still in the top spot again with a considerably whopping 370 points scored, giving a hude 125% comparitive score - this being the highest across all patches and leagues so far this year. In his 10km patch, the highlights were finding both a White-rumped Sandpiper and Todd's Canada Goose. Steve Dudley on Westray has also broken the 100% barrier, with 109% comparitively. The only different species recorded away from his 3km patch is Northern Bullfinch, a very good record for the island. Sean Morris on Rum is now on 155 points, putting him on 97% with Waxwing and Yellow-browed Warbler.