Ireland mini leagues

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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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November round-up 2025

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Hello from the Patchwork Challenge team!   December is a funny month. Most things have settled down for the winter but there still can be the odd bird that can provide interest! It is a month that does have some pedigree too, last year turning up species like Grey-headed Lapwing (presumably a late returning bird) into Northumberland, American Yellow Warbler in Kent, - wintering Hume's, Pallas's or Yellow-broweds can be found throughout the month also while its typically a good month for Rough-legged Buzzard, but these have been on short supply this autumn and early winter. Not all migration is over, if any cold weather occurs, hopefully a hard weather movement will begin moving wildfowl, waders, larks and finches off their frozen fields and wetlands and onto less used habitat. During this, it's a perfect time to pick up these moving flocks flying through, particularly if your patch has little to no standing water. If the weather on the continent is just as inclement, specie...
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October round-up 2025

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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! Whilst 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 ...
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