March Round-up 2025

Hello - from the PWC team! 

It has been a brilliant month, as spring well and truly got underway giving patch birders plenty of opportunity to add spring migrants onto their patch year lists, reports of Wheatears, Sand Martins and Swallows as well as the first Willow Warblers flooded in. There was plenty of patchers getting in on the early spring vismig, with patchers in the north getting Whooper Swans and Pink-footed Geese moving north in their hundreds, while east coast birders had a hard time for vismig while the winds were mostly from the east this however seemed to benefit the western half greatly, with excellent vismigs as well as good early spring falls. The south coast benefited from the early spring easterlies and south-easterlies, giving good wildfowl passage over the sea. Although as well as the more regular spring migrants, there was plenty of spring overshoots predominantly into the south-west and in Ireland, and mostly Hoopoes and excellent numbers of Black Redstarts amongst other things. 

What to possibly expect for the rest of April? More of the same hopefully! When I used to patch deepest, darkest Northamptonshire, April was my favourite month of the year, it just always felt like there was something going on whether it be a little flurry of warblers or an out of place coastal wader! Every little band of April showers (which seems like they'll scarcely happen this spring!) felt like it was dropping something down, either a few hirundines or a flock of Arctic Terns! It is also a great time of year to find a Red-rumped Swallow or Alpine Swift, hawking for insects over your patch, no matter where your patch is. Also, while these Hoopoes continue to arrive, one can only imagine that more will start to venture into other parts of the country. We hope you have an enjoyable and successful month, it is set to be a cracker! Please continue to let us know all about it by using our hashtags #PWC2025 and #patchbirding on either Twitter (or X) and Bluesky. We will also try to use as many pictures as possible in our monthly reviews.

We're pleased to see the under 25's minileauge well underway, with 8 young birders adding their patches, don't forget to update this column on the scoresheet if you have yet to do so!

Wheatear, Alan Dawson

The Scores:

Congratulations to Trevor Girling, who is still in the lead at RSPB Titchwell Marsh 3km², with 139 species and 177 points. 

For the Green minileague, we have Jacob Spinks at Dungeness Bird Observatory 3km², with 114 species and 148 points, Bob Ford only 1 point behind on his Weymouth 10km - on foot from home patch. An impressive feat to do 10km radius patch solely on foot, so fair play Bob! 

Leading scores by mini league 3km:

Coastal East England: Trevor Girling, RSPB Titchwell Marsh 3km² - 177 points

Coastal Scotland: Nick Littlewood, Portsoy 3km² -113 points

Coastal South England: Jacob Spinks, Dungeness Bird Observatory 3km² - 148 points

Coastal Wales: Alex Jones, Rhyl - 3km² - 97 points

Inland Midlands: Pete Sofley, Ladywalk NR 3km² - 116 points

Inland North England: Ben Moyes, Swillington Ings 3km - 137 points

Inland Scotland: Alex Ash, Kilmacolm 3km² - 68 points 

Inland South England: Geoff Wyatt, Day's Lock Oxon, 3km - 122 points

Inland Wales: Nicholas Beswick, Mynydd Llangatwg 3km² - 58 points

Estuarine: Gordon Hodgson, Frampton, Splatt & Saul Warth 3km - 115 points

Islands: David Roche, Papa Westray 3km² - 116 points

Top Comparative Scores:

Paul Whitehouse, Stanley Ferry Flash and Southern Washlands 3km² - 84%

Freddie Matthews, Winchester 3km² - 84%

Tom Shields, Colwick Park 3km² - 83%

Alan Dawson, Cholsey, Oxfordshire 10km - 83%

Dan Webb, Sellack 10km - 83%

Inland North, England (18 patches): 

Ben Moyes currently coming out on top with 137 points scored, a whopping 72% comparatively. Duncan Bye has come in second by the end of March with 119 points while Ciaran Rowett a very close third by the end of the month with 118 points! His highlights at WWT Martin Mere for the month included Green Sandpiper, Jack Snipe, Woodcock, Merlin, and a Greater White-fronted Goose. Lee Wiseman next with 106 points, a very respectable 67% comparatively at Gouthwaite Reservoir, highlights recorded include species like Goshawk, Whooper Swan, Mandarin, Merlin, and Woodcock. Darren Best hot on the heels with 92 points at Swinemoor, sounds like there was some good and interesting turnover at this site throughout the month.  A very tight lower half of the table, starting with Harry Appleyard on 79 points, reporting a Jay at Keyingham/Burstwick. Next, Paul Whitehouse had an excellent patch first with a Nuthatch at Stanley Ferry Flash and the Southern Washlands. At Figham Common, Owen Tattersall was pleased to still have Snow Geese present and spotted his first Tufted Duck. Over in Pontefract Park and its surroundings, Gavin Orr celebrated a Grey Wagtail as a patch lifer, with additional highlights including Whooper Swan, Little Owl, and Raven.  

Inland Midlands, England (17 patches):

Pete Sofley leading the charge of the Inland Midlands league at Ladywalk NR with 116 points, picking up several highlights including Pintail, Yellow-legged Gull, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, inland Kittiwake, and Brambling, which was absent last year. Steve Atkinson in second, just breaking the 100 points barrier at Middle Tame picked up a White Wagtail. Tom Shields at Colwick Park in third, already on 83% comparative of previous years, added Red-legged Partridge and Barnacle Goose as patch ticks, along with a Yellow-legged Gull. Brian Hedley at Trent Port/Marton recorded Jack Snipe, Grey Partridge, Raven, Peregrine, Shelduck, and Cetti's Warbler as notables while Steve Lister at Swithland Reservoir was thrilled to record his first Cetti's Warbler there since 2015.  In Dereham, Dan Leadley spotted his first Swallow of the year, along with Blackcap, Chiffchaff, and Reed Bunting, though he’s five species down compared to the same time last year. Hopefully others in this league will update their scores ready for the April review.

Over in the 10km league, Tom Shields for Nottingham Trent Valley is ahead with 112 points while Dan Webb at Sellack had notable sightings of Marsh Harrier and Little Ringed Plover, and also on an incredible 83% comparatively. Richard Harbird at Redditch coming third on 96 points. 

Inland South, England (23 patches):

An excellently buzzing league with plenty of patches and participants. Top of the mini-league, Geoff Wyatt at Day's Lock with 122 points, a brilliant 75% already of previous years score with highlights including a patch tick Little Gull but also Merlin and Short-eared Owl. Freddie Matthews in second, a smashing 84% comparative score already with goodies such as 

Goshawk, Hawfinch and live nocturnal hearing of Oystercatcher and Pintail

. Conor Mackenzie is not far behind with 107 points, Andy Sims is hot on the heels with 101 points with two Redshanks the highlight. John Pritchard in sixth, who's highlight is a Great White Egret, is in a close battle with Jack Pettit who is one point ahead. Closely following behind is Neil Burt at 

Godinton, Hothfield & Singleton 3km² with 85 points, who's brilliant list of highlights include 

Red Kite being chased by a Raven, superb male Redstart, Mediterranean Gull, pairs of Mandarin Ducks & Little Owls. A really tight section of the table with Matthew Dick on 77 points, Gareth Casburn on 76 points and Gareth Blockley on 73 points. 

Dave Helliar tops the 10km league with 115 points, who's highlights include a patch first Goshawk and also patch second record of three Avocet. Alan Dawson already on 83% comparative for Cholsey is second in the league, who's highlight was a Ruff. 

Coastal East, England (19 patches):

Trevor Girling is flying away currently with 177 points at RSPB Titchwell Marsh. Next up is Owen Beaumont at Saltfleetby-Theddlethorpe Dunes NNR on 134 points, who's highlight was sightings of Black Redstarts - Paul French shared this highlight on his Easington patches, adding some spring sparkle to their patches. Stuart Ainsworth at Gibraltar Point on 115 points is currently third, a decent battle for places on the Lincolnshire coast! James Brown at fourth currently with 107 points, he recorded a Long-eared Owl across his Lowestoft and Hopton patches (3km² and 10km). John Chapman and Duncan Watson are almost in a neck and neck Tyne battle with 98 and 97 points respectively. Will Scott is only one point behind with 96. 

In the 10km league, Nige Lound is currently up front with 172 points at Gibraltar Point NNR while James Brown at Hopton came in second. Paul Newton at Whitby came third with 113 points, and Paul French fourth not far behind.

Black Redstart, Owen Beaumont

Coastal West England (1 patch)

Sean O'Hara over at 

Leasowe/Meols/Hoylake 3km is unfortunately our only patch in this minileague but he sure made up for that! He had a great month for wildfowl with a 

Gadwall new for patch, and as a side note, found a drake Black Scoter! Proving highly twitchable and showy, being seen by many. 

As a side note for this league, if you know anyone that might be interested in taking part, please talk to them about Patchwork Challenge! The more people that take part, the more enjoyable the competition is.  

Black Scoter (left) with Common Scoter, Sean O'Hara

Coastal South, England (11 patches): 

It is tight at the top of this mini-league! With Jason Spinks at Dungeness Bird Observatory 3km² on 148 points with his highlights including recording an impressive Pintail count of over 3700 east and notably only Dungeness's second record of Iberian Chiffchaff, as well as two huge days of Brent Geese migration. Amy Robjohns at Titchfield Haven hot on the heels with 141 points within her 3km range where she recorded another Caspian Gull, as well as Brambling and Spotted Redshank. Kevin Rylands at Dawlish Warren, also covering 3km², had the highlight of the year with a first Wheatear sighting, along with Black-necked Grebe, Black-throated Diver, and nocturnal records of Coot, Mallard, and Canada Goose from Teignmouth. Jonathan Burton, covering Chyngton Farm to Cuckmere Haven (3km), saw a Fulmar, Peregrine Falcon, and White Wagtail. 

Jason Spinks takes the top spot for 10km part of this league also, but it won't be long before Bob Ford, birding on foot around Weymouth in a 10km area, catches him up! Bobs highlights include Garganey, Cirl Bunting, Long-tailed Duck, early Dotterel, and possibly a White-tailed Eagle.

Amy Robjohns, Caspian Gull

Estuarine (5 patches):

A Severn bias for the the top two in this league, with Gordon Hodgson at Frampton, Splatt and Saul Warth coming out on top for end of March with 115 points, and a very tidy 67% of comparative, with highlights like 200 Kittiwake, Little Stint and Mediterranean Gull helping bump up his score while Peter Hazelwood at Oldbury Power Station isn't far behind on 106 points. A nice selection for Peter including Little Ringed Plover and Crossbill. On the Mersey, Jackie Binks hits 99 points by the end of the month, with highlights including first Wheatears, and patch gold Whooper Swans. On the other side of the country, John Conlin-Hulme at Paull gets to 87 points including a very good record of Purple Sandpiper that far up river. 

Islands (11 patches):

The top of the Islands league with 116 points at Papa Westray is David Roche, highlights including a Black Redstart and the first returning Bonxie's. John Bowler, only eight points behind at Balephuil, with best bits including Snow Bunting and Common Redpoll. David Parnaby coming in third, who's highlight like many was the first Wheatear of the year. Other highlights reported in the league include a Hawfinch on Sean Morris's patches. 

The leader of the 10km radius patch is John Bowler on Tiree with 119 points, then a tight spot for second at the moment with Sean Morris on Rum on 96 points and Steve Dudley on Westray on 93 points. Mark Lawlor on a great run comparatively to last year with a whopping 72% of last years score by the end of March, surely that will go over the 100% at some point this year?

Snow Bunting, John Bowler

Inland Scotland (6 patches):

Alex Ash on for a great start to the year, with 70% of his previous score already achieved, while Lee Hesp at Strathyre also starting well with 51%, who's highlights include Chifchaff and Goosander. 

Over in the 10km league, Mike Hodgkin, Penicuik has smashed the 100 points barrier already, securing 109 points so far. His highlights include displaying Goshawk and a passage Great Crested Grebe, plus first Chiffchaff of the year and returning migrant waders. 

Coastal Scotland (12 patches): 

This I think is a fantastic league, and one to watch. Nick Littlewood, 

Portsoy 3km² currently top of the mini-league with 113 points and a great 72% of his comparative score with highlights including 

Black-throated Diver and Shelduck. Rich Arthurs isn't far behind with 106 points at Gullane/Aberlady Bay, who's highlights include Merlin and Barn Owl. Andrew Whewell is not far behind in third with 102 points at North Berwick East. Andrew Whitehouse at Girdle Ness and Torry is on 88 points while Rob Hughes at Nybster, Caithness is hot on the heels with 81 points. Nina O'Hanlon doing well comparatively, with nearly 50% of last years score already. 

Over in the 10km league, Rich Arthurs comes top with 120 points while Rob and Nina at Nybster are second and third in the league respectively. Graham Howie at Carberry Farmland only a few points behind in fourth with 88 points. 

Inland Wales (2 patches):

Nicholas Beswick at 

Mynydd Llangatwg 3km² scoring a respectable 58 points so far, the highlight of the month being 

Snipe.

Coastal Wales (4 patches): 
Alex Jones at Rhyl on for a very good start, already reaching 60% of his comparative total points with 97 points scored so far in the 3km league. In the 10km radius league, just broken the 100 points barrier by the end of the month. 

Inland Ireland (1 patch): 

If you want to sign up still, remember it is not too late! We could all use a little extra competition! If you know any friends, even from the same patch, ask if they want to sign up! Thank you. 

Please remember to keep your scores and highlights up to date, so we can keep producing this monthly review. We will always download scores at 8pm on the 7th of the month, to allow plenty of time for your scores and highlights to be submitted. We would like to also thank you all for taking part and we are looking forward to seeing what your patch will produce this month! It is set to be a good one!

The Patchwork Challenge team.