July round-up 2026
Hello from the Patchwork Challenge team!
July was again generally fairly quiet, but like June did, it delivered a few birds of pure magic. There were also clear signs of autumn migration already taking place, with a trickle of waders being reported as well as passerines, including a good spread of Redstarts. The best bird however being a stunning Blue-cheeked Bee-eater that graced Papa Westray for a short while before touring round other parts of Orkney.
August is nearly over due to my severely delayed blog post, however, it is still in an incredibly enthralling month. Large falls of warblers can occur just about anywhere, and now is the time to be looking for flycatchers and Redstarts, particularly on inland patches in areas where they are unlikely to be otherwise than on migration. Whinchats and Wheatears fall into that same bracket too. Wader passage has kicked into at least second or third gear now, with juvenile waders joining in the throngs moving south and west. This year could be great for many inland water body patches, with a prolonged dried spell creating great wader habitat. Maybe this will be your year to see a pristine juvenile Curlew Sandpiper or Little Stint on your patch? Or if you fancy something a little rarer, there has also been a little run of Pectoral, White-rumped and Buff-breasted Sandpipers this month. Getting to know your common waders well gives you your best chance of finding those sometimes subtle differences in a goodie. Elsewhere, Sharp-tailed Sandpiper in the Netherlands and Tibetan Sand Plover in Norway this month shows that a big prize could be on offer.
Eyes to the skies, as we are now approaching a brilliant time of year for raptor migration as juvenile Marsh Harriers start to disperse from their breeding sites, while both Honey Buzzard and Osprey make their way to their far south wintering grounds.
Coastal patches should turn their hand at seawatching over the next couple of months too, as we are now coming up to peak autumn passage seabird time. Over the last few days, thousands of Cory's have been seen off Ireland and plenty also in Cornish waters but there has also been Great and Sooty Shearwaters with regularity seen there too. All three have been recorded on the east coast of Britain in just the last 24hrs, showing there is reward for anyone looking. Wilson's Petrels have also been seen in great numbers from land this year, and a couple of Pterodromas too. Now is also the time to be looking for things like all four species of Skua, Leach's Petrel, Grey Phalarope and Sabine's Gull amongst other bits.
Scarce, drifty passerines are already on the move now. Nationally, there has been Wryneck, both Red-backed and Woodchat Shrikes, Icterine, Melodious, Greenish, Arctic and Barred Warblers as well as Rosefinch have all recorded so far this month. The best time to find a Wryneck is probably the next three weeks, so keep checking those ant nests, and the great thing about these is that they can turn up just about anywhere! However, any of these drifty scarce birds is an exciting find for a patch birder, no matter where you watch. Finding one would also provide a bonus of three added points!
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| Rosefinch taken by David Roche |
TOP 20 COMPARATIVE SCORES 3KM²
TOP 20 COMPARATIVE SCORES 10KM
TOP 20 OVERALL SCORES 3KM²
TOP 20 OVERALL SCORES 10KM
Inland North, England:
Mike Leakey at Bishop Middleham is still up front having increased his percentage to 113%, which is four up on last month. His best birds for July include Redstart, the first record there for five years, and Mandarin Duck which was a patch tick. Nick Morgan at Ainderby Steeple has shot up the rankings into second place on 100% scored from 99 species. Owen Tattersall has been knocked to third at Figham Common on 99%. Duncan Bye at Wheldrake Ings is joint fourth with Pam Pickersgill at Morley and Churwell on 98%. Mark Langston in the Dearne Valley is fifth on 94% followed by Gavin Orr at Pontefract Park on 91%. Phil Woolen trails by just one percent on 90% scored so far at Mollington. Paul Whitehouse at Stanley Ferry Flash and Southern Washlands is on 87%. Just two percent behind at Martin Mere is Ciaran Rowett who is on 85% after seeing Wood Sandpiper, Hobby, Little Owl and Yellow Wagtail during the month. Ciaran also noted an escapee White-cheeked Pintail, but no points scored there! Pam is in tenth at her Gildersome patch on 82%. In the 10km league, Nigel Harris is on 94% at his Middletons patch.
Mike Leakey at Bishop Middleham is still up front having increased his percentage to 113%, which is four up on last month. His best birds for July include Redstart, the first record there for five years, and Mandarin Duck which was a patch tick. Nick Morgan at Ainderby Steeple has shot up the rankings into second place on 100% scored from 99 species. Owen Tattersall has been knocked to third at Figham Common on 99%. Duncan Bye at Wheldrake Ings is joint fourth with Pam Pickersgill at Morley and Churwell on 98%. Mark Langston in the Dearne Valley is fifth on 94% followed by Gavin Orr at Pontefract Park on 91%. Phil Woolen trails by just one percent on 90% scored so far at Mollington. Paul Whitehouse at Stanley Ferry Flash and Southern Washlands is on 87%. Just two percent behind at Martin Mere is Ciaran Rowett who is on 85% after seeing Wood Sandpiper, Hobby, Little Owl and Yellow Wagtail during the month. Ciaran also noted an escapee White-cheeked Pintail, but no points scored there! Pam is in tenth at her Gildersome patch on 82%. In the 10km league, Nigel Harris is on 94% at his Middletons patch.
In the overall points scored part of the league, Duncan is in first currently on his Wheldrake Ings with 173 points scored. Mark Langston is hot on his tail on 171 points from Dearne Valley. Adam Firth at Elvington leads a fairly close battle for third with 145 points, then it is Ciaran on 142 and Mike Leakey at Bishop Middleham on 139. Paul Newton at Scaling Dam is in sixth on 134 points having picked up a patch tick in the form of a Sanderling, as well as a couple of Med Gulls and a Stock Dove. Owen Tattersall has just pipped Darren Best at Swinemoor to seventh place with them on 123 and 122 respectively. Harry Coghill is on 118 points from his Borrans Park patch and Harry Appleyard is the last to get through the hundred points barrier on 102 at Keyingham and Burstwick. Appleyard's best birds included new for year Grey Partridge and Green Woodpecker, plus Green Sandpiper and Med Gulls first of the autumn.
In the 10km league, Mark Langston in Dearne Valley still leads while Adam Firth retains his second place at Elvington on 148 points. Muhummed Hussain in Preston has bumped his score up to 135 with Green Sandpiper and a Cuckoo.
Inland Midlands, England:
Brian Hedley is still up top, having gained another five percent during July at Marton and Trent Port. His best birds include a couple of Redstart, a Great White Egret and a Hobby. It might be stretching it to say Striped Hawkmoth is a birdy highlight, but we can certainly appreciate it is a great record nonetheless. Dan Leadley in Dereham is now on 103% having seen his first ever patch Hobby, as well as adding Garden Warbler and Lesser Black-backed Gull to the patch year list. Lucas Burfield has also broken into the 100% club having gained one percent in July to put him in third at Cambridge Research Park and Waterbeach Barracks. Pete Sofley at Ladywalk Nature Reserve added Barn Owl to finish July on 91%. Tom Shields at Colwick Park is not far behind on 89%, his best bird for the month being a couple of patch tick Black-tailed Godwit. Richard Harbird had a fairly quiet month, just adding one percent to his Morton Bagot patch totals. Joe Parham at Fen Drayton Lakes is on 84% in seventh and Andy Sims at Swanpool and Boultham Mere is in eighth on 81%, having picked up Black-tailed Godwit. Steve Lister is in ninth at Swithland Reservoir on 73%, a few Little Ringed Plovers and Caspian Gull were welcome additions there after they were missed last year.
In the 10km league, Richard Harbird at Redditch is up front on 90%. Tom Shields isn't all that far behind on 87% at Nottingham Trent Valley, having been to see a local Ring-necked Duck. Andy Sims is just two percent off second on 85% at Swanpool, he saw Wood Sandpiper and nine Black-tailed Godwits. Dan Webb patching Ross on Wye and Sellack is on 81% and nearby William Lambourne is on 74% at Ledbury. Steve Lister is just one percent behind William on 73%.
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| Couple of Glossy Ibis taken by Andy Sims. Maybe there will be another flurry of these this autumn? |
In the overall points scored part of the league, Chris Hubbard has now taken the lead having picked up a whopping 25 points during July at his Stanford Reservoir patch. The best birds being Ferruginous Duck, Cattle Egret, Black-necked Grebes and Marsh Harrier. Daniel Langston at Bardney Pits stays on 206 points to put him in second. Tyler Atkinson retains his third place at Clifford Hill Gravel Pits with the best species of the month being Black-necked Grebe and Tawny Owl, as well as a few passerines which included a 'Channel' Wagtail, all this putting him on 178 points. Pete Sofley at Ladywalk Nature Reserve is on 164 points. Joe Parham is in fifth on 136 points at Fen Drayton Lakes.
In the 10km league, Tyler Atkinson is still leading and is the first to break the two hundred points barrier. He has picked up 202 points from 154 species from Abington. Matthew Pollock is in second at Kingsbury on 155 points.
Matt Slaymaker at West Sedgemoor is still leading, even after not advancing his score in July with 107% so far. Tom Bedford is second at Lye Valley on 105%. Ian Bennell is third on 99% at Tring Reservoirs, College Lake and Pitstone Quarry. Matthew Dick at RSPB Lakenheath is on 97% to put him in fourth, he did have an additional bird in July in the form of a Tree Pipit. Geoff Wyatt at Day's Lock and Bishop's Court Farm is on 95%, two up on last month, to help keep his fifth position. Charlie Joseph is still on 92% at Weald Country Park and Bentley area, followed by Jeff Gooding at Roding Valley Meadows on 90%. Gareth Blockley at Grimsbury Reservoir and Neil Burt at Godinton, Hothfield and Singleton are neck and neck in eighth with 88% scored. Neil's best birds for the month included singles of Yellow Wagtail, Sedge and Willow Warler, all of which were year ticks.
In the 10km league, Dave Helliar at Chard is on 87% having seen Hobby and Yellow Wagtail.
In the overall points scored part of the league, Matthew Dick at Lakenheath is in pole position having picked up 161 points so far. Geoff Wyatt is second on 145 at Day's Lock and Bishop's Court Farm while Thomas Miller is in third at Port Meadow on 137 points. Matt Slaymaker is in fourth at West Sedgemoor on 130 points and Dave Helliar is fifth on 115 points at Chard Junction.
In the 10km part of the league, Dave Helliar is in first place on 135 points from Chard. Rob Hill is second at his North Bucks patch with just three points off first place, his best birds locally included Redshank, Yellow-legged Gull and best of all, breeding Bitterns. Rupert Evershed is fourth at St Albans on 122 points and Charlie Joseph at Brentwood is third on 92 points.
Coastal East, England:
Trevor Girling at Titchwell Marsh and Nige Lound at Gibraltar Point are in joint first place on 91%! Stuart Ainsworth, also at Gibraltar Point is in second on 88% followed by Mark Andrews in Kilnsea on 82%. Duncan Watson is in fourth at Tynemouth on 80%, his best birds for month being Caspian Gull and Roseate Tern. Owen Beaumont at Saltfleetby and Theddlethorpe Dunes is in fifth on 75%, having picked up Quail and Garganey during July.
In the 10km league, Paul Newton at Whitby is on 95% to put him in first place but Nige Lound at Gibraltar Point is just a few percent behind on 92%. Jame Brown is not far off fighting for second on 86% from Hopton.
In the 10km league, Nige at Gibraltar Point is on 268 points, followed by James Brown at Hopton on 198 points. Paul Newton at Whitby is on 181 points creating a ten point gap between fourth with John Chapman at South Tyneside. Paul French is in fifth from Easington on 170 points.
Coastal South, England:
Kevin Rylands two patches are still hogging first and second place with both his Teignmouth and Dawlish Warren patches, which are on 81% and 75% respectively. From the Teignmouth patch, a timely Yellow-legged Gull plus Sparrowhawk and Common Sandpiper were all new birds for the year. However, the real highlight came from Dawlish Warren with a patch gold Coot! Other new birds for the year there include Green Woodpecker, Common Tern and Sedge Warbler. Jacob Spinks at Dungeness Bird Observatory had a slow month, just adding Garden Warbler. Jacob Wood at Berry Head to Mansands is on 57%.
In the 10km league, Bob Ford from Weymouth is still smashing it with 86% scored, the July best bird there being Osprey. Jacob Spinks is now on 65%, a Caspian Tern on the nearby Dungeness RSPB reserve the only addition to Garden Warbler.
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| Little Stint taken by Amy Robjohns |
In the 10km league, the best birds noted were the Dungeness Caspian Tern, Jonathan Bull's finding of a Pectoral Sandpiper at Sandwich Bay and Bob Ford picking up an Osprey from Weymouth to put him on 190 points.
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| Caspian Tern taken by Richard Watkins |
Coastal West, England:
Sean O'Hara still leading for both points scored and comparative at Hoylake and Meols. His totals are 127 points and 76%. In second place Liam Langley at St Ives is on 133 points.
Inland Wales:
Jonni Price, our only participant for Inland Wales, had a nice variety for his highlights with a churring Nightjar seemingly the highlight, also Hobby, Tree Pipit, Great White Egret, Kingfisher and Mandarin.
These two have not been able to expand on their June scores, so it still stands as Peter Howlett in the lead at Cardiff Bay with 97 points and 67%. In second, Toby Phelps at Manorbier is on 85 points and 50%.
Inland Scotland:
Lee Hesp at Strathyre is leading on the comparative league with 102%, the best being Grasshopper Warbler. Super effort to get above 100%, Lee! Alex Ash is in second at Kilmacolm on 90%.
In the overall points scored side, Alex is on 85% to take the lead followed by Lee on 62 points.
Rob Hughes at Freswick is still up front but hasn't managed to add to his score this month, he is also in second at John O'Groats on 94%. A Mediterranean Gull was the best there. Nick Littlewood had an excellent month at Portsoy to put him in third on 92%, his best birds there include patch tick Spotted Flycatcher and Bar-tailed Godwit. The large amounts of Quail made it there too. Rich Arthurs at Gullane and Aberlady Bay has picked up 88%, Nina O'Hanlon at Nybster on 83% and Andrew Whewell at North Berwick East on 77%. Andrew's best birds include Little Tern and Little Ringed Plover.
In the 10km league, Rich Arthurs at Gullane is on 98% to take the top spot. Second and third are taken by Nina and Rob, both at Nybster with 85% and 74% respectively. Ruddy Shelduck for Rob was his best bird.
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| Spotted Flycatcher taken by Nick Littlewood |
In the overall points scored part of the league, Paul Higson at St Combs is leading on 169 points, keeping a lead of 17 points. In second place is Rob Hughes at Nybster, who is on 152 points. Andrew Whitehouse is in third on 146 points at Girdle Ness and Torry.
In the 10km league, Paul Higson is leading there as well with 214 points from St Combs.
Inland Ireland:
Róisín Towe is still the only Irish participant, but her patch of Tramore Valley picked up a few goodies during July with Yellow-legged Gulls, Spotted Flycatcher and Reed Warbler (I refuse to call Canada Goose a highlight, sorry Róisín!). All this puts her on 74 points for the year. On her 10km patch of Douglas, she has picked up 98 points.
Sean Morris is leading by a huge 10% for his Kinloch, Isle of Rum patch having scored 88% so far. Steve Dudley is in second on Westray with 78%, but he is in a Sean sandwich with Sean's other patch, Kilmory, in third with 77%. Mark Lawlor on Guernsey, patching Hommet to Rousse, is in fourth having picked up 73% from 79 points. John Bowler at Balephuil, Tiree in on 70%, meaning he just nipped ahead of David Roche on Papa Westray on 68%. David did however, pick up the best bird of the month and one of the best of the year in the form of a stunning BLUE-CHEEKED BEE-EATER! The bird hung about on the island for a while before going on a round Orkney tour well into August. If you haven't seen David's videos of the bird, check it out here: https://bsky.app/profile/papaybirder.bsky.social/post/3mqkmtmx27c22
In the 10km league, Sean is also topping the charts having picked up 84% on the Isle of Rum followed by Mark on Guernsey on 75% and Steve Dudley on Westray on 73%. John Bowler on Tiree is on 65%.
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| Blue-cheeked Bee-eater wonderfully painted by David Roche |
In the overall points scored part of the league, John Bowler at Balephuil on Tiree is on 230 points to take the top spot for the time being, with his only additions this month being Greenshank and Swift. David Roche is in second on Papa Westray, having picked up 220 points there so far. Apart from the Blue-cheeked Bee-eater, he also laid his eyes upon an early juvenile Rosefinch and the second Honey Buzzard of the year. Nearby on Westray, Steve is in third on 180 points. Jodie Henderson is in fourth on 158 scored at Portland Bird Observatory.
In the 10km league, Hugh Harrop is still ruling the roost with 313 points so far. He picked up some nice July additions with Curlew Sandpiper, Corn Bunting and European Storm Petrel.
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| Cuckoo taken by John Bowler |
Estuarine:
Jackie Binks at Garston Coastal Reserve and Oglet has still got a good hold on this league with 102% scored. John Conlin-Hume is in second on 93% at Paull, although he hasn't got much breathing room with 90% scored by Ravi Grewal at Cliffe. Peter Hazelwood is in fourth on 85% at Oldbury Power Station, with Common Scoter being the highlight for there.
Peter Hazelwood has come in by storm and taken hold of first place in the Estuarine overall league. His patch of Oldbury Power Station is on 159 points, 14 clear of second which is Ravi at Cliffe. Gordon Hodgson is third at Frampton, Splatt and Saul Warth on 140 and Jackie is in fourth on 133 points. It is then joint fifth with John at Paull and Jonni Price at RSPB Conwy, both on 128 points.
Under 25's:
Here is both the comparative and overall scores for the Under 25's scores, which is just 3km² patches only. Lucas Burfield has managed to pull away into the top spot with him reaching 100% at Cambridge Research Park and Waterbeach Barracks. This leaves Owen Tattersall in second place at Figham Common on 99%. Ravi Grewal at Cliffe isn't too far off the mark with 90%.
Green:
Here is the comparative leaderboard for the Top 20 Green 3km² patches, and also the only comparative scores for the 10km radius patches.
Here are the Top 20 overall green rankings for the 3km² patches and all qualifying 10km radius patches:
Huge thank you for reading, as well as for taking part! Also a huge thank you to those who have posted pictures that we have used. We hope you enjoy the rest of your August Patch Birding! Remember to keep us informed and is possible pictures using the #PWC2026, #PatchBirding or #PatchGold hashtags on Twitter and Bluesky! We try to use as many pictures as possible on our blog.
We wish you the best of luck!
The Patchwork Challenge team!
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