Patchwork Challenge

Congratulations Tim Farr! Sutton Bingham's finest has had an excellent year (you can read about it on a special blog post here ). He had a great final month adding Firecrest and a Black-necked Grebe on the 31st December, an excellent finish to an excellent year which included finders point for a stunning Spotted Sandpiper amongst the most memorable moments. Stephanie Brown finished in second, just a whisker ahead of Richard Scantlebury in third. Whilst no additions of note in December both had scored over 120%, a superb performance marked with annual highlights of Cetti's Warbler and Yellow-browed Warbler respectively. Twelve patch birders beat or matched their comparative target, three of whom ended up bang on 100%. Great effort all round. Nigel Milbourne ends the year at Blagdon Lake on 198 points, an excellent total for an inland site and 25 points clear of his nearest competitor. Nigel has been birding Blagdon Lake for 24 years now, but December 2016 will g...

Patchwork Challenge 2016 - Sutton Bingham Reservoir Report by Tim Farr I had a pretty good year in 2015 and honestly thought I would be heard pressed in beating last year’s total, but I guess hard work pays off and 2016 turned out to be a real cracker of a year with four patch lifers and some quality rarities to boot. As always my apologies for the photographs…I rely on phone-scoped record shots! January Not a bad start to the year with a January 1 st visit producing a drake Shoveler amongst the regular wintering Wigeon . A Stonechat kindly stayed in to the New Year and got added to the list alongside Kestrel and Little Grebe . Just a couple of days later I found a small flock of Lesser Redpoll , a species I’d not seen on patch for a couple of years and a week later I added Marsh Tit , a species which took eight months to get on to the year list in 2015! Some annoying news was received on 14 th January as a fellow birder had flushed a Jack Snipe , despite trying a cou...

Stephanie Brown is having an excellent year on her Twyford patch and is topping the listings at 120%. Thrushes were her highlight of the month, but no additions of note means that Tim Farr and Richard Scantlebury are putting on the pressure to take the comparative league title. Tim Farr added Goldeneye this month, just his second patch record whilst Richard Scantlebury added Merlin. A good December could mean all change in the top three. It is not just the comparative league which is tight at the top! Inland South is providing a real race to the line this year, and leader at the end of November is Nigel Milbourne at Blagdon Lake. He has assumed top spot by bagging bonus points for a Ring-Necked Duck as well as adding points for a brace of Long-Tailed Duck, both excellent patch birds. The lead is very slender, just a single point to Tom Raven in second but a certain Pipit in December should put this race beyond doubt! Tom's update this month includes October and his ...

Tree Sparrow - Chris Bessant Stephanie Brown remains top of the Inland South comparative minileague despite no further additions in October. Her score of 120% for her Twyford patch is still 3% clear of Tim Farr. Tim had an excellent October at Sutton Bingham Reservoir with highlights including Siberian Chiffchaff, Red-legged Partridge (3rd patch record), White-fronted Goose (2nd patch record) plus Barnacle Goose and Goosander. Richard Scantlebury also makes progress as he holds third on 111% with Water Rail his highlight. There were no new centurions this month but a number of contestants are very close with seven over 97%. Tom Raven fails to add in October as he remains on 167 points. Nigel Milbourne closes the gap on his local rival as a White-tailed Eagle in the Poldens graces his Blagdon Lake patch to move up to second. Brendan Shiels again makes no further additions and risks falling fro the podium as Ian Bennell gains ground. Ian Bennell had an Aythya month to rememb...

Ortolan - Nick Croft at Wanstead Stephanie starts to find herself being closed down at the top of the comparative minileague after a second blank month. Tim Farr springs from fifth to second thanks to a double dose of bonus points for Pectoral Sandpiper and Blue-headed Wagtail. Dropping to third is Richard Scantlebury in Bristol who fails to add this month. Roger Murfitt becomes the seventh member of the 100% club this month thanks to the first site Curlew Sandpiper in 9 years at Moor Green Lakes. There are a further 9 patchers in the 90%+ bracket so expect further additions next time out. Tom Raven reclaims top spot at Shapwick Heath/Ham Wall after the additions of Pectoral Sandpiper and Black-necked Grebe although there were no bonus points this time. Still no further update from Brendan Sheils at Trent Manor farm but he remains in second whilst at Blagdon, Nigel Milbourne is in third place after usurping Ian Bennell. Nigel added the third site record of Spoonbill this mon...

Stephanie Brown stays top of the comparative league despite drawing a blank this month. Richard Scantlebury makes some inroads as he moves to 108% but he will have to put in a big performance to close the gap entirely. Tom Stevenson's Battle Farm patch rounds off the top three as he goes over the 100% mark and leap frogs Ian Bennell in the process. His best bits for August include Spotted Flycatcher and Lesser Whitethroat. A Common Sandpiper at Sutton Bingham Reservoir in the same place as the Spotted Sandpiper. If you use your imagination... With thanks to Tim Farr There was no update from Brendan this month but he remains top of the minileague on points with Tom Raven equally static in second. Ian Bennell closes up three points to the leaders to remain in third position thanks to Black-tailed Godwit, Ruff and Green Sandpiper. Two patchers got bonus points for Honey Buzzards this month as migrants graced Roger Murfitt and James McCulloch's patches. Bird of the ...

Stephanie Brown added just a point in July for Common Sandpiper but it is more than enough to keep her clear at the top of the comparative minileague on 120%. Richard Scantlebury makes no further progress this time out and stays in second and Ian Bennell is also staic in third place although both are over the 100% mark. Tom Stevenson jumps in to fourth spot and is a shade under the magic 100% climbing three places this time. Brendan Sheils jumps to the top of the minileague having submitted his first score of the year at Trent Manor Farm. He supplants perennial leader, Tom Raven who isn't a million miles off his comparative score although there was no update for July (it seems plenty of inland birders have had a quiet month). And as we know Ian Bennell hasn't updated this time out either so he remains on 148 points, 16 behind our new leader. Roger Murfitt managed the only bonus points of the month with Great White Egret providing him with a handy 6 points. Other good bit...

Despite no additional points at Twyford, Stephanie Brown maintains her healthy lead in the Inland South comparative minileague. Richard Scantlebury also drew a blank at Fishponds in Bristol meaning that Ian Bennell had the opportunity to close the gap. The Tring based patcher duly obliged with 4% added this month taking him over the 100% mark and into virgin territory courtesy of a Common Scoter and Black-necked Grebe combo. No news from the Avalon marshes means Tom Raven has his lead chipped away at by Ian Bennell. Adam Bassett adds a single point to ensure he stays in third place and whilst the pickings may be slim, patch Black-tailed Godwits are never to be sniffed at. Black-necked Grebes at Stoke Newington - Chris Farthing There were no bonus points this month but there was some quality in the form of a pair of Black-necked Grebes for Chris Farthing at Stoke Newington reservoirs. Gareth Blockley found his second patch Nuthatch at Grimsbury Reservoir after one last year. ...

Stephanie is having her best ever year at Twyford and is top of the Inland South comparative table adding Common Tern, Cetti's Warbler and Hobby in May. She is on a heady 118%, way ahead of Richard Scantlebury who holds on to second place despite a quiet month. Ian Bennell at Tring Reservoirs takes over in third as he crests 100% although just 5% covers 3rd-8th. Ian's star bird was a Roseate Tern, just the 3rd for Hertfordshire and the 2nd site record.  Roseate Tern c/o Ian Bennell Returning migrants see Tom Raven add 26 points at Shapwick Heath to create a gap to second where Ian Bennell resides. Adam Bassett at Little Marlow is in third place, up a spot from April with Black Terns, Little Gull, Cuckoo and a second site Cetti's Warbler this month. Honey Buzzard c/o Josie Hewitt Away from the top and find of the month goes to Mark Andrews at East Verwood with a Red-footed Falcon seen from his new 'watchpoint'/patio. There were also bonus points fo...

 Stephanie Brown at Twyford and Richard Scantlebury at Fishponds in Bristol both breach 100%. Richard's highlights include Reed Warbler and Spotted Flycatcher whilst Stephanie adds Lesser Redpoll and Marsh Tit. Marek Walford is in third place. With Lee Evans deciding to drop out of the competition the Inland South points league has a familiar feel with newly crowned Forest Optics Best Find 2016 winner Tom Raven now leading the line. Ian Bennell is in second place after a productive month which included patch ticks of Ring Ouzel and Short-eared Owl and the top three is rounded off by Nick Croft at Wanstead who added Osprey, Redstart and Ring Ouzel in the 'burbs of London. Tree Pipit - Chris Bessant Best find this month was undoubtedly by Rob Hill who turned up a Gannet at Linford NR. There were two Black-winged Stilts at for him at Manor Farm which Ashley Beolens also saw although it wasn't a find for either. Chris Bessant had a Tree Pipit at Maple Cross and ot...