Patchwork Challenge

December brought no new additions for Steve Minton at Scatness but his second Kumlien's Gull of the year was a welcome sight among good numbers of large gulls present there along with a few white-wingers. While Steve's score remained unchanged, his first place position on the Islands Comparative Minileague table was safe due to a hefty lead of 18%!  Bonus points from a Lesser Scaup find  at Palace  allowed Alastair Forsyth to make a jump from seventh to second place on the comp table, where he finished up with 122%, knocking Steve Stansfield down to third. It ain't over until the fat Aythya sings! Kumlien's Gull (c) Steve Minton ( patch blog ) Lesser Scaup (c) Alastair Forsyth ( patch blog ) Despite losing ground on the comparative table, Steve Stansfield remained unchallenged at the top of the points minileague with his impressive 368 points from 186 species seen on Bardsey, the highest species tally in the minileague also resulting in the hi...

After a hectic October, relative calm returned to the Islands Minileague during November, but not without a few good birds being seen here and there. Despite not adding anything new, Steve Minton still leads the charge in first place on the comparative table with 140% at Scatness. His title looks secure between now and the end of the year. Steve Stansfield left Bardsey on the 8th November and with that comes to an end his amazing year of #PWC2016 there where he finsihed on 186 species, 368 points and 119.48%!!! Top stuff. We look forward to updates from this magic spot again during #PWC2017 . David Wood and Mark Newell both increased their comp scores sufficiently to cause a stir in the top five rankings. Red Kite and Long-tailed Duck were new for David at RSPB The Oa, taking him from sixth to third place on 116% there, while a serious Isle of May #patchgold double whammy of Coal Tit and Long-tailed Tit took Mark from ninth to fourth on 113%. One of the top finds durin...

What a month! October is a superb time to be on the islands and this year they did not disappoint with some notable movement in the minileague table rankings as well as a host of rare and scarce highlights. Steve Minton at Scatness took his comparative score to a crazy 140% with new birds added to his rarity roll-call including Pied Wheatear, Richard's Pipit, Olive-Backed Pipit, Bean Goose and Hawfinch. He now has his first place position in the league sealed it seems but there is plenty to play for in the podium spots which have seen a major change this month. Sean Morris at Kilmory added Jack Snipe, Ring Ouzel and Waxwing for handy two pointers, putting himself in third  on 111% while Steve Stansfield rockets into second place (from fourteenth!) on 119% after an epic month on Bardsey (see below for details).  Six patchers have beaten their comparative target now, with a number just shy of the mark who will be looking for a few late winter additions. ...

Steve Minton's superb year at Scatness continues this month as he adds bonus points for Little Bunting, Yellow-browed Warbler, Red-breasted Flycatcher and Barred Warbler moving onto 118%. Ian T moves into second as he overhauls David Wood. Ian's highlights at Askernish was a fine Baird's Sandpiper which he found but he faces missing the rest of the autumn on patch. David Wood had some patchgold on the Oa, Islay as he located a Blue Tit for his monthly highlight. Baird's Sandpiper, Askernish - Ian T John Bowler adds only 56 points this month. This includes a glut of bonus points for a very fine Swainson's Thrush, a quartet of Buff-breasted Sandpipers, Leach's Petrel, Common Rosefinch, Sabine's Gull and Yellow-browed Warbler. Tidy! Steve Minton climbs to second at Sctness and Steve Stansfield holds on despite missing the update so expect a mega October from Bardsey. Other bonuses include Icterine Warbler, Sabine's Gull, Wryneck and Yellow-br...

Steve Minton's garden Arctic Warbler August marks the beginning of autumn, especially on the isles where the first migrants are more obvious. This months blog post features a fine array of bits and pieces including Steve Minton's Arctic Warbler which has taken up residence in his Scatness garden. This bird takes him over 100% and top of the comparative league from 6th last month. Additionally Steve found an Icterine Warbler to round off a productive start to the autumn. The long-time leader, David Wood, slips to second place but he also cracked the 100% barrier this month. Ian T is just a sliver behind on a square 100% thanks to a brace of patch ticks in Black Guillemot and Osprey. Steve Stansfield has an August to savour as he found a host of bonus point scorers including multiple Melodious and Icterine Warblers, Western Bonelli's Warbler, Citrine Wagtail and an Ortolan Bunting. This keeps him top despite some fine birds elsewhere. John Bowler strikes back i...

Slow going in the Islands Minileague during July with no major changes to the rankings in either the comparative or the points minileagues. Signs of a genuinely quiet period for patch birding or are the contestants keeping their powder dry for the autumn rush? Still a few species added here and there all the same as reported to us on the monthly score submission forms. A Little Stint on Brownsman pond was a nice addition to Ed Tooth's Farne Islands year list while Stuart Taylor clocked a flyover Iceland Gull at Balivanich. Proper #patchgold was the order of the day however with several sites noting some excellent patch birds. Treecreeper on an island without trees is certainly a good one! This was the highlight of the month for Mark Newell on the Isle of May while John Bowler picked up on a Little Grebe at Balephuil, Tiree, a species which is less than annual there. John and Mark remain in second and third place respectively on the points table while Mark holds third place ...

After a rarity-filled, hectic May, relative calm returns to the Islands Minileague during June. David Wood remains in first place on the comparative table at The Oa, edging slightly closer to his target for the year, now on 99.3%. Swift was a welcome addition to IanT's patch year list at Askernish as they are not easy that way out west plus two bonus patch ticks with Long-eared Owl and a snazzy Red-necked Phalarope! This results in a percentage jump into the 90's where Ian keeps hold of second place for another month with 92.9%. Mark Newell is close behind in third on 90.9%, having overtaken Bryan Rains on Mull. Mark added House Sparrow to his Isle of May list in June, bringing his overall patch life list to 200. Quite the patch milestone. Well done! No update from Bardsey during June but Steve Stansfield still claims first place on the points table for another month. John Bowler is catching up however with seven points added at Balephuill in ...

Some of the highlights from a fantastic May in the Islands Minileague: top left - Eastern Olivaceous Warbler (Steve Minton); top centre - Blyth's Pipit (Steve Stansfield); top right - Greenish Warbler (Ben Porter); bottom left - Black Kite (Steve Stansfield); bottom centre - Eastern Subalpine Warbler (Steve Stansfield); bottom right - Rook (John Bowler) David Wood tops the Islands Comparative Minileague at the end of May with a clear 12% lead on IanT at Askernish who drops to second after taking the lead last month. David owes his good fortune to bonus points gleaned from a Subalpine Warbler found at The Oa along with some good supporting cast for Islay in the form of Turtle Dove and Little Ringed Plover. He finishes the month with 98% and ready to hit his target soon. Plenty of change in the rankings elsewhere on the comp table with many contestants adding well to their scores in what was a very productive month to be patching on an island. Six patch birders are now ove...

April was a fairly decent month for many of the Island patchers. A couple of true #patchgold entries were submitted (Great Tit for John Bowler at Balephuil and Canada Goose for IanT at Askernish) along with a few other patch firsts in the form of Iceland Gull for Mark Newell on the Isle of May and Great White Egret for IanT at Askernish. Probably the highlight of the month for Steve Minton at Scatness was a pod of Orca cruising by. Although not birds, they're freaking awesome and I'm sure many of us would love them as a patch tick! Credit: Steve Minton After 10 weeks away in Spain, IanT returned in style and topped pole position of the Islands Comparative Minileague. On his return to patch, he added twenty-seven species, including two patch firsts (Great White Egret and Canada Goose) leaving him on 98 species and 78.8% for April. All but one patcher have at least broken the 50% milestone and are steadily adding species, and with only a few percent separating the ...

While a number of challengers suggested March was a quiet month on their respective islands, there was still a steady progression up the minileagues and highlights added by a number of folk this month. The humble Woodpigeon graced the paths of both Emma Webb and Russel Neave at Sanday providing them with a much needed tick. Elswhere, more common mainland species attracted attention with Great tit for Ed Tooth on the Farne Islands, a tricky combination of Jackdaw and Rook for Alastair Forsyth at Palace, Birsay, a #patchgold Mute Swan for John Headon at Hugh Town and Lower Moots, and finally a Mistle Thrush at Brevig for Bruce Taylor.  John Bowler at Balephuil made no additions to his patch list for the month, instead trading it for the warmer climes of Cambodia, where he managed 350 species and 130 world lifers including Giant Ibis! While he listed no highlights for the month, Steve Minton did make do with multiple viewings of the aurora from Scatness... Awesome aurora...

There's no change at the top of the Islands Comparative Minileague, however, with less then 1% between the top two positions, Paul Higson at Quoyangry is holding on by the skin of his teeth. Will the March results see David Wood at RSPB Oa, Islay knock Paul from the top of the podium? He's already managed to displace IanT and his Askernish patch from second place by adding a further nine species to his tally and increasing his comparative score by fourteen percent. His Richardson's Goose find wasn't too shabby either... Richardson's Goose, Oa (Credit: David Wood) Looking further down the table more patches have broken (or will soon) the midway milestone this month, reaching fifty percent territory. There's no real major percentage difference across the board, and with the Spring migrants soon to be gracing us again, the league could see another shakeup as species are snatched here and there by the patchers. Moving on to the all importan...

Paul Higson makes his annual, White-billed Diver fuelled, grab for top spot before his self imposed torpor until spring. He outstrips IanT at Askernish by 4% to hit 59%. Ian himself started with a bang as both White-tailed Eagle and Grey Phalarope graced his patch with the latter a full-fat patch tick and the former now established as a patch regular. On Islay, David Wood made an excellent start on the Oa with 48% including a Little Auk which is a fair effort given the height of the cliffs on his patch!  Paul also tops the points table with a whopping score of 120. Perennial Islands table-topper, John Bowler, sits in second spot with a Kumlien's Gull the only bonus points for him this time out (there will be more!) but a raft of 2 pointers put him in a decent position. Notably it was the same two patches lined up in reverse order this time last year and both are down on last years opening month (Paul scored 122 and John managed 126 in January 2015). IanT has made a better st...

Despite gaining no points throughout December, the final month of the year finds Alastair Forsyth still firmly rooted in first place in the comparative minileague, claiming the crown with an impressive 117%. Congratulations! Ian T holds onto second place at Askernish with a similarly formidable score while Bryan Rains concludes the glorious triumvirate with 108% at Pennyghael, aided by a welcome two points courtesy of a stranded Little Auk that was promptly rested and released. David Wood concluded 2015 in fourth position on Islay while, in a final flourish, Paul Higson snatched fifth place from John Bowler. Further down the table things remained largely the same though with 2016 here at last and a clean slate for all competitors I wonder how the table will look come the end of January. John Bowler claimed the top spot in the points minileague this month with a truly mighty 343 points at Balephuil on the Isle of Tiree. A well deserved victory if ever there was one. Steve Stands...

Alastair Forsyth keeps his roll going and an additional 3% in November takes him onto 117% and extends his formidable lead to 9%. Perhaps an unbridgeable gap? Pochard, Grey Plover and Common Scoter were this months additions at Palace. With no word from Mull this month, Ian T takes advantage and climbs into second after a successful #Patchday and his first Corn Bunting at Askernish since 2012. John Bowler becomes the fifth member of the 100% gang which is especially impressive considering his 343 target. Ian T at Askernish on #Patchday courtesy of YvonneB John remains top by miles and adds 18 points in November including self found Lesser Scaup and Waxwing. Neither Bardsey nor Skomer troubled the scorers in November but remain in second and third place respectively whilst Burray Barrie (Hamill) scored a solitary one in fourth. Hurricane Abigail delivered a late House Martin for Stuart Taylor at Balivanich which should have been a Cave Swallow really whilst on Scilly finders po...

October's comparative Islands minileague sees Alastair  Forsyth take the top spot with a 10% increase, knocking Bryan Rains down a peg after Pennyghael could only offer one addition for the month - Goldcrest. While still in third position, Ian T broke the 100% barrier with three new patch ticks (Yellow-browed Warbler, Little Egret and a #patchgold Coot!) which bolstered his score by 9% and carried him over the threshold. David Wood at RSPB Oa, Islay also jumped the 100% target this month with the help of Yellow-browed Warbler. Heading closer is Stuart Taylor who sees a 4% increase with the addition of four new species added to his patch list, while John Bowler made a leap from 8th to 6th position this month with an impressive 13% improvement. No change at the top of the points league as John Bowler firmly held his ground and remained in the lead with the addition of a further nine species and bonus points for Baird's Sandpiper, Lesser Yellowlegs  (only Tiree's seco...

No change for Bryan Rains who remains in first place on the Islands Comparative Minileague table at Mull with 107%. Bolstering his second place score is Alastair Forsyth at Palace, Birsay where five Sooty Shearwaters (but still no Manx!) helped increase his post-milestone score to 104%. Gains are being made elsewhere on the table with those in third, fourth and fifth place now well in striking distance of their 100% target.  After his mega patch Magpie back in August, IanT added somewhat more expected but welcome species such as Pied Flycatcher and Turtle Dove to his Askernish list in September plus a #patchgold Whinchat, taking him to third place. David Wood has been knocked down from third to fourth on the Oa (a Pied Fly for him) while Stuart Taylor rises to fifth at Balivanich with a Grey Phalarope and his first ever Kestrel for the patch. Paul Higson increases his comp score from 76% to 91.9% at Quoyangry where two Pectoral Sandpipers together no doubt made for a ...

Bryan Rains managed to overcome a computer glitch and find 11 species down the back of the sofa... The Black-tailed Godwit this month also helped him climb to top spot in the comparative minileague and 5% clear of Alastair Forsyth who has climbed into second and cleared the 100% barrier thanks to an Orkney record count of 666 Swifts plus some actual point scorers in Little Stint, Iceland Gull and Curlew Sandpiper. Congratulations to both. David Wood mentioned at the bird fair that not being on patch this month might hinder him and so it proves as he slips from the top to third and with Ian T breathing down his neck it may all change by the end of September. Magpie at Askernish - Ian T John Bowler maintains his place on the top of the points tree in the Islands Minileague but added some solid two pointers including his third Spotted Redshank on Tiree. Barrie Hamill added 24 points this month including finding Red-backed Shrike and Icterine Warbler. This jumps Barrie up from f...