Patchwork Challenge

A new month in the Next Generation Birders minileague reveals a new leader; Anthony Bentley has pulled out a big gap at the top adding a massive 36 points during February including bonus points for finding Frampton’s 6th Great White Egret. Anthony’s point-filled month means our January leader Joe Stockwell is pushed down to second at Ferrybridge whilst the top 3 is rounded off with Laurie Allnatt at Llanelli. In addition to his podium position, Laurie landed what will possibly prove to be the best NGB PWC find of the year with Carmarthenshire’s first ever Bonaparte’s Gull on the 3rd! A brilliant find that shows what dedication to a patch can bring, will someone else get a similar reward in the coming months?   Jonathan Farooqi may be out of the medals but he is hot on the heels of Laurie with only 1 point separating the 2 patchers. Lee Fuller remains in 5th, 1 ahead of Cathal Forkan who jumped up 6 places at Galway Bay, receiving a very handy 4 points along the way when the lo...

The comparative scores in the Coastal EA mini league so far indicate that its going to a close run thing with 8.5% separating the top 6. Craig Fulcher remains at the top despite not adding anything to his January scores with Tommy Corcoran and Gary White leap frogging James Brown into 2nd and 3rd respectively. With spring on its way in March I can see more significant moves in the table by the end of month. With James Brown having a quiet month in Lowetoft it has enabled Robert Smith at Holme and last years big hitter, Tim Hodge at Horsey to overtake him, although there are only 5 points separating them all. No real rarities to speak of this month as the patchers mopped up the needed winter birds such as Glaucous Gulls, Bean Geese, Jack Snipe and Black-throated Divers. Tim still leads the way with BirdTracking effort, surpassing 2000 records already!

Nick Robinson continues his good start to the year with a mighty 86% already, a good spring should see him pass the 100% surely! Its hotting up behind him as 2.5% separates the next 5 patches, the only movement among these see's Nick Moran leap frog James Appleton into 3rd. Jonny Rankin will be hoping for an early spring before he heads off on  Dove Step 2 . Ben Lewis is still leading the way in the points league but its getting close as Nick Moran closes the gap to 5 points. Ashley McElwee makes up the top 3 and the only other patch to reach 100 points so far. The chasing pack are all tightly bunched together so a good March could see this all change! Bid of the month was probably Great White Egret, becoming more regular but always a nice 6 point addition. There were some very good patch birds reported in February as Goshawks, Scaup, Goosanders, Jack Snipe, geese and swans featuring on more than one patch highlight and Alison Allen finally caught up with the wintering Roug...

So the big question that remains is what are the prizes for Patchwork Challenge 2015. Here we can reveal most of them. Firstly Bresser and Forest Optics continue to support the competition and will be renewing their sponsorship for 2015. This means they will providing a prize for the best find which at present is tbc and also sponsoring the Bubo combined species list which this year will be supporting the BTO 's Long-eared Owl project with details to follow. Over the last two years we have supported the Cuckoo tracking and House Martin Tracking projects and have enjoyed following these especially the dearly departed Patch's migration to Africa and almost back. The BTO have also got a goodie bag and a nest monitoring field guide for the winner of the Birdtrack Birdrace . Birdguides are our second major sponsor and they continue to support the competition with regular articles and updates on their website and also Bird News Extra subscriptions for the leading Co...

Bresser and Forest Optics very generously donated a pair of Bresser Montana 8.5x45 binoculars as the prize for the best bird found by a patchworker during   2014, as voted for by all Patchwork Challenge participants.  A total of 12 birds were in the ballot, in alphabetical order they were: ·         American Coot ·         Blyth's Pipit ·         Blyth's Reed Warbler ·         Broad-billed Sandpiper ·         Brunnich's Guillemot ·         Collared Flycatcher ·         Eastern Bonelli's Warbler ·         Franklin's Gull ·         Kentish Plover ·         Myrtle Warbler ...

2015 sees the return of the Next Generation Birders minileague, a hotly contended league for those participants under the age of 25. It is great to see so many young birders experiencing the joys of patch birding and this year has already seen a 25% increase in patchers on 2014, with this set to increase further in February.   With last years winner (and overall PWC winner) Tim Jones no longer patching Spurn, 2nd place Joe Stockwell moving away from Portland Bird Obs, and 3rd place Ben Porter on Bardsey being out of country for the first couple of months of the year, this minileague is now wide open as we enter 2015. Joe may have left PBO, but his new patch around Ferrybridge is certainly living up to Portland standards and it places him firmly at the top of the table. PWC newcomer Anthony Bentley is sitting in second place with his Frampton/Frieston patch, living and working on patch certainly has it's advantages and Anthony has made the most of this opportunity by ...

Great to see some new patches joining the ranks in the Ireland Comparative Score Minileague after having taken part for the first time during 2014.  Leading the charge is Niall Keogh's local suburban parks patch in South Dublin which sits in first place with 72.05% after he clocked up 46 species in January comparing favourably to a final 2014 total of 64 species. But for how long can he hold on to the top spot? Comparative league stalwart Eamonn O'Donnell makes a fine entrance, straight into third place with 61.74% at Ninch/Laytown. Tufted Duck & Merlin both good species for him there during January. It's also very encouraging to see lots of new names and patches gracing the Ireland Points Minileague table in January 2015 where it looks like some 'friendly' patch neighbour rivalry might be kindling...most interesting! Niall Keogh's Kilcoole patch heads the table (for now) and the first to break the 100 points barrier with 88 species including ...

The inland Scotland league was a runaway victory last year for Alastair Forsyth at Old Nisthouse but his impressive score last year might be a tough one to beat with Andy Cage at Kilmany and Chris Pendlebury at Blairdrummond pushing him into third after the first month of the year. 60% is a very impressive comparative this early and with the top 3 over 50% it bodes well for the year ahead. It was however Old Nisthouse that  turned out a real pair of teals - with Green and Blue-Winged Teals putting in appearances within an hour of each other. Most patchers would be ecstatic with either of these American visitors so both on the same patch same day is quite something. Add to that a dark phase Gyr and if Alastair is going to beat his score then he has started the right way. Other patchers also turned in some good local birds including a Pochard at Lochmaben which was something of a local rarity for Pete Antrobus. A Smew was also a nice seasonal find at Blairdrummond. ...

The coastal Scotland league sees a reduction in the number of competitors in PWC2015 as the islands depart for their own island league to compete alongside the likes of Bardsey. So there are five patchers that feature in the comparative league, with two already seeing their way past the 50% mark. Chris Hill tops the bill with an impressive 59% with Stephen Welch just behind on 53%. There is a long way to go yet! The best bird on patch in January was unquestionably the Harlequin Duck which is becoming quite a celebrity on the River Don and found itself on Andrew Whitehouse's patch. Quite a start to the year! Chris Hill at Burntisland found summer coming early with a Sandwich Tern, alongside his other highlight of Little Auk a rather odd and unseasonal match! Little Auk's also put in appearances at Gosford Bay and Girdle Ness. Perhaps indicative of the quirks of birding coastal Scotland were highlights including Collared Dove and Blue Tit - everyone's #patchgold is diffe...

Tom Stevenson has also got off to a great start but it can be an attritional collection of points at Battle Farm so getting off the blocks quickly is essential. Roger Hicks is in second place on 65% with Tom also in third with his Ewelme patch. Marek Walford has taken an early lead at Dinton Pastures on 85 points with Nigel Milbourne at Blagdon only a point back. Mareks new second patch at Sonning Eye is in third on 80 points. Tom Stevenson and Andy Stocker have both got off to a great birdtracking start with 13 and 9 complete lists respectively. Andy Stocker's Great Grey Shrike at Woolmer Forest is probably the bird of the month securing 6 points while a Yellow-browed Warbler for Dan Chaney at College and Argal was well received. Other notable birds included a Sibe Chiffchaffs for  Gareth Blockley and Adam Bassett (which does get 2 bonus points Adam!), Scaup at Tring for Ian Benell, Med Gull, Jack Snipe and Great White Egret. All superb birds to brighten up a winter d...