Patch Summary:
I didn’t write a review for December as my birding was limited somewhat by the arrival of my son. In January, the nature of birding has also changed: short trips rather than long patch walks are now modus operandi. I made 10 patch visits during January and recorded a total of 65 species of birds. As it is January, they were all year ticks (obvs!), but no patch life ticks.
Highlights were:
- Re-finding the female Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (the one I first found in november last year) about 200 metres south of where I first found it.
- Finding an interesting Chiffchaff by the stables on 25 January. My initial instinct was ‘Siberian’ (tristis) but perhaps more likely to be abientus race or even just an ‘interesting’ collybita.
- Connecting with one of Tony’s first winter Caspian Gull on Alex on 19 Jan.
- Finding Firecrest and Treecreeper in Bush Wood in two short trips on 2 Jan and 4 Jan respectively.
- Record numbers (11 for me) of Reed Bunting on the deck in the birches in SSSI on 20 Jan.
- Having some quality time with Little Owl in one of Copses on 20 Jan until a Grey Squirrel decided to jump almost on top of it.
Lowlights were:
- Realising the Chiffchaff was probably not a ‘Siberian’ despite some initial excitement.
Highlights from elsewhere were:
- Having a close encounter with a Sparrowhawk and an unfortunate Feral Pigeon on my next-door-neighbour’s door-step (see photo below).
- Connecting again, this side of the New Year, with the regular wintering, now 5th calendar year Caspian Gull on the hyper-local, but just off-patch, Eagle Pond in Snaresbrook.
- Finding Bearded Tit (Reedling), a local scarcity, at Dorney Wetlands near Maidenhead.
My birding month in five pictures:
One of Tony’s 1st Winter Caspian Gulls on Alex
Jay in Old Sewage Works
The ‘interesting’ Chiffchaff
Red Kite over the Jubilee River
Sparrowhawk and pigeon right outside my house
iago80 