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
