2014 at Collingham and Besthorpe

2014 was the second year that I have taken part in Patchwork Challenge (see how I got on in 2013 here). And this is a brief summary of how it went:

January

10 visits
Species added = 81
Running total = 81

I got off to a good start on my first patch visit of the year, flushing a Woodcock, and went on to log a good total in January, but nothing out of the ordinary; highlights were Whooper Swan (including a notable herd of 22), Pink-footed Goose, Egyptian Goose and wintering Chiffchaff but best a Bar-tailed Godwit - about my best wader of the year! 

Bar-wit

February

6 visits
Species added = 4
Running total = 85

February was slow going, but I got Pintail at the start of the month, and the Oystercatchers returned at the month's end. 

March

15 visits
Species added = 13
Running total = 98

Things picked up in March, with the first returning summer migrants, including LRP and Sand Martin, as well as Avocet, Lesser Redpoll, Marsh Harrier and Merlin. However, the highlight was a self-found Glossy Ibis - the best bird of the year in fact. 

Glossy Ibis

April

20 visits
Species added = 16
Running total = 114

April produced more summer migrants, as expected, including the first of two Redstarts. Jack Snipe, Little Gull and the first Black-tailed Godwit of the year were nice extras. Another Bar-wit also showed up mid-month.

Black-wit

May

16 visits
Species added = 8
Running total = 122

Turtle Doves returned to my patch in early May, which was a relief. A Sanderling was good, given the generl lack of waders (although decent numbers of Ringed Plovers showed up during the month), whilst Red Kite and the first Garganey of the year showed up. I also got to ring a Little Egret!

Sanderling with Ringed Plovers

Me ringing a Little Egret

June

4 visits
Species added = 0
Running total = 122

June was a bit of a failure; I didn't manage many visits (not helped by having a week in Romania), and added no new species.

Turtle Dove, hanging on at Collingham

July

13 visits
Species added = 3
Running total = 125

I had three additions in July - Yellow-legged Gull, Common Scoter and Scaup - the latter unexpected given the season! Another Garganey was my second of the year.

Scaup

August

11 visits
Species added = 3
Running total = 128

My first Whinchat at the patch in several years showed up at Meering during August, and I also added Mandarin and Ruff.

Whinchat

September

14 visits
Species added = 3
Running total = 131

A patch tick in the form of a Great White Egret was very welcome, having been away in August when one (the first for Collingham) turned up! Red-crested Pochard and Spotted Flycatcher were also added. 

GWE

October

8 visits
Species added = 0
Running total = 131

No additions! However, a large Lesser Black-back roost built up during the month, which included several Yellow-legs - but no Caspos. 

Adult Yellow-legged Gull

November

8 visits
Species added = 3
Running total = 134

My first Stonechat in 3 years appeared during November, and Tree Sparrow and Water Rail were additions. 

December

5 visits
Species added = 1
Running total = 135

I had just one addition during December, which was also a patch tick - Cetti's Warbler; a bird which had first been found in October!


In total I visited my patch on 131 occasions during the year (116 in 2013) and racked up 135 species totaling 162 points - 1 species and 5 points short of 2013. It remains to be seen exactly where I finish in the Patchwork Challenge Midlands Minileague (I was first last year!), but fourth is looking likely behind Ian Cowgill at Lound in 1st, John Hopper at Hoveringham in 2nd, and Andy Mackay's non-Notts patch of Eyebrook Res in 3rd. 

My biggest misses of the year were probably Siskin and Brambling, and there was a distinct lack of waders this year; and birds I know of that were seen by others during the year include Whimbrel, Wood Sandpiper, Little Stint and Med Gull, amongst others.In terms of losses and gains, I saw 13 species in 2013 that I didn't see in 2014 (Bewick's Swan, Caspian Gull, Med Gull, Grey Plover, Little Stint, Pec Sand, Turnstone, Whimbrel, Wood Sand, Ring-necked Parakeet, Pied Wheatear, Siskin and Brambling) and 12 species in 2014 that I didn't get in 2013 (Glossy Ibis, Great White Egret, Common Scoter, Scaup, Mandarin, Bar-wit, Jack Snipe, Little Gull, Redstart, Cetti's Warbler, Stonechat and Whinchat). 

I'm determined to get to 140 in 2015!