This morning a Lesser Whitethroat became my 90th patch bird of 2025. As I've already mentioned I had a lacklustre start to the year, a lot of apathy, a lot of not actually being here, but since late March I've really upped my game and been out a lot. Have I caught up?
2024: 13th April
2023: 29th April
2022: 23rd April
2021: 30th March
2020: 19th April
2019: May 2nd
2018: April 22nd
So today is the 25th which would seem to fit neatly into the above list, not the worst, not the best, pretty average. I'd argue I am actually slightly ahead on the basis that there are a number of pretty easy ones that I've failed to find. Or in some cases actually look for at all. Tawny Owl for example, there are two within ten minutes of home that I could pop out and listen for whenever I feel like it. Which I don't. I am also missing Grey Wagtail and Cetti's Warbler, both a little trickier, but with a bit of effort I could likely sort that out. Fieldfare could be a bit harder for a while....
What I do sort of regret is flogging the patch for all four days of the long weekend just gone. In truth it was a bit crap - the best bird a Snipe - and I should have used one of those days to go and bird somewhere that actually had birds. Especially as at this time of year I can get a good two hours on the patch before going to work, so why also burn the weekends on it?
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| Lots of these belting it out at the moment |
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