During the christmas period I decided to have a go at trying to beat the patch record of 150 species seen in a calendar year. This was going to be a difficult record to beat but I was up for the challenge,little did I no how competitive it would become over the year and how time consuming it would be.It practically took over my life!What follows are my monthly notes of the species I saw and my memorable accounts on the patch.
January
An early morning visit to the patch on New years day produced 52 species.A good assortment of wildfowl and woodland species were recorded and I had excellent views of a Water rail in front of Bittern hide in the park.
The rest of the month went well,recording all three Woodpeckers.On the 24th Pete Antrobus(Pod) found a Long eared owl on Neumann’s flash but after a good search I couldn’t connect with it.I arrived the next evening and had good views of the bird as it flew across Marbury lane and then landed in a bush.On the 27th I found a Ruddy duck on Budworth Mere.The evening was spent with Malc Curtin who I had met on the patch in his pub watching Man united.I spent many evenings looking for Woodcock on Carey park during the month and eventually connected with one on the 28th
91 Species recorded
February
The month started well for me,as I was walking through the park with the children,Dave Bedford shouted me and said he had a Mediterranean Gull in his scope.The rest of the month was very quiet until the 15th when I found a Pintail on Ashton’s flash.
93 Species recorded
March
The month started off well with a Willow tit being seen near the canal opposite the Forge bed. A Peregrine Falcon showed really well sat on top of one of the chimneys at ICI.
At the end of the month I added two spring migrants,Sand martin and Chiffchaff.
98 Species recorded
April
The month started off really well with Swallow and House Martin and then on the 10th I had a phone call off Pod to say he had a Red legged partridge in a field in Higher Marston and could be viewed off the patch boundaries.
Early morning visits were now the key to success of seeing migrant birds passing through the patch so I was up at 5.00am every morning.On the 17th this really paid off when I found Wheatear,Common sandpiper,Cuckoo and Reed warbler.On the way back to the car whilst walking over the bund a Little egret flew from Ashton’s flash right over my head and landed on Neumann’s flash.I rang John Gregory who was on the patch and he came running towards me dripping in sweat to the hide!
This bird hung around until the 19th when I connected with a reeling Grasshopper warbler.The funniest thing happened that day as Pod needed both these birds and it was raining late morning,he walked across the bund with an umbrella and had the egret fly right over his head and he missed it and dipped the gropper!The 21st was another day to remember as now most of the patch lads were now getting up early. I met up with Fred Fearn and John Gregory about 5.15am and had Black tern as soon as we scoped over Neumann’s. After this we walked towards Bund hide where Fred connected with a Wood sandpiper right in front of the hide, WHAT A MORNING!. I returned to the park in the evening and connected with my first Yellow wagtail of the year in fields along fisherman’s path.
The next day I visited the park and connected with the annual Garden warbler in its usual returning site on the entrance to Big wood (Patch lads call this Garden warbler’s corner)
On the 25th a ringer caught a Lesser whitethroat on Forge bed so I was contacted by Fred and visited after I took the kids to school.Fred phoned me to say that he had just seen the bird and gave me the directions.On arrival I heard the bird and got great views of it has it sat out. The phone then rang and it was Vernon he had a Common scoter on the mere, a quick dash over to the mere and the bird was on!
On the 27th I had already visited the park for a Common tern in the morning when late afternoon I had a phone call from Gregsey to say that a Wood warbler had been heard around Bittern hide in the park.On arrival I met up with Gregsey and eventually I found it sat right on top of a tree.WHAT A MONTHS PATCH BIRDING!
125 Species recorded
May
I will always remember the 3rd of May on the patch.I arrived on Neumanns Flash at first light and found the first Little ringed plover of the year and then I was walking down Fisherman’s path from Higher marston when I flushed a Grey plover from the embankment.I just couldn’t believe my eyes and watched it land right on the spit on Kid brook the other side of the mere.I phoned Pod straight away and he had just seen it land on the spit from Bittern hide.I put the news out to all the lads who thankfully all connected as it stayed the whole day.
The next day I found a Spotted flycatcher near Bittern hide in the park and then had an Hobby late morning fly across Neumann's Flash
On the 7th I found a Ringed plover on Neumanns flash and later I was walking down Fishermans path when and all the corvids got up over big wood in the park and a Goshawk flew right over my head,UNBELIEVABLE!I watched the bird fly right over the mere and then flew over the woods near Malc`s pub in Great Budworth putting all the corvids up over there as well.
On the 9th I was on my way to Old Trafford with Malc and Elliot for Roy keanes testimonial when Fred phoned to say that a guy had found a Temminck`s stint on Neumann’s flash. We turned round and connected with the bird and thankfully made the match by the skin of our teeth.A patch lifer and good win versus Celtic!
On the 13th a Sanderling and Knot were on Neumanns Flash and then on the 22nd I found a Curlew Sandpiper.
On the 25th I was at work and the phone rang it was Malc.Mark taylor had found a Red necked phalarope on Neumann’s flash! I just didn’t want to hear this conservation as I was stuck at work until 3.30pm. All different things were going through my head as I needed to see this bird, BUT HOW!I thought SOD THIS! and just walked up to the nurse in charge and said id forgotten my medication that I was on.She said that’s fine go and get it,take as long as you want! HAPPY DAYS! I drove like a mad man from Winsford and connected with the bird. WHAT A LITTLE STUNNER! and another patch lifer!
137 Species recorded
June
Things were really slowing down on the patch now and a Greenshank was the only bird added during the month on the 26th on Ashton`s flash.
138 Species recorded.
July
Gregsey phoned me on the 14th to say he had just found a Black necked grebe on Neumann’s flash.I darted down there and had great views of the bird.
The next evening the 15th I received another phone call from Gregsey who had connected with two Little owls on Budworth lane not far from his house,I managed to get on one of the birds.
140 Species recorded
August
On the 6th Gregsey had found a Yellow legged gull on Neumann’s flash in the evening so the next night myself and Pod met up in the bund hide waiting for the gulls to come in at night, NO LUCK! We started to meet up in the evenings after this so I started to take a few beers down whilst we did the gull watch and Pod renamed the hide AL`S BAR! On the 9th we met up and were having a few beers when the heavens opened and it poured down.The rain was rattling off the hide when Pod shouted out “WHITE WINGED BLACK TERN” I got on the bird as it flew low over the water and then gained height and flew over towards Marbury mere.Myself and Pod couldn’t believe it we danced around the hide shouting and screaming.WHAT A BIRD! This was a MEGA for the patch and a total blocker we were both so made up.
The rest of the month was very quiet a Ruff was seen on the 25th and then on the 31st I added Mandarin duck found by Mark taylor on the mere and I found a Barnacle goose on Neumann’s flash with Malc.
144 Species recorded
September
I met up with Gregsey on the 16th and a good views of flyover Tree pipit calling on Carey park mound and a Little stint showed well on Neumann’s flash.
On the 17th I was walking back to my car when I found a Whinchat on Ashton`s flash. This bird was well twitched by the patch lads and it was Gregsey`s 150 bird for the patch race! GUTTED!
147 Species recorded
October
I had to wait the whole month for a new bird which eventually arrived on the 31st a Short eared owl,which showed really well
148 Species recorded
November
The last bird of the year came on the 17th when a Goosander was seen on the mere.
149 Species recorded
After a gruelling year on the patch I came third in the race with 149 species,Pod saw 150 and Gregsey saw 151.I will never forget doing this race as it was fun and very competitive and I made some great new friends and found some good birds.Would I do it again!CAUSE I WOULD!
