Back Garden Bird Race Sunday 23 August 10-11

LewesWildlife
, 20 August 2020
Back Garden Bird Race Sunday 23 August 10-11

Welcome back Bird Racers! 

Throughout the darker days of the Covid-19 pandemic our weekly Bird Race event gave a lot of people a reason to step out into the garden or stare out of their window and get away from the bleak news.

We asked people to note down every species of bird seen or heard from their garden or window between 10-11 on a Sunday. For many it provided a vital distraction during these challenging times and became the only fixture in a week where the days started to merge into one. It also gave us all the chance to enjoy our local wildlife, learn some bird i.d. and take part in a group activity while locked down in our homes.

We're heading towards September now and many birds have already left the UK heading south.  Other migrants are stocking up and getting ready for the big push over The Channel. Meanwhile other birds such as Jays and Nuthatches which have been breeding in the woodlands are venturing back out to the bird tables.

We'll be running the monthly Bird Race again this Sunday (23 August) - same time (10-11) and same rules apply (see our Bird Race page here)

Everybody is welcome to take part - whether veteran Bird Racers or first timers. I'll dust off my Back Garden Bird Race t-shirt and will be racing live, as usual, on our Sussex Wildlife Trust Nature Table Facebook page.

You can join us there or leave your bird lists in the comments section below this blog (before 1pm please). I'll write a new blog post with the results and post it on Sunday afternoon (in the 'News' section of the SWT homepage)

Leave a comment

Comments

  • Graham Weekes:

    1. Blue tit
    2. Great tit
    3. Coal tit
    4. Goldfinch
    5. Carrion crow
    6. Robin
    7. Greylag goose
    8. Wood pigeon
    9. Magpie

    Quiet morning, few birds out and about. Problems with the app today as well, couldn’t get it to function properly.

    23 Aug 2020 10:01:00

  • Nigel Kemp:

    13 species at Heathfield. With nesting over, Swifts gone and no surprise flyovers, it was an unsurprisingly quiet hour.
    Goldfinch, Wood Pigeon, Buzzard, Starling, Collared Dove, Jackdaw, House Sparrow, Blue Tit, Blackbird, Magpie, Robin, Carrion Crow, Herring Gull.

    23 Aug 2020 10:09:00

  • Bob Eade:

    Good not to see a Magpie!! If only it was like that in the main bird nesting season.
    Only managed around 30 minutes but a Raven honking over inspired me to get going with a Linnet another new bird for the list here.
    Only managed 11 in total with other common non shows such as Robin, Blackbird and Starling.
    Birds seen or heard.
    Raven, Woodpigeon, Jackdaw, Herring Gull, Carrion Crow, Blue Tit, Buzzard, Linnet, Goldfinch, Kestrel, Stock Dove.

    23 Aug 2020 10:10:00

  • Anne Hart:

    Lower species count than usual, from my garden near Crowborough. Although there was a lot of activity, mainly due to large numbers of blue and great tits.

    Blue Tit
    Great Tit
    Chaffinch
    Robin
    Dunnock
    Wood Pigeon
    Stock Dove
    Great Spotted Woodpecker
    Carrion Crow
    Magpie
    Nuthatch
    Buzzard
    Blackbird
    13 species
    Many thanks, Michael

    23 Aug 2020 10:25:00

  • Simon Linington:

    Hi Michael,

    Here we are again! 21 species (one heard only) were recorded from my Barcombe garden between 10:00-11:00 in breezy, mainly bright, conditions though with dark cloud at times:

    Rook
    Woodpigeon
    Goldfinch
    Blackcap
    Blue Tit
    Blackbird (heard only)
    Great Tit
    Starling (about 25)
    Herring Gull
    Jackdaw
    House Martin
    Collared Dove
    Swift (4)
    Magpie
    Swallow
    Greenfinch
    Buzzard (3)
    Crow
    Robin
    Dunnock (3)
    Linnet (5+)

    Also a Painted Lady butterfly that basked on my lawn for a minute or two before resuming its journey. Regards, Simon

    23 Aug 2020 10:38:00

  • Owen Hydes:

    Grey and overcast in Manning Heath so disappointing count of 14 species. List: wood pigeon, buzzard, carrion crow, magpie, blackbird, robin, goldfinch, blue tit, great tit, wren, swallow and heard but not seen dunnock, jackdaw and nuthatch. Do we get bonus points for spotting the orange bird and the union jack bird going to Gatwick Airport? Many thanks for organising the count.

    23 Aug 2020 10:42:00

  • Liz C:

    11 today, the highlight was seeing 9 Long-tailed tits on the bird feeder, I haven’t seen any since May. Blue Tit, Carrion Crow, Dunnock, Goldfinch, Great Tit, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Long-tailed Tit, Magpie, Robin, Woodpigeon.

    23 Aug 2020 10:51:00

  • Robin Harris:

    A lovely warm and mostly sunny morning in Mountfield failed to attract a large cast – only 11 species, in fact. In order of appearance, these were Blue Tit, Wood Pigeon, Jackdaw, Blackbird (hd), Goldfinch, House Sparrow, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Great Spotted Woodpecker (hd), Buzzard (hd) and Robin (hd).

    23 Aug 2020 11:30:00

  • Colin and Janet Holter:

    Hard work from our blustery and slightly chilly Steyning garden this morning. No sign of any Dunnocks, Blackbirds etc;
    1.House Sparrow
    2.Goldfinch
    3.Wood Pigeon
    4.Magpie
    5.Blue Tit
    6.Carrion Crow
    7.Great Tit
    8.Herring Gull
    9.Jackdaw
    10.Swallow – just 1.
    11.Collared Dove
    12.Stock Dove
    13.Buzzard
    14.Green Woodpecker (heard)
    15.Robin (heard)
    16.Wren (heard)
    17.Long-tailed Tit(heard)

    23 Aug 2020 11:52:00

  • Bob Greenhalf:

    Great to have a whole hour just sitting in the garden, serenaded by Robins! 27 species;
    Rook, Robin, Blackbird, Jackdaw, Woodpigeon, Swallow, Sand Martin, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Green Woodpecker, Wren, Stock Dove, Starling, Nuthatch, House Martin, Magpie, Blue Tit, House Sparrow, Herring Gull, Great Tit, Chaffinch, Blackcap, Heron, Kestrel, Long tailed Tit, Chiffchaff, Black headed Gull.

    23 Aug 2020 12:00:00

  • Clare:

    from (my Mum’s garden Surrey) 11 f pigeon, w pigeon, crow, goldfinch (2juvenile), blue tit, great tit, green parakeet, robin, nuthatch, dunnock and noisy magpie

    23 Aug 2020 12:26:00

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