Patch Work Challenge 2014 'Willington'

Patch Work Challenge 2014

In addition to doing the Foot It 2014 challenge I will also be taking part in the 2014 PatchWork Challenge.  The two areas are slightly different as the PWC doesn't restrict me to going from home by foot so I will be using the gravel pits at Willington.

 

The rules are for the Patchwork site to be no more than 3km²  and the 'patch' of Willington works out as being 2.98.  This area includes worked and former gravel pits and comprises areas of open water with associated reedbeds, scrubby woodland, grassland,  a short section of the Trent and Mersey Canal and the River Trent. 

 

The site is fairly well watched although due to recent management on the reserve and areas outside the site as well as an inability to control the water level in the pits birding is a little hit and miss (more miss in recent times).  That said it is only about 15 minutes from home and makes for a pleasant walk with a little bit of variety on offer as well as occasionally turning up a few nice birds (Pectoral Sandpiper, Red-footed Falcon and Whiskered Tern to name a few).  Lets hope these and many more turn up in 2014.

 

The challenge is to see (and find!) as many birds as possible over the course of the year with each species being scored based on its rarity value.  Double points if you find the rarer species (See blog link for all the rules and more information).

 

This is my first year of doing the Patchwork so I have no scores from 2013 against which to compare the success or otherwise of 2014 but I have downloaded the spreadsheet and am very much looking forward to local patch birding with a little bit of competition too.

2014 - Willington Patch Work Patch

The rules are for an area of no more than 3km²  and the area of Willington I have chosen is 2.98. The site is made up of former and worked gravel pits with areas of open water and reedbed some scrubby woodland and grassland areas.  The site has picked up some nice birds over the last few years including Pectoral Sandpiper, Whiskered Terns and Red-footed Falcon (all of which I was lucky enough to see).  Usual range of mixed habitat inland bird species