The 2021 12-mile challenge - how did it go?

My birding focus for 2021 has been a realistic one with the arrival of my awesome son in January. Inevitably, it has been about staying close to home, largely focusing on a handful of sites within 12 miles of Brackley.

For the most part, my 2021 birding has been a case of begging, stealing or borrowing the odd hour or two here and there. However, I've really enjoyed getting to know and understand a few more sites a lot better than I did before. In previous years, I've overlooked sites such as Hinton Airfield and the Lower Cherwell valley, however this year I've found that at the right time of year or in the right conditions, both can produce some great birds.

 

I set myself what I thought was a realistic but potentially tough target of 130 species for the year which as it turned out, was a solid benchmark. I finally reached 130 in mid-November and in fact went on to add several last minute additions, to sneak onto 137.

Highlights have included a possible Baltic Gull, Pale-Bellied Brent Goose, Bar-Tailed Godwit, Cattle Egret, Hawfinch, Merlin, Common Scoter, Wood Sandpiper, Garganey, Corn Bunting, multiple Caspian Gulls, Black and Arctic Terns, Rock Pipit, Gropper, Crossbill, Med Gull and Little Owl to name but a few!

I'm encouraged to see many others adopting a similar birding focus for 2022, spurred on by Birdwatch magazine's #LocalBigYear. I've found it to be a really enjoyable way to go, reducing travel distances and unearthing potentially new sites. There's also nothing more rewarding than finding good birds on your doorstep and so I'll definitely be going again for 2022 - the question is, can I crack 140!?