Hundred up!

After beginning my 2022 12-mile challenge pretty nicely, things quietened down somewhat through February and early March and the total rather crawled towards 100. Bird number 100...my earliest ever Little Ringed Plover on 11/03, as yet again Grimsbury Res claimed Oxon's first LRP of the year!

Tree Sparrows continues to elude me, but did finally find a Willow Tit in one of it's final remaining bastions and Corn Buntings were a welcome addition, just inside the 12 mile circle.

Covid has now come knocking for me and my family unfortunately, so we're currently housebound, juggling a poorly 14-month old and work commitments - oh joy! Cannot wait to get out again very soon - a break is very much needed!

Northants Dartford

On Saturday 12/02, by way of a change, I ventured slightly further afield in the hope of connecting with my first Northants Dartford Warbler. Found on 02/02, it had been residing in a fairly non-descript rough field on the SW side of Northampton at Duston Mill - a great little find. There was no opportunity for me to get over and see it for a good while, however my luck was in, as it continued to stick around in the loose company of a pair of Stonechat. 

It was a breezy afternoon - not the most ideal Dartford Warbler conditions, however the Stonechats were visible straight away. Nice too to bump into birding mate Dylan and his other half. 

It took a good half an hour, until eventually the Dartford called and appeared at the left hand end of the nearby barbed wire fence.

It then went onto show really well over the next 15-20 minutes or so, frequently sat stationery tail-flicking on the fence. Had a good number of county tick over the last couple of years so nice to carry that into 2022!