Battle of the Blogs - Naturalist Blonde vs Naturebites

What do you do when a school friend (and birder) moves to Wales, sets up blog (see here) and a kick-ass nature tours company? Personally, I get competitive. So its a birding blog off, battle of the year lists. Nat vs Kat. Winner gets... to brag, I suppose. I'll sort out a running list somewhere...

Day 1 - Clumber Park with Kathy

I went for hawfinch, what I got was people... lots of people.

For those who haven't been, its a nice mix of deciduous and coniferous woodland and a large lake with an area wetlands. The amount of people and level of gossiping between myself and Kathy resulted in only 33 species, but included nice views of around 12 nuthatch, a very friendly jay and some cracking mandarin ducks.

The female was super aggressive, taking on absolutely everything that moved.

Day 2 - Back Garden

A blackcap joined the usual mix of garden birds in the garden, the first one I've seen there. 

End of day total, 35

Day 3 - Farr Ings

A good start with a flock of 30 waxwings on the road to the reserve and a marsh harrier quartering over the marsh as we pulled in. A reed bunting and willow tit haunted the feeders along with the finches and tits. LLT's, gold crest and a few more willow tits flitted around the entrance to the Pursuit hide and the lakes provided a nice mix of ducks and geese.

I'd have loved to get a nice picture of the willow tits, but the scenery was having none of it.

Current total - 53

Camera shy

Annoyingly so.