The Local Patch
Quite simply, this is a 5-mile radius from home and encompasses all the places I naturally visit regularly during the course of the year. The idea came into being following successive 'National Lockdowns' in relation to the Covid-19 pandemic of March 2020 onwards. Five miles from home, while correlating very well with the Government restrictions on movement at the time of the pandemic, also happened to encircle my own natural, local movement. I have been tempted at times to extend the radius to 10km or 6.2 miles but areas that I really never visit then become included and it didn't feel quite as reflective of my own local patch. Of course, over the last few years, this has meant foregoing a few decent species from the list!
Of course, included in this radius are my other 'sub-patches' such as Stanborough and Tyttenhanger Gravel Pits, and my garden. These all feed into my '5-mile list' and receive varying degrees of attention as my fancy takes. My annual target is to record (see or hear) 150 different species of bird and, to date, I first achieved this in 2023. As with all annual lists, they accelerate early in the year only to hit the doldrums in June as bird passage slows and hopes are pinned on autumn migration and winter visitors. While I intend to document my local discoveries on other pages - notably The Blog and Stanborough GPs - I have reserved this page to list the birds I see.
Of course, included in this radius are my other 'sub-patches' such as Stanborough and Tyttenhanger Gravel Pits, and my garden. These all feed into my '5-mile list' and receive varying degrees of attention as my fancy takes. My annual target is to record (see or hear) 150 different species of bird and, to date, I first achieved this in 2023. As with all annual lists, they accelerate early in the year only to hit the doldrums in June as bird passage slows and hopes are pinned on autumn migration and winter visitors. While I intend to document my local discoveries on other pages - notably The Blog and Stanborough GPs - I have reserved this page to list the birds I see.
The 5 miles from home list: 2025
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1. Robin 1st Jan Garden
2. Coot 1st Jan Tyttenhanger GPs 3. Jackdaw 1st Jan Tyttenhanger GPs 4. Redwing 1st Jan Tyttenhanger GPs 5. Blackbird 1st Jan Tyttenhanger GPs 6. Woodpigeon 1st Jan Tyttenhanger GPs 7. Carrion Crow 1st Jan Tyttenhanger GPs 8. Magpie 1st Jan Tyttenhanger GPs 9. Red Kite 1st Jan Tyttenhanger GPs 10. Herring Gull 1st Jan Tyttenhanger GPs 11. Dunnock 1st Jan Tyttenhanger GPs 12. Gadwall 1st Jan Tyttenhanger GPs 13. Common Gull 1st Jan Tyttenhanger GPs 14. Black-headed Gull 1st Jan Tyttenhanger GPs 15. Blue Tit 1st Jan Tyttenhanger GPs 16. Wren 1st Jan Tyttenhanger GPs 17. Shoveler 1st Jan Tyttenhanger GPs 18. Mute Swan 1st Jan Tyttenhanger GPs 19. Tufted Duck 1st Jan Tyttenhanger GPs 20. Cormorant 1st Jan Tyttenhanger GPs 21. Mallard 1st Jan Tyttenhanger GPs 22. Teal 1st Jan Tyttenhanger GPs 23. Yellow-legged Gull 1st Jan Tyttenhanger GPs 24. Great White Egret 1st Jan Tyttenhanger GPs 25. Moorhen 1st Jan Tyttenhanger GPs 26. Grey Heron 1st Jan Tyttenhanger GPs 27. Lesser Black-backed Gull 1st Jan Tyttenhanger GPs 28. Long-tailed Tit 1st Jan Tyttenhanger GPs 29. Song Thrush 1st Jan Tyttenhanger GPs 30. Great Tit 1st Jan Tyttenhanger GPs 31. Chaffinch 1st Jan Tyttenhanger GPs 32. Pochard 1st Jan Tyttenhanger GPs 33. Great Crested Grebe 1st Jan Tyttenhanger GPs 34. Goldfinch 1st Jan Tyttenhanger GPs 35. Chiffchaff 1st Jan Tyttenhanger GPs 36. Little Egret 1st Jan Tyttenhanger GPs 37. Reed Bunting 1st Jan Tyttenhanger GPs 38. Feral Pigeon 1st Jan Tyttenhanger GPs 39. Water Rail 1st Jan Tyttenhanger GPs 40. Canada Goose 1st Jan Tyttenhanger GPs 41. Goldcrest 1st Jan Tyttenhanger GPs 42. Jay 1st Jan Tyttenhanger GPs 43. Snipe 1st Jan Coursers GPs 44. Pied Wagtail 1st Jan Coursers GPs 45. Starling 1st Jan Colney Heath 46. Kestrel 1st Jan Stanborough GPs 47. Green Sandpiper 1st Jan Stanborough GPs 48. Wigeon 1st Jan Stanborough GPs 49. Pheasant 1st Jan Stanborough GPs 50. Meadow Pipit 1st Jan Stanborough GPs 51. Linnet 1st Jan Stanborough GPs 52. Skylark 1st Jan Stanborough GPs 53. Stonechat 1st Jan Stanborough GPs 54. Golden Plover 1st Jan Stanborough GPs 55. Rook 1st Jan Stanborough GPs 56. Buzzard 1st Jan Stanborough GPs 57. Coal Tit 1st Jan Stanborough GPs 58. Treecreeper 1st Jan Stanborough GPs 59. Nuthatch 1st Jan Stanborough GPs 60. Fieldfare 1st Jan Stanborough GPs 61. Lapwing 1st Jan Stanborough GPs 62. Little Grebe 1st Jan Stanborough GPs 63. Grey Wagtail 1st Jan Stanborough GPs 65. Redpoll 1st Jan Stanborough GPs 66. Collared Dove 1st Jan St Albans 67. Siskin 1st Jan Frogmore Lakes, Park Street 68. House Sparrow 1st Jan Redwell Wood Farm 69. Yellowhammer 1st Jan Redwell Wood Farm 70. Peregrine Falcon 1st Jan St Albans Abbey 71. Greylag Goose 1st Jan Verulamium Park 72. Egyptian Goose 1st Jan Verulamium Park 73. Kingfisher 1st Jan Verulamium Park 74. Mistle Thrush 1st Jan Verulamium Park 75. Ring-necked Parakeet 1st Jan Verulamium Park 76. Marsh Harrier 2nd Jan Coursers GPs 77. Great Spotted Woodpecker 2nd Jan Coursers GPs 78. Black Redstart 12th Jan St Albans Abbey 79. YELLOW-BROWED WARBLER 12th Jan Verulamium Park 80. Sparrowhawk 12th Jan Verulamium Park 81. Jack Snipe 12th Jan Stanborough GPs 82. Firecrest 12th Jan Garden Wood 83. Greenfinch 12th Jan Tyttenhanger GPs 84. Raven 13th Jan Stanborough GPs 85. Woodcock 14th Jan Knight's Wood 86. Green Woodpecker 14th Jan Knight's Wood 87. Red-legged Partridge 14th Jan Highfield Farm 88. Mandarin 15th Jan Otterspool, 89. Barn Owl 16th Jan Redbournbury 90. Cetti's Warbler 16th Jan Redbournbury 91. Short-eared Owl 16th Jan Stanborough GPs 92. Caspian Gull 18th Jan Coursers GPs 93. Little Owl 18th Jan Willows Farm 94. Great Black-backed Gull 19th Jan Coopers Green GPs 95. Hawfinch 20th Jan Garden Wood 96. Mediterranean Gull 21st Jan Verulamium Park 97. Bullfinch 21st Jan Watercress NR 98. Blackcap 21st Jan Shafford Farm 99. Tawny Owl 21st Jan Symondshyde Wood 100. Pintail 23rd Jan Coursers GPs 101. Shelduck 2nd Feb Coursers GPs 102. Grey Partridge 9th Feb Stanborough GPs 103. Oystercatcher 18th Feb Tyttenhanger GPs 104. Redshank 11th Mar Stanborough GPs 105. Little Ringed Plover 14th Mar Stanborough GPs 106. Rock Pipit 16th Mar Stanborough GPs 107. Black-necked Grebe 19th Mar Stanborough GPs 108. Dunlin 19th Mar Stanborough GPs 109. Sand Martin 21st Mar Stanborough GPs 110. Swallow 21st Mar Stanborough GPs 111. Wheatear 21st Mar Nashe's Farm 112. Yellow Wagtail 27th Mar Stanborough GPs 113. House Martin 6th April Stanborough GPs 114. GOSHAWK 8th April Nashe's Farm 115. Whitethroat 11th Apr Stanborough GPs 116. Garganey 12th Apr Stanborough GPs 117. Reed Warbler 12th Apr Tyttenhanger GPs 118. Willow Warbler 12th Apr Ellenbrook Fields 119. PURPLE HERON 13th Apr Stanborough GPs 120. Grasshopper Warbler 14th Apr Redbournbury 121. Lesser Whitethroat 16th Apr Stanborough GPs 122. Sedge Warbler 18th Apr Redbournbury 123. Greenshank 19th Apr Tyttenhanger GPs 124. Hobby 19th Apr Stanborough GPs 125. Common Tern 19th Apr Stanborough GPs 126. Whimbrel 21st Apr Redbournbury 127. Corn Bunting 21st Apr Redbournbury 128. Common Sandpiper 21st Apr Stanborough GPs 129. Garden Warbler 22nd Apr Potwells 130. Whinchat 25th Apr Nashe's Farm 131. Swift 26th Apr Stanborough GPs 132. Cuckoo 30th Apr Gorhambury Pools 133. Ringed Plover 11th May Coursers GPs 134. Spotted Flycatcher 17th May Symondshyde Wood 135. Avocet 18th May Coursers GPs 136. Crossbill 6th Jul Stanborough GPs 137. Wood Sandpiper 8th Jul Stanborough GPs 138. Redstart 25th Jul Redwell Wood Farm 139. Black-tailed Godwit 26th Jul Coursers GPs 140. Barnacle Goose 7th Aug Stanborough GPs 141. Ruff 8th Aug Coursers GPs 142. Tree Pipit 17th Aug Potwells 143. WOOD WARBLER 22nd Aug Garden 144. Sanderling 7th Sep Coursers GPs 145. Little Stint 7th Sep Stanborough GPs 146. WOODLARK 14th Sep Potwells 147. DARTFORD WARBLER 14th Sep Stanborough GPs 148. Goosander 25th Sep Garden 149. Ring Ouzel 12th Oct Potwells 150. Brambling 12th Oct Potwells 151. Hen Harrier 12th Oct Stanborough GPs 152. Merlin 13th Oct Stanborough GPs 153. Whooper Swan 25th Oct Tyttenhanger GPs 154. Cattle Egret 25th Oct Tyttenhanger GPs 155. LAPLAND BUNTING 4th Nov Stanborough GPs |
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