Monday 31 December 2012

2012 Final Scores

Thought we should have a final scoreboard for 2012 to keep as a reminder of a great year of patch competition!

Final scores thusly....

Galley Head - 107.45%
Girdleness - 107.40%
Folkestone - 106.60%
Wanstead - 105.61%
Cotehill - 102.58%
South Don - 99.48%
Blackdog - 99.21%
Boghall - 98.66%
Collieston - 97.97%
Newbiggin - 96.53%
Old Portlethen - 83.58%
North Don - 0%

105.61% and out of the medals????!

I have to say I'm bitter, very bitter indeed. I've matched my highest ever patch score, had five patch ticks, and come fourth! FFS! Next year I'm quitting work and living on Wanstead Flats. Pffffff.
Just kidding, I have to work, which is by far the biggest obstacle to patching - very sad, but a sign of the times - I suppose I should be grateful. Enjoyed it though lads, and Mrs Nimmo is pretty relieved that the space on the mantlepiece that I had been reserving will now not be seeing an ornamental duck sp. Roll on 2013, and I hope you all get completely sozzled tonight and don't wake up til gone 11. Me, I'll just be having a mineral water, and I'll be birding from midnight.....

Saturday 29 December 2012

two days to go!

There's just two days to go in the 2012 Patch Challenge, and its still very close at the top! Although several of the top 5 are actually off patch till 1st Jan so things ain't very likely to change much between now & the year end! Unless a feckin coot finally decides to grace the lake with its presence tomorrow morning! You'll be the first to know!

Wednesday 12 December 2012

The times they are a changing...

Look at this lovely pool, prime patch habitat

It's had a few good patch birds on it including a fine selection of waders including wood and green sandpipers, black-tailed godwits, ruff and dunlin.  It's also where we caught the scaup this spring and is an all round good patch pool


Unfortunately not for much longer



A lovely trailer full of drainage pipes!

Bugger

not so Happy Days

Bushveld

Tuesday 11 December 2012

just off patch

Haven't done a "just off patch" for ages but since I got a half-decent shot of one of these fellas I thought I'd bore you all with it! Sadly, it was 6 miles off patch, tho I did find one in Ross (only 4 miles off).