2023 Patch Review
I have enjoyed a productive birding year on my Woodstock patch comprising Blenheim and the areas immediately surrounding the north of the town. I've taken part in the Patchwork Challenge along with a number of fellow Oxon birders and that has helped focus the majority of my efforts on seeking out everything possible within my 3km square patch. It has all been on foot as it's all on my doorstep. At a conservative guess probably 250 hours worth of birding and probably a similar milage over the year. I've certainly exceeded my expectations and added a number of patch ticks throughout the year. My total for the year was 118 species. There are not many omissions this year that I expected. Tawny owl is a blinding miss given they are in Blenheim. I expected to hear them without much effort but alas distant, out the corner of my ear probables don't count. I think I managed to see most species reported at Blenheim over the year. Dave Doherty had a small flock crossbills fly over