Champions of the Driveway

In support of the fantastic Champions of the Flyway competition which has sadly been cancelled this year (as with everything else), I tried to record as many birds as I could today during my exercise walk and from the garden. This is a competition I'd love to take part in some day.
My walk this morning took me underneath the bypass along the Ivanhoe Way and out into the farmland beyond it. It was a beautiful morning - warm and very still - which was great for listening for birds singing. Drumming woodpeckers, singing Chiffchaffs and my first Blackcap of the year made for a fantastic spring soundscape.
This is as close as it gets to a wetland habitat near to my house - this pool had Moorhen and Mallard
In total, I recorded 39 species on my walk. Which I am really pleased with, especially considering the complete lack of water (aside from a few algae covered ponds) anywhere near me. The main highlights were a huge number of Yellowhammer, a Mistle Thrush, Stock Dove, Raven and Lapwing.
The farmland here is fantastic, and struggling species like Yellowhammer seem to be thriving - there are so many scrubby margins and areas left to nature. It's so nice to see an area being farmed in a way that's so friendly to wildlife.
I will certainly be walking out here more as spring migration gets underway - Wheatear and Ring Ouzel are two very remote possibilities that I'll be looking out for in the paddocks and scrubby farmland. Quail were even allegedly present here in the distant past!

The rest of the day didn't produce much more to add to the COTD list. In total, I added 4 more species including a new one for the Lockdown List - Canada Goose.
This left the day on a very respectable 43 birds. Far exceeding my expectation for a single habitat so close to home:

Final Champions of the Driveway List:
1.     Mallard
2.     Pheasant
3.     Grey Heron
4.     Sparrowhawk
5.     Buzzard
6.     Kestrel
7.     Moorhen
8.     Lapwing
9.     Stock Dove
10.  Woodpigeon
11.  Collared Dove
12.  Great Spotted Woodpecker
13.  Magpie
14.  Jackdaw
15.  Rook
16.  Carrion Crow
17.  Raven
18.  Goldcrest
19.  Blue Tit
20.  Great Tit
21.  Coal Tit
22.  Skylark
23.  Long-tailed Tit
24.  Chiffchaff
25.  Blackcap
26.  Nuthatch
27.  Wren
28.  Starling
29.  Blackbird
30.  Song Thrush
31.  Mistle Thrush
32.  Robin
33.  Dunnock
34.  House Sparrow
35.  Meadow Pipit
36.  Chaffinch
37.  Greenfinch
38.  Goldfinch
39.  Linnet
40.  Bullfinch
41.  Yellowhammer

42.  Reed Bunting

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