The big day: Garden lockdown bird race day

On Sunday 4th May, at 2.20 am as part of Team B, I rose at 2.20am and immediately heard a Tawny Owl hooting. First species of the day, next was a Pheasant and its loud single "cough" call rather resonant of the virus hit world we are in at the moment. I then went back to bed but rose at 6am to continue the count in earnest. By 6.49am I was already up to a respectable 24 species including a Grey Heron that flew north over the garden (good one to get as they are not seen regularly), a female Sparrowhawk seen from the front garden and the surprisingly late rising song of the Dunnock brought the tally up to 26 species at 7.19am. A very vocal Lesser black- backed gull mobbing an early flying Buzzard flying south brought the tally up to 30 by 8.25am. The view of a Chaffinch flying away and the beautiful song of a Sky Lark right over the garden further added to the tally, making 32 by 8.41am. A really good one to pit out was the 7 note whistle call of a Whimbrel flying over (yard only) at 33 at 8.52am with a long overdue House Martin fling over the house at 9.03am. A nice male Sparrowhawk flying south over the house viewed from the back garden was nice but failed to add to the tally. At 9.34am, a nice adult Stock Dove seen on the next door but ones house roof just west of us was notable but already counted for the day. A real bonus I heard the twitter of a Swallow fling over at 11.11am bringing the total up to 35. Last species to be added was the evening hunting flight of a male Kestrel at 7.48pm that has been a regular over the past few days. The total list included: Mallard, Grey Heron, Herring Gull, LBB gull, Whimbrel, Sparrowhawk, Buzzard, Kestrel, Wood Pigeon, Stock Dove, real Pigeon, Collared Dove, Tawny Owl, Magpie, Jay, Carrion Crow, Rook, Jackdaw, Sky Lark, Swallow, House Martin, Swift, Starling, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Wren, Linnet, Chiff- Chaff, Blackcap, Dunnock, Robin, Blue Tit, Great Tit. A total of 36 personally recorded, very enjoyable and I put a lot of effort into this (especially as I was still recovering from my newly discovered Tree Pollen allergy and I still had a blocked left ear) and a great collective tally of 131 of 61 species, we were second in the number of species recorded between the 4 of us. Great effort especially from Rob M (Bullfinch, Marsh Harrier, Common sandpiper) and also Gus H (great Black Red, Peregrine & Kittiwake recorded) and James W. (Pied Wag)