Patch Summary for 2024
When all things are considered, 2024 was a good year for birding on our New Forest Patch. Despite a few disappointing omissions, our species list reached 102 by the end of December, equaling our previous record from 2022 and comfortably exceeding the 97 seen in 2023. Six new patch ‘lifers’ have brought the total count to 118 – as always, all lists are recorded on our eBird ‘hotspot’ , which now includes 4 full years of data; a map of the patch route is available here , for those who are unfamiliar with the area. Setley pond – usually a source of more hope than expectation – managed to exceed our wildest dreams in 2024, producing three of our six ‘lifers’: a group of three Cattle Egrets overhead in June, a single drake Wigeon in November and a pair of male Shoveler in December. A Moorhen lingered for most of the summer and was joined, briefly by a Coot in April. Mallards produced two broods of ducklings and Canada Geese were a regular presence during the Spring. Greylag a...