In fact, given the restrictions on what the Government describe as "all but essential travel", it is the only solution available to me if I want to have any experience of wildlife and the outdoor environment.
So, what is patch birding?
Patch birding is a term used to describe a local area (a patch) that a birder visits regularly (often daily) and gets to know very well. It is well described in this article by the self-styled "Urban Birder", David Lindo, who I have seen many times at the annual Birdfair at Rutland Water.
My earliest memory of a local patch was when I was young and still at school and therefore long before I learnt to drive and acquire a car. My method of travel in those days was shanks's pony and my local patch was Marsh Farm Country Park in South Woodham Ferrers, although back in the day it did not have this formal designation from Essex County Council.
Marsh Farm Country Park is a 300 acre area adjacent to the River Crouch in south Essex, offering scenic walks with fantastic views over the countryside and the river. Surrounded on 3 sides by the River Crouch, Clements Green Creek and Fenn Creek, it is recognised as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) because of its importance for over-wintering Dark bellied Brent Geese. It also provides an over-wintering site for many species of waders and ducks and several species breed here in the spring and summer. In fact, it is an excellent all year round site.
From memory, since I have lost all my records which were collated in to a school project, I think I managed to record around 120 species of birds on my first local patch.
💚🦆 🦉 🌼 🌳💚
Stay safe, stay well, stay strong, stay connected with nature
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