Under 25 Minileague - August 2016

The Under 25 minileague continues to entertain. This month Amy continues her lead at the top of the comparative minileague as she adds 11% in August to go to 130%. Her best bits in August are Honey Buzzard, Pied Flycatcher and Spotted Redshank. In second position is Ash Baines who moves up from third having gained 12% in August and breaking 100%. His additions include 4 patch ticks - Little Stint, Ruff, Black Guillemot and Marsh Harrier. Rhys Chivers has no additions this month and slips to third place.

Whinchat - Jack Bradbury

And still we await an update from Tim Jones (no doubt one will be coming after September) and although he remains in first place his points total is being hunted down by Amy with aplomb. Joe Stockwell continues in third position although the gap this month has been extended to three points by Amy - it is going to be close between these two rivals. Joe has been experimenting with nocturnal migrant recording and he managed to hear and record an overflying Ortolan which is quite the garden tick!

Elsewhere there were two records of Honey Buzzard for James McCulloch as he claimed the only other set of bonus points at Hedgecourt NR and Domewood in Surrey. Jonathan Farooqi added high counts of Curlew Sandpiper and Little Stint in Druridge Bay and it was a similar story for Erik Ansell plus the bonus of a Long-tailed Duck at Rutland. Jack Dawson connected with the White-rumped Sandpiper at Frampton for a handy three points and Luke Nash made similar progress thanks to a Cattle Egret at Cley. Will Scott had seawatching success at Humanby adding Sooty Shearwater and Great Skua whilst Elliot Montieth added his final regular tern to the yearlist as Black Tern fell to his tick cannon. Max Hellicar saw the Rainham Temminck's Stint for 3 handy points and the first mid-Gipping Valley Little Stint in 40 years was seen by Ben Moyes. Edward Betteridge also joined in on the Little Stint and Curlew Sandpiper fest whilst Jack Bradbury added Red Kite at Warwick Racecourse.

A quick congratulations to George Dunbar who won the Spurn young birder competition and also to Jack Bradbury who was one of the runners up, Great skills guys.