3 new Caspian Gulls at Leadenham Tip today, a 1s and two nice adults. At least 14 different birds over the last week and a half. Also 5 YlG today inc a ringed 1s. @lincsbirding.bsky.social

More gulls moving through Leadenham Tip, with at least 5 Casps (juv, 3 1s and a 3s), plenty of YLG, and the below oddity. Some suggestions include a YLG with very low hormonal level, or a hybrid, but whatever it was, it's a scary looking thing. @lincsbirding.bsky.social

5 Casps (4 juv and 1s), 6 YLG and 8+ intermedius LBBGs at Leadenham Top this morning, though all frequently flushing so an undercount - a selection below. @lincsbirding.bsky.social

Up to 7 Casps this morning at Leadenham Tip (4 juv, 1s, 2s, 3s), with about 5 YLG and a Tree Pipit over. @lincsbirding.bsky.social

5 Caspian Gulls (3 juv, 1s and 3s), one juv being a really nice new pale bird, and at least 10 YLG at Leadenham Tip this afternoon. @lincsbirding.bsky.social

First visit to Leadenham Tip this year, and it's still ace... 3 pretty early juv Casps (5 total) and 6 YLG in the flock. @lincsbirding.bsky.social

A juv Black-necked Grebe on patch this afternoon is my sixth BNG this year in the area, not a bad showing. Also my first male Lesser Emperor but a bit distant. #PatchBirding @lincsbirding.bsky.social

We have just updated the blog with the May round-up of #PWC2026! You can find it here by clicking this link: patchworkchallenge.blogspot.com/2026/06/may-... Thanks to everyone who has inputted their scores/highlights and uploaded images using the hashtags to Twitter/Bluesky. Happy June birding!

May round-up 2026

Hello from the Patchwork Challenge team! We hope you enjoyed taking part in the past month of #PWC2026! If you have yet to sign up and are i...

patchworkchallenge.blogspot.com

The rain has done its job, and Branston Island looks good again... Excellent post-work visit produced 4 Arctic Tern E, Spoonbill, G Ibis, 11 Ringo and #PatchGold Mandarin nfy. 146/204. #PatchBirding @lincsbirding.bsky.social

5 months of patching Branston Island so far - not much water left now, but some great birds this year so far... Bonaparte's, GW Teal, Temminck's, Limosa Blackwits, 100s passage waders, Ibises, tonnes of Geese, BN Grebes - it's surpassed expectations. #PatchBirding @lincsbirding.bsky.social

4 Glossy Ibis, 4 Greenshank, 52 Ringed Plover and a Pintail on Branston Island this morning along with 6 Great Egrets, including 4 new breeding-plumaged birds which left E together. #PatchBirding @lincsbirding.bsky.social

My first #PWC2026 pts since 8 May despite some great birding recently, finding a new Glossy Ibis at Branston Island to join the 3 long-stayers. 145/203. Also 4 Greenshank new-in and 45+ Ringed Plover. Water levels just about hanging on in parts. #PatchBirding @lincsbirding.bsky.social

Ringed Whooper Swan, ABP, part of a group of 7 new in at dawn at Branston Island, left N by 0600. From quick search seems to be Welney hatched, maybe explaining the group's delay. Also 73 Ringo, Dunlin, Garganey, 3 Ibis and 2 Great, 25! Little Egret. #PatchBirding @lincsbirding.bsky.social

At least 126 Ringed Plovers across two quick visits to Branston Island today, probably loads moving through in between. Also Sanderling, 11 Dunlin, Black-necked Grebe, 2s Casp, 3 Ibis and Garganey - what a site! #PatchBirding @lincsbirding.bsky.social

Branston Island still looking great, with an incredible 64 Ringed Plovers this evening, alongside a Sanderling and 3 Dunlin. Also 3 Ibis and a Garganey still. #PatchBirding @lincsbirding.bsky.social

Some unexpected rain with SE winds dropped a fab Temminck's Stint onto Branston Island this morning, with a Sanderling also new for #PWC2026. 145 sp and 200 pts! Also 6 Wood Sand, 7 Whimbrel, Greenshank, RP, 2 Ruff, 5 LRP and 3 Ibis. #PatchBirding @lincsbirding.bsky.social

Spotted Redshank new for #PWC2026 this morning at Branston Island, with Garden Warbler also new in recent days. 143/193. Also 8! Wood Sandpipers amongst a great selection of waders, and 3 Ibis still. #PatchBirding @lincsbirding.bsky.social

Drake Garganey, Wood Sand, 6 Ruff, Dunlin, Greenshank, 3 Blackwit, 2 Redshank, LRP, 3 Glossy Ibis and Great Egret best at Branston Island this morning. #PWC2026 @lincsbirding.bsky.social

More fantastic passage at Branston Island today, with Grey Plover and Common Sand new for #PWC2026. 141/190. Totals: Grey Plover, 7 Wood Sand, 2 Barwit, 2 Blackwit, Whimbrel, 11 Ruff, Greenshank, 6 RP, 2 LRP, 3 Ibis, WF Goose. #PatchBirding @lincsbirding.bsky.social

1/2 Couple of distant videos of the Branston Island Bonaparte's Gull from Sunday... Initially took a while to convince myself it was the real deal when sat on the water, but size and other features very obvious on land. #PatchBirding @lincsbirding.bsky.social

More fantastic birding on patch, best being 5 Arctic Terns and 3 Wood Sands at Branston Island pre-work new for #PWC2026. 139/188. Also Cattle Egret, 3 G Ibis, WF Goose, Greenshank, Whimbrel and other bits, topped off by an Osprey N this eve. #PatchBirding @lincsbirding.bsky.social

Before the excitement of the Bony's, it was already a great visit to the patch, with 7 Whimbrel E, a Swift and a late Brambling new for #PWC2026. 137/184. #PatchBirding @lincsbirding.bsky.social

Few more record shots of the Bonaparte's Gull on Branston Island for about 90 mins this morning... I think the 6th for Lincs? A find tick for me and 12pts for #PWC2026. #PatchBirding @lincsbirding.bsky.social

Get in! Found a 2cy Bonaparte's Gull on patch at Branston Island this morning, still present now as I'm leaving. View only through bushes from the Witham cycle track. #PatchBirding @lincsbirding.bsky.social

Great afternoon on patch after getting back from Norway. Four new for #PWC2026, Barwit (2), Greenshank (2), Common Tern and a pair of Med Gulls. 133/165. Also on Branston Island, 2cy Casp, 3 Glossy Ibis, Whitefront and just 3 Blackwits. #PatchBirding @lincsbirding.bsky.social

Short video of the ringed Continental Black-tailed Godwit from the patch at Branston Island last week whilst I'm away with work... #patchbirding @lincsbirding.bsky.social

Cuckoo and Grasshopper new for #PWC2026 this morning. 128/160. Ringed limosa Blackwit still with 60 islandica, plus 3 Ibis, Whitefront, intermedius LBBG on Branston Island. #PatchBirding @lincsbirding.bsky.social

Thought I was watching the same Continental Black-tailed Godwit at Branston Island until it showed it's legs...a new bird, seems to be from the Ouse Washes. 2nd this spring, and shows they get with inland Icelandic flocks more regularly than thought? #PatchBirding @lincsbirding.bsky.social

Cracking Spoonbill west at Branston Island this eve, new for #PWC2026. 125/156 Continental Black-tailed Godwit, 3 Glossy Ibis and LRP still. #PatchBirding @lincsbirding.bsky.social

LRP and House Martin new for #PWC2026 this aft. 124/154. Also Limosa Blackwit and 3 Glossy Ibis still Branston Island. Pair of Garganey and Black-necked Grebe both with brief stays on patch in the last week. #PatchBirding @lincsbirding.bsky.social