In 2018 I took part in Birdwatching Magazine's #My200BirdYear challenge and spotted 78 different species of birds in the wild. In 2019, I saw and photographed 97 birds, and counting birds that I saw but didn't manage to photograph, my total was 102.

For 2020, I started quite well, as a Blackcap was a surprise visitor to the garden alongside the usual bluetits, blackbirds, etc (Blackcaps are more often found in woodland near water sources, but they were tempted into gardens by an abundance of berries). Trips around the Wirral also yielded good results, including pied wagtails, black tailed godwits, and little grebes.

The coronavirus pandemic, and the lockdowns of various kinds that started in March, affected my plans to find more than 100 birds, as I wasn't able to travel to reserves such as RSPB Conway, or Titchfield Haven. However, it did cause me to look more closely for different bird species in my local area. I managed to find and photograph 83 birds in the year, including a wood sandpiper and a goldcrest that I had never seen in real life before.

Here are some of the highlights of my bird year 2020.

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