Ours is a small suburban garden in South Swinton with small trees, shrubs, lawn and a pond. Since 1980 I have recorded 86 species (plus a couple of other possibles). More recent flyover additions have been: Little Egret (2001), Raven and Whooper Swan (2017), Goosander and Ring-necked Parakeet (2019). I also ring birds in the garden and have caught over 7,000 birds of 39 species since 1980. This has helped add two rarities to the list which both turned up in a mist net: Firecrest in 2009 and Common Rosefinch in 1999. A Dutch-ringed Blackbird was caught in 2001.

Since lockdown, have recorded singing Blackcap and Chiffchaff for the past week and Woodpigeons are nesting in a small conifer. Bullfinches are daily visitors but Goldfinch have been much scarcer on the feeders since January and only one Lesser Redpoll seen. An interesting recapture since lockdown was a Blue Tit originally ringed in the garden in July 2011 and recaught several times since; the national longevity record is 9 years 8 months. Also, a Long-tailed Tit ringed in the garden in March 2013 and not recorded here since was recaptured at Hopwood Woods, Bury last week. This still has a little way to go to beat the national longevity record of 8 years 11 months.