One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

26 Goodgymers helped their local community in Derby
Hannah Bolton
Pete Emery
Tessa
Hannah McCormack
Becky
Sam Chapman
Michelle Burke
Jess Smith
Sally
Jacqui
Tara Isherwood
Manjit Birk
Elliott Lack
Suzanne Vost
Gwyn Williams
Naomi Hope
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Derby

Sunday 30th January 2022

Credits
Gwyn Williams
Gwyn Williams

PHOTOGRAPHER

Derby runner

SESSION ORGANISER

Naomi Hope
Naomi Hope

PHOTOGRAPHER

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Report written by Derby runner

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A feather in the cap for all the eagle-eyed observers who took part in this community mission, logging their observations for the RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch. As well as a wide geographical wingspan (eleven different GoodGym regions including herring gull, oops, sorry, Haringey), we covered a broad age range; first in the pecking order was Suzanne’s newly-hatched 18-month-old daughter who helped her out on the mission. Hannah’s children also helped her to take part.

The birds were tweeted to a feast of delights including sunflower seeds, sunflower hearts, nyjer seeds, suet, unsuspecting worms nestling by the compost bin, and buggy nibbles (no Veganuary in birdland). Tessa’s home-made apple bird-feeder was commandeered by an acrobatic squirrel.

Some of the more exotic birds on our lists included a great spotted woodpecker in Georgeta’s garden, a female blackcap in Sheila’s, a red kite in Jen’s and a buzzard in Ben’s. Jacqui and Sally travelled to Hampstead Heath for their session, where the parakeets were out in force! They ran beforehand and enjoyed drinks afterwards, though not a flight of sherry.

It was great to hear that so many of you were already keen birders. Interestingly, a few of us shared the frustrating experience that several of our “regulars” were mysteriously absent for the hour we were participating in the birdwatch, but here’s hoping that they will be back with us soon. (Shame there wasn’t some sort of get-out claws allowing them to be recorded.) Gwyn and I had just returned from volunteering at junior parkrun at an RSPB reserve before taking part in this community mission – perhaps we should have done our bird-spotting there, beakause there were few takers in his usually-popular garden.

Congratulations to Suzanne who was taking part in her very first GoodGym session today. Welcome to the flock.

If there are any stragglers who've not yet submitted photos, it's not too late for me to add them; just email them to tracey@traceycool.plus.com


This task supported
RSPB
Giving Nature a Home

Registered charity in England and Wales number 207076, and in Scotland number SC037654 Note, the address given here (because the GoodGym website requires it) is where the local branch's indoor meetings are held, and is unlikely to be the location for any task...

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Discuss this report
Birmingham runner

Sun 30th Jan 2022 at 7:17pm

Hi Tracey, sorry for the late response. I have a pic to add, but cannot see your email anymore as it just shows the draft report and not the initial details. Please can you repost so I can send? Many thanks :)

Tara Isherwood

Mon 31st Jan 2022 at 8:34pm

Great report, thank you for leading!

Join us on our next session

Derby

Derbyshire Cricket - Parkinson's Cricket
🗓Friday 10:30am

Support people living with Parkinson's through a new accessible cricket project

Gwyn Williams
2 GoodGymers are going - 3 spaces left! 👀