BPOTY HAMPSHIRE 150 CHALLENGE
BPOTY - Raising money for Conservation
In conjunction with our friends at Bird Watching Magazine, the Bird Photographer of the Year team is undertaking a challenge to photograph 150 different bird species in the county of Hampshire during 2020. The 150 Hampshire Challenge team will consist of Bird Photographer of the Year directors, Paul Sterry, Andrew Cleave and Rob Read; plus BPOTY head judge Chris Packham, Young BPOTY competition ambassador Megan McCubbin and Hampshire Bird Recorder Keith Betton. Keith will also be responsible for adjudication and will have the final say on what is accepted.
Bird Watching Magazine will chart the progress of the challenge, reporting every month on what has been photographed, keeping a tally of the numbers and showcasing some of the best images taken in the magazine. This web page will showcase the images captured in the monthly galleries featured below.
Bird Watching Magazine will be donating £2,000 over the course of the year to the BPOTY conservation fund and we would like our community to get involved by sponsoring the effort. We would also encourage your suggestions on possible conservation projects to support with the money raised. Send us an email via the Contact Us page to put your suggestions forward. The BPOTY 150 team, in conjunction with Bird Watching Magazine editor Matt Merritt, will choose a suitable project or projects from your suggestions.
The Hampshire 150 Challenge Team
June 2020
The team managed steady progress throughout June adding Green Woodpecker, Common Tern, Sedge Warbler, Garden Warbler, Reed Warbler, Spotted Flycatcher and Tawny Owl among others. At the end of the month, the list total stood at 134, leaving 16 to reach the target.
May 2020
With the Covid-19 lockdown measures gradually starting to ease, the team were able to start travelling further afield in an attempt to track down some of the spring migrants that would now be busy breeding. Despite the difficulties of lockdown, the team managed to move the tally along to 123 species having added species such as Cuckoo, Nightjar, Redstart, Woodlark and Willow Warbler.
April 2020
With the Covid-19 lockdown in force the Hampshire 150 team have found it tough going to keep the list ticking along from just their gardens and local patches. Even given the difficulties, species such as Barn Owl and Swallow were added. The team hope that restrictions will soon be eased to allow them to continue the challenge with renewed vigour.
March 2020
March saw the arrival of some better weather enabling the Hants 150 team the opportunity to get out and track down a few more species for the list including Jack Snipe, Barnacle Goose, Treecreeper, Meadow Pipit, Black Swan, Goshawk, Spoonbill and Mediterranean Gull among others. The Coronavirus lock-down has put a temporary halt to the challenge beyond what the team can do in their own gardens. However, with the total now standing at 112 species we are confident that the target will be reached once the restrictions are relaxed later in the year. Best wishes to all of you in this time of national crisis. Please stay well.
February 2020
February was a challenging month for the team. The constant dull and wet weather did not provide the best photographic light and trips abroad meant that time was very limited during this period. Even so, the team added some more species including the likes of Goosander, Blackcap and Treecreeper and the year total is now approaching the 100 mark.
January 2020
January turned out to be a very productive month for the Hampshire 150 Challenge team. Despite the weather, we found enough sunny days to use the beautiful winter light to get some lovely photographs. The team photographed over 80 different species during the month ensuring a solid start to the challenge.
