Skye - Big Year WP Birders

I've been keenly following the exploits of three Swedish birders who, possibly for the first time ever, are going for a properly organised Western Palearctic Big Year. They began the year in Kuwait and have trotted across to Morocco, Spain, Portugal, Holland, Western Sahara, they even turned up here in Britain for a bit of impromptu twitching! Plus they've birded Sweden whilst back home between trips. They've just embarked on a long trip (over 100 days duration) scooping up what they can where they can. They can be followed on their page at Big Year WP 2017

So why am I blethering on about these lads on a 1000 in 1ksq blog? Well because their total for the W.Pal and my total for NG3963 are very similar. They're just about to hit a huge glut of returning summer migrants, I'm hoping for a modest glut of invert activity.  

As of today the Swedes are on 408 species of bird and I'm on 413 species of everything. 

Come 31st December who knows what the figures will say? Will they (or will I) burn out and chuck it all in before then? Will events dictate that we scrap our plans? Or will we both come home in a blaze of glory, new records having been set? Ha yeah, that'd be nice.

My latest pickings 

412 - Oregon-grape (plant)

413 - Cumminsiella mirabilissima Mahonia Rust (microfungus on the Oregon-grape)
414 - Common Quaker (moth) 

I've accidentally counted something I haven't seen yet so my revised total is 413 species.