Some people cant do the 1st or 2nd September so i suggest Bank Holiday Monday 27th AUGUST. The traffic shouldnt be too bad in Yorkshire and its not as if were driving the M6!! I hope this is ok for everyone
if not shout up!!

Oh no not another tournament what about one like they do at the birdfair where you have an hour to see as many species as possible, can you imagine the carnage??

Spurn's good for me. That weekend aint great though as I'm doing a seabird survey in Cornwall until the Saturday and I won't get back until Sunday afternoon. So it would either have to be the Monday or just kick me out of the plans if I'm messing things up.

How about Saturday 1st September? Would certainly be a lot less people about, and potentially a few more birdies?

i'm happy to go with what Ian says, Spurn first, then to Blacktoft for waders etc if Spurn proves to be quiet.
I too have done Pelagic from Bridlington a few times, but not for a few years.
Simon, you should know better than question my support !!!

Alan

Just remember that some of us might be inflicted with a 'twitching virus' and have to be flexible should something mega turn up elsewhere.

As a 14 year old, I was booked on an M.O.S. coach trip to Spurn on 30th Sept 1978. It went to the Wirral instead. Good job too, it was an incredible day.

Spurn sounds good to me Not bank holliday mon though. The traffic!

Aye, Spurn for me too. Shall we omit the 27th cos of bank holiday traffic ?

Just been watching what's going on upto now really

My personal preference is:

Spurn, 25th, 26th or 27th of August (not really arsed which but one might be quieter than the other for birders there?).

Reasons? Well, not all are comfortable on boat trip especially if it's a bit choppy (though I bloody love 'em) and if it's birdless, well we could always throw each other overboard I suppose. Somewhere like Spurn has a full range of habitats, is small enough to cover fairly easily, can be covered by groups of us and if necessary CB's can be used to keep in contact, it gets great birds, always the chance of something really good even if at first it appears quiet, only a couple of hours drive away, if it's really crap Blacktoft is on the way back (practically) and most importantly Spurn has an excellent pub selling, yes you guessed it...beer (and you can do some great birding from there alone).

Perhaps a little competition should we go? Draw small groups from a hat, see which one can amass the most species, you can't help constantly bumping into each other which should keep the banter going. Either that or we can all stick together and thrash every blade of grass and bush in the whole area (but how do we get all our names on the BBRC report when we find that mega?).

That's me anyway but I'm more than happy to go along with anything else, so long as it's out of the county and preferably out of the north-west

We cant really name a date until we decide if the pelagic is ok for everyone, I will go along with the majority cause ive done that pelagic 5/6 times before. Mr McKercher what do you think?

I think a date would be the best thing to agree on. Obviously whatever date is decided on isn't going to suit everyone. It's more than likely to be a weekend so lets try to narrow it down to a Sat or a Sun. August is holiday period(especially if you've got kids) so maybe 1st week of sept? sat 1st sun 2nd or sat 8th sun 9th. Just suggestions so we can start narrowing it down.

How about a high tide visit to the Dee Estuary?

Dean.

I was planning to go on the boat trip anyway so it suits me. I regularly make trips out of county at weekend, so whatever is decided shouldn't be a problem.

Hi Simon,

I think the best thing to do first is name a date, which is to be set in stone then everyone can make solid arrangements. After that we can go wherever, do whatever, but as Tom says, if we go on the `Belle` we need to be pretty quick.

Me too Tom, im never sea sick so im ok , its quite a good idea, what does everyone else think?

Simon you're right. The boat can be a bit iffy at times. To be honest I'm up for anything - even Crosby Marine Park!

Ive been on a few of these in the past and found they can be abit hit and miss, one year I had all 4 skua species and another year was fairly birdless, depends on weather too. If your easily sea sick then its not advisable as the swell can be abit nasty of Flamborough. If we did it the 9th Sept might be a good date? If we did it in the morning at least we have the rest of the day to recover I presume there still about 4 hours long Tom? Its been a while since i went on one.

Got your text Simon. Cheers.

Also add another place for my girlfriend.

How about an RSPB boat trip on the Yorkshire Belle off Bridlington? Then it will leave us well positioned on the east coast to spend the rest of the day at Flamborough or Filey?

I went on one last year and it was pretty good. We had a few Sooty Shearwaters just a couple of metres off the boat, Manx Shearwaters, point blank range views of Bonxies and Arctic Skuas, as well as thousands of Auks including real close up views of Puffins - excellent photo opportunities. Pomarine Skuas and Sabine's Gulls are often seen if the weather is right, and in the past they've had Long-tails and Storm Petrel. Plus there's always the chance that the Black-browed Albatross in Scotland might make a fly-past...

If everyone can agree a date then we might be able to haggle us a group rate? Although it was pretty cheap full price anyway (I think £10). We'll have to agree and get in quick as they do fill up quite far in advance.

Here are the dates for boat trips this autumn:

Saturday 1st September 12.00
Sunday 9th September 09.00
Saturday 15th September 11.15
Sunday 16th September 11.45
Saturday 22nd September 09.00
Sunday 23rd September 10.30
Saturday 29th September 11.00
Saturday 6th October 10.00

Depends when we're going but definitely interested.

Might be interested depends on when more than where.

Tom you crack me up man, did you get my text? Ian W no im not driving the coach lol have you ever watched Only Fools and Horses??

Interested so far then:-

Me
Alan Warford
Tom Mckinney
Ian Woosey
Dean Macdonald
Ian Mckerchar
Simon Johnson
Pete Hines
Steven Astley

Any preferences on dates? Was thinking of maybe last two weekends in August, prefereably Bank Hol one. I can do either.

I definately think we should get away from the daily grind of county birding.

-- Edited by warfy at 21:59, 2007-06-18

Sounds a good idea to me, especially if includes somewhere like Spurn, even chiffchaffs are exciting at that place during migration periods.

Would love to join you all, but I have my son on Saturdays and Sunday morning, so will have to wait a few years yet!

-- Edited by rezMole at 21:41, 2007-06-18

Sounds good to me, though I'm always working Bank Holiday weekends so just keep us all posted and I'll see what I can do.

I'd be up for that (as long as its possible to cadge a lift) Im starting to go a bit crazy just doing HPR & Ringley all the time!

-- Edited by Simon Johnson at 18:21, 2007-06-18

Let`s do it then ! ! ! (can we take `lashings of Ginger Beer` ? )

I have to admit, Simon and I have already spoken about his idea and I too think it's a good 'un although I'd rather get out of the county for the day as I spend far too much time in it all ready consensus of opinion may well rule, but afew car loads off to invade another county and find all their good birds appeals to me

I'd be up for that Agree with Ian though, maybe be an in county site that everyone knows to start with. It would be much easier to organise. Would be great to meet everyone
I've already met one or two people with the inevitable"Do you go on the Mcr website?"

Dean.

I`m up for it Simon (if I`m not working that is ) but aren`t we better having a `County Birders` day in the County ? - Perhaps we can have two do`s ? ; one in and one out. and tie one in with the first anniversary of the web-site ? ? (Come in Mr. Mckerchar !)

-- Edited by Ian Woosey at 22:05, 2007-06-17

Count me in. How about Crosby Marine Park?

















Joke!

Hi Folks,

So now that we have an excellent website/forum I thought it might be a good idea to put some faces to the names on here and organise a birding day out of the County!

I was thinking somewhere in Yorkshire in August maybe Bank Holiday weekend at the end of the month. Possible sites from the following - Blacktoft RSPB, Tophill Low NR, Spurn Point, Flamborough or Filey. All pretty good spots at that time of year.

Is Anyone Interested??

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar at 16:12, 2007-08-14