Moorman is correct dashing around doesn,t seem to have the fun it used to have anymore, but finding GM birds now that becoming a personal quest, how good would it be to find a GMlifer, then share it with one and all.
keep birding

in 1983 i was seventeen with birds on the mind, just not this type. there are 19 county ticks for me on that list including 5 british lifers. i would give a lot for another year like that one but im not sure my head could cope.

I think I have to be selfish and say that a vintage year is going to be a purely personal thing. I don't feel the urge to dash around like a madman anymore (mostly because I can't) even though I still get a feeling of envy when something good is seen which I wish I could share. However, finding your own 'stuff' still beats sharing someone else's find, so 1998 has to be the year I would declare as 'vintage' when I found summer plumaged black-throated diver, marsh harrier, great-grey shrike and pectoral sandpiper all at Audenshaw. Oh for a year even half as good as that again.

The other thing is, there was no communication system to let folks know about these goodies back in 1983. I was birding then and don't remember half of them.

Ian mouthwatering stuff , I dont have that report either if you are selling any of the old reports will give you hard cash, none of that pie promise
that is unless you want paying in pies

The Roseate Tern (there were two in fact) were at Scotman`s Flash, and they represented the first records for the county.

BTW, the list doesn`t include breeding Nightjar, Quail, and Marsh Tit, things which were all considered as `normal` at the time !

Ian thats not vintage thats Mega!!! I was only just starting birding then.

I dont even have that bird report out of interest where was the Roseate?? PF or Audi?

I agree 2007 has been a `good` year, but looking through past County Bird Reports, I don`t think `vintage` describes this year compared to others.

Check this lot out (and drool !) from 1983 ;

Great Northern & Red-throated Divers, Red-necked Grebe x2, Leach`s Petrel x2, Shag, Spoonbill, Fudge Duck, Eider, Long-t Duck x2, Velvet Scoter, Common Crane, Corncrake, Avocet, Pec Sand, Collared Pratincole, Arctic Skua, White-winged Black Tern x2, Roseate Tern, Hoopoe, Wryneck x2, Richard`s Pipit, Water Pipit x28, Red-backed Shrike, Great Grey Shrike x2, Black-throated Thrush, Little Bunting, Lapland Bunting, Golden Oriole.

If you weren`t birding then, how many County Lifers for you amongst that list ?

brian fielding wrote:

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i have only been birding since 2000 and those who have been going longer might know different but has this been one off the best years in the county to date. with desert wheatear, cattle egret, chettis warbler, gannet, little auk, yellow browed warbler, red necked and grey phalaropes, leaches petrel and lapland bunting so far this year.

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Vintage?? I missed desert wheatear by an hour, dipped cattle egret(twice), only heard cettis and missed r n phal by 20 mins, pulled the dead little auk out of a smelly pond and was on the scillies for the YBW's and Lap bunt only saw gannet and grey phal (which i didnt need i had seen two in the county previously).

But yes all in all a good year for the county especially with 3 county firsts. wonder when the last time that happened. roll on next year and keep up the good work Ian

Oh yes.........I remember now !

Woosey, woosey,woosey...

Hollingworth Hall Farm area, 28th April, seen by a couple of 'just over the border' lads and reported via the bird information services, was checked the same day by county birders but to no avail.

Anyway, vintage year...don't forget probably 4 Firecrests too

Ian McKerchar wrote:

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also Caspian Gull, Slav Grebe, Wryneck, LTDuck (or 2 ?), Nightjar and the usual Lesser Scaup!

Thanks for the kind words Paul, as I said 'once, I had a dream....'

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Wryneck ?...........Wry ?............neck ???????

Where and when was this

also Caspian Gull, Slav Grebe, Wryneck, LTDuck (or 2 ?), Nightjar and the usual Lesser Scaup!

Thanks for the kind words Paul, as I said 'once, I had a dream....'

As I believe it has already been said, the whole years sightings and shared information, Credit goes to the band of Gm Birders, and especially to Mr Mckerchar for bringing it all together, and its not over yet still got the rest of December yet, who knows what else is out and about hiding in a bush or sat on a puddle,
with this weather today maybe a live little auk is still on the cards.
as always keep birding.
ps will be at pennington at first light

i have only been birding since 2000 and those who have been going longer might know different but has this been one off the best years in the county to date. with desert wheatear, cattle egret, chettis warbler, gannet, little auk, yellow browed warbler, red necked and grey phalaropes, leaches petrel and lapland bunting so far this year.