And you try telling that to the young people of today, and they won't believe you, no they won't! (just to continue the homage).

You were lucky, we used to live in a lake!! Can't believe I'm quoting monty python on here

Your post was perfectly reasonable Antony but sometimes (and I'm not aiming this at your comments here) we seem to forget that we live in a highly populated, very small county where at weekends every man and his dog (literally) was to enjoy the spaces that we enjoy as birders. Though the population may be increasing, fires, illegal shooting, badly behaved dogs (even poorly parked birders) have always gone in in the county but sometimes I feel that 'we' might not appreciate that as there was never a forum for us to hear about such incidents with such frequency before.

Perhaps I'm just over positive about these things but not being able to escape the county as much as I might like to I try to stay that way and make the best of what I've got.

Anthony, nothing is always obvious to a large proportion of the population and that includes the odd birder. Rumworth is not alone either (far from it) in having parking problems and rarities only make these things more obvious. Suppression is unecessary in my view over this one particular incident but now the parking issue has been brought to light there is certainly no excuse for any further similar incidents. Keeping sightings to yourself and a few 'regulars' is wrong though in my opinion, especially as all but one of those 'regulars' drive to the site too (and use the top of the track to park). What constitutes a regular anyway? If suppression is seen as necessary then it should remain with the observer at that time in my view otherwise cliques form and we end back up with the state of affairs I started Manchester Birding to do away with

Everyone makes mistakes and that's what this incident should be put down to but anything else similar in the future needs to be dealt with at the time firstly (someone will know whose cars they are or asking at the twitch should do it!) and then as necessary thereafter. Knee jerk reactions are usually not the best ones

I've been away this weekend with my family and was really twitching since I found out that a Wood Sandpiper was gracing the holy patch, Rumworth Lodge. Managed to get straight to the lodge as soon as I got back today but wasn't a sign of it. After putting in 2 hours a day before work every day last week by getting up at 4.30 I am was slightly miffed. Oh well, that's birding for you and I suppose it'll make the next one that visits that much better.

However, that reason for this post is to have a rant at the recent behavior of some other birders coming to see the bird. Firstly, I am very slow to judge anyone and even slower to judge them publicly on the internet, in fact this is the first time I have done so. I would have thought it was completely obvious to anyone that parking on Beaumont Road was a no no (even without the specific instructions on the GM website). I would also have thought it completely obvious that blocking the farmers access was also the case. I would have thought it obvious that parking on the duel carriageway was a danger to anyone using the road and in 25 years of visiting Rumworth I can honestly say I have never done so. In fact I'm never quite comfortable about even parking in the lay-by even after all this time. In the time I have visited here I have built up very good relationships with the three farmers surrounding the lodge who are very tolerant of wildlife and the people who come here and view it. That could all end though with the acts of a few mindless, selfish, tick seeking birders who put their own list in front of reasonable behavior and common sense who may possibly spoil it for the rest of us. Should I keep the rare sightings I find to myself and the few regulars who visit here in future? I honestly don't know. I know I didn't find this bird in particular and as I've already mentioned I didn't manage to connect with it, however, when I tried I parked legally and conscientiously on the west side without danger to road users.

No offence to birders who parked sensibly. For those who didn't who wish to reply to this thread and have a pop at me then please do, I know I am right and cannot believe the lengths some birders go to get their tick

Thank you for the response Ian and yes you are quite right. I suppose I reacted badly as I was already stirred up due to the fact two birds had been shot on the islands and someone was firing a shotgun near to the main reedbed and putting all the birds up. Couple that with the fact that chatter on the forum about the parking and fires on the mosslands and I let off some steam. Pity there isn't room for a few cars to park here.

Apologies for any offence to anyone

-- Edited by Antony Wainwright on Monday 6th of May 2013 06:56:35 PM