Dotterel reported today on Pendle Hill. They're coming...
Tim Wilcox said
Fri Apr 25 9:22 AM, 2014
In pre-smart phone and constant text and internet access days it took me 4 years climbing Pendle Hill before I found one which made it that much sweeter when I did. On one occasion with Tony Darby we'd climbed all the way up without success and as we reached the last part of the path coming down a couple of birders enquired if any were up there. On being told there were not they just turned around and left, relieved of unwanted exercise! Anyway in more recent years Brown Wardle Hill has been the county star Dotterel site with the largest trips. Read about them in the County Report and enjoy the lovely colour front cover pic! Then go and find some.
And the same applies to finding your own Ring Ouzels as I did yesterday
Mark Jarrett said
Thu Apr 24 8:21 PM, 2014
Timing wise, the first two weeks of May seem to be best. In Lancs a single bird was on Pendle for a few days earlier this month. Fairsnape Fell near Chipping (Lancs) is an easier climb than Pendle and although not as reliable, it is underwatched. My good friend Mike Jepson located last year's bird there but has not lived in the Chipping area for long, so birds could have been missed in previous years. As said, keep an eye on the ELOC site.
Steve Suttill said
Thu Apr 24 3:50 PM, 2014
Roger Baker 3 wrote:
Nice try Steve ............... very diplomatic .... you should have been a salesman ! We need some younger legs up on the hills of Gtr Manchester.
I've had a couple of walks up Axletree Edge myself in the last week early morning and have been rewarded with 3 Wheatears and a dozen Meadow Pipits ??
However to compensate for that I have a set of calf-muscles that would do credit to Rudolph Near-enough.
Roger.
Sorry Roger - forgot to mention Wheatear and Meadow Pipit - we take them for granted but someone from the western lowlands might not
Bit more training and you'll be walking from Dukinfield to Axletree Edge
Roger Baker 3 said
Thu Apr 24 2:49 PM, 2014
Steve Suttill wrote:
Wherever you try there's going to be some uphill walking involved and, even if you don't find Dotterel, there should be other compensations - Curlew, Golden Plover, etc. ...............................................................................................................
Nice try Steve ............... very diplomatic .... you should have been a salesman ! We need some younger legs up on the hills of Gtr Manchester.
I've had a couple of walks up Axletree Edge myself in the last week early morning and have been rewarded with 3 Wheatears and a dozen Meadow Pipits ??
However to compensate for that I have a set of calf-muscles that would do credit to Rudolph Near-enough.
Roger.
Ian McKerchar said
Thu Apr 24 9:48 AM, 2014
Martyn Jones wrote:
I was wondering if we could use this thread to record any Dotterel sightings (like the Waxwing thread) in Greater Manchester and neighbouring counties as I am desperate to see one. Pendle Hill is a good bet but it's a steep climb which I don't want to do unless being pretty certain of seeing one there. The Great Orme is also another prime location which I've already visited following a sighting this month, but with no luck. Details of any fairly reliable GM localities (e.g. Saddleworth Moors, Bowland Fells etc) and of course any actual sightings this year would be much appreciated.
Cheers, Martyn
Quick answer: No
Longer answer: I'm afraid not. Any Dotterel sightings will be posted as usual in their respective threads in or out of county and of course, GM birds will also be sent out as a rarity text to subscribers too. This being a discussion thread in a discussion forum it isn't the ideal place for observers looking for sightings. If that means observers have to check the forum more regularly and perhaps each new post just in case, then that's the way it goes, and always has done I'm afraid. Sometimes you've got to put in the little extra effort for those special birds . Dotterel a being scarce bird in the region at best, they will always be posted somewhere on the forums.
As for Waxwings and their own thread, their occurrences in most years are so erratic and at so many sites not usually covered as birding locations (town centres, gardens, retail parks etc) that putting them on separate threads is not practical; hence their own individual threads
Of course the other problem with having such a specific thread to suit one observer (such as your Dotterel thread) is that I'd have to do it for everyone else too; I can only imagine the ensuing chaos...
Steve Suttill said
Thu Apr 24 9:27 AM, 2014
I can see that you are following the Axletree Edge thread, Martyn. The only other GM site in recent years has been Brown Wardle Hill which is under the Watergrove Resr thread.
Wherever you try there's going to be some uphill walking involved and, even if you don't find Dotterel, there should be other compensations - Curlew, Golden Plover, etc.
Good Luck!
Martyn Jones said
Thu Apr 24 8:10 AM, 2014
I was wondering if we could use this thread to record any Dotterel sightings (like the Waxwing thread) in Greater Manchester and neighbouring counties as I am desperate to see one. Pendle Hill is a good bet but it's a steep climb which I don't want to do unless being pretty certain of seeing one there. The Great Orme is also another prime location which I've already visited following a sighting this month, but with no luck. Details of any fairly reliable GM localities (e.g. Saddleworth Moors, Bowland Fells etc) and of course any actual sightings this year would be much appreciated.
Cheers, Martyn
Paul Richardson said
Wed May 22 6:11 AM, 2013
Thanks guys - I think I might have missed the boat for this year - something to look forward to next then!
David Lumb said
Tue May 21 11:31 PM, 2013
Hi Paul,
East Lancs Ornithologists have a sightings page which I check on most days. 2 Dotterels reported on Pendle Hill 17th May, with directions to their location, but nothing reported since.
Well worth checking in case any still appear, but as you say they have normally passed through by mid May, and these may be the last ones.
Paul Richardson said
Tue May 21 3:59 PM, 2013
Morning all.
Just wondered if anybody had any thoughts - is it likely to be too late in the season now to find Dotterel on Pendle Hill or on the Bowland fells?
Thanks for any input.
Paul.
John Doherty said
Tue May 21 9:18 AM, 2013
I'm not an expert on these, Paul, and it's a bird I've never seen but would like to. I did a quick Google and the RSPB website says that they arrive up until Mid-May so I think you still might be in luck since we're circa May - they head to their breeding grounds in Scotland then
-- Edited by John Doherty on Tuesday 21st of May 2013 09:18:16 AM
And the same applies to finding your own Ring Ouzels as I did yesterday
Sorry Roger - forgot to mention Wheatear and Meadow Pipit - we take them for granted but someone from the western lowlands might not
Bit more training and you'll be walking from Dukinfield to Axletree Edge
Quick answer: No
Longer answer: I'm afraid not. Any Dotterel sightings will be posted as usual in their respective threads in or out of county and of course, GM birds will also be sent out as a rarity text to subscribers too. This being a discussion thread in a discussion forum it isn't the ideal place for observers looking for sightings. If that means observers have to check the forum more regularly and perhaps each new post just in case, then that's the way it goes, and always has done I'm afraid. Sometimes you've got to put in the little extra effort for those special birds . Dotterel a being scarce bird in the region at best, they will always be posted somewhere on the forums.
As for Waxwings and their own thread, their occurrences in most years are so erratic and at so many sites not usually covered as birding locations (town centres, gardens, retail parks etc) that putting them on separate threads is not practical; hence their own individual threads
Of course the other problem with having such a specific thread to suit one observer (such as your Dotterel thread) is that I'd have to do it for everyone else too; I can only imagine the ensuing chaos...
Wherever you try there's going to be some uphill walking involved and, even if you don't find Dotterel, there should be other compensations - Curlew, Golden Plover, etc.
Good Luck!
Cheers, Martyn
East Lancs Ornithologists have a sightings page which I check on most days. 2 Dotterels reported on Pendle Hill 17th May, with directions to their location, but nothing reported since.
Well worth checking in case any still appear, but as you say they have normally passed through by mid May, and these may be the last ones.
Just wondered if anybody had any thoughts - is it likely to be too late in the season now to find Dotterel on Pendle Hill or on the Bowland fells?
Thanks for any input.
Paul.
-- Edited by John Doherty on Tuesday 21st of May 2013 09:18:16 AM