That's right Ian. The 2002 record is in the database. Presumably it was not included in the county report because no rarity form was submitted. Judith will doubtless be able to shed light on this. If necessary I'll edit the record for future reference to say that it was rejected.
Steve
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The Watergrove Skyline (January 2010) - before desecration.
No mention of these in the county report for that year and no submissions were received either, bearing in mind that it was put back on the rarities list that year?
Ian, There are four records for Bearded Tit on the county database. The 1991 Pennington Flash record of a bird "heard calling and eventually seen in the vicinity of the Teal scrape" on 13th April. The other records are all from the Hawkley Reedbed at the Wigan Flashes: one heard only on 11/11/2001, one seen on 02/12/2001 and two on 03/02/2002. There is no comment on the database to say that the records were not accepted. This species bred in Cheshire for the first time in 2006 in a not particularly large reedbed, so it is not impossible, especially with milder winters that one day Bearded Tit may breed in Greater Manchester. Wouldn't it be fantastic if it happened between now and 2011 whilst recording for the new GM Breeding Bird Atlas is taking place.
Steve
-- Edited by Steve Atkins at 19:54, 2008-10-09
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The Watergrove Skyline (January 2010) - before desecration.
The last record was at Scotman's in 1979 and at that time they had been recorded " in 4 of the last 8 years"in the county. There have been several claims since, at the Wigan Flashes and at Pennington Flash, but sadly no rarity forms have been submitted.
Aren't both the latter records counted on the county database Judith (or indeed Steve)?
The 1991 Pennington Flash records precedes the formation of the County Rarities Committee, so didn't actually require a description to be provided and the 2001 Wigan Flashes record was at a time when Bearded Tit wasn't on the list of species considered a county rarity, so didn't require one either. Either way though, the respective county reports for those years clearly seem to atleast indicate that both records were acceptable at the time (and no review of those records has taken place since) and that they were included into the county database.
The last record was at Scotman's in 1979 and at that time they had been recorded " in 4 of the last 8 years"in the county. There have been several claims since, at the Wigan Flashes and at Pennington Flash, but sadly no rarity forms have been submitted.
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Judith Smith
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Lightshaw hall Flash is sacrosanct - NO paths please!
No need to travel Fred, they will come, as you say they are a non-migratory bird, however look at the numbers over the last decades, they have increased vastly and the species have spread from the East Anglain population all over the place.
Bearded Tits form autumn flocks and movement occurs from October through to Mid-November it is a great time for visible migration.
I look forward to seeing them with you when you find that flock, until then enjoy your patch , as to be honest, I would not travel much if I had access to the flashes every day.
very much hope so.but as a non migratory bird how will they get here? ive never travelled once "just to see" a bird but i get a kick out of seeing a rariety on my own patch.bittern,hobby,cettis,red throated diver being recent examples.and would love to hear the ping of a beardy at our own wigan flashes.hope you understand my reasoning.
Quite right Fred, and had many a conversation with lots of birders about bearded tits been the next bird on the wish list of wigan Flashes, when the Cettis was there.
So lets hope that one day they make it onto our wish list.
Given the amount of pies made in area would it not become a local delicacy.
On a serious note where do you draw the line, re-introduced birds all over the place are we not then just a big island zoo, already we have Kites, White-tailed sea eagles, cranes, bustards Cirl buntings where do we stop.
The whole idea of birding is seeing or finding the birds in their natural habitat, which also makes we wonder what and when can you count as a bird seen,
Who would have ticked the Corncrake if it was available and there is an excellent piece in the front of the birdwatch mag this month in the editorial, check it out.
I know Ian among others are very keen now on self found lists, there is satisfation in a smaller list sometimes.
