Its only taken me 7 years but reached 160 yesterday on foot [no Bike, Car, Bus, Train etc ].. at this rate I should reach 200 when I'm about 103...and I've still not found a Yellow Wagtail yet.
Have carried on with the walking from home, no bus , car , bike etc list over the last year and now on 149.. Knees are holding out....Now added Whincat, Glossy Ibis, Lapland Bunting (Lancs) Little Gull, Ruff, Great White Egret (Lancs) Hen Harrier, Twite, Marsh Tit, Scaup, Ring-necked Parakeet and Long tailed Duck... still not come across a Yellow Wagtail though.. All these were overshadowed though by finding a Kemps Ridley Turtle alive on Formby Beach !!!... Making it to No1 on my self found Turtle list.. Rob..
My first ever scarce bird is probably still my best. A Bluethroat sat on the wall by Entwistle Reservoir after a few days of strong SW winds. I learnt a valuable lesson as I had only just bought my first camera for wildlife photography. The bird had it's back to me, showing a flash of blue when it looked around. I waited for it to turn around before taking a photo. Of course if flew away without facing me. Take photos first and then hope for something better is the norm now. It is still my only Bluethroat sighting despite several foreign birding trips.
Some others :- Black-throated Diver (Anglezarke), Black-necked Grebe (Roddlesworth), Slavonian Grebe (Doffcocker), Shag (Jumbles), Bewick's Swans (flying over Belmont), Brent Geese (flying over Anglezarke), Ring-necked Duck (Jumbles & Wayoh), Dotterel (Two Lads Hill), lots of wader species at Belmont, which bumps my species list up, before the gulls took over, the highlight being a Spotted Redshank in stunning summer plumage, Wood Sandpiper (Wayoh), Knot (Entwistle), Iceland Gull (Springs/Dingle), Little Tern (flying back and forth from Belmont to Delph), Sandwich Tern (Rivington), Razorbill (flying around Wayoh. I did not include Guillemot in my list total as the one I found at Wayoh a few years earlier was dead on the mud, eventually carried away by a fox), Turtle Dove (Jumbles), Black Redstart (Winter Hill), Marsh Tit (Turton Golf Course). The only ones I knew about in advance were the Black-necked Grebe and the Black Redstart. Keep on walking, it is amazing what might turn up.
List number 3 is now complete. Things are getting sadder by the day ! Full BL7 postcode list using Bolton Museum site lists, Lancs & GM annual reports, and the excellent book "The Birds of Lancashire and North Merseyside" comes to 208 species (including the four I left off my list).
Still some new ones expected at some stage for my walking list, maybe Little Egret (I missed the one at Wayoh a couple of years ago when my knee problems kept me in, which meant I missed the Avocets at Rumworth as well), and Red Kite. Buzzards used to be scarce around here, now they are probably commoner than Kestrels, so hopefully the Red Kites will also move in at some stage. Any passing one will do for now.
A wander from Elton to Radcliffe is coming up soon John, as I will be doing a Waterways Breeding Bird Survey for Steve.
Hi Dave, Rob - I also don't drive, have never had a lesson and never really want to drive (various reasons) I'm restricted to public transport, but in my opinion I'm well located to Central Manchester so therefore can access the main birding areas by PT-walking has many advantages and helps to assist the species count no end - a favourite of mine, which I'll be doing in a few hours, is down the canal from Radcliffe to Elton res - it's a pleasant walk (especially now when chicks and ducklings are beginning to be born) and there's always the added bonus of a Sparrowhawk or something on the farmland.
As for lists, I'm proud of the birds I've seen and keep a GM list a UK list and a life list (factoring sightings from abroad + UK) especially since I don't drive!
That is an excellent total Dave on foot from Bolton.. There must be some pretty scarce birds on your walking list because I can only realistically imagine getting another 10 to 15 species in my lifetime round here..( That is before my knees wear out.).. I went for probably the same Eagle Owl but did not manage to track it down, which was a seriously long walk from Ramsbottom for not a lot.. Other walks I ended up dipping on were the Shag at Jumbles, Grey Plover at Elton ( it was dead when I got there which was most annoying, for me and the bird ) and a female Scaup also at Elton which may have been there but was too dark to pick it out, and a Red Throated Diver at Belmont Res which had departed just as I got there.. There is nothing worse than a 10 mile walk for a " tick" on the WFH list and missing out.. I still regret driving to AMR in 2011 and picking up my first Iceland Gull at the Res and not getting it on the list.. Sure we will cross paths somewhere Dave.. All the best. Rob
Hi Rob, you finally persuaded me to do a walking list, covering about 30 years, as I have been covering the same areas as you. I have never driven, or even had a driving lesson, so nearly all my wildlife surveys are done from leaving home in the morning from Bromley Cross. The West Pennine Moors start on my doorstep, anywhere in Bolton is handy, and in the past walks over to Elton via Affetside and Lowercroft were regular, returning via Radcliffe, Moses Gate, and along the Kingfisher Trail. During the foot and mouth outbreak when the West Pennine Moors was shut I could still walk the full length of the Kingfisher Trail from Jumbles to Salford University.
List of proper birds (I left off Mandarin, Red-legged Partridge releases, Feral Pigeons, and an Eagle Owl last year which I kept quiet about as it was on a moorland shoot (a mate saw what was probably the same bird on another shoot and he also kept it quiet), stands at 172.
When local people ask for the best places to visit I sometimes say why not just stick to the BL7 (Bromley Cross) postcode and see what turns up. The area covers Bromley Cross, Belmont, and Edgworth. Why not enjoy the freedom of the countryside and the diversity of wildlife on your own doorstep. Plenty of watering holes for lunch as well, although only a few of us think it is compulsary to use them.
OK, so I did list number 2, for BL7 only. Now things are getting sad. 163 proper species + the other four.
Keep up the walking Rob, and some day our paths will probably cross.
After starting the walking from home bird list in early 2011 and finishing it on 31st December 2011 on a total of 123 species I was hoping the addiction was fixed and finished, which it was for a few months.. However the beast reared its ugly head again and I continued on foot birding and today I hit the heady total 0f 133 . Additions include Black Tern, Black necked Grebe, Common Scotor, Pintail, Redshank, Black Redstart, Snow Bunting (Lancs) Red Kite, Wood Warbler and Arctic Tern today at Elton....(Still not found a Whinchat or Yellow Wagtail or Ringed Plover yet though). A friend told me that I am not alone in this game and that there is some sort of official site on Line called " Foot it" doing exactly this.. All good fun and still makes getting out for a walk all the more interesting.. Rob Archer
Thanks mike I'll stick to that list. It will take a few species off me but that doesn't matter. I have that edition of birdwatch too with the checklist. Thanks guys looking forward to my summer trips now with this weather!!
I have just picked up a copy of the fourth edition of Birds of Britain - A Complete Checklist as a freebie in the March edition of Birdwatch. I don't know if there are any copies left on the shelves in the shops but there are details of how to order more if anyone is interested.
These days in the birding world, taxonomy has become as daft as politics.
The Dutch, Louisiana State University (who are (self-appointed?) successors to Clements, upon which the ABA lists were/are based), and we ourselves in Britain, all have increasingly diverging/divergent views on what constitutes a species these days. It is not without precedent for a species to be split, lumped, then split again, (or vice versa).
The cynic in me suspects that all this extreme splitting at the margins is really just to publish and sell the latest upteenth edition of "Clements Birds of the world", and/or to earn for some studious nerd his doctorate in something obscure. Also, certain bird tour companies pepper their brochures with mouth watering preambles in describing target birds as .. "a future likely split", or .. "regarded by some as a full species in its own right," and so on...
I should advise as the others below do; - keep it simple and in line with BOU lists for the UK. As for the world, if you travel, do exactly as you please.
Regards, Mike P.
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Hi Kevin the official british list is the one that is set by the BOU (British Ornithologist union). This list changes over time when new species are seen in Britian and new discoveries in taxonamy are made. Other list do occur and some people believe they are just as valid, you tend to find though that the more twitching (listing) orientated the compilers/organisation is the more species are found on that list.
Hope this is some use to you Kevin.
The BOU British List is the only 'official' list for the UK. Check out the British Ornithologists' Union website and look for 'The British List' which can then be downloaded. They do more research than anyone else on which species should be split etc and their list remains the standard to work from.
Hello, excuse my ignorance if this topic is already discussed elsewhere but I couldn't locate it. I have been compiling my own list for about five years or so but have become confused with which list to use as an official guide? For example I have birds such as eastern subalpine warbler, Greenland and European white fronted geese. On certain lists they appear as separate or split species where as others they simply display subalpine warbler, or white fronted goose. If anyone can help that would be great so I could have one life list instead of a couple! Thanks in advance Kevin
Set off on 1st Jan 2011 with the intention of seeing as many bird species as I could walking from home.. No car, bike, train, Bus etc.. Just walking.. And thats what I did. Started out as just a jolly jape and ended up being a ridiculous obsession covering 2163 recorded and logged miles and clocking 123 separate species.. I live right on the Lancs\GM border so my totals include 5 species only seen in Lancs.. It was a personal challenge, so it was birds I was after and nothing to do with boundaries. Saw many more birds than I first imagined I would including Jack Snipe, Meditteranean Gull, Barn Owl, Long Eared Owl, Short Eared Owl, Hobby, Merlin, Whooper Swan, Waxwing, 13 Ring Ouzel, Lesser Whitethroat, Cuckoo. Spotted Flycatcher, Little Egret, Crossbill, Redstart, Grey Phalarope and Slavonian Grebe.. All bar 4 species on my list were self found whilst out walking. Could not track down some commoner species such as Redshank, Ringed Plover and particularly Whinchat.. Spent hundreds of hours in all the right places but never connected with one.. The first time I drove anywhere birding locally was to AMR in December just gone, and picked up an Iceland Gull which, annoyingly, did not get on the "walking from home list" It was a brilliant years local birding from which I have learnt loads..I knew lots of the local footpaths anyway but know miles more of them now..Knowing what I know now, I am pretty sure I could see a similar number of species again for a fraction of the miles.. Direct cost for the years birding...£351 for 3 pairs of Scarpa ZG65 Trail Boots (Superb quality) and possibly 1 x Girlfriend (Still under negotiations as we speak)
Or you can record them on Birdtrack, which will mean your data can be used for conservation purposes.
Your Greater Manchester records from BirdTrack will also find their way into the new local Atlas of Breeding Birds - but only if you remember to include a breeding code
For any of you at a loss as to where/how to record your sightings on computer, may I recommend the excellent (and totally free) facility of "Tickem "?
I apologise if a thread already exists for Tickem, as I seem to recall that John Rayner recommended it a year or so ago.
We have found that not everyone can get onto the system, and if this is the case we apologise in advance.
Access via Mozilla Firefox and follow the joining instructions. Tickem will then allocate a password - "Tickem 1234" which you can then amend and personalise so that only you can input, delete, or amend your entries.
On the system you can keep life /year lists for garden, any site you choose, local patch, county, province, state, country, continent and world. You can see other users' lists for any site/year; there is a calender facility which enables you to see where other users are/have been birding, you can monitor and display lists according to species, genus, family. At the press of a button you can run off trip reports as well. There is also a "ranking" facility for all users on all sites, (with initial default setting on world ranking). Birds seen(or "heard only" in brackets) can be shown in Vuous order or date order or reverse date order. In addition, all entries have a facility to make specific notes per sighting.
The system is based on American nomenclature (you cannot please everyone at the same time) and upon Clements, (though up to date only to about 2005, so some recent splits are not catered for, but for these few, individual notes can be appended to such entries).
There is the facility for nearly every species to display a sample of about 6 photos and some also have examples of respective vocalisations as well. The system can be adjusted for use in a choice of about 15 languages, including Japanese and Russian.
The system was devised by one of my sons, Paul (by profession a Swiss based software consultant, who belatedly became a birder as well).
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For many years from 1987, I used to see how many birds I could see in a day in each of the four seasons walking from my home in Romiley to Etherow Country Park, taking in the Etherow riverside path to Compstall Water Treatment Works as an add on. The most I ever managed was 54 in the summers of 1992 and 1993. The highest aggregate number was 68 species seen in 1990. I always set out on these walks with a deal of excitement as I had no real idea what I might find: the now late lamented lesser spotted woodpecker, a pied flycatcher in an odd place (e,g. Romiley golf course) and the completely out of the blue firecrest in Etherow C.P. in 1994. I am not fit enough to do it anymore without requiring hospitalisation afterwards and I do miss it very much. However I would be very frustrated now as so many birds have vanished.
I guess this is an appropriate time of the year to focus on lists, with some of you most likely getting off to a flying start in January to see how it goes, without necessarily committing yet to a full 12 mos effort.
Living where I do, the only basis upon which I can really "compete" in Gr. Manchester is on the basis of day listing, which I find exhilarating because one has to be "switched on" all day, and every species counts; ( for example Treecreeper can be a bugger to see when you need to see one with the clock ticking; and for that day at least it becomes a "mega;" -which is rather nice).
I don't see listing as particularly competitive; - more as a measure of how much fun you can have given the conditions at the time, and afterwards ruminating on the inevitable "ones that got away" (preferably over a pint somewhere).
Cheers, Mike P.
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Think i should have remembered my old Army adage " All the P's".... Just read about a guy who saw 146 different species from his back garden without even getting out of his pajamas and slippers, never mind lacing up his boots!!! I'll get my coat !
I'm guessing that garden wasn't on a housing estate in Greater Manchester?
Think i should have remembered my old Army adage " All the P's".... Just read about a guy who saw 146 different species from his back garden without even getting out of his pajamas and slippers, never mind lacing up his boots!!! I'll get my coat !
It's a splendid idea. My local patch is the 10 kilometre square of SJ98. This is roughly equally split between GM and Cheshire but also includes a tiny piece of Derbyshire.
In 2008 I tried to see how many birds I could find in this square - but by foot or bike from home. There was only one rule - use any petrol and it doesn't count! The spin-off was I was supposed to get a little fitter as well (I cycled 716 miles in the square that year but never travelled more than 5 miles from home, as the crow flies).
My 2008 total was 114. I just might try it again this year
Actually Paul, you have just given me an idea.. Walk down to Elton with the tent and 3 days food.. camp there for 3 nights in April or May...My little target should be easily reached so I can have the rest of the year off!! I suppose my setting targets idea is a little flawed really as my 110 species is only really relevant to me and where I live and what I think I should be able to see. ( just had a flick through the guide book and pretty much all the 110 species I had thought I could see in a year from Rammy would be at Elton at some time or other, apart from perhaps Ring Ouzel and Red Grouse, but I might be wrong there).. The total seen would become more relevant when compared year on year, as long as I walked from home and did not drive.. I should have kept this idea in the closet and just done it , which I am going to do anyway.. Cheers.. Rob Archer
I managed 118 species in the Elton recording area, but as I live within the Elton boundaries it was easy to get there on foot! Most days you should be able to get approx 50 species if you spend several hours there and know the area.
Unfortunately, with Elton res "Overflowing" as it has been for some time now, waders are very difficult - there isn't a shore line anymore!
-- Edited by Paul Wilson on Thursday 6th of January 2011 12:38:16 AM
Ian. I know I said I was keen and inspired but.......my little scheme was to try to ID 100\110 species in a YEAR not a day!!! The only thing that makes it perhaps a little more of a challenge is that I am planning on trying to do it from my back door on foot without driving anywhere. Its not that I am an Eco friendly Super Green Hebden Bridge type person but I think its doable.Rammy is in a great spot for a fair variety of birds apart from perhaps wildfowl\waders which will probably entail a 15 mile round trip bash to Elton. Anyway, now that I have gone public with my idea will probably have to try to do it now.. watch this space..Rob Archer
Do you estimate that you could see 100-110 in a day Rob? That really would be some feat! The current single site day list and eco-day lists (using a bike too) maximums can all be found on the website.
Where does the 'under your own steam' bit come in Rob. Personally I've managed 70+ in a day walking round Pennington Flash (could easily have added a few more if I'd ventured along the canal) but I used my car to get there.
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As a long time birder( well, 40 years ish) I have only recently been looking at Internet birding and to be honest ,have found it quite inspirational.. reading what other folk get up to each day and what they see has certainly made me pull my finger out and get back into birding again. reading the accounts of some folk breaking county records is really impressive, not to mention the variety and rarity of some of the birds. One " list" I cannot find mentioned though, is the max birds seen using totally your own steam ( and not on the bike either)... Has anyone ever mentioned or tried it? On looking at the possible birds to be seen around my walking area I think i could get close to 100 or maybe 110 ( depends how many times I fancy walking to Elton and back from Rammy!) Just an idea at the moment.. Does anyone have any info it being tried? Rob Archer
