Ask a silly question.....

Phil Owen · Status: Offline

RE: Ask a silly question.....

Paul Richardson · Status: Offline

Thanks guys - yes, I have found learning the calls really helpful. Plus of course you have the pleasure of recognizing old friends like the Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler when they turn up again! The sound of the warblers in the reed bed at Penny Flash this week was brilliant - even though they weren't coming out to play for me.

At the moment, I'm not really wanting extreme rarities - can't say a Richard's Pipit would float my boat at present - but a bit more success at picking up things that are obviously there at times, and not others! Patience is obviously the key, it seems, and the willingness to listentlook for a decent spell of time before moving on.

Neil McCall · Status: Offline

Hi Paul,

You're asking very sensible questions actually. Whilst Greater Manchester has dozens of sites worth visiting, none of them are in the Minsmere or Leighton Moss category where you can turn up and there'll be dozens of birders and a warden directing you to lists of the latest findings and exactly where they are ... well, you could say Pennington Flash is a LITTLE like that at times, but not very.

So most of the exciting finds have been discovered by people patiently working their own patch and often seeing only common birds all day, or reporting in birds which might be interesting from a county viewpoint but which nobody's going to come and "twitch".

Which is GOOD. If you get out reasonably often there's no reason why you can't start to find all manner of interesting birds which might otherwise go unreported.

I'm very poor on bird calls but did purchase an app for the IPhone (well, my wife did) from Birdguides which might be helpful.

jason fisher · Status: Offline

one bit of advice from a completely incompetent birder,

if there's a species that you know is at a site and you've not seen it.
an evening on xenocanto the night before you go listening to every possible call you can hear, can payback very quickly the following day.

particularly with species like crossbills,

Craig Higson · Status: Offline

Paul Richardson wrote:

@ Craig it IS amazing how you CAN see stuff - till a year or so ago I'd never seen a Treecreeper - can't move for the things these

Exactly

Paul Richardson · Status: Offline

@ NIck - definitely enjoying every minute of it!

@ Craig it IS amazing how you CAN see stuff - till a year or so ago I'd never seen a Treecreeper - can't move for the things these days

And thanks Paul I'll certainly look that one up.

Paul Heaton · Status: Offline

Frontiers in Birding by Martin Garner and friends,

Although printed on poor paper and lacking any colour in the illustrations, the content of this book is excellent.
ie Bird projects are everywhere,
What is takes to be a bird-finder.
How to find 10 "BB" rarities a year
The Joy of the find,
amongst lots of other interesting papers.

It makes you better prepared for just being out there.

Keep Birding.

-- Edited by Paul Heaton on Monday 16th of April 2012 09:19:22 PM

Craig Higson · Status: Offline

Hi Paul,

Nick is spot on with the hours. As you spend more time out you'll also develop more skills. But, you may have to accept that some things might seem to always elude you, and that some people just have the 'knack' of being able to see stuff. For years and years short eared owl was my bogey bird. I couldn't see em no matter where I went. I have still yet to see an osprey at Pennington flash despite it being my local patch for a long time. It's all part of the fun!

Nick Isherwood · Status: Offline

It's all a big learning curve Paul. Just enjoy every minute of it.

Paul Richardson · Status: Offline

Thanks, Nick and Dave - great advice. The times of day thing is a good one, and makes sense - and Dave, I might well have been one of those "turn up, have a quick look, and move on" types!!

For years I have been a serious hill/mountain walker and while you do see birds on such trips, I have certainly found that birding in very different. You have to be prepared to move very slowly or stay still far more ... it doesn't come easily!!

Just this morning near Lilford I spent about 20 minutes tracking and watching (and failing to photograph) a Chiffchaff, which of course then opened its beak and sang and instantly changed into a Willow Warbler! All good fun.

Dave Thacker · Status: Offline

Its a great question Paul and Nicks advice is spot on.

Regarding the Fieldfares at Rindle.
I spend hours and hours, in fact nearly all my spare time wandering the mosses, over the years you can build up an idea of what might be around in certain areas at certain times of the year depending on weather conditions.
I have seen birdwatchers turn up at the fields around Rindle, a quick look around them from one viewpoint, they only see a couple of birds so they go somewhere else. The fields when they have been ploughed are not flat, they have plenty of high and low spots, great for hiding birds in.
If you check the same field from 5,10, 15 different viewpoints, looking down all the individual furrows you will find more birds and sometimes something special eg Ian's Ring Ouzel last year.

If you stand at the top of the track looking over field 69 where the Fieldfares like to feed you may see 3-4, if you walk down the track and along the hedges checking the same field every 15m you will probably see a lot more.

Nick Isherwood · Status: Offline

Not a silly question at all Paul.

The obvious answer to this one is to basically put more hours in. The law of averages states that if you spend more time on a patch then you're likely to see more species. I've found this out myself this year on my own patch at Highfield Moss.

You should also consider though the time of day that you visit. At this time of year when there's a fair bit of migration going on then it probably pays to get there within an hour or so of daybreak as many of the migrants will be moving about at this time. Visits later in the day sometimes produce less sightings due to lower activity from the birds.

Another point as well is weather conditions. Rainfall or fog before dawn during migration times can ground passing migrants that are migrating through the night. An early visit can sometimes produce good sightings of these birds.

I hope this helps Paul. I'm sure others on here will offer further advice.

Good luck.

Paul Richardson · Status: Offline

.... but I know on here I might get a sensible answer or six!

I still have my birding L Plates on - been doing it serious-ish-ly for about a year give or take.

This site is a brilliant resource for ideas of nearby places to visit, and I've had some great sessions at Pennington Flash, Horwich Moors, Astley Moss and just behind my place in Lilford Woods no less.

My question is do people have any tips as to HOW you clock up the more unusual species at such places? Obviously some of it is just luck, and a good dollop of patience ... but ... any tips?

eg. 3-4 trips to Horwich Moors have not yet disclosed a Short Eared Owl (though I do know what to look for having seen them on Mull and South Uist!)

eg. A very slow amble through Walker Fold plantation didn't show me any Crossbills. People seem to record 20-odd at a time. Am I doing something wrong?

eg. Wandering round Rindle Road area I saw 2 Fieldfare in 3 trips. People record NUMBERS of 'em even now in April. I have yet to see a Grey Partridge.

Maybe I need to ask some kind and experienced soul to join me on a couple of trips!

I know this is a long list but any tips will be very gratefully received and will only serve to increase my appreciation of this excellent site!

Paul

-- Edited by Paul Richardson on Sunday 15th of April 2012 05:00:05 PM

-- Edited by Paul Richardson on Sunday 15th of April 2012 05:07:14 PM