Congratulations to all the Bird Race Teams, you don't know how much effort it takes until you've actually taken part in a Bird Race
Great write-up of the day, Henry, certainly food for thought there
Having taken part in several Eco Bird Races, Cheshire, Lancashire & now Manchester Ship Canal Bird Races, I feel duty bound to try Greater Manchester next year, the planning starts now
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A great day was had on Saturday and personally set me up for a very memorable long weekend. Personal highlight was whilst en route to Wigan flashes I spotted a Sparrowhawk to my right. I pulled over and absolute panic ensued from Henry and Phil trying to exit the van, thankfully they both got the bird. Oh yeah and Phil's 15000000GB's!?! Well done Simon's team,a great total. Til next year.
Did either team manage to 'see' 100 in the day. Clutching at straws now that we still hold on to one record
Cheers John
About 15 species on our day were heard only (leaving 91 or so seen) largely because we were all happy on the repsective identification and therefore didn't spend the time it would have needed to see them. You still have the seen-only record then John. Henry.
Hi John, we saw 98 birds, our heards we're Goldcrest, Grasshopper Warbler and Cetti's Warbler. Can't believe we missed some of the birds we did really, apparently all I kept saying throughout the day was "there was one here last week!" At least I could try and blame not being able to see a Wheatear 10 feet in front of me down to tiredness from all the driving. The one thing we learned is that logistically a GM bird race is a nightmare, we should all do it on the same day next year with proper rules agreed by the County Recorder.
Well done and congratulations to both teams for their achievements over the last couple of days, with scores of 101 and a new record mark of 106. It would be great if you were to both write up the tale of how your respective days went, especially details of your chosen routes and your start and finish times, along with a "punch by punch" account of the inevitable highs and lows.
It's weird how a few common species always seem to manage to evade detection; (perversely often the first three or four species you hear/see on the following day, when it's too late and you don't need them!) - And you always run out of time........
Best wishes, Mike P.
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Challenges are inevitable, but failure is optional.
After hitting 88 in 2010 and then the" ton" exactly last year, it was certainly a case of "third time lucky" this year.
Being out from 3am to 11pm certainly took it's toll but it was all good fun and well worthwhile, can't wait for another crack at it again next year.
Thank goodness for Red Bull!!
Also, well done to Simon's team for their efforts too and as mentioned, I have to agree it would be nice to involve a charity of some sort in the future.
-- Edited by Phil Owen on Monday 6th of May 2013 11:43:30 PM
Well done Simon and the team. Any total over 100 is a great day in the county.
Our day nearly derailed very early on as we couldn't get into Audenshaw Res which cost us half an hour at the best time of day but were relieved only to have missed Whimbrel. This year we had to contend with the brisk wind keeping all the owls, bar Little Owl, quiet. There also wasn't much wader passage occuring or interesting terns/gulls passing through, all of which could boost a day list by a few important species.
Our dips were headlined by Grey Wagtail (spent time looking for at 7 sites!), Tawny Owl, Green Woodpecker (our local spot, Dunham Park let us down pretty badly on a couple of species), Cuckoo, Waxwing, Red-legged Partridge, and Shoveler (which we'd pinned down the night before at Altrincham ETW).
Amongst the regular species there were a few highlights and bonuses: Greater Scaup found by our team at Wigan Flashes, Red-crested Pochard, Corn Bunting, Whinchat, Kingfisher, Garden Warbler, Cetti's Warbler, and Goldeneye.
With all the ups and downs which is an inevitable and fascinating part of a bird race we finished the day on 106 species. Thanks to all those who helped us with gen on the day.
Funnily enough, we spoke on the day about making the bird race more of an event around the county next year and getting a few more teams involved and raising a bit of dosh for conservation or the GMBRG whilst we are at it.
Henry.
-- Edited by Henry Cook on Monday 6th of May 2013 04:28:44 PM
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Monday 6th of May 2013 04:36:59 PM
Wow what a roller coaster yesterday was, we (myself, Melanie B, Paul Heaton and Simon Johnson) managed 101 species and amazingly managed to miss Pochard, Teal (surely a visit to the Teal Scrape at Pennington would of been better than scanning the spit from the Rucks & Rammies!), Little Grebe, Shelduck (they'd simply vanished into thin air), Yellow Wagtail, both Cuckoo and Greenshank by 20 minutes and got to the Waxwings too late in the day, I think we could have had 105 easy enough with a little more luck but thats birding. Saw some good birds along the way with self-found Wood Warbler being a surprise, Cettis Warbler, Scaup, Wood Sandpiper, Golden Plover, Red-legged Partridge, Garden Warbler where we didn't expect one and a late Fieldfare being amongst the highlights.
It was good fun though and to finish with a Tawny Owl sat in a church window starring at us at 9.30pm was a great way to end the day. In hindsight, we could have cut out some sites and unfortunately never made it to Etherow, one thing for sure there are too many sites widely scattered in all parts of the county and you simply run out of time.
Its a shame this isnt an annual event, perhaps raising money for charity or something. Other counties have annual bird races with a defined set of rules where its normal for everyone to take part on the same day. I think it is usually deemed acceptable if 3 out of a team of 4 see/hear the bird where we went with all 4 of us needed to see/hear it which cost us a bird. It was a fairly late decision to have a go at this but I am already being told that we will have another go next year but we shall see...
I believe the South Mancs. team faired better so well done to them :)
-- Edited by Simon Warford on Monday 6th of May 2013 03:15:36 PM
Good luck to all the teams planning to give it a go this weekend!
I wish I could do this one day as it looks like a lot of fun (maybe in a couple of years). Will certainly keep an eye out these next few days for any rarities, though I doubt I'll find anything rarer than Common Whitethroats on my patch!
Cheers
Paul
Maybe one day we could have the Paul's vs the Simon's!
Good luck to all the teams planning to give it a go this weekend!
I wish I could do this one day as it looks like a lot of fun (maybe in a couple of years). Will certainly keep an eye out these next few days for any rarities, though I doubt I'll find anything rarer than Common Whitethroats on my patch!
Cheers
Paul
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Target birds: Golden Plover, Little Owl, Common Crossbill.
Well in just over 48 hours we will be tearing our way around GM, in an attempt to amass a decent day list. Reccying is nearly over, now we just need a bit of luck. Thanks to everybody for your constant sightings, updates and insider info! Now we just need you all out Saturday keeping the website ticking over . Good luck to the Sunday teams, at least the forecast is on our side though slightly blowy.
Cheers Jason, all the best to you, Henry & Phil too! Just make sure you find a few good birds on Saturday that we can easily pick up on the Sunday. Looks like we maybe forced to venture to the south of the county, which we have never done on a county bird race before!
Nice one Simon. We (myself, Phil Owen & Henry Cook) are out 24 hrs earlier so could give you a good marker. The way the local birds are at the moment I think 100 is a bear minimum!
We're going to have a go at the County Day list on Sunday 5th May, same team as the previous NYD attempts, would be nice to record 100 species in a day in GM. So watch out for us and say hello if you see us on your local patches a week on Sunday.
I think you're right Jason; records are there as markers for the next generation to surpass; if you want it badly enough you will succeed. However there is a far stiffer challenge than just 104 in Greater Manchester.
I for one regard the real "one day" champions as Terry and Rob Thorpe, who of course achieved 100 all within Wigan Borough on foot or on bikes. I'll buy a Mars Bar for anyone who beats that.
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Challenges are inevitable, but failure is optional.
Only 4 weeks until the optimum date for the bird race and with the record set at 104 in 2011 I feel this year could be the year for it to fall. With so many winter migrants still around and the imminent arrival of spring visitors we could (hopefully) get a double hit. It could be a very interesting and as usual stressful day.
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