If memory serves me correct the 1984 bird also visited Sandbach Flashes and Neumann's Flash (where I seem to remember seeing it) during it protracted stay.
The 2013 Neumann's bird also visited Sandbach in September for a few days during its stay in Cheshire.
'Rare and Scarce Birds of Cheshire & Wirral' mentions 'the first record' of Stilt Sandpiper being 16 April 1984 at Frodsham. The Neumann's Flash bird of 2013 as 'the second'.
-- Edited by Tim Wilcox on Friday 31st of August 2018 12:21:48 PM
Apparently the Frodsham bird stayed around for 171 days!!!!
If memory serves me correct the 1984 bird also visited Sandbach Flashes and Neumann's Flash (where I seem to remember seeing it) during it protracted stay.
'Rare and Scarce Birds of Cheshire & Wirral' mentions 'the first record' of Stilt Sandpiper being 16 April 1984 at Frodsham. The Neumann's Flash bird of 2013 as 'the second'.
-- Edited by Tim Wilcox on Friday 31st of August 2018 12:21:48 PM
Apparently the Frodsham bird stayed around for 171 days!!!!
'Rare and Scarce Birds of Cheshire & Wirral' mentions 'the first record' of Stilt Sandpiper being 16 April 1984 at Frodsham. The Neumann's Flash bird of 2013 as 'the second'.
-- Edited by Tim Wilcox on Friday 31st of August 2018 12:21:48 PM
You could describe this as more exaggerated fake news to use a currently in vogue expression. I have almost given up on the media (particularly the BBC) where standards of accuracy and even the use of the English language itself have declined continually over the last fifty years. For example how many supposedly educated TV announcers dont have a clue concerning the distinction between less and fewer?
A real irritation is when local newspapers reporting on a vagrant rarity (Scops Owl for example) refer to it as a rare breed, instead of a rare species.
Mind you, to be honest, Grumpy Old Men was one of my favourite programs.
-- Edited by Mike Passant on Wednesday 29th of August 2018 10:14:42 AM
OK but to be an equally Grumpy Old Man, if nobody corrects the reporter(s) then can we blame them. I suspect this was a piece originating from the local news team for the region covering Lincolnshire, which got promoted to fill a spot in the Sunday schedule, as I've seen it happen quite often with news from BBC North West . When I caught up with it on Sunday night I must admit to not paying a lot of attention to the RSPB representative (Volunteer?) interviewed at the start so I can't remember if he was asked if it was the third in the country or not, and I don't think any of the people interviewed on site were asked either, but it was certainly asked during the Breakfast piece and not contradicted by the chap who had been game enough to go along for the interview. He said that he'd never seen a Stilt-Sandpiper and it was a new bird for all the people in the on-site interview, so it doesn't look as if many people with any knowledge of the actual degree of scarcity of the bird had been interviewed. I think I'd have known that it wasn't that rare but I couldn't have told you exactly how many occurrences there had been myself.
I've dealt with local journalists often enough over the years to know that some of them obviously can't read their own shorthand, but at the same time if no-one with the right information offers themselves up for an interview can we entirely blame the media for what they report?
A wee bit off topic, but concerning the species mentioned, I recall the long staying Weaver Bend bird with a damaged (thickened leg) found by my pal the late Julian Weldrick in the spring of 1984. Julian had to rush off to work, having found a strange wader first thing in the morning. He was struggling with a Greenshank like bird which just didnt fit, but rang our own John Rayner who later went down with Geoff Lightfoot, and having studied the bird thoroughly both decided that it could only be a Stilt Sandpiper; then a stunning rarity. I had been absent bombing around Morocco and gratefully caught up with it later.
Now one in GM would be much appreciated!
__________________
Challenges are inevitable, but failure is optional.
You could describe this as more exaggerated fake news to use a currently in vogue expression. I have almost given up on the media (particularly the BBC) where standards of accuracy and even the use of the English language itself have declined continually over the last fifty years. For example how many supposedly educated TV announcers dont have a clue concerning the distinction between less and fewer?
A real irritation is when local newspapers reporting on a vagrant rarity (Scops Owl for example) refer to it as a rare breed, instead of a rare species.
Mind you, to be honest, Grumpy Old Men was one of my favourite programs.
-- Edited by Mike Passant on Wednesday 29th of August 2018 10:14:42 AM
__________________
No one on their death bed ever said they wished they'd spent more time at work. http://bitsnbirds.blogspot.co.uk
You could describe this as more exaggerated fake news to use a currently in vogue expression. I have almost given up on the media (particularly the BBC) where standards of accuracy and even the use of the English language itself have declined continually over the last fifty years. For example how many supposedly educated TV announcers dont have a clue concerning the distinction between less and fewer?
A real irritation is when local newspapers reporting on a vagrant rarity (Scops Owl for example) refer to it as a rare breed, instead of a rare species.
Mind you, to be honest, Grumpy Old Men was one of my favourite programs.
-- Edited by Mike Passant on Wednesday 29th of August 2018 10:14:42 AM
__________________
Challenges are inevitable, but failure is optional.
They seem to have "over egged" the birds rarity a tad but an interesting item nonetheless
Yes they started off by saying it was only the third Stilt Sandpiper ever seen in this country. RBA state that there have been 35 previous British records. I recall that just after I started birding seriously in 2006 there was one at RSPB Conwy and of course more recently, in July 2016 we had our very own Neuman's Flash bird
Click on link and go to 07.38am when piece begins regarding Stilt Sandpiper and 07.41am ( as indicated at lower right on broadcast) when Mark Champion is interviewed regarding the same. iPlayer indicates that you will not be able to view after 9.00am tomorrow.
BTO have been asked if anyone would be interested in being on the sofa on BBC Breakfast tomorrow (Sunday) morning to talk about birding and rare birds. It would be filmed at the BBC Salford studio so wondering if a GM birder might be interested, though it would mean an early start, but if anyone would be interested, please call or text BTO's Media Manager Paul Stancliffe on 07585 440910.