Please find attached a proper sign that has not been doctored or messed about with in any way. This photo was taken well before lock down. No prizes for guessing where this is!
If you go to London Parks websites you can find the genuine notices, this is a fantastic photoshop of those. They don't actually use language like 'arsing about' and 'shit' in their real ones Wish this was up in parks up here though at the mo The parking area at Newchurch Common regularly has 6-10 cars there now. It's never ever been this busy. Folk having lakeside barbeques, little everywhere and full dog poo bags are decorating the trees and paths
EDIT : Just realised Ian & I posted at the same time, saying about photoshopped image!!
-- Edited by Doc Brewster on Wednesday 22nd of April 2020 08:55:35 PM
Ealing, West London? Made me laugh when you posted it Ian.
I believe that you are correct Rob, I've just noticed the Ealing Council emblem in the bottom left hand corner of the sign, just above the less than impressed Thrush.
My latest eye injection seems to have done the job!!!!
So we are all locked down,and we have time to kill,I have just added to the "bucket list" it,s a cracker and must be possible given my location on the Wigan flashes. I may have heard it and ignorance served to excuse me,but knock me down with a feather!!!! a snipe SINGING it,s true never heard of it before so I am on a mission when this is over but any hints as to timing are welcome.
Geoff and trixie
Hey Geoff, best place I've found for singing / drumming snipe is the towpath between Dover Lock and Dover Basin, dawn or dusk April-May.
Just incase any forum members get the wrong idea if you see a post by me from a particular area or site, its because I am still working during these unprecedented times and I either have a customer nearby or the route between customers has taken me passed the site.
I work for an Italian food supplier (G&O Foods Ltd) delivering food, drinks, catering supplies, and janitorials to various places so we have been classed as key workers, admittedly not like the NHS or the emergency services, but still part of an infrastructure trying to keep businesses going and keeping the British public fed and watered!
Many of our customers (restaurants, pubs, etc) have closed for the foreseeable, but we do supply a number of takeaways, and certain restaurants have started doing a takeaway only service, so as long as theres orders coming in from these customers ... we will still be supplying them, after all, you lot need to eat.
Just wanted to make it clear that under no circumstances have I nor will I travel unnecessarily just to see a bird during this awful period. Although in one sense You may think Im lucky to be out and about, well Im still at risk from my customers and who theyve come into contact with, so Im taking every precaution I can to stay safe.
Thanks Dave,Craig that's where I will be heading next year,I have watched and heard the drumming bit there myself.I think the "garden list" rules are open to some wiggle room and that distant speck over Winter Hill could be a Red Kite? but then again you have to sleep nights!!!.
Geoff &trixie
-- Edited by Geoff Hargreaves on Wednesday 1st of April 2020 09:10:03 PM
Further to my last post, and as pointed out by Geoff we are now locked in and, this is the second spring I have missed due to being locked inside - last year recovering from an op and this year with this virus. My garden is, sadly, a bird free zone most of the time. Always has been. But this year at least I have a pair of Blackbirds that have taken up residence, a pair of Blue Tits visiting, a Coal tit in next doors garden and a pair of collared doves nest building next door too. Pretty slim pickings but still providing pleasure when I manage to look out of the window.
As for snipe Geoff - Not heard them singing locally in ages but I did have one drumming between Dover Lock and Dover basin a couple of years ago. Because I was on the canal it was comparatively close and I watched it for a good 10 mins.
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No one on their death bed ever said they wished they'd spent more time at work. http://bitsnbirds.blogspot.co.uk
Geoff....The display of the Lapwing and Common Snipe led me into this life long journey into birdwatching..,these were back in the fifties whilst out just ambling along the Canal Bank at Worsley...the Snipe have gone..the Lapwing on my last visit within past 10 years were still there..but for your mission when the restrictions have hopefully ended could take you to the eastern access to the Little Woolden Moss LWT Reserve and as soon as you get onto the open pathway heading west you will hopefully hear the wita-wita-wita....call...as I describe it to myself and with Luck the drumming flight display of this superlative wader...there is only one...but to me an absolute joy to hear this bird return to my Mossland haven...it called but a few days ago from this spot...and with what appears to be a great deal of luck with this situation you may still catch this display before the breeding season ends...Dave.
-- Edited by Dave Steel on Saturday 28th of March 2020 08:06:25 PM
So we are all locked down,and we have time to kill,I have just added to the "bucket list" it,s a cracker and must be possible given my location on the Wigan flashes. I may have heard it and ignorance served to excuse me,but knock me down with a feather!!!! a snipe SINGING it,s true never heard of it before so I am on a mission when this is over but any hints as to timing are welcome.
While I don't fall into the over-70s, my respiratory issues possibly push me into the number of those that should be 'self-isolating' for the next 3 months. Having retired at the end of 2019 with the intention of relocating back to Middleton, I've left my London flat with the decorators and moved in with my sister, so that we can at least support each other, but the idea of being cooped up inside for long periods of time does not fill me with glee.
I managed to get out early on saturday for the Carbon Landscape Willow Tit survey and hopefully I'll be able to do the follow-up session too. I didn't notice a significant increase in joggers and dog-walkers, but yesterday (Sunday) there were noticeably more people about although social-distancing was still rarely an issue other than when someone was walking a herd of dogs along the same norrow path that I was walking along.
Faced with being restricted for long hours - and not being much of a TV watcher, I brought with me a pile of notebooks and photos, with the intention of working on the following - entering outstanding Willow Tit Survey Data - Entering what Bird Records I can, into Birdtrack, from various holidays abroad (Estonia, Hungrary, Peru) - although this becomes impossible when you have precise location data - Adding any outstanding useable photos to iNaturalist - Re-visiting the bilogical records I have added via iRecord and appending any missing photos etc - Re-visiting the 100s of hours of audio I've recorded over the last 4 or 5 years and uploading clips to Xeno-canto - Adding links to xeno-canto (where possible) to the various recording systems Ive added data to - Perhaps actually getting around to writing up some Trip Reports
As for actual birding, this looks like it will be restricted to - Indulging in some noc-migging (Largely unsuccessful at picking up any interesting migrants, so far) - Sky-watching from the back-garden and some Garden Bird-watching.
RSPB Burton Mere Wetlands released a statement yesterday
"Despite hoping to remain open, we have made the difficult decision to FULLY CLOSE RSPB Burton Mere to visitors with immediate effect; includes the car park, hides & trails, to restrict the spread of #coronavirus & prioritise the health & welfare of staff, volunteers & public."
Having joined the"old farts club" a few years ago I ,like John Rayner,and undoubtedly quite a few other people who use this forum are going to face an extremely difficult and stressful few months with cabin fever already looming up on the very close horizon. I'm lucky that I live on the edge of the mosslands where you can spend the best part of the day birding without seeing a soul,so that's where I'll be heading. To me the worst part is not being able to spend any time with my grandkids,my daughter popped round before and I had to wave at my grandson through their car window,hearbreaking that I couldn't go out and give him a hug. Hopefully we'll all get through it,and the sooner people take every precaution ,the sooner we can come out the other end of the tunnel.
The number of people escaping to the country side has increased definitely. There is a public car park on one side of my patch that was packed by 10am on a Friday morning - busier than a bank holiday for sure.
I popped into Dunham Massey, mainly for a stroll, on Friday.
With the sunshine and the suspension of parking fees it was mobbed - it reminded me of a Bank Holiday crowd.
I've been birding along my stretch of the Mersey and in the local"nature reserve" this isnt a change from my regular routine - I try to get there at least once per week
Tomorrow, I might give an RSPB site a try - BMW possibly
Even the countryside might become out-of-bounds if two recent experiences of local sites have been anything to go by. For instance this afternoon just on my local footpaths around 'Hilltop', Romiley, I met about 20 people!! That's about 4 or 5 times what I would normally expect. It seems like everyone is having the same idea about how they might avoid people!!
At the age of 41 I like to think I am in the low risk category but I am over weight and do feel at risk. I have no known underlying health conditions. We have a government strategy that seems slow and reactive rather than proactive. The government response is making it worse and they have not learnt from China and Italy's experiences. I hope I am wrong but I feel it is going to be quite a while before life returns to normal. The current situation is not too restrictive as we can go where we want in terms of birding wise except those reserves which are fully closed off. Obviously, we might have to go alone more. I am lucky I have a local patch which covers a large area consisting of upland reservoirs, moorland, sheep pasture, mixed woodland but I do need to get away from it every couple of months as rarely is there a surprise there and it does not record a big list of birds. Not many people go around the area so can practise social distancing with ease! What happens if there is a total lockdown and can only leave house for what they deem as necessary reasons? That would be a disaster for me because that walk 5-6 mile walk around gets rid of any negative feelings and stress I have.
Would I go to a twitch? Depends now on financial circumstances and conditions. I have not been to see every single bird that turns up so if I missed some twitches would be no issue. My UK list is about 270 species and I suspect I would never get past 320 species in this country before the age of 60 which does not bother me. Although, it is nice to see rare birds and take some pics of them.
Having children aged 10 and 7 who will now be at home means time spent making sure they don't fall behind so free time from suspension of work will be spent on my kids education.
-- Edited by Sarfraz Hayat on Thursday 19th of March 2020 11:33:34 PM
I'm not in one of the high risk groups fortunately, but am conscious that I still need to practice the social distancing at the very least. However I agree with your approach and will be doing similar - driving to whatever location I choose and birding alone for a few hours. It seems a reasonable thing to do.
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No one on their death bed ever said they wished they'd spent more time at work. http://bitsnbirds.blogspot.co.uk
Unfortunately I fall in the over 70s at risk category, with underlying health problems so I am now in my 3rd day of self isolation, or more correctly self distancing. It's a situation my wife and I are still trying to come to terms with. Separation from children and grandchildren is the hardest.
I always tried to get out for at least a couple of hours most days and at the moment I can't see much problem with driving myself to somewhere reasonably remote and avoiding people. Well, that's your average birders profile down to a tee. Even if I don't see anything special it gives me excercise and keeps me sane (well as near as possible).
I don't think I will be joining any crowds at twitches though and noted this item regarding a Franklins Gull in Netherlands.
"Location not publicised outside Dutch Bird Alerts to prevent building up a crowd. However, as the twitchers did not obey the request not to get to close (to each other, not to the bird!), the (DIY) reporting service has now been switched off".
It's going to be a long few months and I just wondered how others are approaching this. How will it affect your birding personally?
Keep safe everyone, Cheers John
-- Edited by John Rayner on Friday 20th of March 2020 08:19:34 AM
