tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8802206289996500659.post4122139194652315898..comments2024-03-27T13:34:10.184+00:00Comments on NORTH DOWNS & BEYOND: I've changed my mindSteve Galehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09459545933323958452noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8802206289996500659.post-65431673847676277502017-01-11T19:36:55.292+00:002017-01-11T19:36:55.292+00:00Yes Seamus, I should embrace the PWC. I'm quit...Yes Seamus, I should embrace the PWC. I'm quite enjoying playing the righteous birder!Steve Galehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09459545933323958452noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8802206289996500659.post-49001496462545403352017-01-11T18:45:31.851+00:002017-01-11T18:45:31.851+00:00Slightly off my manor Dylan, but still good to hea...Slightly off my manor Dylan, but still good to hear.Paul Troddhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03532050770282573211noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8802206289996500659.post-61789427748282344922017-01-11T13:02:12.330+00:002017-01-11T13:02:12.330+00:00It sounds like the Patchwork challenge might be wh...It sounds like the Patchwork challenge might be what you are looking for Steve! I haven't kept a year list since, well probably 1987, but I do take part in PWC as I'm keen to support any initiative that keeps people on their patches.<br /><br />I'm glad the Red-breasted Goose is in Phil's area (sorry Phil), as it will keep the hordes on the other side of the river from me! Fleetwood Bird Observatoryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09618126367011059208noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8802206289996500659.post-83809892739984572612017-01-10T15:41:41.925+00:002017-01-10T15:41:41.925+00:00I do feel a bit of a fraud though Phil, having tru...I do feel a bit of a fraud though Phil, having trudged from bird to bird myself many times!Steve Galehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09459545933323958452noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8802206289996500659.post-55084081247823691182017-01-10T14:16:38.190+00:002017-01-10T14:16:38.190+00:00Nicely explained Steve. The birding tourism around...Nicely explained Steve. The birding tourism around here really gets me down. Few of them have a local patch to learn and enjoy. I dread anything turning up locally as I know there will be an invasion of alien species. Red-breasted Goose now - oh shit! Phil Sladehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01846400106748443969noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8802206289996500659.post-12995902465405946732017-01-10T08:01:47.153+00:002017-01-10T08:01:47.153+00:00Mick, as you know, botany (plus moths and butterfl...Mick, as you know, botany (plus moths and butterflies) are a big part of my time in the field. I'm very lucky that I live in an area blessed with them.Steve Galehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09459545933323958452noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8802206289996500659.post-27378190691693393942017-01-10T07:32:50.663+00:002017-01-10T07:32:50.663+00:00A good post I think on how many fifty something bi...A good post I think on how many fifty something birders view their past time Some of this sounds so familiar. I was once a neurotic local patch birder. I used to call before work and after work every day. I used to try to be the first on site and the last to leave, and every year on the 1st Jan it all started again. I'm cured now, athough botany rules these days I do have occasional relapses ( I went for the Siberian Accenter at Spurn).Mick Laceyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05392124255881712024noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8802206289996500659.post-73336645589481396162017-01-09T21:16:55.048+00:002017-01-09T21:16:55.048+00:00Thanks Paul. I'm afraid I'm a poacher turn...Thanks Paul. I'm afraid I'm a poacher turned gamekeeper - too worthy for my own good really!Steve Galehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09459545933323958452noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8802206289996500659.post-62925994720058249462017-01-09T20:47:32.199+00:002017-01-09T20:47:32.199+00:00Great piece as always Steve. I hold my hands up, I...Great piece as always Steve. I hold my hands up, I was at Dunge yesterday (and went to Camber and Pett afterwards) but we did see some great birds. I'm just as happy doing my own thing and staying local though the occasional twitch or nice selection of year ticks at Dunge does help me keep my enthusiasm up. I can understand the locals being unhappy but that's what comes from living in a great birding area. Hopefully the crowds will die down in a week or two. Paul Jameshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03782156193656480631noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8802206289996500659.post-59185300371228961752017-01-09T16:56:00.738+00:002017-01-09T16:56:00.738+00:00Truth is Stewart, my appetite for driving a fair w...Truth is Stewart, my appetite for driving a fair way, birding in crowds and following the sheep has diminished. I'm not having a go that those that do. To me, and it has come late in my birding life, the thrill of finding stuff locally and off of the radar has been a revelation.Steve Galehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09459545933323958452noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8802206289996500659.post-54532551712072137122017-01-09T16:54:14.507+00:002017-01-09T16:54:14.507+00:00Paul, there were a pair of English (Grey) Partridg...Paul, there were a pair of English (Grey) Partridges in the field directly behind Iden Lock, on the Royal Military Canal, when we were pike fishing there in late December. I'm not sure if this constitutes Dungeness recording space as it's in East Sussex, but it is a sign that they're hanging on out on the marsh.Dylan Wrathallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01285181139467170047noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8802206289996500659.post-48503224092214791132017-01-09T16:43:01.182+00:002017-01-09T16:43:01.182+00:00What I forgot to add is, there is no need to wear ...What I forgot to add is, there is no need to wear sackcloth and go all out on a race to the bottom where you dont see anything and lose motivation all together. There must be a nice middle ground with some crowd avoidance tactics thrown in... Stewarthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01985665182124985194noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8802206289996500659.post-9209940697774559262017-01-09T16:41:37.397+00:002017-01-09T16:41:37.397+00:00Why not try a self found year list then? Go to lot...Why not try a self found year list then? Go to lots of little visited habitat types and see what you can notch up. My usual birding is done like this except i dont record the numbers. This year I will and I will take in any odd bird that I may fancy ie shorelarks or bean geese, but I can never see me going to twitch a black redstart or pec sand down on the reserves...As for your estimated totals, wow! My best ever hasw been 226 and that involved a couple of week long stays at opposite end of the country... Stewarthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01985665182124985194noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8802206289996500659.post-10380326815525196062017-01-09T16:09:30.294+00:002017-01-09T16:09:30.294+00:00It certainly is, I only heard one last year, on th...It certainly is, I only heard one last year, on the Ranges, and fully expect 2017 to be a blank year.Paul Troddhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03532050770282573211noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8802206289996500659.post-40813434534950491342017-01-09T07:31:28.930+00:002017-01-09T07:31:28.930+00:00Paul, the loss of Grey Partridge on the peninsula ...Paul, the loss of Grey Partridge on the peninsula is a crying shame. To think they used to breed in the desert, between ARC and where you live, plentiful on the reserve, relatively easy to find on the marsh...Steve Galehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09459545933323958452noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8802206289996500659.post-12677841371438010712017-01-09T07:28:29.294+00:002017-01-09T07:28:29.294+00:00I`ll tell you something Steve, I`d swop your 1987 ...I`ll tell you something Steve, I`d swop your 1987 covey of Greys for a pale Stonechat any day!Paul Troddhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03532050770282573211noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8802206289996500659.post-48155162560253706842017-01-08T21:14:34.522+00:002017-01-08T21:14:34.522+00:00You're in the right place there SimonYou're in the right place there SimonSteve Galehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09459545933323958452noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8802206289996500659.post-29236061279442114922017-01-08T21:07:26.575+00:002017-01-08T21:07:26.575+00:00I'd rather just enjoy seeing birds, rather tha...I'd rather just enjoy seeing birds, rather than keeping those kinds of recordsSimon Douglas Thompsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16331409652996600049noreply@blogger.com