Young Birder (2 Viewers)

[mr.sim]

Well done on everything in the New Forest David. Let me know when you're coming up to Norfolk...
Nice one on the yearlist too! Looks like this could be a pretty good year for you!

 

[teamsaint]

well done on the Honey david!

 

[teamsaint]

Was on Salisbury Plain this morning and saw the amazing sight of 8 Weasel kittens/cubs crossing the road in front of us. Also 2 male Monties, 5 Corn Bunting, Turtle Dove, Stone-curlew calling. So an excellent morning.

 

[mr.sim]

Well done Teamsaint. Have you seen the Great Bustard chicks? 3 already hatched apparently...very good news.

 

[MCspudd]

Hi everyone last night i went to brockholes quarry and saw 50+ swift, 50+ sand martins, 2 little ringed plover, 1 g b b gull and 2 curlew.

Today i went to martin mere and saw goldfinch, swallows, pochard, shelduck, long tailed tits, tree sparrows, avocet, g b b gull, lapwing, ringed plover, gadwall, redshank, dunlin, swift, little ringed plover, teal, black-tailed godwits, WATER RAIL, linnet, house martin, LITTLE GREBE, sedge warbler, skylark, heron, cormarant and 1 green sandpiper.

After that i went to mere sands wood and saw 1 jay, 2 g c grebe and 2 mistle thrush (only there for 10-20 mins ).

 

[Littleegret]

Why are you guys so good??

 

[Birding Bob]

Lots of time in the field and then reading books when not in the field. Well thats me but i'm not a great birder yet.

 

[Birding Bob]

or by eating the colins bird guide book for breakfast :-O one of those

 

[joshjenkinsshaw]

Why are you guys so good??

Practice Practice Practice.....Going to loads of places by getting lifts with other birders, learning off them, reading books, using the internet.

 

[tjbirdofprey]

Why are you guys so good??

yea as everyones said loads and loads of practice out there in the field, try and visit loads of differant places and habitats....also try to get out into the great outdoors to birdwatch as much as you can:t:

i dont regard myself as good quite the opposite really(im rubbish:-O)dont worry you will be beating my lifelist in no time:-O(i reckon your l list will rocket as you get better) dont worry L.E:king:

 

[rokermartin]

Some of you young birders should'nt worry if u think your life,year lists are rubbish. And you should 'nt worry if u cannot id all the birds you see.You should be ENJOYING your birding and making the most of it.As others have said best way is to get out as much as possible and go to different places.Also write down what birds you see when you are out birding and take notes of the birds you cannot id.I have been birding for nearly 30yrs and i am still learning about birds.So just ENJOY watching birds.

 

[tjbirdofprey]

Some of you young birders should'nt worry if u think your life,year lists are rubbish. And you should 'nt worry if u cannot id all the birds you see.You should be ENJOYING your birding and making the most of it.As others have said best way is to get out as much as possible and go to different places.Also write down what birds you see when you are out birding and take notes of the birds you cannot id.I have been birding for nearly 30yrs and i am still learning about birds.So just ENJOY watching birds.

yea your right rokermartin maybe were are to obsessive on yr,lf lists.........dont worry though i really really enjoy watching birds:t:

 

[teamsaint]

Why are you guys so good??

obsessive seeking of knowledge

its a bit more of a male thing

Seriously though my advice to you is to find a good local patch and watch there regualrly so you can become familiar with the common birds and start to get to know scarcer birds and make some birding friends. Am I right in saying that you live in Dorset Littleegret? If so then I would recommend visiting Blashford Lakes near Ringwood as well as the Poole harbour area. In particular try the hide at Middlebere and the Arne Peninsula as well as Swineham Point and Gravel Pit. On Purbeck you have Durlston where you can see seabirds like Guillemots, Razorbills and Fulmars. A walk to Dancing Ledge might produce a Puffin or two if you are lucky, also look out for Peregrine Falcon.

If you don't mind me asking where abouts do you live? There may well be other good sites near to you that I could tell you about.

One good way to get involved and learn is to take part in guided walks. The RSPB and the Wildlife Trusts organise many of these on their reserves and you will always find the person leading the walk, usually a nature reserve warden, to be very friendly, knowledgeable and helpful. Take a look at RSPB events in Dorset - http://www.rspb.org.uk/events/results.asp

 

[tjbirdofprey]

obsessive seeking of knowledge

its a bit more of a male thing

Seriously though my advice to you is to find a good local patch and watch there regualrly so you can become familiar with the common birds and start to get to know scarcer birds and make some birding friends. Am I right in saying that you live in Dorset Littleegret? If so then I would recommend visiting Blashford Lakes near Ringwood as well as the Poole harbour area. In particular try the hide at Middlebere and the Arne Peninsula as well as Swineham Point and Gravel Pit. On Purbeck you have Durlston where you can see seabirds like Guillemots, Razorbills and Fulmars. A walk to Dancing Ledge might produce a Puffin or two if you are lucky, also look out for Peregrine Falcon.

If you don't mind me asking where abouts do you live? There may well be other good sites near to you that I could tell you about.

One good way to get involved and learn is to take part in guided walks. The RSPB and the Wildlife Trusts organise many of these on their reserves and you will always find the person leading the walk, usually a nature reserve warden, to be very friendly, knowledgeable and helpful. Take a look at RSPB events in Dorset - http://www.rspb.org.uk/events/results.asp

L.E dont live in Dorset teamsaint only i do:-O doubt she will mind me saying..... i think she lives in leicestershire......but i might be wrong so let L.E tell you:king:

 

[teamsaint]

I just saw that she had been to Brownsea Island and the New Forest and thought she lived in that area.

So forget the last bit Littleegret, go to Rutland Water and go round the hides. You'll see loads of birds there, especially once the return migration starts again.

 

[jimmyg]

I've given moth trapping a go(after my several miserable failings in attempts at making moth traps its more like collecting random moths in the hall as I find them) and it hasn't gone well at all. Haven't managed to ID any of them yet.

Take photos and send 'em on down David! I don't have my moth book with me in Oxford (plus I've got exams) so won't be able to ID many until I get back home, but if you don't mind waiting...

And remember what I told you about UV light bulbs!!! Having said that the best moth I've ever caught was resting on the hall wall :-O Nationally scarce A and would have been a county first, but sadly I didn't take a photo :-C Reminds me of my birding 3

 

[Littleegret]

you know the BarnOwl who started this thread does he still go on BF

 

[Littleegret]

I had the greatest idea ( well if you dont like it its not my fault!) why dont we do a bird forum young birder thread awards like an award for the rarest bird spotted etc? I think it could be fun. We could email eachother certificates!

 

[teamsaint]

you know the BarnOwl who started this thread does he still go on BF

I think Sam gave up birding to become a normal teenager

 

[Littleegret]

travelled to Martin Down to look for Nightingales and Turtle doves today,heard the latter but not seen(too well hidden in the bushes) no sign off any Nightingales:C(slightly worring).......although i did add a Raven which soared over calling(i think a new lifero) also got a sighting off a
weird bird(s) i think two were fighting in a bush making a funny rapid,loud call(pzz pzz pzz pzz pzz zz zz)i got a brief look at it,sort off like a pigeon with longer wings(fem Cuckoo?)

here are some pics of today......
no.1 me looking through my scope for Turtle doves(i really got to think about getting a haircut3)
no.2 and 3 yellowhammers giving nice views(shame bout the pics..)

EDIT:anyone got any ideas about what my "weird bird"(s) is?

is that pic you taylor? Of the boy with the telescope