That's a shame. Not the nice German lady I hope?

Her neighbour, Jim.

Was it the shock of seeing you on a bike Marcus

He went by taxi
;)

Off to shoot an elephant in your pyjamas later, Marcus? ;)

This week I also managed the poorly worded.

'I was the one carrying the backpack with the tripod attached with the funny head'

I did smile to myself when I originally received that message, but I wouldn't have told anyone!;)

Just got this little beauty on my local patch in Sheff...

Common ('Mealy') Redpolls
 

Birdguides reported a flock of 30 COMMON Redpolls up at Eccup today. Is this just a terminology error, I assume they mean lesser redpolls, if not, is that where everyone has been today!!!????!!!

If this is gen, it's a very good record. I'll be very surprised if they are Common.

Anyone down the coast tomorrow, this red-necked grebe at Scarborough harbour shows down to 15-20 feet range.

Nah! Did sunny calderdale, not many birds to see - a fogged off kestrel, some carrion crow and a distant male peregrine but some fantastic views.

thats a great shot dave

Has anyone got any up-to-date info on the rough-leg buzzards , please ? Was thinking of taking a look tomorrow but not sure they've been seen the last couple of days ?

Hi all, no luck with waxwings yet myself, though have been refusing to twitch any! seem to more over lancs way at the minute...

On another note, just got the birdwatching walks in the yorkshire dales book off amazon. a great read and has given me quite a few extra sites to have a go at. Could be cold when I'm out after the grouse and raptors in swaledale tomorrow though!

Steve

East Ayton didn't clear from freezing fog today, so not sure what kind of visibility there was at Pocklington for the rough-legs.

Better forecast for tomorrow (though I'd check before deciding to set off) - presumably the birds are still in the area.

Thanks for the reply. Will decide tomorow whether to give it a go for the rough-legs.

Nice KF Pete- I'll get one someday. Do you know if Crosspool Waxwings are still about- might try tomorrow if so.

Cheers Mick

Just got the latest issue of Yorkshire Birding magazine and there was an interesting flyer in with it.
It seems that the YNU have gone all modern and are now looking for sightings to be submitted via the web.
There is a template recording spreadsheet available at www.ynu.org.uk or www.yhedn.org.uk/birddata and sightings can be submitted at www.yhedn.org.uk/onlinerecording.

Yorkshire recording
 

Hi Keith

YNU are indeed in the process of modernising and hopefully that is something started several years ago and will continue.

With regard the recording system outlined in your post; many records are being lost, particularly from farmland areas lacking a local society recording structure. Whilst some birders do submit records to Birdtrack, not all do so; a collaboration between YNU, the Local Records Centre Network and Natural England are working to develop a system that will benefit both birds and birders alike. Records can be mapped with great accuracy (provided that the record itself is not sensitive) and this can then be used to inform potential planning consent and also be used to target Environmental Stewardship options, where the monies will have the most benefit.

Our other main aim is to publish a county bird report covering all species within 18 months of the year in question; whilst this hasn't quite been achieved yet, the 2006 report is going off to press next week and a team of writers will start compiling the 2007 edition before the year end.

A complete website revamp is also coming soon.

Incidently a handful of 2005 Yorkshire reports are still available; if anyone wants one, please get in touch.

Craig

Cheers for that info Craig, I use Birdtrack at the moment as I am an Atlas recorder as well as BBS recorder for the BTO. I suppose my records are forwarded to the YNU from Birdtrack, or would it be worth my inputting them to both sites?

I would continue as you are at present. Records are forwarded to us via Birdtrack for use in the report, although as you'll appreciate, wading through all the records for noteworthy ones is arduous. Great that you're Atlasing and working as a BBS recorder as well!

Nice and bright today, headed out late morning and had a walk across from Pugneys. Plenty of Great crested grebe, dabchick, wigeon a few teal, about 10 goosander, kingfisher and 4 goldeneye, the latter in display 'cause it was sunny.

Went on to Bretton looking for Brambling, there was nothing to be seen in the carparks and I balked at the £4 fee, lay-bys were full. So I had a drive round the lanes and at High Hoyland saw a few finches in the top of a bush, pulled over and found Greenfinch, Goldies and a yellowhammer. Parked up for a walk and found a theres about 200 finches in the tree tops singing away. In the field next to the church the farmer has grown sunflowers and the seed heads are now an obvious magnet. Mainly goldies and greenies but chaffinches, yellowhammers and a couple of Brambling including a cracking male - great!

Working at Tophill today saw a flyover little egret, a few curlews knocking about, peregrine over 'o' res a supposed 3r winter YLG which looked very much like a 4th winter LBBG to me. Can YLG ever show a very dark mantle in a sub-adult and can LBBG show an eye patch?

Early morning dogwalk had golden plover, buzzard, marsh tits, bullfinches, heard willow tits, at least three kestrels and had the usual small stuff. Nice bright weather and crisp underfoot so kept clean for a change.
Chris.