Michael,
I like the idea of the online resource but rather than taking it on yourself to host it completely, why not add pages to Opus for the relevant sites.
I've created a couple, one for Rodley and one for Potteric Carr and also added a bit to a page that already exists for Eccup Reservoir.
This is the Rodley page I created.

Many of the best inland gull sites over the past few years are now past their best as a bye-product of the trend for recycling instead of sending waste to landfill. Nosterfield used to be excellent (was a working tip there until about 3-4 years ago), and quite close to you, but many of the large gulls are gone now (lucky to get 40-50 in the roost these days). It's interesting though, that even with only small numbers of larger gulls, the odd Iceland Gull is occasionally still recorded (Glaucous seem much scarcer these days away from the coast), especially when they start to move back north in the late winter.

I understand that Farnham GP can also be quite good too, but I've never done it other than to see the Pacific Diver last year. Perhaps it too is a mere shadow of its former self? Bolton-on-Swale GP is another site long past its prime.

Nosterfield is the nearest decent place to me (and you), and still quite good for the smaller gulls, mainly BHG and Common. I spend quite a few sessions there late on Saturday or Sunday afternoons in the months after Christmas. The Lingham viewing screen just down the road from Nosterfield village is one of the best places to view, as is Flasks lake (site of the recent 'Canvasback'). Many people seem to think that your best chance of finding something good is amongst the large gulls (they are certainly the most challenging to ID!) but I'm convinced that decent small gulls are probably overlooked amongst the thousands of BH gulls too. Finding your own Ring-billed, Bonaparte's, or even a Laughing or Franklin's has got to be one of your best chances of finding a rarity locally. It seems that most birders just don't look at gulls-too difficult/boring? They certainly seem to divide opinion like no other birds. Personally I love them, but don't claim to be an expert. Always something new to learn though, and they are genuinely accessible to most people without having to visit a 'proper reserve'.

It won't have escaped your notice that Teeside (Cowpen Bewley tip) is probably the best gull site within 40-50 miles of you, particularly after this past weekend's Glaucous-winged Gull, with literally thousands of big gulls present at any one time. There is another tip just down the road (can't remember its name), and the gulls have plenty of fresh water sites nearby to bathe and loaf about when not feeding. This place could keep you busy for hours!

Cheers,

Steve

Wintersett area
 

Had an extra day off work and went for my new year walk at Wintersett-Haw Wood-Anglers. None of the lakes were frozen which I was surprised at and there was a covering of snow. Saw most of the birds i was hoping for including Snipe, GS Woodpecker, Willow Tits, Jay, Treecreeper, Grey Wagtail, & Lesser Redpolls 8 near cold Hiendley Res. Also saw a female brambling at the feeder station in the car park. Many thanks to the gent who gave me information about the Waxwings that had moved into the village of Cold Hiendley - in the trees viewable from the green triangle in the middle of the village (you parked your car next to mine and were taking photos at the feeding station) - if your reading this I did find them - about 18 birds :t:

Cheers

John

Swillington has several thousand gulls in the roost, often including white-winged and yellow-legged with caspian also recorded. Up to half a dozen enthusiasts watch the causeway on St. Aidan's from http://www.streetmap.co.uk/idl.srf?x...p=ids.srf&lm=1 )(Note this OS map badly needs updating as it's missing several million gallons of water north of that point)

The group's web site is http://se3828.wordpress.com/, and they have a hide at http://www.streetmap.co.uk/idl.srf?x...p=ids.srf&lm=1.

Graham

..............typical..........one of the regulars has found an adult Caspian there this afternoon........so maybe some quality to come after all........

Scodger,
I'd avoid evening Gull roosts if I were you. Gulls invariably come in just as it's getting too dark, they sit on the water and you can't see their legs and their structure is very different than normal and its cold(er).

What you need to find is a tip with some fresh water nearby where the birds will bathe and loaf, there will be regular interchange of birds and the views can be excellent. This is the way all serious Gull addicts do it.

You are very unlikely to get access to the tip itself in these days of health and safety nonsense but if you can many have areas of freshwater that can be viewed.

Remember big Gulls are sort as Sh*te and flush very easily whilst the smaller ones are much more approachable, although wearing a hi-viz jacket actually helps you get closer as the birds are used to the tip staff wearing them and without one you stand out as something different!

Oh and learn about moult its a prerequisite and its easy to see in the field, on such big birds. All the skills you learn are transferrable to other birds too so Gulling really does improve your birding

G

Hi Keith,

I can see where you are coming from, but it would seem a little perverse to put "my sites" on Opus when most of the more well-known East Yorks sites featured by Mather aren't on there either! How long has Opus been operating? There seem to be an awful lot of gaps, eg no Tophill Low.

It would certainly be cheaper for me to add articles to Opus, rather than for paying for 4 new websites, one for each county.

I was thinking of articles which captured a more personal approach of contributors really intimate with a site, that wouldn't be possible, or even appropriate, in a more clinical, encyclopedic entry.

I know its probably only a computer program, but I'm sure I would find it rather annoying if I wrote an exhaustive article on one of my sites, and put it on Opus, only for their format to say this article was "incomplete" & asking for other hands to finish it!

I've not yet been overwhelmed with potential contributors from other counties of Yorkshire, so will probably just work on a "Neglected/Forgotten Birding Sites of East Yorkshire" website.

Cheers

I'll bung you a few South Yorks sites when you get the project off the ground.

Cheers Pete

Some of the residents big gulls in the city centre of liverpool are so bold they've taken to wearing track suits... perhaps they're a separate (sub)species - Lacoste's Gull :eek!:

I propose a small competition for those Yorkshire Birders that come on the meets - a biannual (not biennial) ie spring and autumn finds competition. Nothing too serious, perhaps a fiver a piece for the best find of each season. Obviously that would give the coastal birders the advantage so i was thinking location should be taken into account. Plus it HAS to be in the county. I was really bored when communting today and came up with a potential system for deciding the winner - 2 rounds of voting. Firstly everyone taking part votes for the best find of each individual so a single bird by each competitor is forwarded to the final and then the a vote for the top find (obviously you cant vote for yourself). Prize to be awarded at the next meet after each period. Is anyone interested or have better propositions? Id suggest a new thread to put your top finds and locations on but wont start it until some declare interest.

Nice idea, but as a non-driving Sheffielder I may have to sit this one out!

Great idea but a sure way for me to loose money. It would be a great incentive to get out in the field.

:choke: Thought this was the Yorkshire forum?

Mike

I may be able to give you some help with the East Yorks sites

Michael Clegg Memorial Yorkshire Bird race
 

Hi

As I haven't seen anything on the thread, just thought I'd mention that last Sunday, 4th January, the above mentioned annual bird race took place, with teams from Barnsley, Scarborough, Flamborough, Spurn, Hull Valley, Harrogate and maybe elsewhere.

The Hull Valley team broke Scarborough's 10-year grip, with a fairly respectable 101 species for the day within the Hull Valley recording area.

Notable omissions were Grey Partridge, Sparrowhawk, Red Kite, Redpoll, Knot, Kingfisher and Brambling as we ran out of time or just missed these at known stake-outs.

In the last 15 minutes of daylight at Tophill, Common Buzzard and three Little Egrets, all flying across D Res, were unexpected.

I could throw in one of my 2009 Wildlife Calendars. As long as the first one takes place fairly soon, it won't be a complete non-prize!

Cheers

Thanks Geoff

Rough-legged Buzzards
 

I may have once last chance to try & see the R.L. Buzzards tomorrow & would just like to check if you saw it as you walked from the car park past the pool & kept on going in the same direction? Some of the birdguide reports have implied it's best to head up the steep hill back the way you've just come in your car.

Thanks in advance

Just spent a good hour or so putting together an Opus page on North Cave Wetlands only to watch the bloody thing disappear into thin air. Damn it.

Will write more stuff shortly. Firstly thanks to Lawts and James for the Text/VM alerts. Dipped Penduline for the fourth time, but had a great day at Rainham and then Rossi.

Michael, I will be back in touch by email shortly, but for now the RLB was at the far end as previously.

If anyone wants to come to Gwynedd tomorrow or Thursday please PM. Last two days with a car.

Keep heading along the road until you enter the next valley from the pool. There is a footpasth headed up and left from the road halfway down the valley. Scale this and we had the bird over the escarpment at the head of the valley. This is the same place id seen both the female and the juv previously. At the same time as the RLB we had up to 10 Common Buzzards up at the same time at all points of the compass from this point as well as 3+ Red Kites.

Any idea what went wrong?
Did you save any of it on your machine or online?

I tend to write my articles on my PC in a text editor, and save them frequently. When I'm done I copy and paste to the Opus site.

Thanks Marcus & James (& for your PM) I know exactly where you mean
Weather now looks better for Friday, so thay may be a better bet
Cheers

I've always had the Roughleg(s) from the head of the valley just as you enter after passing Millington. There are 4 wooden posts on the left which spell out 'GAIT'. From there you get a good over the valley, though the views may be more distant. In the valley bottom you have a very restricted view. The RLB(s) seem(s) to be ranging more widely now than when they were first discovered so perhaps better to use a viewpoint that covers more of the skyline.

Today is obviously not a good day for raptors......