• Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.

    Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Biking Birder 2015 - A cycle ride to every RSPB and WWT reserve. (1 Viewer)

Great to have a thread to follow into 2015 - and what a great plan to see the best of Britain

The SX50 is a great camera - I've been thoroughly enjoying mine over the past 18 months - the ideal camera when travelling light I imagine.

Best wishes for the year!

Cheers
Mike

Thanks for best wishes Mike. Brilliant to hear from you. With the bad luck I had with my 2 Nikon P510s I needed a change of fortune hence the Canon. The first of the Nikons went to the bottom of a lake in France when a friend and I found and borrowed a canoe in La Brenne. Deserved capsize and soaking. The second was stolen from me at gunpoint in Peru!

Here's hoping. 300 would be amazing and maybe a slight chance of the European record at 305.

Happy New Year
 
Too excited with just 2 hours before 2015.

My starting reserve tomorrow is Upton Warren, a Worcestershire Wildlife Trust reserve.

As a way of saying thanks you i have just put this onto the Upton Warren thread.

It is a real privilege to be able to start at Upton Warren. Upton Warren has the best people; volunteers, wardens, photographers and birders with such diversity and enthusiasm. People everyone can be proud to know and share experiences with. So many special people who have enriched my life over the years and for that I thank you all.

As for the reserve, I hope the new North Moors area is successfully done and that the reed problem at The Flashes is sorted. The perfect 'patch' needs to be managed but with the two volunteer groups and the input from the Trust I'm sure it will remain just that.

The birds will continue to fascinate; avocets breeding in Worcestershire, diving shovelors and cettis returning.

One individual needs to be on the Queen's honours list, well maybe two.

John Belsey. Has there ever been an individual who has put his life and soul into a reserve as much as John has? To me only Bert Axell at Minsmere might be on a levl with John and look at Bert had to work with!

Phil Andrews as archivist is incredible. His book on the Warren is exemplary and yes I know of many others that deserve massive recognition for their work both on that tome and the reserve.

So Happy New Year to everyone involved at Upton Warren.

All the Best


It's a very special place and one that i will miss over the year.
 
Dom! Brilliant. Sorry i didn't come to Oz last year but I couldn't watch the Ashes down under. I went to Peru instead and fell in love with the country.
How are you and the family?
That Steppe shrike remains one i should have turned around for.
All the very best and Happy New Year.:t:

Hi Garry. The family are all good thanks, would like to say you missed some good cricket but it was a bit of a fiasco!
My daughter still doesn't let me forget she found the Shrike!
Hope it all goes well, will enjoy the updates and pictures
Dom
 
Ah I see. Happy New Year to you too, and all the best for 2015s cycling!


Since 2010 I have had a bird relegated because the red-breasted goose at Exminster arches was deemed by the BBRC to be an escape and my own sighting of sooty shearwater at Flamborough I have disnissed. I didn't get good enough views.

I got in touch with Chris Mills, the previous record holder and told him of this and we now jointly hold the record at 251.

As I say my dream is to reach 300.

Have a look at Biking For Birds on facebook to see what a cycling birder can achieve. The Green record in the USA was 318 before Dorian Anderson did his own BIGBY (Big Green Big Year). He just got to 618!

Happy New Year James.B :)
 
The Start

just some pics from Upton the other day just in case you are getting home sick
 

Attachments

  • IMG_0130.JPG
    IMG_0130.JPG
    618.3 KB · Views: 102
  • IMG_0131.JPG
    IMG_0131.JPG
    648.6 KB · Views: 122
  • IMG_0132.JPG
    IMG_0132.JPG
    679.8 KB · Views: 106
  • IMG_0134.JPG
    IMG_0134.JPG
    655.9 KB · Views: 101
Many thanks to all who posted good wishes messages.

Details of the first 10 days can be found on

https://www.facebook.com/bikingbirder2015

Now on 91 birds for the year and have just got into Kent today after a tough day cycling into the strong westerlies.

If anyone can help me with long-eared owl, lesser pecker, hawfinch and other 'good' birds gen I would be most grateful.

ATB everyone.

Gary
 
just some pics from Upton the other day just in case you are getting home sick

Brilliant photos Tim and Mary. I'll share them onto my facebook page if you don't mind.

Most evenings I am a tad knackered and usually fall asleep whilst doing internet stuff.

Albert has a dirty bottom because the holder where he is sitting keeps slipping forward onto the front wheel. He seems to like the sensation of the tyre on his bum though!

Has the work started at the North Moors yet and have there been any good birds?

OK, I'll have a look!

If you could share my facebook page with people I'd be grateful . .

https://www.facebook.com/bikingbirder2015

Have a great time at the Warren. I know you will - great people, great birds, great place!

ATB :t::t::t::t::t::t::t::t:
 
Thanks for all the good wishes.

A big milestone reached today - 100 birds on the Green Year list. I saw an easily viewable great grey shrike at Chilham, near Canterbury.

Photographs and details will be on my facebook page - Biking Birder 2015 in a short while.

Only 205 birds to get to break the European record!
 
January 18th a day at Dungeness RSPB reserve.

Now on 113 birds for the year.

All details are on my facebook page - Biking Birder 2015

https://www.facebook.com/bikingbirder2015


Yesterday. Day 17. I cycled from Canterbury to initially the night heron at West Hythe. Taking my life in my hands literally as I came down the ultra steep road down to the junction where the rarity was to be found, I had to have both feet to the tarmac to act as extra brakes!
Heavy rain wasn't going to deter me and leaving my bike at the lovely Paul and Brenda's house, I went over the styles, fields and bridge, as well as the Hythe Railway lines, to reach the gravel pit where the sorry looking night heron was. I was alone, soaked and cold. So was he, an immature bird.
This was bird number 105 on the BIGBY - Green Year list bird. Yet this I feel is the most important one seen yet as it's one that I didn't see back in 2010. It's what I call a 54 bird as that's how many new ones over the 2010 list that I need to break the European record.
Next a fabulous friend, Steve Allcott told me of 3 purple sandpipers at Hythe and after enjoying a warming a cup of coffee with Paul and Brenda who had looked after my bike as I found the heron, I cycled to and found these for green bird no.106.
Next it was the long cycle, mostly along the seawall to Dungeness with a couple of sanderling, Green bird no. 107 seen before it got too dark.

What a fabulous day at one of the best RSPB reserves.
I got to the first hide and saw a black-necked grebe and a redhead smew almost straight away, despite the pouring rain. I enjoyed watching the duck, especially the pintails flying around.
Then Paul King, a RSPB worker arrived and we chatted as tree sparrows came to the feeders by the centre. Birds number 106 and 107 on my Green Bird list for the year.
My best friends from Wolverhampton, The Birding Clams, arrived next and as we high-fived and hugged, a large great white egret flew over, bird number 108 BIGBY.
Into the centre for a warming hot chocolate (thanks Jenny!) to meet both her and Derek.
Out to look from the next three hides, great views of a very close kingfisher, a beautiful male smew and masses of duck and cormorants.
More redhead smew were left of the centre.
Over to the ARC pit, after saying goodbye to The Clams, to look for firecrest (thanks for the bird Paul!!!)
I found 2 goldcrests and maybe 4 chiffs but no firecrest. Way it goes, one more to find. 2 goosander though added to the list.
Around to Lade next to try for the red-crested pochard. In the gloom I couldn't see it and not to despondent as it means I have stayed in the area, staying at the Bird Obs, so that I can have another go at these last two before going for the cattle egrets tomorrow.
Thanks everyone at RSPB Dungeness for a fabulous day!

All photographs are on the facebook pages.

Sorry they are not here but I only have a small tablet with me and each evening I am a tad tired.
 
Sounds awesome! I'm sure the hard effort your investing will see you break the record. :t:

If you're in need of any gen whilst you're down in the wild SW of Cornwall or even just a hot drink and a rest give me a pm. As a fellow biking birder I'd love to help out,

Cheers,
 
Sounds awesome! I'm sure the hard effort your investing will see you break the record. :t:

If you're in need of any gen whilst you're down in the wild SW of Cornwall or even just a hot drink and a rest give me a pm. As a fellow biking birder I'd love to help out,

Cheers,

That's brilliant of you Samuel. Thanks so much for your kind offer of help.

If you could access my facebook page and keep a note of when I am down that way, should be about February 20th, I'd be very grateful.

I'd love to know of your biking birder efforts. Please if you can post on the Biking Birder 2015 facebook page.

Tonight I am trying to get the Biking Birder 2015 Rides Again blog going again.

Thanks for everything Samuel and look forward to meeting you.

ATB

Gary
 
You are making your life unduly difficult: two 106es and two 107s!

"Next a fabulous friend, Steve Allcott told me of 3 purple sandpipers at Hythe and after enjoying a warming a cup of coffee with Paul and Brenda who had looked after my bike as I found the heron, I cycled to and found these for green bird no.106.
Next it was the long cycle, mostly along the seawall to Dungeness with a couple of sanderling, Green bird no. 107 seen before it got too dark.

What a fabulous day at one of the best RSPB reserves.
I got to the first hide and saw a black-necked grebe and a redhead smew almost straight away, despite the pouring rain. I enjoyed watching the duck, especially the pintails flying around.
Then Paul King, a RSPB worker arrived and we chatted as tree sparrows came to the feeders by the centre. Birds number 106 and 107 on my Green Bird list for the year."

Hope the better weather is helping!

John
 
Hi Gary,
Enjoying your blog and isn't it going well. Hope your saddle is large and well padded!3:)3:)
A few of the lads at the UW work party yesterday suggested that some captions on the bird pics would help the non birders to know what they're looking at (and us!).
Keep going and I hope the weather picks up soon!:t::t::t:
Recent pic of UW to make you homesick enclosed.
 

Attachments

  • uw1.jpg
    uw1.jpg
    464.8 KB · Views: 79
Last edited:
That's brilliant of you Samuel. Thanks so much for your kind offer of help.

If you could access my facebook page and keep a note of when I am down that way, should be about February 20th, I'd be very grateful.

I'd love to know of your biking birder efforts. Please if you can post on the Biking Birder 2015 facebook page.

Tonight I am trying to get the Biking Birder 2015 Rides Again blog going again.

Thanks for everything Samuel and look forward to meeting you.

ATB

Gary

Hi Gary,

Would be great to meet you as it's an ambitious project I was hoping I could do one year too. Hopefully the local specialities (including LtDuck, Black Reds, divers and grebes) stick around for you until February.

I try not to use facebook much anymore but look forward to seeing your progress,

All the best,
 
You are making your life unduly difficult: two 106es and two 107s!

"Next a fabulous friend, Steve Allcott told me of 3 purple sandpipers at Hythe and after enjoying a warming a cup of coffee with Paul and Brenda who had looked after my bike as I found the heron, I cycled to and found these for green bird no.106.
Next it was the long cycle, mostly along the seawall to Dungeness with a couple of sanderling, Green bird no. 107 seen before it got too dark.

What a fabulous day at one of the best RSPB reserves.
I got to the first hide and saw a black-necked grebe and a redhead smew almost straight away, despite the pouring rain. I enjoyed watching the duck, especially the pintails flying around.
Then Paul King, a RSPB worker arrived and we chatted as tree sparrows came to the feeders by the centre. Birds number 106 and 107 on my Green Bird list for the year."

Hope the better weather is helping!

John

Thanks for pointing this out John. I'll check the lists later. Got to try for the ring-billed gull at Gosport this morning.

all the best

Gary:t:
 
Warning! This thread is more than 6 years ago old.
It's likely that no further discussion is required, in which case we recommend starting a new thread. If however you feel your response is required you can still do so.

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top