Help! Patch just featured in Birdwatching magazine (1 Viewer)

After spending the past 10 years enjoying quiet walks around my local patch a load of birdwatchers recently arrived out of nowhere. Had I missed something? Was that odd looking gull really an Osprey in disguise? No, the simple answer was my patch had just featured in Birdwatching magazine. Hmmm.

Ok, what should I do - "the nothing much around response" also known as please don't come back as you've just scared everything away or should I encourage all these unknown birdwatchers and tell them whats around and exactly where to find it leading to return visits and please feel welcome to bring a friend or coach party along the next time.

Suggestions welcome?

I wouldn't worry about it too much they'll probably move on to whichever patch is featured in next months issue.

Hi ikw,

I can kind of sympathise as 'my' patch has slowly become more and more regularly visited since I and another birder started turning up some fairly tasty birds in the last couple of years. Whereas before I could show up and guarantee the place to myself (as most other birders didn't even know where to find it) I am now starting to sometimes run into other birders there.

I guess it cuts both ways - sure I am happy that other people are finding the spot and enjoying what it has to offer but at the same time I have the niggling feeling in that it is going to lead to being gripped off on the odd occassion on my own patch.

However the fact that the town is currently considering developing the site the more exposure and use of the site by other birders the more likely we may be able to save the place. In the end I think it's good to share a place and to me it has been fun to put my patch on the birding map.

Luke

streatham said:

Hi ikw,

In the end I think it's good to share a place and to me it has been fun to put my patch on the birding map.

Luke

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I think that says it very well.

Whilst broadcasting nesting birds can be a separate issue, regarding the general patch reports, personally I think I'd be flattered if people started to turn up because they thought my reports were worth following through.

On the other hand in my case there's no chance of that. I don't think what I see is likely to get people dropping everything and racing off in their cars. Great, let's go to Sedgley, there's a dunnock, a great tit and a robin. :t:

Sedgley said:

I don't think what I see is likely to get people dropping everything and racing off in their cars. Great, let's go to Sedgley, there's a dunnock, a great tit and a robin. :t:

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I know what you mean. I noticed that way-back-when, before I started birding at all, Birdwatching magazine did a report on Leam Valley, which now forms a big part of my local patch.

Many is the time that I've trudged round there, seeing two parts of bugger-all and wondering how many poor sods turned up after reading that article, expecting to find an amazing new hotspot.

Certainly none of them became regulars! It's just me and my Wood Pigeons these days (although from time to time... )

You could do what the late Willie Mc Dowell did once....

There was a 24 hour big day in Ireland, only one reliable night site for Dipper that everyone knew about in Northern Ireland. Birds were roosting under a bridge I think...

Willie took some neon tape from medical emergency store, marked "Hepatitus Risk", cordoned off the whole area, ticked the dippers off for the day and left....