• 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.

Best county for birding. (1 Viewer)

senatore

senatore

Well-known member
If you could afford to have a second property ,as a birder, which county would you choose to have this abode.

For me ,as a fairly new birder with not that much experience of many places, it would have to be Norfolk which seems to "get" every bird.

MAX>
 
Not for me Norfolk... it may get a lot of birds, but it also gets way too many birders.. oh dear I am anti-social.

For me I'd have three extra houses, all cottages.... one near Prawle (Devon) Probably in the Pigs nose Valley, one in Cork on the side of the Lissagriffin Lake and I think to complete the set one on Whalsay.
 
Well I have to agree with Jane with one of her areas. Prawle Point.

Scotland around Nethy Bridge would be another and loads of birders or not Norfolk would still be my third (possibly the surrounding area to Massingham Heath
 
Happy where I am as I am close to the M5 and still in wonderful countryside with a cracking river close by as well as my local patch, the canal. Can nip down to the hotspots in Devon easily and travel to Cornwall too.

I have been musing on this recently though and think the ideal location for a twitcher or year lister is definitely the midlands. Easy to get anywhere from there and closer to scotland than it is from Devon.
 
Has to be Norfolk for me, I like people!! I also love the reserves. A 2nd choice would be on the Island of Mull. Not for birds per say, but what a fantastic place! You southerners would feel at home there too, plenty o ye on Mull!!!
 
If I had pots of money I would buy lighthouses. In England either Pendeen or the cliffs at Porthgwarra. In Scotland either Cape Wrath or maybe the Point of Ardnamurchan. In Wales either South Stack or Strumble Head. In Ireland it would have to be my favourite, Mizzen Head. I would get a real comfy armchair and a huge pair of binoculars and just watch the world go by.
 
Last edited:
Andrew said:
I have been musing on this recently though and think the ideal location for a twitcher or year lister is definitely the midlands. Easy to get anywhere from there and closer to scotland than it is from Devon.
Click to expand...

You wouldn't want to live in the Midlands Andrew. To a degree what you say is correct but on the downside there is a limited number of birds you can see before travelling becomes a priority. Where you are, or any fairly decent coastal area, the majority of birds we get you get. The problem is that there are loads of coastal birds that just don't come here that are common near to you and you don't have to travel that far to see them.

The nearest decent Coastal site from me is well beyond 100 miles so the mileage racks up throughout the year if I want those species on my list. Even the nearest point of inland Norfolk is just over 100 miles away and if I wanted to get down your way then you are talking about 160-170 to Dawlish Warren.
 
Last edited:
Reader, Makes sense. I suppose I am thinking the grass is greener....

Mike, Nice idea. Sitting in an armchair at the top of the lighthouse. Don't forget the kettle and a good supply of tea bags. Heaven!
 
Andrew said:
Mike, Nice idea. Sitting in an armchair at the top of the lighthouse. Don't forget the kettle and a good supply of tea bags. Heaven!
Click to expand...

Hell no! I'd have tea dripped in intravenously. Wouldn't want to miss an Albatross flying past. ;)
 
Andrew from the twitching perspective Midlands is about right.From a local birding point of view,it is very good there is Rutland Water Eyebrook Res. also Derbyshire Notts and parts of Warks all excellent areas. Close to hand Lincs and of course Norfolk is not a great distance away,so the Midlands has got a lot going for it.

POP
 
Hi

If I could live anywhere I would live at St Abbs Head in the Borders. I did live within walking distance of this site for 12 months several years ago, I hope to move back someday!

ATB
Tristan
 
Jane Turner said:
Not for me Norfolk... it may get a lot of birds, but it also gets way too many birders.. oh dear I am anti-social.

For me I'd have three extra houses, all cottages.... one near Prawle (Devon) Probably in the Pigs nose Valley, one in Cork on the side of the Lissagriffin Lake and I think to complete the set one on Whalsay.
Click to expand...

Whalsay? Why, I'm flattered you recognise what a great place it is! I'll let you know next time somewhere comes on the market (it's infrequent) - in the meantime, give me a call if you ever fancy staying here! ;)

Jon
 
Quick shout out to you Midlanders- Visited Rutland water last week, and Im off to Attenborough this afternoon in Nottinghamshire! It does have good things going for it, even if the local footy teams leave something to be desired. I live in Suffolk though, and wouldnt want to move.But if I could have a property somewhere else I would go for a place on the outer hebrides or somewhere near cairngorns.
jim.
 
dbradnum said:
If this one ever comes on the market, I'll be interested...

http://www.sanday.co.uk/visitors/accom/Park.htm

(Location map <here>)

Does anyone ever do any birding on Sanday? Has anyone been there?

Given the property is a self-catering holiday cottage, I quite fancy a week or two up there in the autumn... the potential for self-found megas is surely huge...
Click to expand...

There's a couple of places to rent on Whalsay every autumn - last 2 years have included PG Tips, OBP, Buff-breasted Sand, GG Shrike, R-b Fly, Bastard Grotfinch, Sardinian Warbler, Pallas's & Y-b Warbler, Brown Shrike, Citrine Wag, Rose-c Starling, Pied Wheatear and King Eider. But I don't want you all coming to find 'my' birds!

CE
 
MMMMMMMMM........

No mention of Dorset. We've got vaired and mixed habitat with a great mix of resident and migrant birds with the potential for rairities.
 
"If you could afford to have a second property ,as a birder, which county would you choose to have this abode."

In a similar vein, it would be interesting to see the individual bird counts for all the U.K. areas. Numbers only, not names. We would run out of server space!!
Will post the latest North East Scotland list numbers in a mo'

Regards

Malky
 
Warning! This thread is more than 19 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.

Similar threads

S
local big day and big year records
Replies
3
Views
750
Jim M.
J
O
Best non WP location for WP birds
Replies
3
Views
299
temmie
temmie
qwerty5
2024 Targets
2 3
Replies
49
Views
4K
PaulCountyDurham
P
R
Best UK bird guide
Replies
6
Views
710
kb57
kb57
A
Dn many people keep a county year list?
2
Replies
20
Views
2K
Paul Chapman
Paul Chapman

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 2 (members: 0, guests: 2)
Back
Top