Spurn Obs: (1 Viewer)

dan pointon · Sep 24, 2005

Hi,

I've just booked myself 4 nights in the Spurn Observatory in late October, and was hoping there might be somebody who could tell me what the place is like. Obviously i expect it to be fairly basic, but any guidelines/tips to a successfull stay there would be greatly appreciated, as would any views on the standard of the place.

So is it a :t: or what??!

Cheers all,

Dan

Steve Lister · Sep 24, 2005

Take some ear-plugs as most people there when I have been recently don't seem to care how much noise they make when they come back from the pub at unbirdly hours.

Steve

Steve Lister · Sep 24, 2005

Great place to be in late October though.

Steve

Pie Face · Sep 24, 2005

Think Great Escape, but without the razor wire, and you're almost there.

Mark

Bubbs · Sep 24, 2005

Steve Lister said:
Take some ear-plugs as most people there when I have been recently don't seem to care how much noise they make when they come back from the pub at unbirdly hours.

Steve

I still have nightmares about John Mather's snoring back in 1968.

Happy days.

John.

Bubbs · Sep 24, 2005

john barclay said:
I still have nightmares about John Mather's snoring back in 1968.

Happy days.

John.

PS. The best thing about Spurn is that you really feel as though you are somewhere special, and just about anything can (and does) turn up...even in June!...October should be brill, just take warm clothes.

This thread brings me to people being inconsiderate late at night. I once stayed at a YMCA in Israel which was full of NATO soldiers. My first thought was that we would get no sleep here. Those soldiers were so considerate that in one week we never heard them once late at night and they were great company throughout our short stay.

The second week, after the soldiers left, four Israeli teenagers moved in. They made our lives hell when they returned at 4am for several days. But we made sure they were awake at 6am (when we arose for birding) childish, yes! but satisfying :cat:

John.

dan pointon · Sep 24, 2005

Lol, what would birding hols be without antics like that! Thanks for the comments and tips Deja-vu and Steve, i certainly won't be amongst those returning from the pub slightly jolly, unless 15 year olds are served there! Just also need to know - what are the facilities like, i need an idea of what to take.

Cheers all,

Dan

ColinD · Sep 24, 2005

dwayne950 said:
Lol, what would birding hols be without antics like that! Thanks for the comments and tips Deja-vu and Steve, i certainly won't be amongst those returning from the pub slightly jolly, unless 15 year olds are served there! Just also need to know - what are the facilities like, i need an idea of what to take.

Cheers all,

Dan

Sounds like you might need to take some cans

. I don't think so though. 15 year olds are served in most places these days aren't they??? In any case, if your 15 year old is anything like my 14 year old and his mates, he / she will be about six feet tall and wear size 12 shoes and know more about life than you do. I wouldn't worry about it, as long as you don't buy them alcohol, most places in October, especially remote places like Spurn, will be quite happy if he / she sits in the corner all night whilst you celebrate all those wonderfull birds you will see. B

Back in March, myself and my then 13 year old stayed in Newbiggin-by-the-Sea in Northumberland, because my youngest was in a football tournament in the North East, and we went to watch the games (and I did some birding). The place was still shut down for the winter, and there was very little for us to do in the still dark evenings, until we found a quiet pub in the town centre. We went in and played a few games of pool, I had a pint, he had cola, before you knew it, it was 11pm and we went back to our B&B. We then went in for the next three nights. I don't think there was more than 10 people in on any night, and nobody challenged us. It sounds sad I know, but it kept us entertained and everybody was happy.

October is a funny month I find. You could have the holiday of your life, with migrants flying up from every footstep. On the otherhand, you might have to be content with a few winter visitors. It all depends on the weather. Sadly, you'll probably need what you might consider bad weather to experience a big fall of migrants.

Good luck. I wish I could be there in October.

Colin

dan pointon · Sep 24, 2005

Lol, i seem to have confused some people, Colin, i am the 15 year old!!! Me and my mate are going (he's 16) to enjoy a bit of freedom and take the birding at a good pace.

We probably will just go and have a coke

and a game of cards at the pub, should keep us entertained.

I was expecting birding to be very much like you say it can be, but i'm fine with either, i enjoy having a wander and looking for my own birds just as much as i enjoy twitching for them.

Thanks for the advice,

Dan

ColinD · Sep 24, 2005

dwayne950 said:
Lol, i seem to have confused some people, Colin, i am the 15 year old!!!

Even better! What are you waiting for, forget the birds, get in the pub. If you go in with an adult it makes your age obvious. Absoultely nobody will challenge you if you go in on your own.

Oh well, good luck. If you don't get lots of migrants, I'm sure you'll get a few winter plumage divers (check up on their id before you go), maybe some Little Auks, definately Brent Geese. You'll have a great time,

Colin

dan pointon · Sep 24, 2005

ColinD said:
Even better! What are you waiting for, forget the birds, get in the pub. If you go in with an adult it makes your age obvious. Absoultely nobody will challenge you if you go in on your own.

Oh well, good luck. If you don't get lots of migrants, I'm sure you'll get a few winter plumage divers (check up on their id before you go), maybe some Little Auks, definately Brent Geese. You'll have a great time,

Colin

I'll have a good holiday alcohol or not!! Just take things easy and bird at a good pace, that'll make me happy!!

I'm already pretty good on i'd'ing w/pl divers, i've got quite a bit of experience behind me for a 15 y old!!!! Still need Little Auk though......

So bring on the easterlies!

Cheers,

Dan

ps: steve, you seem to have stopped in the obs before, what facilities are there if any?

garry1366 · Sep 25, 2005

Hi Dan,
The facilities are basic but there's beds, cookers and a shower, you can get food in nearby Easington and meals in the pub and and cafe's. Bring a sleeping bag but you won't need to bring pillows.

I'm in the process of setting up a new Spurn website, some info on staying there is already online, you can find it at www.spurnbirdobservatory.co.uk

check back regularly as more info including regular updates on sightings will be online soon.

As for birds you will be lucky to see any diver other than Red throat, northerlies will give you a fair chance of Little Auk but they are not nailed on in October, November is much better for them. Easterlies, well who knows but Pallas's will be likely.

If you're there over the weekend see you there.

Garry

scodger · Sep 25, 2005

john barclay said:
I still have nightmares about John Mather's snoring back in 1968.

Happy days.

John.

Know what you mean, I hear it many times as a KRS member, a legendary call rivalling a bittern, we recorded it one night and played it back at breakfast in the pub one october morning, hilarious, john thought it was a laugh too. Cant beat Spurn in October with some birding mates, some drink ( not too much of course ) and some decent migrants

KnockerNorton · Sep 26, 2005

I wouldn't be too optimistic about trhe pub. The local Plod are notorious around there for being hard on the pubs, so as a result the pubs are pretty strict. It might be in the middle of nowhere, but that didn't stop the police mounting an operation to catch one pub serving after hours. It shut down as a result.

Be prepared for the isolation though - it really is World's End out there. Oh, and you might ear plugs if the fog horn's going off evry 2 mins!

Steve Lister · Sep 26, 2005

Offord said:
Oh, and you might ear plugs if the fog horn's going off evry 2 mins!

Ear plugs are a must, but for the noise of other residents snoring, cooking, banging doors, and talking in loud voices until gone two in the morning. Never been bothered by a fog horn though.

Dwayne - you need to take all your food with you unless you are going to eat at the pub and cafe all the time. The nearest shop is in Easington and there is no bus. Unless you can cadge a lift it is about an hour's walk each way.

Steve

dan pointon · Sep 26, 2005

Thanks for the advice everyone, should make for a successful trip, i'm definitely investing in some ear plugs now, they seem basically essential. Steve, we are taking push bikes, so that we can get to one end of the point to the other for the mega after mega that's going to be hitting the shore!!!!!!! So therfore we should be able to get up to Easington.

Thanks Garry, will keep my eye on the website, and hope to see you there, you'll know us straight away, two teenage lads about 6ft 2 each!!!

Thanks again for the info,

Cheers,

Dan

ColinD · Sep 26, 2005

dwayne950 said:
Thanks Garry, will keep my eye on the website, and hope to see you there, you'll know us straight away, two teenage lads about 6ft 2 each!!!

I knew it. Size 12 shoes as well I suppose.

Colin

dan pointon · Sep 26, 2005

Lol, 11 actually!

garry1366 · Sep 26, 2005

Dan,

Don't worry about the ear plugs. We'll all be in bed by 10 so we can get up early!!!!

Garry

dan pointon · Sep 26, 2005

Garry, do you stop overnight in the Obs on weekends then??

Dan

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