crapbirder
Well-known member
A variation on the theme, a gamekeeper once told me he spread-eagled the Carrion Crows he shot to discourage the taking of young Lapwing.
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Norfolk birding (46 Viewers)
- Thread starter Edward woodwood
- Start date
A variation on the theme, a gamekeeper once told me he spread-eagled the Carrion Crows he shot to discourage the taking of young Lapwing.
Breydon water today. Nothing of note tide was in and high covering most of the flats. Still some common turns nesting on the platforms but also a lot of black-headed gulls now as well. Did see something I have never seen before a Black-backed gull dropped into a flock of feeding Starlings an tried to take one almost did but lost hold of it. The gull gave chase after another getting close again but the Starling was more agile in flight and avoided being the Black-backs lunch. I have seen them on the TV chasing Puffins this way but never seen them my self
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ashley banwell
Well-known member
Just back from one of the North Norfolk heaths and I was surprised to hear Golden Oriole singing, completely wrong habitat, plus double figures of Turtle Dove. It seems more have got through this year, maybe the shooting debate in Malta distracted the hunters for a while..[/QUOTE]
What difference does the 'shooting debate in Malta' make to the British breeding population of Turtle Doves? It's a well known fact, at least I thought it was that our Turtle Doves migrate through France and Spain on their way to West Africa. The blame for our decline in Turtle Dove's is not with Malta, it is mainly due to lack of food on the breeding grounds which results in poor breeding success, they used to have 3 broods each year where now they only have one if that.
What difference does the 'shooting debate in Malta' make to the British breeding population of Turtle Doves? It's a well known fact, at least I thought it was that our Turtle Doves migrate through France and Spain on their way to West Africa. The blame for our decline in Turtle Dove's is not with Malta, it is mainly due to lack of food on the breeding grounds which results in poor breeding success, they used to have 3 broods each year where now they only have one if that.
Norfolk Birder
Well-known member
ok then we'll blame the Spanish shooters
Johny121
Birds
Our Turtle Doves do indeed migrate through the Western Fly-way I believe and are generally not shot at during Spring migration. The Spanish and French are far from innocent however and large numbers are shot each Autumn.
It is quite easy to find Anglo-Hispanic companies that will gladly offer you a few days blasting these beautiful birds online if so inclined or if you fancy a trip East, you can shoot hundreds in Macedonia and Bulgaria.
Agriculture has truly destroyed our populations though, it was a bird I use to hear and see locally growing up (15years ago) and this year I have seen just two.
In a decade I bet they won't even breed in Norfolk and when one comes onto the pager we will all be rushing to have a look.
It is quite easy to find Anglo-Hispanic companies that will gladly offer you a few days blasting these beautiful birds online if so inclined or if you fancy a trip East, you can shoot hundreds in Macedonia and Bulgaria.
Agriculture has truly destroyed our populations though, it was a bird I use to hear and see locally growing up (15years ago) and this year I have seen just two.
In a decade I bet they won't even breed in Norfolk and when one comes onto the pager we will all be rushing to have a look.
redeyedvideo
It's like water off a duck's back!
What difference does the 'shooting debate in Malta' make to the British breeding population of Turtle Doves? It's a well known fact, at least I thought it was that our Turtle Doves migrate through France and Spain on their way to West Africa. The blame for our decline in Turtle Dove's is not with Malta, it is mainly due to lack of food on the breeding grounds which results in poor breeding success, they used to have 3 broods each year where now they only have one if that.[/QUOTE]
Excuse my ignorance, I beg forgiveness.
stuart white
Well-known member
Thursday/Friday could be good in Norfolk if the weather patterns hold, high pressure over southern Scandinavia, east winds from a fair way off, rain forecast for Thursday afternoon/night into Friday morning from a low over northern france, could be getting a bit late 11/12 June, but might be a biggie ?
Maybe a grey necked bunting or sweet FA !
Maybe a grey necked bunting or sweet FA !
john miller
Well-known member
What difference does the 'shooting debate in Malta' make to the British breeding population of Turtle Doves? It's a well known fact, at least I thought it was that our Turtle Doves migrate through France and Spain on their way to West Africa. The blame for our decline in Turtle Dove's is not with Malta, it is mainly due to lack of food on the breeding grounds which results in poor breeding success, they used to have 3 broods each year where now they only have one if that.[/QUOTE]
Plus a lot of shooting in Iberia and I presume France. Some areas of the Algarve were full of shooters in September, by the look and sound Turtle Doves being the main quarry.
John
www.kellingnature.zenfolio.com
What difference does the 'shooting debate in Malta' make to the British breeding population of Turtle Doves? It's a well known fact, at least I thought it was that our Turtle Doves migrate through France and Spain on their way to West Africa. The blame for our decline in Turtle Dove's is not with Malta, it is mainly due to lack of food on the breeding grounds which results in poor breeding success, they used to have 3 broods each year where now they only have one if that.[/QUOTE]
Oh.... That's all right then....phew :-C
ben_lewis
Well-known member
Turtle doves are also plagued with the trichomonas infection with 6 strains of the virus identified in the doves and a very high percentage of tested doves showing signs of the disease. An rspb study showed 96% of 104 doves tested to have the disease.
So habitat loss, lack of food, high disease and shooting gives a worrying outlook.
With further research and understanding of their pressures as well as applying pressure to the hunters, planting up fumeral and other seed rich plants on farmland we could see a turn around in the future. Fingers crossed!
So habitat loss, lack of food, high disease and shooting gives a worrying outlook.
With further research and understanding of their pressures as well as applying pressure to the hunters, planting up fumeral and other seed rich plants on farmland we could see a turn around in the future. Fingers crossed!
willowgrouse
Well-known member
This is already happening
Andy Stoddart
Active member
Norfolk Bird Recording
I’m writing to give an update on the new recording arrangements for the Norfolk Bird Report.
With immediate effect, all records (including of scarce and rare birds) should be sent directly to Dave and Jacquie Bridges at [email protected].
The immediate priority is to deal with records for 2014 so we would be grateful if all directly submitted records for December 2014 and any directly submitted ‘end of year’ records for anytime in 2014 could be resubmitted and sent to Dave and Jacquie by 14th July.
Records for 2015, both to date and from now on, should also be (re)submitted to Dave and Jacquie.
Dave and Jacquie will be acting as County Recorders but their main role will be as data distributors, passing records on to a data inputting team comprising Tim Allwood, Ryan Irvine, Neil Lawton and Mick Saunt. Mick Fiszer will work with this team to facilitate the process.
Direct submission to the Recorders will from now on be the normal route for records to be included in the Bird Report and we will not be extracting records from BirdTrack at this stage.
We hope to publish the 2014 Bird Report before the end of the year.
Thanks very much for all your help and support. If you have any queries on recording matters please feel free to get in touch with Dave and Jacquie direct at the above email address.
Andy Stoddart, Dave and Jacquie Bridges and Mick Fiszer
I’m writing to give an update on the new recording arrangements for the Norfolk Bird Report.
With immediate effect, all records (including of scarce and rare birds) should be sent directly to Dave and Jacquie Bridges at [email protected].
The immediate priority is to deal with records for 2014 so we would be grateful if all directly submitted records for December 2014 and any directly submitted ‘end of year’ records for anytime in 2014 could be resubmitted and sent to Dave and Jacquie by 14th July.
Records for 2015, both to date and from now on, should also be (re)submitted to Dave and Jacquie.
Dave and Jacquie will be acting as County Recorders but their main role will be as data distributors, passing records on to a data inputting team comprising Tim Allwood, Ryan Irvine, Neil Lawton and Mick Saunt. Mick Fiszer will work with this team to facilitate the process.
Direct submission to the Recorders will from now on be the normal route for records to be included in the Bird Report and we will not be extracting records from BirdTrack at this stage.
We hope to publish the 2014 Bird Report before the end of the year.
Thanks very much for all your help and support. If you have any queries on recording matters please feel free to get in touch with Dave and Jacquie direct at the above email address.
Andy Stoddart, Dave and Jacquie Bridges and Mick Fiszer
crapbirder
Well-known member
To my knowledge, at least one other county bird recorder has complained in the past that BirdTrack had no mechanism in place which would allow unwanted records to be filtered by county recorders. My understanding was at the time, the matter would be addressed and it would be helpful if the BirdTrack organisation were to clarify the current status of a filtering process.
Carol Baldock
Carol Rushton
I have had a discussion with a very experienced Norfolk birder , in recent times, who was very surprised that Bird Track generates an auto form for notifiable Norfolk species for every person that sees the bird , not just the original finder. Where a bird stays for a period of time , does this mean that all of these sightings of say one bird that stays in one place for a period of time and is seen by lots of observers are all sent on to the County Recorder?
C B Allen
Chris Allen
Hi Carol,
Where you are recording a previously reported/recorded county or national rarity please note the following BTO-generated comment which hopefully answers your general query:
"Many thanks for using BirdTrack and for putting in some of your historical records. When adding old records, there is no need to complete any local rarity forms that are presented, unless the bird was not submitted at the time / does not appear in the relevant local bird report. Please see the following link for further information: http://www.bto.org/volunteer-surveys/birdtrack/bird-recording/rare-scarce-birds
For the xxxxxxxx and other 'known' local rarities, please just circumvent the form by pressing the 'BirdTrack Home' button underneath it. This will prevent an email being generated to BirdTrack and the local bird recorders."
I hope that make sense. If you follow the imbedded link it explains how potential duplicates are dealt with. Apart from that I wouldn't worry about it in any case as it is surely better to submit a duplicate record (that can be simple ignored/deleted by the recorder in a matter of seconds) than to think your record hasn't been made available at all.
Hope that helps.
Chris A.
crapbirder
Well-known member
I hold no brief for either BirdTrack or the Norfolk Bird Report but it was not particularly helpful on opening the link Chris Allen kindly provided, to find the first line read " if you record a species that is rarely encountered within a bird recording area" and then details of how to proceed from thereon. This procedure makes the assumption that the person submitting the record has sufficient local knowledge and experience to make the correct decision.
The BirdTrack registration process requires no proof of either knowledge or experience but appears to concentrate on personal information useful for marketing purposes.
C B Allen
Chris Allen
As an application BirdTrack is parameterised at county level so that if a species is defined as being a county description species you will automatically be prompted to submit details. The list of county description species was correct as of January 2015. I imagine the definition of national rarity species is administered across the system and is therefore maintained by the BTO based on current BBRC/BOU status.
