Cheshire And Wirral Birding: Hills, Lowland and Coast (5 Viewers)

[deeestuary]

Today - no sign of Richard's Pipit at Leasowe (but the bird was probably fed up with being flushed out of the weedy field)......

CB

Yes, I heard people were going into that field and flushing it. Personally I find that appalling. Even if they had permission from the land owner to go into that field, which I doubt, one of the first rules of birding is NEVER DELIBERATELY DISTURB BIRDS.

Having said that, I haven't been down there so I would be interested to hear from those that have what exactly has been happenning.

 

[deeestuary]

Yes, I heard people were going into that field and flushing it. Personally I find that appalling. Even if they had permission from the land owner to go into that field, which I doubt, one of the first rules of birding is NEVER DELIBERATELY DISTURB BIRDS.

Having said that, I haven't been down there so I would be interested to hear from those that have what exactly has been happenning.

Having now spoken to Leasowe regulars I can confirm what CB says about the deliberate flushing of this bird, and also the trespassing. I'd be interested in hearing what others think - is such behaviour justified?

I know what I think - I think people who put their tick ahead of the welfare of the bird are pathetic. It is also selfish as by disturbing the bird it is likely to move on - which means others who come later won't see it (as has now happened). It also means that the regulars down at Leasowe will seriously consider suppressing such finds in future (that is something I think may well happen, not something I've been told directly). Who can blame them if they do? I already know some local landowners down there hate birders, we are trying to build bridges with such people but this latest episode will be a huge set back in this regard.

As somebody who runs a popular birding website and thereby publicises the presence of such birds I also have to think about my own position - how can I justify letting news out about rarities if it leads to such behaviour?

 

[Jane Turner]

Having now spoken to Leasowe regulars I can confirm what CB says about the deliberate flushing of this bird, and also the trespassing. I'd be interested in hearing what others think - is such behaviour justified?

NO

 

[ikw101]

Pathetic behaviour.

When a whole industry has grown up around competitive birding with people prepared to travel to the other end of the country to add a new tick to their list is this what we should expect?

Last winter I witnessed one of the stalwarts of the local birding community trying to flush a bird out despite it being -16C with 6" of snow on the ground.

The fact the bird may be on private property or near death doesn't seem to matter to many.

Fortunately on this occasion there's a lot of suitable habitat nearby. Richard if you choose to no longer publish details of any rarities there's a lot of people who will applaud you for taking a stance.

 

[TerryL]

The deliberate flushing of birds has always been the number 1 standout reason why anti-twitchers understanderbally express there dislike of twitchers , birders and birdwatchers in general.This is the first instance i've heard of this for a long time and hope if any of the culprits are reading this they are totally ashamed of their childish and selfish behaviour.

 

[Cheshire Birder]

Yes, I heard people were going into that field and flushing it. Personally I find that appalling. Even if they had permission from the land owner to go into that field, which I doubt, one of the first rules of birding is NEVER DELIBERATELY DISTURB BIRDS.

Having said that, I haven't been down there so I would be interested to hear from those that have what exactly has been happenning.

Yesterday morning at least five "birders" had entered the field in an attempt to flush the bird before I arrived at 8.20am. At least one of the birders was a local as i've seen him on the wirral several times before but I don't know his name.

CB

 

[Cheshire Birder]

Richard if you choose to no longer publish details of any rarities there's a lot of people who will applaud you for taking a stance.

Richard appears to have done just that - www.deeestuary.co.uk

CB

 

[Cheshire Birder]

This is the first instance i've heard of this for a long time and hope if any of the culprits are reading this they are totally ashamed of their childish and selfish behaviour.

I doubt they have a conscience. At least its raised the attention of many tho. 39 people viewing the Cheshire thread at any time is the most i've ever seen.

CB

 

[Bananafishbones]

Richard appears to have done just that - www.deeestuary.co.uk

CB

Which is a shame as the sensible birders suffer. :-C

I hope Richard calms down and continues to put up the great info service, its really upto the people in the vacinity of the idiots to shame and embarrass them on the spot :t:

Jane and a camera spring to mind

 

[sid ashton]

I was at another Cheshire location last Wednesday when one of the local birders was explaining to others present how he and another chap had been over at Leasowe that morning and had great views of the Richard's Pipit....... by the two of them flushing it from the farmers field. When challenged he didn't feel that this was inappropriate action and "anyway other lucky birders had good views of the bird as well" :C:C

 

[cheshirebirder]

Just read about the Richard's pipit - really a shame when people behave selfishly like this. Unfortunately, there's always been an element who haven't the patience to wait for a bird to show and for whom private land doesn't exist.

 

[chris butterworth]

I'm another who finds the behaviour of some 'birders' appalling. I was down there on Friday and I got perfectly adequate views - without straying from the path. It just took a bit of time and work, two words that seem to be anathema to the pillocks that 'flushed' the bird by tramping all over a farmers fields. As for the fool Sid was talking to, it's about time you went back to primary school and learned what the word 'LUCKY' means - ar***ole. ( And I'm not apologising for that - it was well deserved. )

Chris

 

[deeestuary]

Thanks for all the support including loads of emails.

The Dee Estuary website is now back to normal. I never intended for my cessation of putting sightings up to be more than a temporary measure. My aim was to publicise what happened at Leasowe which I think I've succeeded in doing. I also hoped to try and influence the idiots, I doubt it will have much effect but even if just one thinks twice before flushing a bird again it will have been worthwhile.

Supressing rarities is not something I want to do. Very few rarities originate from my website anyway so I would be wasting my time - the Richard's Pipit was already on RBA and BirdGuides before it was on my website. But there may be an occasion in the future when a sighting of a bird will be suppressed, but if that is the case it won't be my decision alone.

 

[Colin S]

Well done Richard for making the point in the way you did. Unfortunately the people who did this, & have no doubt been reading this thread, apparently don't care what others think or for the welfare of this bird...evidenced by the comments in Sid's post. I imagine these are all North West 'birders' so it would be interesting to hear from one of them on their 'justification' for this trespass & flushing.

 

[Cheshire Birder]

.... so it would be interesting to hear from one of them on their 'justification' for this trespass & flushing.

Unfortunately that's unlikely.

Further to my comments on flushing, I regrettably feel this is ingrained in many "birder's" behaviour and in the past i've come across numerous instances of this sort of behaviour.

CB

 

[Cheshire Birder]

Today - Swallow at New Ferry; 5 Whooper Swans and 2 Bewick's Swans at Burton Mere Wetlands; Wheatear by Wallasey Lifeguard Station.

Yesterday - Caspian Gull and 2 White-fronted Geese at Sandbach Flashes; 2 Great White Egrets, Spoonbill, 5 Short Eared Owls and 4 Hen Harriers at Burton Marsh; Great White Egret roosted at Burton Mere Wetlands; Wheatear at Wallasey; 7 White-fronted Geese over Caldy but no sign of Black Redstart; Snow Bunting at Hilbre and Spond's Hill; 15 Short-eared Owls at Burton; 4 Short-eared Owls at Frodsham; 2 Water Rails by Leasowe Lighthouse and no sign of Richard's Pipit; no sign of Snow Buntings at Thurstaston; Crossbill at Red Rocks plus 10 at Macclesfield Forest; 4 Mandarins at Styperson Pool;

CB

 

[Cheshire Birder]

Belated news for 19th Nov - Grey Phalarope at Hatchmere;

Belated news for 18th & 19th Nov - Bittern at Moore NR

CB

 

[PhilW]

Two photo's from the weekend. The Little Auk was found by Scott Reid who was with a visitng group from Salford University. It flew past him at the north end of Hilbre and disappeared out of view. Luckily I was in the Obs having a brew and managed to relocate it on the west side where we watched it for a bout ten minutes before it flew west and was lost from sight in the glare of the setting sun. After leaving Hilbre I decided to check out the Black Redstart just in case it was an 'Eastern'.

 

[Cheshire Birder]

Today - Snow Bunting at Thurstaston Shore; 4 White-fronted Geese at Burton Mere Wetlands; 3 Yellow-legged Gulls at Richmond Bank; Sanderling at Neumann’s Flash; Hen Harrier and 4 Short-eared Owls at Frodsham; Hen Harrier at Parkgate;

CB

 

[mad dogs mate]

The 2 whitefronts still at sandbach also 24 goosander and an adult yellow legged gull