Birds from Football Grounds (1 Viewer)

Bird Hard 2 · Oct 7, 2005

Hi,
I have a friend who is writing a book on 'Football Lists'.
I'm trying to get the top ten rarest birds seen from a football ground.
I remember a couple of seasons ago there was a Black Kite seen over (I think) Pride Park, Plymouth.
Anyone else seen a rare(ish) bird from a footy ground/stadium? It doesn't necessarily have to be in the UK.
Cheers!

Edward woodwood · Oct 7, 2005

watcha

nice thread

despite being football mad, my list, either when playing or watching is pitiful

seen a few good uns playing when birding abroad such as in Peru but do thery count cos they weren't on 'official' grounds

remember the birders game on Scilly being stopped for a Wood Thrush!

Tim

Darrell Clegg · Oct 7, 2005

Bird Hard 2 said:
Hi,
I remember a couple of seasons ago there was a Black Kite seen over (I think) Pride Park, Plymouth.
Cheers!

That's Home Park, Plymouth.

Turkeys are seen on the pitch there most weeks - they're not that rare

Darrell

Grampy Bustard · Oct 7, 2005

I know a lad playing cricket at school (it would have been a football pitch at any other time of the year) and saw a white heron fly over. After school, he looked at all the local ponds and found a Squacco Heron.

Bird Hard 2 · Oct 7, 2005

Sorry, yes Home Park (Pride Park is Derby). Just looked at the RBA website and indead it was Home Park on 24 Apr 04

Alastair Rae · Oct 7, 2005

I remember being gripped off by waxwings reported in Islington. (We don't often get the chance of a borough tick). And insult to injury, bird line reported 10 "over Highbury Stadium". :C

Bird Hard 2 · Oct 7, 2005

Yeah, I had Waxwings at the Brittania Stadium once (Stoke City's ground). Not quite from the stadium, but I guess it would do.
I'd also like to know about anyone who was on the way to a game and had to divert due to a rare bird sighting.
Cheers.

bristolbirder · Oct 7, 2005

Barn Owl at Ashton Gate (Bristol City).

It must have been roosting in the roof of the stand and as the ground started to fill with fans and the noise levels increased then flew the length of the pitch and over the stand at the far end of the ground. Magnificent sight!

Steve

Edward · Oct 7, 2005

Not a rare bird but the only Mute Swan I saw on my June 2004 to England was flying over the City of Manchester stadium during the England v Iceland game.

E

POP · Oct 7, 2005

I have seen lots of "headless chickens" especially when they play Chelsea.

POP

Andrew Whitehouse · Oct 7, 2005

The car park at Bay View in Methil (the home of East Fife no less) offers very good views over the mouth of the River Leven and Largo Bay. Lots of seaduck, gulls etc and I seem to remember seeing an Iceland Gull there once.

I've also seen Osprey and Peregrine whilst playing cricket.

Stevie babe · Oct 7, 2005

11 eagles at Selhurst park plus 3 or 4 more on the benches seen most weeks except summer. Very striking red and blue stripes but nothing found in any any of the bird books I have. They like to remain in the park but every so often go so other similar habitats. Seagulls not popular with this species of eagle and there are ocassional clashes due to the gregarious nature of these species'. I know our Est Anglian friends have frequent sightings of canaries yet these never seen to make the headlines in "birdline". What with owls in Sheffield there is no end of great birding in football (soccer). Shame about the p****ns, There ought to be more peregrines around.

(Sorry if I've missed out your clubs - I'm rushed)

Steve

Jos Stratford · Oct 7, 2005

Dipped it, but once tried (twice) to see a Black-throated Thrush that was hanging out either on a school sports field/football pitch or nearby open area somewhere in London donkey's years back. Would that count?

themexican · Oct 7, 2005

Jos Stratford said:
Dipped it, but once tried (twice) to see a Black-throated Thrush that was hanging out either on a school sports field/football pitch or nearby open area somewhere in London donkey's years back. Would that count?

Talking of thrush......West Brom had one on the scoreboard 3

Jos Stratford · Oct 7, 2005

themexican said:
Talking of thrush......West Brom had one on the scoreboard 3

Well, darn it, there it is, a black-throated thrush no less! No wonder I dipped twice - wrong football ground!

stuart winter · Oct 7, 2005

Tottenham's world famous Shelf is a great place to watch gulls heading for their roost on King George V and William Girling Reservoirs. Thousands fly over and I have spent many a moment looking out for the all-white wings of a Glauc or Iceland. If only Spurs were a long ball team then I could spend more time looking upwards....

Stephen Dunstan · Jan 5, 2006

I've only just seen this. I've seen Green Sandpipers in a waterlogged car park of the Reebok Stadium (nearby Red Moss is a regular site for them).

Wasn't there a Dartford Warbler in a small nature reserve in the grounds of Pride Park last year?

Andrew · Jan 5, 2006

Best I have ais a Goldeneye and a diver species next to a Scottish that I think was Calie Thistle.

The Raptor · Jan 5, 2006

bristolbirder said:
Barn Owl at Ashton Gate (Bristol City).

It must have been roosting in the roof of the stand and as the ground started to fill with fans and the noise levels increased then flew the length of the pitch and over the stand at the far end of the ground. Magnificent sight!

Steve

I would be very interested to know when this was Steve. The only birds I tend to see at the Gate is gulls & of course the Robins strutting their stuff on the pitch.

Rod.

Fair Islander · Jan 5, 2006

Long-eared Owl at the old Ayresome Park (RIP), Middlesbrough was my best there. A friend of mine had Marsh Harrier over Pittodrie, Aberdeen a couple of years ago. I did see a Red-breasted Goose fly by the Fair Isle football pitch whilst playing last July, which was a bizzare sight (the bird, not me).

I seem to recall a tale about the ex-Liverpool goalkeeper, Mike Hooper, who id'd a Little Egret whilst training with Liverpool.

Birds from Football Grounds (1 Viewer)

Cynical Sceptic

Member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Cynical Sceptic

London birder

Cynical Sceptic

Well-known member

Umimmak

Registered User

Professor of Listening

Well-known member

Eastern Exile

Well-known member

Attachments

Eastern Exile

My Eyes Have Seen the Glory of the Cups at WHL

Registered User

wibble wibble

Bristol City's No.1 Fan!

Well-known member

Similar threads

Users who are viewing this thread