• 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 Blockers on Their UK List (1 Viewer)

Lichfield Birder

...should've been here 5 minutes ago, mate....
So who's got the best blockers on their UK list. The blocker would be rated higher if:
1. The bird was only seen by a v limited number of people. Score 5 if less than 5 people saw, 4 if less than 10 saw, 3 if less than 50, 2 if less than 100 and 1 if more than 100
2. It was seen a v long time ago - score 5 if before 1970, 4 if in 70s, 3 if in 80s, 2 if in 90s and 1 if in 00s
3. The worldwide population is so low that it suggests it may not be seen here again - score 5 if less than 100, 4 if 100-500, 3 if 500-1000, 2 if 1000 to 5000, and 1 if 5000+
4. Distance the bird probably travelled - score 5 if over 8,000 miles, 4 if 8000-4000 miles, 3 if 4000-2000, 2 if 2000-1000 and 1 if less than 1000

Doubt there will be many scoring 20, but could be interesting anyway.
 
I tend to think purely in terms of return time which makes Little Whimbrel (1985) probably my best blocker, but clearly many older birders have stuff that will blow that away.

John
 
Farnboro John said:
I tend to think purely in terms of return time which makes Little Whimbrel (1985) probably my best blocker, but clearly many older birders have stuff that will blow that away.

John
Just one or two.

POP
 
Hard since im 19 to have seen stuff in 80s or even before that but my blockers - NUTCRACKER, YELLOWTHROAT,LONG BILLED MURRELET ,CRAIG MARTIN,STELLERS EIDER,SNOWY EGRET,SHORT BILLED DOWITCHER,RUFOUS TURTLE DOVE,BLACK LARK,CREAM COLOURED COURSER,KILLDEER,OVENBIRD,MASKED SHRIKE,BELTED KINGFISHER, GLAUCOUS WINGED GULL.
 
Have any other birders out there seen the elusive Craig Martin?
The way I understand the phrase blocker is a species that has not appeared (or been twitchable) for at least 10 years. Specimens such as Philadelphia and Yellow-throated Vireos, Ancient Murrelet and Tree Swallow spring to mind for starters ;)
 
Last edited:
Deja-vu said:
Specimens such as Philadelphia and Yellow-throated Vireos, Ancient Murrelet and Tree Swallow spring to mind for starters ;)

Yup - as an 'old timer' I can do those! ;)

I can do Chestnut-sided Warbler as well :D

Darrell
 
I just lost my Ancient Blocker - Belted Kingfisher.... still Desert Warbler (4 of them) has a bit of cred. Pity my 70's White-tailed plover failed to get accepted, despite being 8-0 accepted at one point.

I have Pallas's Sandgrouse, Savannah Sparrow and Oriental Prat too...

Rock Sparrow anyone?
 
Deja-vu said:
Have any other birders out there seen the elusive Craig Martin?
The way I understand the phrase blocker is a species that has not appeared (or been twitchable) for at least 10 years. Specimens such as Philadelphia and Yellow-throated Vireos, Ancient Murrelet and Tree Swallow spring to mind for starters ;)

I believe Craig Martin was the result of a collaboration between Coldplay and Artful Dodger ;)

Using the "ten year rule" my blockers are few and far between - Scarlet Tanager, Northern Waterthrush, Naumann's Thrush (just!), Little Whimbrel, and Red-breasted Nuthatch being the sum total, but they all bring back memories! Guess I should have twitched more as a youngster.
 
Darrell Clegg said:
Yup - as an 'old timer' I can do those! ;)

I can do Chestnut-sided Warbler as well :D

Darrell

That's what I would call a proper blocker. I have Mugmaki Flycatcher whether the BOU likes it or not!!
 
Deja-vu said:
Have any other birders out there seen the elusive Craig Martin?
The way I understand the phrase blocker is a species that has not appeared (or been twitchable) for at least 10 years. Specimens such as Philadelphia and Yellow-throated Vireos, Ancient Murrelet and Tree Swallow spring to mind for starters ;)

That aint fair i was only 9 ten years ago my only blockers which aint appereared since 1997 - Nutcracker when i was 4! i know i was a bit young
 
Its now been over 10 years since the Notts Ceder Waxwing, but everyone and his dog saw that one.

Completely gutted that the Pennington Escape-faced Bunting (;) ) has completely devalued the following 4 short stayers/island occurances, because that would otherwise be my top blocker.

Oh yeah, i do have Thick-billed Warbler...B :)
 
I've got a few good ones but having been away from birding for 8 years until this year I'm not sure how good they are now:

American Bittern
Nutcracker
Booted Warbler
Pacific Swift
Oriental Pratincole
Demoiselle Crane - I don't care still a cracking bird and an amazig day at Spurn! :)
Red-Flanked Bluetail
Killdeer
Black Faced Bunting
Bufflehead
Squacco Heron
Red-Throated Thrush
Grey-Tailed Tattler
River Warbler

And perhaps a modern day blocker or the next regular passage visitor....Pacific Diver

You will now tell me half of those have been seen loads in recent years! Everything between 1999 - 2007 is a grey area :)
 
The way I understand the phrase blocker is a species that has not appeared (or been twitchable) for at least 10 years. Specimens such as Philadelphia and Yellow-throated Vireos, Ancient Murrelet and Tree Swallow spring to mind for starters ;)

Would agree with alll those being listed as blockers....wonder why ;)
 
I've got a few good ones but having been away from birding for 8 years until this year I'm not sure how good they are now:

American Bittern
Nutcracker
Booted Warbler
Pacific Swift
Oriental Pratincole
Demoiselle Crane - I don't care still a cracking bird and an amazig day at Spurn! :)
Red-Flanked Bluetail
Killdeer
Black Faced Bunting
Bufflehead
Squacco Heron
Red-Throated Thrush
Grey-Tailed Tattler
River Warbler

And perhaps a modern day blocker or the next regular passage visitor....Pacific Diver

You will now tell me half of those have been seen loads in recent years! Everything between 1999 - 2007 is a grey area :)


Bufflehead, Booted Warbler, R F Bluetail and Squacco are almost annual. Killdeer has occurred a couple of times in the last few years. The rest are still pretty good though.
 
Bufflehead, Booted Warbler, R F Bluetail and Squacco are almost annual. Killdeer has occurred a couple of times in the last few years. The rest are still pretty good though.

R F Bluetail is an annual visitor now....bloody hell! That was a mega when I saw it :)

Guessing Pacific Swift is still a good one though ;)

This year has been good though....added American Robin, Pacific Diver, Marbled Duck, Glossy Ibis, Black Scoter and.... Caspian Gull (it wasn't a full species back in those days!)
 
It still isn't - it's part of the Yellow-legged Gull complex.

Mark

Actually caspian gull has been split from "mediterranean" yellow-legged gull micahellis and armenian gull but is still part of the herring gull complex (BOU anyway). Other sources split caspian from herring but pretty much everyone (apart from collins guide) treats yellow-legged, caspian and armenian as (belonging to) separate species

EDIT; actually that's rubbish, Howard and Moore lump micahellis and cachinnans as yellow-legged gull, but nevertheless, BOU don't!

p.s. the only bird on my list that stands even a remote chance of reaching blocker status in the future (never mind now) is western sandpiper
 
Last edited:
Warning! This thread is more than 17 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.

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top