Biking Birder 2015 - A cycle ride to every RSPB and WWT reserve. (1 Viewer)

[Paul Chapman]

Phil

Hopefully he is still there as Broad-billed Sandpiper still present.

Certainly getting to the stage of fewer obvious omissions though perhaps Little Gull, Osprey and Wood Warbler are slightly surprising given the length of time in the field. I'm always one for counting Feral Pigeon as Rock Dove and surely he must have seen Category C Barnacle Geese?

Presumably Twite, Black Guillemot, Hooded Crow and Scottish specialities will fall when he heads further north so I presume the flip of a coin is over Yorkshire or Norfolk for vagrants or scarcities over the next three weeks. Perhaps Sprosser after the Sandpiper and a bit of Yorkshire time unless he is going to chase more distant rarities?

http://www.bubo.org/Listing/view-targets.html?list_id=23533

All the best

 

[Phil Andrews]

Phil

Hopefully he is still there as Broad-billed Sandpiper still present.

Certainly getting to the stage of fewer obvious omissions though perhaps Little Gull, Osprey and Wood Warbler are slightly surprising given the length of time in the field. I'm always one for counting Feral Pigeon as Rock Dove and surely he must have seen Category C Barnacle Geese?

Presumably Twite, Black Guillemot, Hooded Crow and Scottish specialities will fall when he heads further north so I presume the flip of a coin is over Yorkshire or Norfolk for vagrants or scarcities over the next three weeks. Perhaps Sprosser after the Sandpiper and a bit of Yorkshire time unless he is going to chase more distant rarities?

http://www.bubo.org/Listing/view-targets.html?list_id=23533

All the best

Yes, Broad-billed Sandpiper safely in the bag this morning at Frampton Marsh (#243).

Gary is waiting to tick "pure" Rock Dove and Barnacle Goose in Scotland later in the year.

My advice to him is similar to yours, to head north to cover the goodies in Yorkshire and Teeside. Unfortunately he has committed himself to attending the Norfolk Birdfair at Cley over next weekend with rather limits his movements; I suspect he will try for the Franklin's next.

At present the plan is to work is way north from late June to spend August covering Scotland (Abernethy / Cairngorms and a selection of the Hebrides). That will hopefully yield both eagles, Caper, Ptarmigan, Tystie, Hooded Crow, Osprey (I did ask him whether its a bit too late), Crested Tit, Corncrake, Twite etc plus hopefully a King Eider. September and October will then be a combination of North Ron, Fair Isle and Shetland. I gave him a target of 250 for the end of May which hopefully he wont be too far away from. One item I need to check is what listing authority is being used for the European Green record and the impact that Green-winged Teal (which he got) and Mealy Redpoll (which I anticipate him seeing at some point in the year) may have.

I too am a little worried about the lack of Little Gull (he has put in a lot of hours at Frampton, Cley and Titchwell over the last few weeks) whilst having not caught a Wood Warbler on passage its going to be a case of diverting off from his route north up the east coast to try one of their breeding woods in Yorkshire / Durham / Northumberland. If anyone can recommend a site where there is a reasonable chance they can be encountered in July please PM me the details and I will pass them on to Gaz.

 

[Phil Andrews]

As if to emphasise the above, a Little Gull showed at Frampton Marsh after Gary left today. However he jammed in on a pair of White-winged Black Tern at March Farmers on the Nene Washes complex this evening (#244).

 

[Nutcracker]

Little Gull isn't a worry, there'll be plenty of 1st-summers along the east coast pools; premier site is Hornsea Mere, between Spurn and Flamboro'.

Wood Warbler is much more of a worry - they'll only be singing for another 3-4 weeks or so, and once they stop, they're near impossible to find. And the population on the east side of the Pennines is in severe decline, only small numbers left. So that should be a priority to get.

 

[Periwinkle]

He should get Wood Warbler in the Northern Isles in the autumn if he's there for 2 months

 

[Phil Andrews]

Another quality bird added by Gary today with the Great Reed Warbler (#245) at Paxton Pits, Cambs. Onto Essex now for the Red-footed Falcon / Franklin's Gull double.

 

[Phil Andrews]

Gary moved on to Abberton Reservoir today, finally ticking a first summer Little Gull (#246) and then, as the evening was drawing on, refinding the first summer Franklin's Gull that had been absent since early morning (#247).

 

[Phil Andrews]

Gary was at Vange Marshes on Tuesday but unfortunately got distant untickable views of the Red-footed Falcon. He has now relocated to the North Norfolk coast where he will spend the weekend at the Norfolk Bird & Wildlife Fair at Mannington Hall near Holt where he will have his own stand http://www.norfolkbirdfair.com/

 

[Phil Andrews]

Managed to catch up with Gary for an hour yesterday for a natter and to discuss the route going forward. At present - based on what turns up - it is looking like the following; I have added some indicative target totals for the end of each month:

May (250)- remaining in North Norfolk; easterly(ish) winds and the Bank Holiday should produce something
June (255) - moving up the east coast to include Honey Buzzards at Wykeham and Roseate Terns at Coquet Island (will incorporate a couple of days break home in the West Midlands - by train - to celebrate his 60th birthday. Sorry Gaz, thought you had reached that landmark a long time again 8-P)
July (265) - cutting across to the west coast of Scotland to do Mull and Coll before heading back inland to bird the Cairngorms and Abernethy Forest
August (275)- either heading up to John O'Goats or across to Aberdeen to take ferry to Orkney and on to North Ron for a few weeks
September / October (295) - alternating between Fair Isle and Shetland
November / December (305) - heading back down the east coast looking to fill in any holes (eg Iceland Gull), hoping for some late Sib passage and perhaps having a goose fest (Lesser Canada / Bean / Snow)

 

[Paul Chapman]

Phil

He seems not to have updated BUBO for a while?

All the best

 

[Phil Andrews]

Phil

He seems not to have updated BUBO for a while?

All the best

Lazy sod that Prescott 8-P

Will post a spreadsheet of ticks and likely targets later this evening

 

[Paul Chapman]

Lazy sod that Prescott 8-P

3

 

[Phil Andrews]

Will post a spreadsheet of ticks and likely targets later this evening

Uptodate spreadsheet as promised (timescale not!); those edged in red are species not recorded last year

 

[Phil Andrews]

Nightjar churring on Kelling Heath this evening for Gary's 248th species this year

 

[Jabberwocky]

We were at the Norfolk Bird Fair today and passing Gary we put a donation in the box on his bike. He was talking to someone so we started to move on. Wait, he said I need your names in my book if you've donated. We waited a few minutes and gave him our names. He immediately saw the funny side and said it had made his day ( it was early). We chatted for quite a while about his trip and he looked up info for us, nothing was too much trouble.
We had an enjoyable day at the fair and Gary made our day too. His enthusiasm is infectious, birding could do with a few more like him.
We wish him luck with the rest of his year, he must surely get another 52 before it ends.

Lewis & Carol

 

[biking birder 2010]

Lazy sod that Prescott 8-P

Will post a spreadsheet of ticks and likely targets later this evening

BUBO and blog updated. no Wifi in the tent. 8-P

 

[biking birder 2010]

We were at the Norfolk Bird Fair today and passing Gary we put a donation in the box on his bike. He was talking to someone so we started to move on. Wait, he said I need your names in my book if you've donated. We waited a few minutes and gave him our names. He immediately saw the funny side and said it had made his day ( it was early). We chatted for quite a while about his trip and he looked up info for us, nothing was too much trouble.
We had an enjoyable day at the fair and Gary made our day too. His enthusiasm is infectious, birding could do with a few more like him.
We wish him luck with the rest of his year, he must surely get another 52 before it ends.

Lewis & Carol

That is wonderful of you both to say this. ATB to you both.:t:

 

[biking birder 2010]

Uptodate spreadsheet as promised (timescale not!); those edged in red are species not recorded last year

I'll have a look myself to see what i need. Thanks Phil.:t:

 

[biking birder 2010]

No worries - it's nothing. The real efforts are all Gary's (as a still slightly overweight, asthmathic, 60+ year old) in cycling all these miles, camping out the majority of nights and still connecting will all these birds.

Can only concur with the thanks to Phil, not just for the updates but also for the masses of texts he sends me whenever appropriate bird news is required. THANK YOU PHIL!B

 

[Torchepot]

I meant to respond to this at the time but it slipped my mind. Phil is right of course - your efforts are an inspiration to all of us Gary! More power to your pedals mate and the very best of luck. :t: