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Message: <blockquote data-quote="biking birder 2010" data-source="post: 3140102" data-attributes="member: 91314">Just 2 days to go before I set off on my bike again.Next year, 2015, I will once more be taking to my bicycle in order to visit every RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds) nature reserve, of which there are over 200 around the UK. I will also visit all of the WWT (Wildfowl and Wetland Trust) nature reserves.My aim is to break the UK Green birding year list record which currently stands at 251. Secretly I might add that my real ambition for this trip is to reach the unimaginable 300.To this end I will be cycling south in January, heading from my home near to Bromsgrove, Worcestershire towards Kent. Then I will be cycling the south coast to Land's End, back up the west coast into Wales, across to Northern Ireland. Now here I have a Green problem in that I will need to take a ferry - 50 shades of green?Once back into England it's across to East Anglia for the whole of May, over to Lancashire and into Scotland in June. More ferries I am afraid as I explore the fabulous RSPB reserves of the Western Isles of Scotland in July before reaching Orkney in August.The whole of both September and October will be spent on Shetland. November is for cycling down the east coast of Scotland and England. December is for cycling to any rare bird that I haven't seen during the year.All of this starts at Upton Warren Worcestershire Wildlife Trust reserve on the first of January and ends there on the 31st of December.As well as the aim of 300 bird species, well 305 would get me the European Green Birding record, I will be asking people for donations towards 3 charities and a project for children at Chaskawasi/Salvacion in the Manu jungle in Peru.The charities are:-The RSPB - Britain's largest nature charity.The WWT - Sir Peter Scott's creation, my childhood hero.Asthma UK - the leading charity for asthma in the UK. I am asthmatic and appreciate their efforts.Each day I will endeavour to count and list the birds I see, I will try to update this blog and embellish it with photographs. Back in 2010 I didn't have a decent enough camera to photograph the birds. I hope that my new Canon SX50 and I will be up to the task.There will be facebook and twitter entries.Facebook - Gary Prescott (Chester College)  and   Biking Birder 2015If anyone has any thoughts or advice, can offer bird information as I cycle into your county, area, patch or can offer a cup of tea (I'll bring the biscuits) then please message me using either of the above facebook pages or my email -<a href="mailto:bikingbirder2010@hotmail.com">bikingbirder2010@hotmail.com</a>Right now I have a cold, my legs are healing nicely after the infections picked up stupidly in Peru and I have almost all of the equipment I need for next year. I sit here terrified. I am now 58 years young and I know what I am letting myself in for.Roz Savage, the round the world rower and great inspiration, said that when one gets out of the comfort zone expect discomfort. I know what to expect.Will the extreme weather events of 2010 be repeated; deep snow and extreme cold at both ends of the year, almost hurricane strength winds on Shetland etc?One thing I can guarantee, I will have one hell of a ride. The British Isles are beautiful. Their nature reserves, wildlife and scenery will give moments of pure joy. The people I will meet will be wonderful and the experience will be challenging and so worthwhile.:t:</blockquote>

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