camelbirder
Well-known member
While staying with my son at Treliske Hospital last week gave me the chance to have a look at the Pied Wagtail roost. Up to 200 birds were counted on at least 3 evening. Is this the biggest roost in Cornwall?
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Cornwall Birding (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Conorbirda2
- Start date
Politics, WHAT Politics,BB
You need an example? What about the two harmless bird-watching pensioners, one now sadly confined to a wheelchair we both witnessed being threatened with, and now losing their affordable passes to a favourite birding headland, by a person some still describe as a 'good' birder, their only crime, they dared to talk to me. Mind you I still meet people who are convinced that Gordon Brown is good for the country. Now that's politics!
camelbirder
Well-known member
I think that more people here in North Cornwall think Gordon Brown is a good premier rather than this person is a good birder.
The loss of these parking permits is sad, but I for one do not want to line the land owners pockets and suggest that any news from this area is put out telling all not to pay but park before the Toll Road. But as more and more birders are stopped from using the site, news is going to be scarce.
camelbirder
Well-known member
About the Camel Estuary today single Cattle Egrets were noted at Pentireglaze Farm and Hay Farm. The Whooper Swan is still at Trewornan Bridge.
Conorbirda2
Well-known member
"He has now broadened the issue out to other public mistakes he has made, both here and on his website and I am deliberating how to respond. At present my thinking is that as he has made the mistakes (in my opinion) in the public arena then perhaps it is more suitable to discuss them publicly. Then as you say people can judge for themselves if my criticisms are fair and he himself will be able to justify his identifications.
As I have also said we all make mistakes (even the so called experts of which I most certainly am not and have never claimed to be) but those who choose to splash their (or other peoples) sightings across the internet have a far greater responsibility to make sure that what they publish is correct, otherwise it just drags the name of all cornish birders through the mud.
Hope this clarifies things."
Sorry to go back to this Dave, i havent been on BF since your last rant and had i seen this i would have asked you about it when i saw you at Carbis bay the other day. What mistakes are you now refering to? It is very rare that i see you when i am out birding, so i can only imagine that your info is either 3rd hand or you are refering to something published on the website? And what am i publishing on the website that isn't correct? I do publish other peoples sightings and acknowledge them if they are sent directly to me by e-mail or if that person tells me about the bird by phone or face to face. The rest of the news is taken from Rare Bird Alert, who in turn get their news, if not directly, from the likes of Birdline SW, Birdguides and quite often from Cornwall Birding website. So if you phone your sightings in to RBA or Birdline SW then you are indirectly contributing to Cornwall Birding website. Thankyou.
Not everyone has a mobile phone or a pager so putting the news out straight away doesn't always suit everyone. The daily bird report on the website is not meant to be an up to the minute news service. It is updated when i have time and i try and verify the reports i get from people. Do the people you phone verify that everything you tell them is true and definate? I dont have the time to dash out and see every bird that someone reports, just to say, 'Oh yes its definately one of those i'll put it on the website"!!. Im sure Dick Filby doesnt pop out everytime someone reports a rarity, but he still puts it on the pager.
"It seems to me that by posting all ones observations on a forum like this is just drawing attention to yourself and whether intended or not, building yourself a reputation"
Dont get this at all? Why is posting observations on the internet, be it forums like this or a website, any different to phoning something in to Birdline SW or other news service? (Other than the time difference of course) Its certainly nothing at all to do with building reputations?! If it isnt intended then it is only percieved by those who give them the attention and hold them in some sort of esteem in the first place? A massive advantage of posting on forums and websites is that the information can be used as a reference and can includes commoner or locally scarce birds that Birdline or news services arent bothered about. I know Darrell has used Cornwall Birding a lot as a resource for the 2007/2008 future reports and i go to the Camel Estuary threads on BF to get sightings for Cornwall Birding website. It is nothing to do with building reputations. I enjoy updating the website, it isnt just bird sightings, there is a lot more to it. I certainly dont do it to build up a reputation! and i try to keep any mistakes on there to a miniumum. As far as i can remember i have only had three mistakes pointed out on the site. The first two were ID mistakes, not my ID mistakes, photos that other people had sent me and were wrongly labelled in the first place. These were kindly pointed out by Mashtuq Ahmed in the first instance and LGRE in the second. The third was the 'year' error that Stan pointed out in his not so constructive way. All were rectified immediately (Another advantage of websites). I am sure there are other mistakes on the site somewhere, but so far since July 2007, 33,821 visitors have been on the site 150,134 times and viewed 329,325 pages. Out of those only three have pointed out mistakes. (I havent include you or yours yet Dave) There are 1437 individual posts and 54 static pages, all inputted by myself over the last 1 and a half years, i'm happy to allow myself the odd mistake and Im sure the 400-500 visitors i get to the site each day wont mind the odd one either. As i said before please point out any mistakes on the website as and when you notice them so i can rectify them. Same goes for the new ISBG website which i also update in my spare time for the enjoyment of others (well most others anyway).
Im tired now and wondering why Ive just spent all this time justifying when really i shouldnt feel the need to and dont really give a f'*@k and just enjoy my birding. Maybe Stan has the right idea!
As I have also said we all make mistakes (even the so called experts of which I most certainly am not and have never claimed to be) but those who choose to splash their (or other peoples) sightings across the internet have a far greater responsibility to make sure that what they publish is correct, otherwise it just drags the name of all cornish birders through the mud.
Hope this clarifies things."
Sorry to go back to this Dave, i havent been on BF since your last rant and had i seen this i would have asked you about it when i saw you at Carbis bay the other day. What mistakes are you now refering to? It is very rare that i see you when i am out birding, so i can only imagine that your info is either 3rd hand or you are refering to something published on the website? And what am i publishing on the website that isn't correct? I do publish other peoples sightings and acknowledge them if they are sent directly to me by e-mail or if that person tells me about the bird by phone or face to face. The rest of the news is taken from Rare Bird Alert, who in turn get their news, if not directly, from the likes of Birdline SW, Birdguides and quite often from Cornwall Birding website. So if you phone your sightings in to RBA or Birdline SW then you are indirectly contributing to Cornwall Birding website. Thankyou.
Not everyone has a mobile phone or a pager so putting the news out straight away doesn't always suit everyone. The daily bird report on the website is not meant to be an up to the minute news service. It is updated when i have time and i try and verify the reports i get from people. Do the people you phone verify that everything you tell them is true and definate? I dont have the time to dash out and see every bird that someone reports, just to say, 'Oh yes its definately one of those i'll put it on the website"!!. Im sure Dick Filby doesnt pop out everytime someone reports a rarity, but he still puts it on the pager.
"It seems to me that by posting all ones observations on a forum like this is just drawing attention to yourself and whether intended or not, building yourself a reputation"
Dont get this at all? Why is posting observations on the internet, be it forums like this or a website, any different to phoning something in to Birdline SW or other news service? (Other than the time difference of course) Its certainly nothing at all to do with building reputations?! If it isnt intended then it is only percieved by those who give them the attention and hold them in some sort of esteem in the first place? A massive advantage of posting on forums and websites is that the information can be used as a reference and can includes commoner or locally scarce birds that Birdline or news services arent bothered about. I know Darrell has used Cornwall Birding a lot as a resource for the 2007/2008 future reports and i go to the Camel Estuary threads on BF to get sightings for Cornwall Birding website. It is nothing to do with building reputations. I enjoy updating the website, it isnt just bird sightings, there is a lot more to it. I certainly dont do it to build up a reputation! and i try to keep any mistakes on there to a miniumum. As far as i can remember i have only had three mistakes pointed out on the site. The first two were ID mistakes, not my ID mistakes, photos that other people had sent me and were wrongly labelled in the first place. These were kindly pointed out by Mashtuq Ahmed in the first instance and LGRE in the second. The third was the 'year' error that Stan pointed out in his not so constructive way. All were rectified immediately (Another advantage of websites). I am sure there are other mistakes on the site somewhere, but so far since July 2007, 33,821 visitors have been on the site 150,134 times and viewed 329,325 pages. Out of those only three have pointed out mistakes. (I havent include you or yours yet Dave) There are 1437 individual posts and 54 static pages, all inputted by myself over the last 1 and a half years, i'm happy to allow myself the odd mistake and Im sure the 400-500 visitors i get to the site each day wont mind the odd one either. As i said before please point out any mistakes on the website as and when you notice them so i can rectify them. Same goes for the new ISBG website which i also update in my spare time for the enjoyment of others (well most others anyway).
Im tired now and wondering why Ive just spent all this time justifying when really i shouldnt feel the need to and dont really give a f'*@k and just enjoy my birding. Maybe Stan has the right idea!
Conorbirda2;139453 [I said:
If you exist and are known to others you will have some sort of reputation, the important point in my opinion is, did you create that reputation as a direct result of your own actions or was it created by someone else with their own agenda whispering to well placed contacts. Is this not a good enough reason to embrace maximum public scrutiny?
Conorbirda2
Well-known member
I agree with your last sentiment Colin. If your reputation is built by others who think they know you better than you know yourself, then Public scrutiny i agree with. If Dave is refering to me, then i was unaware that i had a reputation, Good or Bad. If my reputation has been enhanced by the complimentary comments ive heard about the website, then Im happy to take that, as i'm sure anyone would be. If you listen to what everyone says then most people have different views about peoples reputations. I know many repected birders in the country who have a reputation of being an excellent birder. I also know that some of their peers think exactly the opposite. Birders tend to be very sensitive souls, i know ive put certain peoples noses out of place by creating Cornwall Birding, that wasnt the intention i assure you, but inadvertantly I have. Im sure my reputation as far as those persons are concerned differs somewhat to the many birders i have given help and advice to over the years and to that of my closer mates. Im not trying to build a good reputation to impress anyone, dont feel like i have to. I make mistakes like the best birders in the country do. But does it matter in the grand scale of things? Ive never ballsed up a first for britain, or killed anyone in the pursuit of birds so anything less i wouldnt bother mentioning.
As i said earlier, i will wait to see what 'mistakes' Dave comes up with and then if i can rectify them i will. After all this fuss, there better be more than just one or two!
As i said earlier, i will wait to see what 'mistakes' Dave comes up with and then if i can rectify them i will. After all this fuss, there better be more than just one or two!
Conorbirda2
Well-known member
BTW. Getting back to important issues for a moment, the Old Quay House at Lelant has a new manager in (again) He is a scottish guy and is totally against birders parking in the car park. He has even put a sign up stating no birdwatching!! I know he has confronted a few birders up to now claiming that he has had complaints from residents about the lack of privacy from birders with 'big cameras'. Implying that birders are a kin to Peadophiles! I suggest anyone who knows people that stop at the old quay house advise them not to in future!
Cuckoo-shrike
Well-known member
Call that politics? You should come to the Lizard!
tophillbirder
Well-known member
Conorbirda2[/QUOTE said:
camelbirder
Well-known member
I would probably swap, or do the Lizard birders stop each other visiting sites that they have visited for year, threaten violence and wish death.
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camelbirder
Well-known member
I have recieved a report from a local birder that last night at Tregonetha Downs a minimum of 2 Hen Harriers were counted at the roost together with a Merlin. 2 Whooper Swans were also noted flying north-west towards the Camel Estuary, (they will be looked for today).
Cuckoo-shrike
Well-known member
Er....no actually.....blimey!
Conorbirda2
Well-known member
Snowy Owl??
Does anyone know anything about the report of the Snowy Owl at Goonhilly Downs yesterday?? Cant believe that there are no subsequent reports if it was one?
Does anyone know anything about the report of the Snowy Owl at Goonhilly Downs yesterday?? Cant believe that there are no subsequent reports if it was one?
Cuckoo-shrike
Well-known member
It's a bit of a mystery. It was reported to RSPB by a non-birder as being seen at close range along the "straight road across the downs" Tuesday morning. A couple of us had a look that afternoon but found nothing except a small snowman on the roadside by the pond. We thought it might be a hoax. There is a certain person living at The Lizard who has been taking the p*ss quite a lot lately. We looked again this morning, but no joy.
Conorbirda2
Well-known member
parttimer
Well-known member
Whilst on business in Cornwall today I found myself in Bude and found a gem of a site on the maer down road I passed it on the way to my first call, I noticed a large flock of Redwing and made a note to stop there on my return. Having stopped I counted about 100 Redwing but imagine my surprise when amongst them I spotted a Water Rail right out in the open feeding amongst the other birds.
But what a great site, comprising of a lake surrounded by fields not only did I spot the Water Rail but in a 10 minute stop I also had - Wigeon, Teal, Shoveler, Song Thrush, Starling, Canada Geese, Moorhen, Chaffinch, 150 Lapwing, Curlew, Snipe, Coot & Little Grebe. I shall be returning!
Stu
The Water Rail was a lifer. (seen but never heard until today)
P.S.
A single Golden Eye and 13 goosander on Lower Tamar
But what a great site, comprising of a lake surrounded by fields not only did I spot the Water Rail but in a 10 minute stop I also had - Wigeon, Teal, Shoveler, Song Thrush, Starling, Canada Geese, Moorhen, Chaffinch, 150 Lapwing, Curlew, Snipe, Coot & Little Grebe. I shall be returning!
Stu
The Water Rail was a lifer. (seen but never heard until today)
P.S.
A single Golden Eye and 13 goosander on Lower Tamar
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Message for Conorbirda2: Paul, would you be kind enough to order the new DVD for me please.
Got a nice Barn Owl on the way home on Saturday, on the way down the hill to Tehidy Park, and managed to see both Glaucous and Iceland Gulls on Sunday, side by side on the roof. Very white both of them!
Got a nice Barn Owl on the way home on Saturday, on the way down the hill to Tehidy Park, and managed to see both Glaucous and Iceland Gulls on Sunday, side by side on the roof. Very white both of them!
