East coast or West coast UK (4 Viewers)

[Fozzybear]

There was a interesting programme recently on BBC2 about the wildlife of Essex.It showed you how wildlife has adapted in living in the industrial parts of Essex.Also it showed you the marshes where Barn Owls hunt and mud flats where thousands of waders and Brent geese winter.I live quite close to Teeside and that is very industrial area but it is a amazing place for birds and wildlife.

Yes, I started a thread about that programme but it had a very mixed reaction and I half wish I'd not started it! :eek!:Some people liked it and some wanted the presenter burnt at the stake, which somehow made me guilty for having posted it up. It did one important thing though for all the hyperbole, it showed the general public (at least those that were watching BBC2!) that Essex actually has wildlife - you wouldn't believe the number of people I talk to that don't know that there's actually wildlife of any kind here, let alone exceptionally good wildlife! :t: Mind you the RSPB presence here is pretty meagre although the EWT have a lot of sites.

In the past all I knew about Teeside was that it was involved with docks and industry and was 'oop narth' - I knew nothing about it in terms of wildlife until the Bill Oddie and Cwiss Packham nature programmes started covering places like that. Those have been a real eye opener even if I won't actually visit most of them (I'm not really a travelling person!).

 

[rokermartin]

Hi John you have seen some good birds on Scilly i would say it is off the south west coast.Be interesting to see if what turns up on Scilly this year.Many birders where saying last autumn was the worst on record.Lee Evans has article on his 400 club website about Scilly and said only 250+ birders visited last October.Reasons why less birdwatchers are going because it is to expensive to stay and to get there.Also many are going to the Northern Isles for finding rarities.I dont think the Scillies will ever be as good as it was in the 80s and 90s when there were about 1000+ birders visiting.It will still get a few rarities but not as many as it has in the past.Have to say the south west coast has turned up some good rarities over the years and it can be excellent for seawatching.

 

[Adam W]

Some birders enjoy the East Coast. Some birders enjoy the West Coast. But which is best? There's only one way to find out....
F-I-G-H-T!!!

made me laugh:-O

 

[rokermartin]

Yes, I started a thread about that programme but it had a very mixed reaction and I half wish I'd not started it! :eek!:Some people liked it and some wanted the presenter burnt at the stake, which somehow made me guilty for having posted it up. It did one important thing though for all the hyperbole, it showed the general public (at least those that were watching BBC2!) that Essex actually has wildlife - you wouldn't believe the number of people I talk to that don't know that there's actually wildlife of any kind here, let alone exceptionally good wildlife! :t: Mind you the RSPB presence here is pretty meagre although the EWT have a lot of sites.

In the past all I knew about Teeside was that it was involved with docks and industry and was 'oop narth' - I knew nothing about it in terms of wildlife until the Bill Oddie and Cwiss Packham nature programmes started covering places like that. Those have been a real eye opener even if I won't actually visit most of them (I'm not really a travelling person!).

The new RSPB reserve at Saltholm is attracting alot of visiting birdwatchers to Teeside.Last year Teeside had it's biggest number of breeding Avocets and hopefully this year there will be more breeding.The reserve did well for scarce birds and rarities last year best of all a Glaucous-winged Gull was found.Loads of birdwatchers came from all over to see that.Seal Sands is a very important area for waders and wildfowl thousands winter there.Another interesting thing is there's a small population of Common Seals at Greatham Creek which are doing well and increasing in number every year.The marshes in the winter time you can see SE Owls and sometimes Barn Owls huntings.There are Peregrines breeding in the Teeside area and loads of passage migrants can be seen in spring and autumn.Teeside is a great for birds and wildlife despite being a industrial area.

 

[Farnboro John]

Hi John you have seen some good birds on Scilly i would say it is off the south west coast.Be interesting to see if what turns up on Scilly this year.Many birders where saying last autumn was the worst on record.Lee Evans has article on his 400 club website about Scilly and said only 250+ birders visited last October.Reasons why less birdwatchers are going because it is to expensive to stay and to get there.Also many are going to the Northern Isles for finding rarities.I dont think the Scillies will ever be as good as it was in the 80s and 90s when there were about 1000+ birders visiting.It will still get a few rarities but not as many as it has in the past.Have to say the south west coast has turn up some good rarities over the years and it can be excellent for seawatching.

Yes, it was pretty empty of birders (we did a week and came off a day early for the Eastern Crowned Warbler). I wouldn't have said it was the worst year on record but I suppose it depends which weeks you do: my personal least favourite would be 1989 when the only BB I remember in a fortnight was a Red-eyed Vireo! Many voted with their feet that year when the Red-breasted Nuthatch appeared in Norfolk.

John

 

[Parker]

Yes, it was pretty empty of birders (we did a week and came off a day early for the Eastern Crowned Warbler). I wouldn't have said it was the worst year on record but I suppose it depends which weeks you do: my personal least favourite would be 1989 when the only BB I remember in a fortnight was a Red-eyed Vireo! Many voted with their feet that year when the Red-breasted Nuthatch appeared in Norfolk.

John

Hi John,
Some tasty birds you've seen on the Scillies. I have only managed 37 new birds there but that was in a short 5 years from 1981-1985. Was I glad I went in 85, what a year, with Northern Parula, Yellow Rumped Warbler & Yellow Billed Cuckoo in the same day. A couple of birds I saw in earlier years many birders still need, those being Scarlet Tanager & Orphean Warbler. Without doubt the best feel good bird was the Common Nighthawk in 81, the atmosphere in the cressa that night was electric. Some great memories.

Cheers, Neil.

 

[rokermartin]

Yes, it was pretty empty of birders (we did a week and came off a day early for the Eastern Crowned Warbler). I wouldn't have said it was the worst year on record but I suppose it depends which weeks you do: my personal least favourite would be 1989 when the only BB I remember in a fortnight was a Red-eyed Vireo! Many voted with their feet that year when the Red-breasted Nuthatch appeared in Norfolk.

John

I only live 10mins away from where the EC Warbler was found.Certainly wasn't expecting one of those to turn up in styneside. I think most birders thought ECW would turn up Shetland or Scilly.