Uk400club 'list Of Lists' Etc Etc (2 Viewers)

[Jan-Paul Charteris]

Hi there,

when reading the Greater Legs/Greenshank thread, one could almost come to believe that Lee Evans never went along with this bird being a Greater Yellowlegs. I understand from others on site that he phoned at least one person to tell them that the Greater legs was still present and updated the bird to RBA, expressing no reservations regarding the birds identity. It was Steve Lister who re-identified the bird as a Greenshank, not Lee.

Now before some of you throw your hands up and the cry of 'Lee bashing' etc goes out, I have to disagree with you. This is justified criticism, pertinent to the UK400 Club.

We all make mistakes. I have, and and I've also been influenced, in the same way as those arriving to see a Greater Legs, in the past. We've all been there, I look it as a learning curve. I still remember the 'Paddyfield Chiffchaff' and the 'Saltholme Sandpiper'.

However, how many of us are self appointed birding 'Policemen' or 'Judge, Jury and Executioner' and have set up bogus Ornithological Authorities to sit in judgement of what other birders have or have not seen. How many have gone on TV and branded other birders liars or have ludicrously disqualified other birders attempting a British or British and Irish year list. How many have created a Micky Mouse list of lists acompanied by questionable taxonomy and records decisions over which they can sit in judgement.

I have acknowledged that Lee is an able an knowledgeable birder (if only he would stick to that), but he's far from the what I'd consider the best. Indeed, there are one or two on my own patch that have more ability. As we all know, going to see lots of rare birds doesn't necessarily make you a good birder.

At the Greater Legs/Greenshank, Lee, the birding policeman, the self appointed investigator, showed himself to be no better than the rank and file. This is just one more of a plethora of reasons why I don't want to have anything to do with his UK400 Club. I could think of lots of people who create and run such a club in a much more successful fashion but i'm sure they'd see no reason to do so whatsoever.

Hopefully my personal data will be removed from the UK400 Club database soon (if it hasn't already), I will give an update when this is confirmed.

Kind regards

Johnny Allan

http://surreybirding.blogspot.com/2011/07/black-is-new-kite.html

Don't know why I'm getting involved with this - probably shouldn't - but I got the impression he was being pretty honest on that thread? He says, as others have backed up that he initially asked where it was in relation to the Greenshank (i.e. thought it was one of the latter), then allowed himself to be convinced it was a GY (as it seems most people who were there did), and he was upfront about the fact that it was Steve Lister who told him it wasn't one...the only thing that appears even mildly dodgy was that when it flew earlier, he wasn't looking (he may or may not have been, but I bet a fair few people have said the same).

Anyway, birding in the 80's...I was only a nipper then but am envious of all the tales, so keep 'em coming besides anything else they're making me feel young even at the maturing age of 31 :t:

Jan

 

[Birdspotter]

There are a lot of broken records on Birdforum that are reguarly played by the same few individuals.

Gotta say it's all becoming a bit tiresome:-C

 

[Iceberg slim]

There are a few "sharp shooters" out there biding their time,and sometimes the target doesn't have to raise his head to be shot down,come on guys n gals..Chiiiiiilllllllll out!!

 

[rollingthunder]

I was trying to think the other day just where i saw my first Terek........bingo! The Iron Road @ Cley, a mythical bird for me (seen 2 others in UK since). Would love to have seen the faces on the 'rare men' when they received the scrap from the telephone directory:t:

Laurie -

 

[Parker]

Hi there,

when reading the Greater Legs/Greenshank thread, one could almost come to believe that Lee Evans never went along with this bird being a Greater Yellowlegs. I understand from others on site that he phoned at least one person to tell them that the Greater legs was still present and updated the bird to RBA, expressing no reservations regarding the birds identity. It was Steve Lister who re-identified the bird as a Greenshank, not Lee.

Now before some of you throw your hands up and the cry of 'Lee bashing' etc goes out, I have to disagree with you. This is justified criticism, pertinent to the UK400 Club.

We all make mistakes. I have, and and I've also been influenced, in the same way as those arriving to see a Greater Legs, in the past. We've all been there, I look it as a learning curve. I still remember the 'Paddyfield Chiffchaff' and the 'Saltholme Sandpiper'.

However, how many of us are self appointed birding 'Policemen' or 'Judge, Jury and Executioner' and have set up bogus Ornithological Authorities to sit in judgement of what other birders have or have not seen. How many have gone on TV and branded other birders liars or have ludicrously disqualified other birders attempting a British or British and Irish year list. How many have created a Micky Mouse list of lists acompanied by questionable taxonomy and records decisions over which they can sit in judgement.

I have acknowledged that Lee is an able an knowledgeable birder (if only he would stick to that), but he's far from the what I'd consider the best. Indeed, there are one or two on my own patch that have more ability. As we all know, going to see lots of rare birds doesn't necessarily make you a good birder.

At the Greater Legs/Greenshank, Lee, the birding policeman, the self appointed investigator, showed himself to be no better than the rank and file. This is just one more of a plethora of reasons why I don't want to have anything to do with his UK400 Club. I could think of lots of people who create and run such a club in a much more successful fashion but i'm sure they'd see no reason to do so whatsoever.

Hopefully my personal data will be removed from the UK400 Club database soon (if it hasn't already), I will give an update when this is confirmed.

Kind regards

Johnny Allan

http://surreybirding.blogspot.com/2011/07/black-is-new-kite.html

Not Lee-bashing, are you having a laugh!

 

[Johnny Allan]

Not Lee-bashing, are you having a laugh!

That reminds me, the Twitching Prog is on again on BBC4 at 8pm

 

[Johnny Allan]

There are a lot of broken records on Birdforum that are reguarly played by the same few individuals.

Gotta say it's all becoming a bit tiresome:-C

But you keep on coming back to it....

 

[Birdspotter]

But you keep on coming back to it....

And with posts like your's at times I wonder why!

 

[Norfolk Birder]

For all you older guys out there who can remember the West Runton Pavillion and the 'Links' there is a book called WOT FLO SAYS that gives the histories and a list of all the gigs that were held there. Might stir a few memories.
They were the times when the days and the nights were filled with BIRDS.

 

[grumps]

For all you older guys out there who can remember the West Runton Pavillion and the 'Links' there is a book called WOT FLO SAYS that gives the histories and a list of all the gigs that were held there. Might stir a few memories.
They were the times when the days and the nights were filled with BIRDS.

Did some of my courting there when not birding the East Bank.
We celebrated our 39th wedding anniversary on the 1st of this month so took her on holiday to Blakeney and of course a romantic walk down the ................East Bank.

Hugh

 

[Steve Webb]

That reminds me, the Twitching Prog is on again on BBC4 at 8pm

Some classic quotes by Lee: “I am known as judge, jury and executioner…birding is my fulfilment at the extreme, at any cost, to anybody…I am the equivalent of the George Michael in the Birding world……my job is almost like being like the Prime Minster… I always been the policeman of British birding… I always prided myself on being the boss.”

On the Azores gull Lee had not been to see the bird but was convinced that birders had not been watching the right bird. He arrived later in day to say “when you told someone they have’nt seen something that they believe they have that’s where it causes all the eruptions but a lot of these guys are just not interested….they are coming back with the tick regardless” (if they have seen the bird or not).

 

[Johnny Allan]

And with posts like your's at times I wonder why!

Well you have bothered, once again, to go to the trouble of posting on this thread which is "becoming a bit tiresome", as you put it (and whoever you are).

"With posts like your's" ? Which ones are you referring to ? I'm happy to clarify them if they're giving you some trouble.

Kind regards

Johnny Allan

 

[Owl Capone]

George Michael of Birding! Twitching Hampstead Heath for Woodcock?

 

[Q@Spurn]

some George pictures for you. Scroll down if you don't want to read the post. Shameless self promotion!

http://qatspurn.blogspot.com/2010/11/twitchers-very-british-obsession.html

On this subject of lists I'm seriously puzzled as to how Lee can even think he'd get close to guessing someone's list. Quite amazing! Let's say he was trying to guess mine. Not that he would I'm just an example. Firstly, he probably presumes I've seen the breeding birds of the country. Then he'd try to gain info as to which twitches I'd been at which is impossible as usually I'm not on site on the first day so he or none of his 'informants' would even see me let alone recognise me! He also questions even if you're on site whether you've seen the correct bird! Also just because he's seen you on site doesn't mean you've seen the bird! Crazy. He could probably read my blog and get a feel for what I go to see. This covers the last two years only. Let me say that my list is between 330 and 550 which is about the range that Lee is surely guessing at!

Pointless? I'd say.

 

[Owl Capone]

Funny QSpurn!

 

[Jan-Paul Charteris]

George Michael of Birding! Twitching Hampstead Heath for Woodcock?

You know the irony is that many many years back, that is where I got Woodcock as a lifer! I think it's fair to say it aint the kind you are implying though

Jan

 

[MSA]

You know the irony is that many many years back, that is where I got Woodcock as a lifer! I think it's fair to say it aint the kind you are implying though

Jan

Did you come across it accidentally?

 

[Jan-Paul Charteris]

Did you come across it accidentally?

Pretty much yeah, whilst walking in a different part of the heath to avoid...well avoid the woodcocks

Not many places where an innocent misunderstanding could have added 'public bog' to the habitats of a species in BWP

 

[Iceberg slim]

You know the irony is that many many years back, that is where I got Woodcock as a lifer! I think it's fair to say it aint the kind you are implying though

Jan

I aint so sure you should be announcing this sort of "Info for ammo"...

 

[Jan-Paul Charteris]

I aint so sure you should be announcing this sort of "Info for ammo"...

I don't know, it opens the door for all sorts of one liners like "you'd be buggered if you dipped there" etc etc