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| 1 | 2 | 3 |  » Stats |
Members: 34,127
Threads: 51,350
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Top Poster: glsammy (13,488)
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Welcome to the Wild About Britain forums | | | |  | | 
23-10-2009, 08:21 PM
|  | Officer of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 618
| | | Do rare birds excite you?
Met a nice guy the other day who was a fellow birder. We discussed a few things and he mentioned there was sightings of a Black Kite in my area. He got so excited and at one point I thought I was going to have to calm him down  his enthusiam was incredible, but I couldn't join in as rare sightings just don't do it for me, I much prefer my resident birds and appreciate them much more. To give an example Barn Owls are fairly common round me, but I'd much prefer to see one combing rough ground at dusk over seeing the Black Kite. Be interesting to hear your thoughts and what you prefer. |
23-10-2009, 08:35 PM
|  | Knight Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Northants
Posts: 7,158
| | | Re: Do rare birds excite you?
I saw a hoopoe in Towcester a few years ago and one recently in Spain it was a thrill to see..
But any wildlife you see that you don't get to see everyday like hares or the odd deer gives me the same buzz not just rare birds.
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23-10-2009, 08:43 PM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Derbyshire
Posts: 1,016
| | | Re: Do rare birds excite you?
Quote:
Originally Posted by FUDGEY  Met a nice guy the other day who was a fellow birder. We discussed a few things and he mentioned there was sightings of a Black Kite in my area. He got so excited and at one point I thought I was going to have to calm him down his enthusiam was incredible, but I couldn't join in as rare sightings just don't do it for me, I much prefer my resident birds and appreciate them much more. To give an example Barn Owls are fairly common round me, but I'd much prefer to see one combing rough ground at dusk over seeing the Black Kite. Be interesting to hear your thoughts and what you prefer. | I am of a similar view to you I like my resident birds, I love to get out in the countryside in general, but I can not understand the fuss over some rare visitor or migrant where "birders" tick list in hand chase sightings all over the UK. I just appreciate the chance to get out and relax and enjoy nature.
Regards
Colin
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Don't just talk the talk :) walk the Walk. |
23-10-2009, 09:02 PM
| | Officer of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 799
| | | Re: Do rare birds excite you?
Quote:
Originally Posted by willing to learn I am of a similar view to you I like my resident birds, I love to get out in the countryside in general, but I can not understand the fuss over some rare visitor or migrant where "birders" tick list in hand chase sightings all over the UK. I just appreciate the chance to get out and relax and enjoy nature.
Regards
Colin | Ditto
Not in the slightest bit interested - I love seeing our own birds - the Long Tailed Tits are really active at the moment
However, if I lived somewhere where there was something out of the norm locally I would probably put my hand up to admit going and checking it out  |
23-10-2009, 10:07 PM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Derbyshire
Posts: 1,016
| | | Re: Do rare birds excite you?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cheryl Ditto
Not in the slightest bit interested - I love seeing our own birds - the Long Tailed Tits are really active at the moment
However, if I lived somewhere where there was something out of the norm locally I would probably put my hand up to admit going and checking it out | I was out early yesterday on a gloomy morning, Among other wildlife quite an active group noisy group of longtailed tits flashed by. This one paused enough for a photo. Certainly lit up a dull day.
Regards
Colin 
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Don't just talk the talk :) walk the Walk. |
23-10-2009, 10:15 PM
|  | Wild Member | | Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Worcestershire
Posts: 161
| | | Re: Do rare birds excite you?
I was lucky enough to live in the Shetlands for 18 months some years back. Every now and again, because of the prevailing winds etc, we would often be visited briefly by exotic and rare birds ( for the British Isles at least). I never ceased to be amazed by how quickly the word got out and within a day or two, the tick box birders would arrive. They would stay around for a few days before leaving again, no doubt chasing the latest report of a rare sighting, never even pausing to take in the local resident birds.
Whilst I have no issues with this, I just feel that sitting for a few hours on a cliff top or in a wood, watching and listening to build up a sense of the local bird communities around, is far more rewarding than chasing around the country. I still get a great deal of pleasure just sitting and watching the bustle of the local sparrow colony or the Gold Finches quarreling with each other for the best place on the feeders in my garden.
My one of the most memorable moments came one day some years back when I was sitting quietly in a local wooded area. I was wearing my cam jacket and clearly I had blended into the background because a Tree Creeper actually landed on my leg and climbed all the way up to my shoulder before flying off in it's own time. Thankfully, it didn't find any bugs on me. There is so much pleasure to be had with our local residential birds!
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Last edited by AlphaZeroOne; 23-10-2009 at 10:18 PM.
Reason: syntax
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23-10-2009, 10:49 PM
| | Officer of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 618
| | | Re: Do rare birds excite you?
Great post, I don't get the type of birders you describe to me they are the teainspotting type, but each to their own and they do no harm (except stereotype us normal birders ) |
24-10-2009, 12:46 AM
| | Active Member | | Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 26
| | | Re: Do rare birds excite you?
With a first for Britain just down the road (Eastern Crowned warbler) cant say Ive not been tempted. But i made a decision a while ago that twitching goes against my belief, that its environmentally wrong to waste resources just for a tick.
Also these days, ive found behaviour at these rare bird sightings to be annoying, as the welfare of the bird takes second place to people getting a view / photograph.
If i had found it on my patch, i would have kept it a secret as ive seen my local site trampled into the ground twice two years running when Blyths Reed warblers were found and the news was put out. It took ages for the habitat to recover.
Its always nice to see a new species, and yes i do find seeing rare birds exciting. But i cant see them all so, i get a bigger thrill from recording my local patch, and enjoying my sightings without causing distress to the very thing i love seeing. |
24-10-2009, 04:51 AM
| | Knight Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 7,970
| | | Re: Do rare birds excite you?
I enjoy whatever I'm looking at at the time, but I always get a thrill when I see something unexpected such as when I found 3 Red Kites + 2 Buzzards together over 1 of our local woods.
Not driving I don't often twitch these days, though did regularly for a couple of years with friends about a decade or more back, but did go to see the fairly local Staines Brown Shrike last weekend. I'm glad I went as it's a stunning bird, all the birders were well behaved staying on the opposite side of the Colne + plenty of other birds to enjoy too from 100+ Wigeon flying over, small groups of Ring-necked Parakeets, Stonechat + others have seen Barn + Short-eared Owl, Red Kite, Dartford Warbler, etc.
If I lived closer I'd like to have seen the Eastern Crowned Warbler as it's a lovely bird that I've not yet encountered in my travels. |
24-10-2009, 08:35 AM
|  | Member of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Aylsham, Norfolk.
Posts: 475
| | | Re: Do rare birds excite you?
hi.
I went to see the Black Winged Pratincole at Thornham earlier in the year. Yep, it was nice to see and a good tick but the part of the trip I rememder the most was feeding the Robin out of my hand at the Titchwell car park!
I do like to see a good rarity but I don't know if I would chase around the country. To be honest I don't think I could get that much time of work! I suppose thats one advantage of living in north Norfolk, in so much as you get some good birds not to far away!!
Cheers David. |
24-10-2009, 08:54 AM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Southampton
Posts: 1,110
| | | Re: Do rare birds excite you?
Yes and no for me on this one,I used to do a lot of twitching around the country but found that going after birds that other people had found got a bit dull,if I find a rare bird on my patch, that is still definitely exciting for me  ,although birds like the Nuthatch can excite me if they are in my garden as well. |
24-10-2009, 10:50 AM
|  | Wild Member | | Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: London and NW Scotland
Posts: 232
| | | Re: Do rare birds excite you?
I agree with the general view here.
Have to admit if there was a rarity close I would probably go and see it, but it would have to very close.
Heard a story years ago of a few birders from southern England who planned a trip to the Western Isles. The day after arriving in the Isles they heard a rarity had been spotted close to their home location, so they abandoned the trip and headed home.
As has been said, everyone to their own, but I can't understand doing something like that. To me any wildlife watching is about absorbing the whole experience eg landscape, weather, not just ticking off a new species.
Dave |
24-10-2009, 11:26 AM
|  | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: West Midlands
Posts: 1,127
| | | Re: Do rare birds excite you?
I enjoy whatever I`m watching. I get alot of pleasure watching everyday birds on the feeders etc. Early this year we went to a local site, it was obvious something was going on as there were loads of birders hanging around the carpark gazing around. We took no notice, apart from saying I wonder what they are looking for, & had a great day watching the wildfowl & local birds. It turns out they were there for the Waxwings, that apparently didn`t show that day. If we are around & about & something special appears that`s great, but I wouldn`t go chasing around after anything. Tomorrow we are off to Martin Mere, hope to see Tree Sparrow & Marsh Harrier, both would be great to see
__________________ Enjoy life, it is not a rehearsal. My Web Site. |
24-10-2009, 12:04 PM
|  | Member of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Berks/South Oxon
Posts: 424
| | | Re: Do rare birds excite you?
Like a few people here, it would be exciting to see something unusual but I don't think I would travel far to see it and I certainly wouldn't stand in a queue or join a ruck of twitchers just to see it.
Birds are OK ... but they're not like the real thing ... now, a rare fly under the microscope ... *that's* exciting! 
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24-10-2009, 12:33 PM
|  | Officer of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: 1a, mountain top, Tennessee (get it)?
Posts: 714
| |  Re: Do rare birds excite you?
Yes is my answer I’ve been birding for at least 50 years and find it not as important on my agenda as it used to be. Although I’m still very active in conservation, bird protection and promoting birding. I would, turn out for a rarity these days were as in the past I wouldn't.  My horizons have broadened over the last few years to wildflowers, fungi and insects. The main stimulation being other WABers who post some terrific pics and are willing to advise and share their knowledge. Thanks to all, especially PGM, Gracie and many others.
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24-10-2009, 01:51 PM
|  | Wild Member | | Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 227
| | | Re: Do rare birds excite you?
I do get a thrill from seeing a bird I've never seen before, but don't particularly care how rare it is.
On the few occasions I have been to look at a 'twitchable' bird, TBH I've always found the pressure and desperate clamour to spot/ photograph the bird completely off putting.
One of my favourite wildlife sites is seeing a field full of Wigeon grazing away on grass shoots. I can watch that for hours. Sometimes I will go out on the park and watch Starlings go about there business. They have so much character. There are an awful lot of birders out their who don't actually seem to watch birds. Nothing against that, if ticking off lists is your thing then fine, good luck to you. But not really for me. |
24-10-2009, 03:16 PM
|  | Wild Member | | Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 131
| | | Re: Do rare birds excite you?
Quote:
Originally Posted by FUDGEY Great post, I don't get the type of birders you describe to me they are the teainspotting type, but each to their own and they do no harm (except stereotype us normal birders ) | Sadly, some twitchers do a lot of harm. They damage habitats, and some travel such a distance that they use excessive amounts of fuel and other resources to get to the sites and there was a case locally where they scared the flippin' bird to death.
That said, a lot of you would travel small distances, which I don't have a problem with at all. I get a thrill when I see any bird of prey, so it was great when three ospreys visited the reserve last year.
We have an ornithologist who does reports for us. I have only seen him smile twice - once with the ospreys, and once with a flock of waxwings. Give me a good old robin any day! |
24-10-2009, 03:23 PM
| | Member of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Aylsham, Norfolk.
Posts: 475
| | | Re: Do rare birds excite you?
I went on a small twitch recently to see the pied wheatear at Horsey Gap. 
It wasn't really anything spectacular and the only reason I went was I was 2 miles away at hickling broad in a hide just sitting peacefully and dreaming! If I hadn't been there at that moment I wouldn't have driven to see it before dark and work would have stopped me the following day. I wouldn't have lost sleep over not seeing it!!! |
24-10-2009, 05:45 PM
|  | Officer of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: essex/suffolk boarder
Posts: 849
| | | Re: Do rare birds excite you?
A few years ago i used to go all over the place to see rare birds but now i have to say they dont really do it for me id much rather stick to my own little patch with the local birds and wildlife if summat special turns up its good if not still good.
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Life is something that everyone should try at least once. |
24-10-2009, 07:01 PM
|  | Active Member | | Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: In a fishermans cottage on the North Devon coast
Posts: 66
| | | Re: Do rare birds excite you?
Great to see most birds though I am not a bird of prey fan.
I enjoy seeing a Dunnock or a House Sparrow up close more than a rarer bird (for me) in the distance. |
24-10-2009, 07:12 PM
| | Officer of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 618
| | | Re: Do rare birds excite you?
Sherlock you are the first birder I've ever known not to be a fan of BOP. Is it because they kill other birds? |
24-10-2009, 07:14 PM
| | Officer of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 618
| | | Re: Do rare birds excite you?
Btw I seen that the Warbler made the BBC national news. |
24-10-2009, 08:59 PM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Lancashire
Posts: 2,387
| | | Re: Do rare birds excite you?
Most birds I like, but some I don't. Wildfowl I find rather dull for instance. Where I view birds is very important to me. It might sound daft, but a good surrounding landscape makes them so much better. I do twitch sometimes, but mainly only if I can get a lift as I don't enjoy driving. I once went down to Devon from Lancs for a sora and also did Inverness from Lancs for an ivory gull (we missed out on this one, but I saw one later at Aldeburgh in Suffolk in Dec' 1999). The 'owd mon' is off to South Shields in the morning for the eastern crowned warbler and I think I'm going to join him for that one. But if I don't see it, it certainly won't be the end of the world. After all, it's a day out.
Regards, Chris |
24-10-2009, 09:18 PM
|  | Officer of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Saddleworth, West Yorkshire
Posts: 983
| | | Re: Do rare birds excite you?
I wouldn't go out of my way and travel a long way to see something rare (admittedly partly because I don't have the means and the time! lol), but I must admit if I see something unusual while just out and about on a local walk or an occasion like that, I do get a bit of thrill! I find it's much better to be surprised by these things. Other than that, I get a similar thrill with seeing our common local species in their natural habitat, I'm happy either way
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"First thing's first, but not necessarily in that order" |
24-10-2009, 09:59 PM
|  | Knight Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: London
Posts: 7,693
| | | Re: Do rare birds excite you?
Hi Fudgey, Quote:
Originally Posted by ChrisR Like a few people here, it would be exciting to see something unusual but I don't think I would travel far to see it and I certainly wouldn't stand in a queue or join a ruck of twitchers just to see it.
Birds are OK ... but they're not like the real thing ... now, a rare fly under the microscope ... *that's* exciting! | ... have to agree with that
I'm maybe an insect twitcher, to a small degree. Starting with a tip from Lori ( Loripo) I recently headed down to Battersea Park to see NHM's mystery bug - successfully too I might add. I also had the intention of catching a glimpse of the rapidly dissapearing alien, the Southern Green Shieldbug there too, but it wasn't to be. See related thread here: Trip Report: Battersea Park I wouldn't travel out of London for a rarity though as it wouldn't seem as relevant to me. I felt that for enhancing my site and general curiosity it was warranted - and seeing the sole intention of my trip in front of me and knowing I had now located one, felt great.
I equally enjoy seeing common insects/birds too - especially if I haven't been out in the field for a few days!
Take care, Jason 
Last edited by Jason Green; 24-10-2009 at 10:02 PM.
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