Do rare birds excite you?

[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.

[Kayleigh]

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.

[willing to learn]

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

[Cheryl]

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

[willing to learn]

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

[AlphaZeroOne]

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!

[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 )

[pliers]

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.

[aeshna5]

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.

[david156]

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.