Rare Birds in Cumbria (1 Viewer)

[The Cumbrian]

I am comparatively new to the forums and not a twitcher by any means. However I have been keeping a cursory eye on the map of rare bird sightings.

There are very few in Cumbria.

I can think of a number of reasons as to why this might be so.

1. Cumbria does not support many rare birds.

2. Bird watchers are comparatively thin on the ground and so birds are missed.

3. Birds are seen but not reported.

There are probably other possible reasons. What do you think is the reason.

 

[Jaff]

All of the them? Except 1 tho. It's a big county with lots of wildish areas and I bet there's a load of stuff hiding in there. And does no-one ever sea watch from Walney Island? I'd have thought it'd be quite a good spot for it.

 

[Stephen Dunstan]

All of the them? Except 1 tho. It's a big county with lots of wildish areas and I bet there's a load of stuff hiding in there. And does no-one ever sea watch from Walney Island? I'd have thought it'd be quite a good spot for it.

People seawatch from Walney virtually every day and the results are published on the net (usually the same day) on the Walney Bird Observatory website. Has turned up Fea's Petrel among others.

In terms of a place that is good for seawatching which is underrecorded I would suggest St Bees Head. On the other hand plenty of seawatching is done just up the coast at Workington and Whitehaven.

Stephen

 

[Mono]

A few reasons spring to mind.

1. There are no intensely watched "destination reserves" in Cumbria.

2. It is a very large county with a thinly spread population. My bet it is that large portions have no patch watchers at all.

3. There is a lot of politics regarding allegiances to various organisations and there respective websites meaning that sightings below the level of national rarity are often poorly disseminated outside of the website favoured by the spotter. Lots of Cumbrians are still in their hearts in Lancashire, Westmorland and Cumberland.

4. In-county travel is poor. For example, the mass of occasional bird-watchers in south lakes can be in Leighton Moss, done two hides and had a cup of tea before getting halfway to ,for example, Hodbarrow.

{ I just spell checked this and it wanted to change Westmorland to wasteland!}

 

[Jaff]

People seawatch from Walney virtually every day and the results are published on the net (usually the same day) on the Walney Bird Observatory website. Has turned up Fea's Petrel among others.

In terms of a place that is good for seawatching which is underrecorded I would suggest St Bees Head. On the other hand plenty of seawatching is done just up the coast at Workington and Whitehaven.

Stephen

Thanks Stephen. I was unsure cos I don't think I ever see much from there on the RBA Map. Although that could be cos I've got my blinkers on and I'm seeing what's doing locally only. |^|

 

[Lmc3598]

Cumbria is home to the only English golden eagle. It lives at Haweswater in the Lake District

 

[The Cumbrian]

Cumbria is home to the only English golden eagle. It lives at Haweswater in the Lake District

Having lived in Cumbria for 61 of my 64 years I am well aware of the Observatory, not to mention St Bees head etc, and have known the Golden Eagles since the late 60s. It was the fact that I look daily at the map on the forum and Cumbria is conspicuous by the absence of sightings.

Obviously I had my own ideas as to why this might be but I wondered what others thought.

I find it interesting that of the contributors to this thread the majority are not from within the county.

Mono - yes I can see that large parts of the county will not have regular watchers. However I don't see why having your heart in Westmorland (or a wasteland for that matter would mean the bird wasn't reported.

Interesting to hear peoples views never the less. Thank you.

 

[Scrufftyguy]

I believe that many records are reported, but the logistics of travelling anywhere in the county means that many people have their own patch (or patches). If these patches aren't coastal they're fairly unlikely to turn up any rarities. As has also been said there are also vast areas of land that are extremely under-recorded.

A few decent rarities do turn up from time to time but due to it's locality it's hardly surprising that they're relatively thin on the ground.

 

[keith]

A certain Spannish Sparrow caused quite a stir several years ago, probably Cumbrias biggest twitch.

 

[Scrufftyguy]

I remember that one, but missed out as it was before I was living up here....think we must be about due another mega though!

 

[Stephen Dunstan]

There has been a string of nationally very rare waders on the English Solway in recent years. Walney is arguably overdue a proper rarity though, can't even be certain what the last BB there. Was it the Hudsonian Whimbrel?

Stephen

 

[Scrufftyguy]

Can't remember any massive rarity since the Hudsonian whimbrel, but I could be mistaken.

 

[Jonny721]

Don't know if Rustic Bunting is still a BB rarity?

 

[Stephen Dunstan]

Don't know if Rustic Bunting is still a BB rarity?

No it isn't Jonny, it came off in 2006. As well as listing current BBRC species the website gives the dates when others were removed.

Stephen

 

[Scrufftyguy]

Gutted at missing that rustic bunting. THE bunting that I'd really like to see!