In the mid-90's, when I worked at Pennington Flash, I entered Teal Hide. A couple of guys who were just getting in to birding asked me about a couple of things. One was that they thought they had seen a Snow Bunting - there was a partial albino Blue Tit around - fair enough. The other thing they mentioned was that they thought they had seen a Canvasback on Teal Scrape - they were using some guide to wildfowl collections, which had Canvasback in it but not Pochard. It had just swum out of sight.
I explained how (at the time) Canvasback had never been recorded as a wild bird in the UK and that it would be a Pochard. I never imagined at the time that about 6 years later I would be watching a Canvasback right there, found by Mr McKerchar!! If only Ladbrokes could have given odds on that. Maybe there was some wierd time loop going on and the 2 guys I spoke to were actually from the future!?
I remember a long time ago someone telling me of an incident in a Norfolk hide when a guy in tweeds was saying in a loud, authoritative voice that he'd just seen a Reed Hawk. Everyone was looking for Marsh Harrier when he shouted "There's another one!" Turned out he'd mis-read the picture poster pinned up at the back of the hide and it was a Redshank.
Nice thread. I bet there are lots of stories out there.
How about the 'Morning After Bird' Avia newticus gotanasprinus? Sub-species nauseous? I'm surprised more of these weren't reported by some members of the Greater Manchester 200 Club on Jan 3rd.
mike, you won't believe this but today myself and mike k met paul wilson on the canal by benny's on elton. paul was trying to snap a water rail, when this came out of the frozen reedbed!
Hi Paul
Very sorry for not responding - I hadn't seen this! Absolute corker of a picture - must be a first for G Manchester! I wonder how many points Ian would allocate for this bird?
Maybe we should run a competition on a name for the bird!
I bow down to your photographic manipulation skills Paul - I am very impressed!
mike, you won't believe this but today myself and mike k met paul wilson on the canal by benny's on elton. paul was trying to snap a water rail, when this came out of the frozen reedbed!
A non-birder once saw a bird with the following features:
Head like a Pergrine Body like a Swan Tail like a Wagtail Bill like a Toucans Legs like Black-winged Stilt Colour: Pink with yellow spots on the mantle!
Bunting Hide seems to be a good place for this. I once listened to a guy counting Corncrakes here - he reached 14 or 15! I also listened to a chap explaining to his wife, in detail, why 40 or 50 Greenfinches were in fact Siskins. I think a non-birder could be forgiven this one.
On the other hand non-birders seem to pick up some good stuff too. A guy I know who walks his dog at Houghton Green Flash has picked up both Little Egret and Ring-necked Parakeet here this year - neither of which I have seen at HGF.
Bunting Hide seems to be a good place for this. I once listened to a guy counting Corncrakes here - he reached 14 or 15! I also listened to a chap explaining to his wife, in detail, why 40 or 50 Greenfinches were in fact Siskins. I think a non-birder could be forgiven this one.
On the other hand non-birders seem to pick up some good stuff too. A guy I know who walks his dog at Houghton Green Flash has picked up both Little Egret and Ring-necked Parakeet here this year - neither of which I have seen at HGF.
A year ago I was strolling with my wife along a paved causeway between salt lagoons on the coast about 20 minutes drive from Murcia Airport. The best thing there was a raft of over 300 Black-necked Grebes spread over the nearest water within 100 metres of us. We noticed another couple staring up into one of the quite small ornamental trees planted in line about 40 metres apart, virtually the full length of the causeway, and we had noted Chiffchaffs in almost every one, as we had passed by,over perhaps a kilometre' length. We had spoken to the couple a half hour previously (they had asked us where they could see Flamingos, and we had told them). I noticed that they were scratching their heads over a small bird, and so glancing at it, I politely said, "It's a Chiffchaff". "Never!", he said, quite pointedly. I said, "Trust me, it is; - they're all along in these trees, they winter generally down here in fair numbers. It's the one we have in the UK in Spring, the one that sings its name. " He rounded on me, rather dogmatically, "Never in a million years; - it's some kind of a Warbler!"
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Down on the front at Parkgate earlier in the year got chatting to a couple of non- birders although the bloke thought otherwise - particularly when he got onto the subject of owls - he knew a lot about them he said - seen lots. He reckoned that they had one in their Wirral garden, a Little Tawny Barn Owl and he was serious - I didn't like to mention ears!!!!!!!
There`s a visitors centre and cafe in Tockholes Plantations near Darwen that has a big window viewing out onto some feeders. While me and Ellie-birder were having a brew we overheard a couple saying to each other, "It`s here again, look - the Kingfisher !" I looked at Ellie and she looked at me and I said "This will be good ". We had a look, and..........................It was a Nuthatch on a bag of nuts !
I get this periodically. Trying to decifer word of mouth descriptions which range from very poor to completely garbled is always tricky and I have to admit I've dismissed a few in the past, although sometimes they can turn up trumps as on 12th November 2006, with Leach's Petrel at Sale WP and Little Auk in East Didsbury on the same day .
Just the other day a chap came into work with a very poor picture on a hand held digital camera (with a cracked screen) of one of three birds on his feeders, it would appear that there are yet more exotics in South Manchester, although there is some sensitivity involved here. I have exchanged contact details, though I've yet to hear of a re-occurence to work out what they are
-- Edited by Pete Hines at 13:07, 2008-12-24
-- Edited by Pete Hines at 13:11, 2008-12-24
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I'll try and remember some more but the best one that comes to mind at the moment was at Pargate - Couple come along and ask a) is it good for birdwatching here and b) could we tell them what the black and white bird with an orange beak was on the beacn hear southport. Ans = That'll be an oystercatcher
Reply = no wasnt one of them
Couldnt be much else really
Definitely not
My mate under his breath - maybe it was a puffin carrying a carrot.
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My favourite was at Leighton Moss a few years ago. A Lapwing flew in front of the hide and landed in the field. 2 charming women with their new field guide were frantically trying to decide if it was a Cuckoo or an Osprey Bless em, it was December! They where very happy when we informed them they were summer visitors and it was a Lapwing.
Everyone has to start somewhere
I hate the one's where non birders start with the phrase "It deffinately wasn't...."
ie "It deffinately wasn't a Kestrel but it was hovering over the motorway verge as i belted past at 90mph"
The best one I've ever had was when we were in Tresco Abbey Gardens (Scilly) many years ago. We were sitting on the grass and a male Golden Pheasant strolled past. A couple walked past and said "Oh look, a Kingfisher".
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Judith Smith
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Lightshaw hall Flash is sacrosanct - NO paths please!
he saw a bird which "had a gulls head and a Pheasants body" and did I know what it was ??? !!!!!!!!
BEAT THAT ONE !
By heck, there's a rare 'un!
I'll be on the lookout for it next time I'm up Parbold way - I'll try and get a photo!
:)
I have to say though, it's nice to see people get thrilled when they see a G.S. Woodpecker because they well... they 'look like they should be rare' if you know what I mean.
I've seen folk chuffed to bits over a sighting, and haven't the heart to say there're loads around.
Still - it's all good stuff eh? Better than watching 'Corrie' or other such drivel!
I remember a long time ago someone telling me of an incident in a Norfolk hide when a guy in tweeds was saying in a loud, authoritative voice that he'd just seen a Reed Hawk. Everyone was looking for Marsh Harrier when he shouted "There's another one!" Turned out he'd mis-read the picture poster pinned up at the back of the hide and it was a Redshank.
Nice thread. I bet there are lots of stories out there.
Non- Birders,the best one i,ve had,and it took a while to dicipher,one bloke was telling me about his local magpie that had cross bred with one of the wood pigeons in his park ,i.m sure it was a jay but you never know
Thought I`d start a new one for the long winter nights.....................
How many times have you been out birding, minding your own business, and some local yokel comes up to you and starts with the immortal words - "I`ve just seen this strange looking bird............." All manner of strange descriptions follow and details of colourations bombard your senses, and it turns out to be a Pochard or something, and then they say, "Are those rare then...........?"
Anyway, my other half has just phoned me from work (a busy hospital ward, no less !) to tell me that one of her colleagues` husband was out walking the other day near Parbold Hill and he saw a bird which "had a gulls head and a Pheasants body" and did I know what it was ??? !!!!!!!!
,one bloke was telling me about his local magpie that had cross bred with one of the wood pigeons in his park ,i.m sure it was a jay but you never know