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BACK TO THE MANCHESTER BIRDING WEBSITE HOMEPAGE -> Manchester Birding Forum -> GENERAL BIRDING DISCUSSION -> THE GREATER MANCHESTER BIRD RECORDING GROUP
Post Info TOPIC: THE GREATER MANCHESTER BIRD RECORDING GROUP
Dave Steel


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THE GREATER MANCHESTER BIRD RECORDING GROUP
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For anyone who had the honour/pleasure of encountering FRH (Frank Horrocks) as I did when I was a young birdwatcher there must be an abiding comment or two that he made to me (and Im sure anyone else that he met whilst out birdwatching in those days)

 

..RECORDS/RECORDS/RECORDSNumber/where/activity/habitat AND SEND THEM IN TO THE RECORDER for without such information how are the birds/wildlife we follow to be protected or in truth have at least been recorded before the big money and politics ignore and consequently bulldoze away that which we could/can prove to be of vital importance to our county.

 

Much has happened since those early days of my birdwatching including the gap years of those all but brief and hectic/wonderful years of raising the kids but the return still had the FRH maxims within.

 

In 2019 my GMBRG/GMEU bird records for the Mosslands collectively known as Chat Moss amounted to

 

14718 Bird Records of varying numbers per record and in the breeding season every activity that the BTO would expect wrt singing/agitated behaviour etc

 

1009 Other wildlife sightings Butterfly/Mammal/Dragonfly 

 

51 surveys for the LWT/Carbon Landscape/Bat Group

 

And a total of 312 visits within this catchment area

 

Now I admit that being in the retirement mode of life such effort can/could be explained

 

Yet I feel we ALL need to be VERY AWARE that the endgame is nigh GMSF/Local Council Plans and the Concrete Brigade are now not just nibbling at our wildlife habitats but are bubbling with their need to profit from the last bastions of our surviving wildlife (my considered objections amounted to 23 pages to the GMSF alone)

 

As such I feel we MUST put in as much effort as we can to counter their wildlife ignorant plans and create enough records that our GMBRG/GMEU can use to put a stake in the ground and defend that which cannot defend itself

The cynicism borne of my decades may suggest that all this effort may be futile when pitched against profit but I refuse to let this stop me putting in as much effort to save the wildlife which I have loved and gained so much from and I truly hope that OUR collective recording AND sending these records to the GMBRG/GMEU MIGHT---just MIGHT make a difference    I HOPE YOU ALL FEEL THE SAME    Dave.



-- Edited by Dave Steel on Monday 13th of January 2020 10:54:36 PM

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Ian McKerchar


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For anyone who might not access the actual Manchester Birding website much (and why wouldn't you!) it is well worth reading the Newsletter on the 'What's New' page if you have any interest in valuing the bird we gain so much pleasure from. So, please do try and take the time to read it and perhaps send your bird records in too.

GMBRG Recorder's Newsletter January 2020



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Ian McKerchar


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Thanks David, good point.

I do know which existing members submit records in one format or another and they will be added automatically but it would still be good for everyone to just let me know they're still interested in being a part of the group as I know its been a while and it will also remind me to activate them for the use of the forum. You'll know once you've got access as once you log on the extra forums will appear! No need to do the form again though either way, just an informal text, private message, email, shout across a field if you see me out etc will suffice smile

For those who aren't involved in records submission in one way or another but still wish to remain members or be new members, they just need to get in touch to discuss their involvement as if we're to really move the group forward, get some genuine positive involvement in order to promote and improve birds and birding in the county, then we need some form of commitment to that aim. 



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David Walsh


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All of this is great news, but could I just clarify one point?

So all existing members of the GMBRG need to complete the membership form again and resubmit it, in order to access this area of the website?

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Ian McKerchar


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Firstly, my apologies for the absence in news from the Greater Manchester Bird Recording Group (GMBRG) to its members and interested parties and for the lack of recent County Bird Reports, the reasons for which are complex and now largely behind us and so I seek to look forwards, onwards and very much upwards.

Needless to say, we haven’t just been doing nothing, in fact very far from it! Whilst the county bird reports are of course important to us all, it is the work those individual bird records submitted by county birdwatchers do working tirelessly in the ever-increasing planning proposals and conservation issues which remain the priority of the group and which takes up so much of our time. That and the fact that Steve and I have very full and busy lives outside of birding and the GMBRG! 

Anyway, things are back on track and so, here’s a few items of important news:

Let me put to bed rumours that the county bird report will not be produced and is over (wherever they came from!). The county bird report remains one of the priorities of the group and with the 2012 report soon to go to the printers plans have been formulated to bring the remaining years up to date in as short a time scale as possible with an pretty exciting idea.

A GMBRG members only section of forum now exists, for its members to discuss all aspects of the group openly (including the report) and hopefully to further the group’s purpose within the county. To this end, those who have previously applied for membership to the group with be required to apply again to gain access to the private forum, merely due to the fact that as the group’s primary purpose is to collate bird records from within the county, it is a stipulation of the group and always has been, that its members contribute to that primary purpose in some way. Fact is though that whilst many do and will gain membership, many others don’t currently, but I invite all county birders to get involved, make your bird records work positively within the county and to join the group. Please just get in touch by any means to discuss it with me (including how to submit your sightings to us and becoming a member). Full details of the group can be found on the Manchester Birding website here (click the GMBRG page)

The 2010 and 2011 Annual County Bird Reports are now available to download for free here for all (click the GMBRG page and scroll to the bottom).

·     We do need more people to get actively involved with the group, initially to assist with writing and editing the county bird report (particularly the catch-up proposal). I know there are several birders out there who have already offered their assistance and I would very like to take you up on that, plus anyone else interested needs only to get in touch to discuss. A separate private report writer’s section of the forum also now exists, so those involved can easily discuss problems, ideas or anything else to do with the report’s production between each other. There may also be positions available with the running of the group if suitable people exists, those with conservation or ecological backgrounds in particular.

     Cheers, Ian

     My contact info can be found here



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This forum is dedicated to the memory of Eva Janice McKerchar.