SK58 News

News Archive

! NEW ! 11/01/2021 Article on 2020 Local Birding:

As Covid19 continues to grip the world and particularly the UK, I'm speculating at what 2021 will hold from an SK58 perspective. Looking back at 2020, despite or maybe because of Covid19, in many ways we had an excellent year. We had a great number of species recorded, currently 2020 is at 141 species, with some memorable records. A Common Crane, the first for 24 years, record numbers of Stonechat with 53 records involving 90 birds, a smattering of Corn Bunting records, Black Redstart, Great White Egret and for the first time Common Scoter and Manx Shearwater to name but a few memorable records.

I've speculated on this before; was 2020 a good year bird wise because it was generally a good year, with lots of passage birds recorded throughout the year, or was it because of the various restrictions imposed, which meant more birders were birding and recording locally? I suspect it was a mix of the two and a result of both being a good year and increased observer effort.

One possible benefit of the pandemic is the national realisation, or reawakening of local patch birding on a grand scale, something the founders and members of SK58 have done for nearly thirty years, and continue to do so. The 80's and 90's saw twitching increase significantly with several high-profile birders clocking tens of thousands of miles seeing over 300 species within the UK in a year. But this has never been the norm in SK58. The group was founded on local birding, finding out about the locally breeding, passage and winter visitors, where they occur, recording this and comparing it with other years. Thus, building up a picture, and indeed an impressive list of what does occur within SK58.

Over the almost thirty years of recording we have an immense record and knowledge of the status of local birds. Where populations have increased, although sadly outnumbered by populations which have decreased or indeed lost.

The ten km square SK58 was chosen as it was about the right size for small group to cover thoroughly. This has meant within four miles of the centre you can reach any point of the square. Being a square, this also makes surveys easy to manage. We use the tetrad system where twenty-five tetrads make up the ten km SK58 square.

I don't like to boast, but I like to think SK58 were ahead of their time. We were birding locally 30 years ago, green low carbon birding, which appears to be the in thing now. Perpetuated by the various lockdowns, birders are finding hidden locations close to home and enjoying finding local birds. I have to say even now I do still stumble across a path or copse or small area that was hitherto unbeknown to me, and that's in a ten km square after living here for nearly thirty years.

Now don't get me wrong, I like to go and see new rare birds just as much as the next birder, but if the weathers looking good for a fall of eastern migrants at let's say at Spurn, my first though is, "I wonder what It'll drop into the square?" Maybe over a weekend, visit numerous sites within SK58, with maybe a quick jaunt to Spurn if something that I want to see turns up. But there is definitely more of a buzz when you find something unusual locally, that glimpse of something good, and the anticipation of what it might me, then the realisation that it is unusual or rare. Granted rarer birds occur on the coast but the buzz is heightened when its local and you found it.

So, my message is, get out birding locally. Find a local copse, woodland or pond and visit it as often as you can. Yes, most days you'll be looking at the same birds, but birds move and the weather and seasons play a dramatic role on what you see daily. It won't be long before you pick up on trends within your local patch. Birds moving in or out dependent on the weather. Picking up on earliest arrival dates. There's an immense satisfaction in knowing your local patch. It's the old adage, the more you put in, the more you get out. And believe it or not there are still parts of SK58 which are under-watched, so grab a map, find a spot and go find out what's there. And once this pandemic is over, continue to watch your local patch. You'll be amazed at what you find.
Andy Hirst 19/01/2021

11/01/2021 For those who took part in the Christmas Quiz- here are the answers!

1. Bull o' the mire / Bog drum. BITTERN From its booming call.
2. Calloo / Coal-and-candlelight. LONG-TAILED DUCK Scottish, Calloo from its call.
3. Chiswick flyover. PIED WAGTAIL London birders name from its call.
4. Coulter neb. PUFFIN Folk-name. Also sea parrot.
5. Devil-diver / Water witch. SLAVONIAN GREBE Named from its red eyes.
6. Firetail. COMMON REDSTART Folk-name.
7. Furze wren. DARTFORD WARBLER Folk-name.
8. Goggle-eyed plover. STONE-CURLEW Old country name.
9. Gorse hopper. WHINCHAT Folk-name.
10. Heather bleat. COMMON SNIPE Folk-name.
11. Pyewipe. LAPWING A local variation of its call. Pyewipe remains a place name near Grimsby where it was once more familiar.
12. Rain bird. GREEN WOODPECKER The call was believed to herald rain.
13. Rain goose. RED-THROATED DIVER Once again, a bringer of rain.
14. Red-headed linnet. LESSER REDPOLL Old name.
15. Scribble lark. YELLOWHAMMER Named from the markings on its eggs.
16. Singing skyrocket / Nettle creeper. COMMON WHITETHROAT Country names.
17. Woodcock pilot. GOLDCREST My favourite. It was once believed that the tiny goldcrest was incapable of migration on its own. As they arrived in Britain around the same time as the woodcocks it was thought that they rode on the backs of the waders!
18. Blue Hawk. HEN HARRIER Old English name.
19. Screamer of the woods. JAY Welsh name.
20. Summer snipe. COMMON SANDPIPER
From its migratory habits.

TIE BREAKER
The number of breeding red kites in Britain was thought to be possibly as low as 4 individuals which was believed to include only one female.

All answers were taken from the Radio 4 series book 'Tweet of the Day'.

05/01/2021 Despite or maybe because of the ongoing Covid situation, 2021 looks set to be as good a year as 2020. So far the square list for 2021 stands at 67 species. Don't forget to send in your records for 2020 and 2021, ideally on a recording form PDF or recording form Excel Sheet to the recorder.

03/01/2021 We've heard the gates at Harry Croft's Quarry have been smashed open again, a dumped 4x4 in the quarry and fencing pulled out. We would advise people to be wary of parking by gates as we've been told a car has been broken into there- please be wary.

Did you receive a smart phone for Christmas? Did know SK58 Birders has it's own Bird News Service? We have a "WhatsApp" group dedicated to broadcasting immediate bird news to members. It works on either iPhone and Android phones. Simply search, download and install the free "Whats App" app from the store on your device- then let our Recorder have your mobile phone number. You'll be added to the group, and then you'll receive news and updates on SK58 Birds straight to your phone as well as being able to broadcast to other members, any good birds you find within the square.

25/12/2020 Mick Clay reported he picked up this character (Black-headed Gull - see below), from the main road in Thurcroft, after stopping the traffic to retrieve him/ her. Mick suspected it had been clipped by a car, but after resting in the warm and dry, was successfully released at Axle Lane the following morning.

17/12/2020 January usually sees the group hold its AGM. Currently all meetings are limited to 6 people outside. However we'll let technology solve the issue and hold our first ever online AGM. The rules will still apply, we'll need a quorum of 15 members, and organisers will give reports. Details of how to attend and log on will be emailed out to members. As usual if you wish to stand for any post, then do let any of the organisers know ASAP. Currently there is a vacancy for Secretary.

16/12/2020 We hit a milestone today- the SK58 Records Database now holds over 200,000 records. Mick Clay left a 'dollop' of records which took us over the 200,000 mark. We won't know the exact figure just yet as we'll have to rinse out any duplicates.

08/12/2020 Thieves acquired a case of OCD by neatly parking the vans they stole and subsequently torched, in Harry Croft's Quarry recently.

07/12/2020 An easing of lockdown and return to tier 3, and the resumption of SK58 walks, following guidelines, saw three members walking along the mineral line at Dinnington to Thurcroft Pit Top. The weather was far from ideal, being wet and murky. But undeterred the group made their way along the old railway line. Along the line were good numbers of winter thrushes, particularly a lot more Blackbird than usual. A couple of Buzzard and some finch & tit flocks entertained the group as well as 3 Treecreeper, plus a Cormorant over and 2 Common Gull. Plenty of Bullfinch with 4 along the Mineral line and a flock of 8 at Thurcroft Pit Top. Also here were 12 Herring Gull, 8 Black-headed Gull and a Great Black-backed Gull, as well as 5 Snipe and a pair of Stonechat and an impressive 100+ Lesser Redpoll feeding on seed heads Walking back towards the Mineral Line, we flushed a Woodcock, topped off by a festive tree!

21/11/2020 With a different Christmas on the cards for 2020, something's never change, and that includes an SK58 Christmas Quiz. See Below- answers to membership@sk58birders.com by 23rd December- there is a terrific prize!