Hi, I've just found this site and liked the look so thought I would join. I live in the Midlands and my interests are general wildlife, but in particular birds, I'm a bit of a twitcher, but don't go mad about it, preferring not to travel too far, but if there's a rare bird in my area I have to go and see it!

Hey Andy - I'm new here too - & so far this looks like a great forum! Welcome aboard

Hi Andy and welcome to the forum.

Now are you allowed to be 'a bit of a twitcher', to really be a twitcher you have to grow a beared and sit for hours in one spot letting the birds feed off the cheese sandwich crumbs in the beard.

Joking aside I think I am probably like you, interested in birds and love to go and watch and photograph them and know more about them but not to the extremes of the fully fledged twitcher where an encyclopedic knowledge of birds is required, the ability to name bird numbers in specific locations back to 1902, to disgusing yourself as a hay stack and camping out in a field for 8 weeks with a flask and lunch box with RSPB stickers on them.

Where abouts do you go birdwatching in the Midlands? I tend to spend time when I can at Sandwell Valley RSPB reserve, but in terms of going birdwatching haven't really explored many other locations.

I tend to go wherever the mood takes me. For instance, I went to Upton Warren yeaterday to see the juvenile Wilson's Phalarope. I also go to Ogston in Derbyshire quite often as they get some interesting birds there.

Sounds good.

I really need to explore more and go further afield I think - although on the flip side I wonder if I would do better for now getting to know a local patch really well as my experience and knowledge is basic to say the least.

Anyway welcome to the forum and I look forward to your posts.

Welcome to the forum AndyC!

Hello AndyC, I am also a twitcher of sorts, although distances are so great where I live that it is quite difficult to twitch that hard .

I do try to gather up anything within 50 miles or so, but as I like to get there on my bicycle, it's not always feasible. Fortunately for me, the area where I live gets some outstanding rarities every year. The state of Washington, in the US where I live, gets Gyrfalcons every year, Snowy Owls every year, Great Grey Owls breed here. We are on a major migratory flyway, and it's possible for us to see pelagic birds as well.

Welcome to Wildlife UK!

Kingfisher

Howdy Andy and welcome