JOHN AND CHRISTINE'S BIRDPAGE

Swans at Radipole Lake Weymouth 20th February 1992

Briefly this page contains links to various aspects of Birds and Birdwatching that have interested us over the years. I started Birdwatching in 1984 and after a visit to Minsmere R.S.P.B. reserve in 1985 I saw my first rarity, Greater Yellowlegs, and this encouraged me to seek out other rare birds, although I would not call myself a Twitcher, I have travelled for twitches, notable highs being coming across a "twitch" for Blue-Cheeked Bee-Eater in Humberside which I did not know about in 1989, seeing Pine Bunting, Black bellied Dipper and Rough-legged Buzzard 0n a journey to Suffolk in a period of 3 hours, and the frustration of tramping around in the pouring rain near Christchurch for a Little Bustard to get a fleeting glimpse then 2 days later going for a Ferruginous Duck in the same area and the Bustard flew over and landed in front of us. I have fortunate, with a friend, to have found 2 rarities ourselves both in 1986, the first being Red-rumped Swallow in Christchurch Harbour and Ring-necked Duck near Romsey, the latter reappearing every winter since, which gave me my moment of fame to appear twice in British Birds Magazine! My British list of Birds I have seen stands at 310 at present.

For those people who would dearly like to participate in handling Birds of Prey and hunting with them I would thoroughly recommend visiting The Hawk Conservancy and joining! They have regular flying displays, daily. It is situated at Weyhill, near Andover, Hampshire. Another place I would recommend is The Birds of Prey Centre at Stonham Aspal, near Stowmarket, Suffolk