County Megas

[RCT]

Hi
I know this subject has been touched on before but I feel it needs bringing up again.
I know of several birders who have been birding Cleveland for decades, are mad keen on their Cleveland lists and still need Raven for said list. I understand many people may not have the means/inclination/ability to put news out on the pagers etc but if you have a mobile phone with the required numbers and are a keen county lister I feel that positive news of such birds should be rung out ASAP rather than been casually mentioned amongst a host of other sightings.
This is not aimed as a personal criticism to anyone, merely a comment on what I (and other locals with whom I have spoken) feel is a bit of a disturbing trend.
Cheers
Richard

[Jamie]

Hi,

I totally agree with this. People who have pagers they rely on for information should reciprocate the favours done by others by ringing their important sightings onto the pager in a timely manner to give others a change to enjoy the birds they find. If nobody rings anything onto the pagers they will be very quiet!

Regards,
Jamie

[Ted Parker]

As I assume the comments regarding the Raven are directed at me as the originator of the report,  I thought it would be useful to clarify matters, as I certainly don't want to be the originator of any ill feeling.

I distinctly heard a Raven call several times on the highest part of Percy Cross Rigg at about 14.00 hrs last Saturday.  Although I scanned in the direction of the call, all I could see was a scattering of apparently panicking Corvids, which certainly didn't include a Raven.  I mentioned this to John Sharp who was sitting about 80 metres away but he hadn't heard the bird.  Nobody else was present and my mobile is in a blank area on the moors (Orange seems to work but O2 doesn't).  I then drove down to the cattle grid and joined Don Page, Mike Corner, Mike Gee and others and again informed all present.  Several, including Don and Mike, immediately went to look for the bird (I subsequently learnt without success). 
Perhaps the only thing I am guilty of is not asking an Orange mobile phone user to put the news out on the Pager service but I did log it on the TBC Website as soon as I got in that afternoon. 

I have always been fastidious in phoning information in, as I believe that as many people as possible should have access to 'good' birds but on this occasion perhaps I could have done better.  That said, there are several serious birders in our area who never call the pager services, so I think I should be excused one lapse! 

[Jamie]

Hi Ted,

I think the Raven upset a few people but as mentioned this was not aimed at you but just more of a reminder to all that the information they receive on their pagers and mobile phones was to be phoned into the information services by someone so it would be nice if they repay people by phoning in their news also

As you mention "there are several serious birders in our area who never call the pager services".

Regards,
Jamie