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The Bird Listing Challenge

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In 2003 we held our first bird listing challenge to add a bit of fun to the year's birdwatching and also to raise funds for the group. 

There were two challenges that first year - a British Isles one and a Local one. In both categories competitors paid 10p for each species seen. £45, £30 and £15 were allocated to first, second and third prizes, respectively, for the national challenge and £13, £8.50 and £5 for the local one. Around 20 people took part and some entered both categories. We raised £345, but this increased to £420 when some of the winners generously donated their prizes back to group funds. One member also donated two extra prizes, for which a draw was held amongst all competitors.

In 2005 we added a Garden Listing Challenge and this was also well supported. The British list gained its third different winner in as many years with Trevor Malkin taking the title by a safe margin. However, unlike previous winners, Trevor will be defending his title in 2006. 

The local listing competition is now run in two parts, the overall total and the percent of target. Living near Flamborough lighthouse and having the outer headland and Old Fall Hedge in her area, clearly gives Chrys Mellor a great advantage. Her total of 115 for 2005 was her best yet and beats the record 114 set in 2003 by Bernard & Enid Turnbull at Filey. Nobody else had ever broken 90 (until 2006!) although Lenora Bruce at Bridlington and Alan Dawson at Leven came very close. 

Listing 2006
The prizes for our fourth Listing Competition were awarded at the Group’s January indoor meeting.

The results were:

British List                                           Garden List

Jack Thornton            219               Gill Reid                          Seaton Ross             39

Lenora Bruce              212              Chrys Mellor                     Flamborough             39

David Woodmansey      207              Wendie Wright                  Brandesburton          38

Trevor Malkin              198              Angela Bird                       Beeford                   34

Bernard & Enid Turnbull 197              Gerald & Denise Massey      Kilham                     33

Ken Belk                     194              Beryl Trebbet                    Flamborough            31

Chrys Mellor                193              David Woodmansey            Langtoft                  30

Sue & Paul Leyland       185              Richard Bishop                  Bridlington                28

Gill Reid                      180              Lenora Bruce                    Bridlington                26

Angela Bird                 167              Angela Holdsworth             Sherburn                  25

Pat Fowler                  147

Gordon & Pam Young      80

Local List                                                         Total               % of target

Chrys Mellor                       Flamborough     112              82.96%

Lenora Bruce                      Bridlington         92              98.92%

Linda McKenzie                  Scarborough       88               86.27%

Christopher Allen                Sproatley           84              93.33%

Pat Fowler                         Sewerby            69             71.13%

George & Megan Berry         Bridlington          67              75.28%

Trevor Malkin                     Driffield              67             77.01%

David Woodmansey             Langtoft            61              78.21%

Angela Holdsworth              Sherburn            41              53.25%

Angela Bird                        Beeford             36              50.70%

For the fourth year in succession the British Listing title went to a new winner, this time Jack Thornton. Jack is one of our more dedicated bird watchers and has always featured near the top of the table. Lenora held on to her second place from last year while I featured amongst the leaders for the first time. (This is not a great recommendation for the person who is supposed to be our field trips’ officer!)  It should be noted that all of the top four spent a week in October touring Scotland with Heatherlea. I am looking forward to our April trip being equally profitable for this years entrants.

At the other end of the scale the Garden Listing was very close. Unlike last year, when Chrys Mellor had an exceptional year at Flamborough, we did not have an outstanding garden this year. For most gardens the total, if not the species list was the same as last year. 

In the Local Listing it was no surprise to find that Chrys Mellor ran away with the total list again. All credit to Lenora Bruce however, for not only getting the highest % of target, but also breaking the magic 90 to take second place in the overall totals. I know Lenora spends a lot of time at the Harbour and around Bridlington and, having fallen just short in previous years, was determined to break that elusive 90 mark. Runner-up on percentage was Christopher Allen at Sproatley whose local square includes part of the Burton Constable estate.

The first three in the British List, and the top 2 in each of the Garden, Local Total and Local Percentage all won cash prizes. The prize fund is drawn from 25% of the self-sponsorship raised.  However, many of the winners returned their prizes which boosted our final donation. We always put the money from the Listing Competitions towards our reserve at Bempton Cliffs. The donation helps to keep the excellent feeding station stocked up throughout the winter. This year the sponsorship, returned prizes and additional donations allowed us to donate £330 to the feeding station. My thanks to everyone who took part in 2006. My best wishes to all those, old and new, who are taking part in 2007.

David Woodmansey

The 2007 results will be announced at the January 2008 Indoor Meeting and will be available on the website from February 2008.