Date: 22nd September 07
At: Morning, 9am onwards, NT Formby for Red Squirrels just look for long lenses
At: Afternoon, 3pm onwards, Marshside, RSPB for Birds see HERE for directions to car park by sand pit.
Please see weblinks for details and note that their is an admission charge for both unless you are members of each sites respective organisation. There are toilets and parking at both sites.
Please bring squirrel food but please NOT peanuts as the husks ruin the shot.
The squirrels do not need 'Big Glass' if you are quiet and patient.
The fowl are fed at about 4pm at Martin Mere.
Finally the suggested gathering times for each meet will be posted a few days before the event, the Formby one will be 'early-doors' if the weather looks good, but obviously you can turn up when you want.
Posted by Paul Gibbs on September 6, 2007 at 10:27 AM
I'm up for it, being pretty local :)
See you there.
PS
Tom i'll be visiting Formby the week before, as a friend wants to get some Red Squirrel pictures, I'll give you a heads up on conditions and any good spots if you want?
Posted by Paul Thomas on September 6, 2007 at 8:14 PM
I'll be there. It's been nearly 10 months since I last went to Formby Point - far too long. As to 'peanut problem', it's basically confined to the Squirrel Walk. Get away from the main path and there's less peanut husks. BTW, I never managed to get an update on last year's parapox outbreak. I'm assuming that no news is good news and that it didn't spread to the main population.
Paul
Posted by Andy Bate on September 12, 2007 at 3:54 PM
There is a few good places away from the beaten track, just remember to say its for amateur use only if the warden comes, they are red hot on it at mo, took me ages to get my license from the NT for the site
Posted by Paul Thomas on September 13, 2007 at 5:05 AM
Andy,
I've photographed at Formby about 8 times in the last 2 years, all in the area of the Aquirrel Walk. I've never had anyone challenge me.
I found this on the NT web site:
Photography
The National Trust welcomes amateur photography out-of-doors at its properties. We regret that such photography is not permitted indoors when houses are open to visitors. However, at most properties special arrangements can be made for interested amateurs to take interior photographs by appointment outside normal opening hours. Please contact individual properties for details.
I doubt anyone would mistake me for a pro as I don't have any white lenses
Paul
Posted by Paul Gibbs on September 16, 2007 at 5:42 PM
Ok a little report on yesterdays outing with my friend, who came up for the weekend.
Formby: the Squirrel walk is coated in peanut husks, and though reasonable views can be had, they do detract. A little way from the walk, going past the walk there are some good spots near the trees which offer superb close shots, and almost not peanuts. Though some of the squirrels have become exceedingly tame but would allow shots with wide angle lenses. Further still can be found some almost wild squirrels but they are hard to get shots of as the pine cones are ripe and being feasted on by the squirrels.
Martin Mere: Water level was still low meaning VERY long lenses recommended, but fair numbers of birds for the season. Some smaller birds are visible closer to the feeders which dragonflies also being easy to shoot.
Btw possible problem? 22nd maybe a very busy day at Martin Mere, they have an animal magic event on and the woman at the information desk, said that the place was likely to be rammed.
Any chance of getting a better Ideal of who will be turning up? Is It just the two Pauls and myself?
T
Posted by Paul Gibbs on September 17, 2007 at 6:10 AM
Hope you dont mind Tom? -no not at all
From a weather forum i'm on: their forcasts are a little general but tend to be close to the mark.
"Saturday 22nd and Sunday 23rd September looks like low pressure areas will dominate the weather, lying over Northern Scotland though there's some uncertainty about this; certainly a moderate strong W-SW'ly flow looks likely in the north and NW, with the risk of gales in the more exposed places, with fronts pushing across most of the northern and western UK on Saturday bringing quite a lot of cloud and rain, perhaps heavy at times over western upslopes. In central and eastern parts, inland areas may start clearer on Saturday with a touch of ground frost in sheltered places and perhaps some low cloud developing overnight to clear but it should stay stay dry for most parts of central, eastern and southern England by day, though by Sunday perhaps rather a lot of cloud around and some showery rain for many parts especiallly in central areas. The west, NW of England and all of Wales seem likely to become cloudier by early on Saturday with some rain at times, perhaps heavy in places, giving way to brighter periods later on with showers. Sunday looks likely to see sunny periods and showers again here, some quite heavy from the late morning and afternoon onwards till early evening when they shopuld tend to die away. Temperatures on Saturday average in the north but warm in the south at 18-21C, above average for late September but cooler on Sunday everywhere at just 10-13C in the north and 13-16C in the south. "
Posted by Paul Thomas on September 20, 2007 at 8:53 AM
I doubt that any of the airshow crowd will park as far away as the marshside car park. It's something like 1.5 - 2 miles away from the main action. Anyway I think if we get there for about midday we'll be OK and if we were to be unlucky, we can park in Marshside Road. From past experience, Formby Point will be very busy by about 11:00 if the weather's OK (and the forecast is good ATM) so I'd be thinking of moving on by then anyway.
Paul
Posted by Paul Gibbs on September 20, 2007 at 9:40 AM
I'll probably be at Formby at about 7am, or when the gates open. Look for a beat-up P reg Green 106.
If you get their early and If i'm at the car i may even be nice and offer coffee (first come first served).
Well i hope it has space, at Marshside, if not i'm sure we will think of something
Posted by Paul Thomas on September 20, 2007 at 10:09 AM
If Marshside is full then we could always push on to Martin Mere as originally planned. I always go that way to get from Formby to Martin Mere anyway. I think it's quicker than going across country then through Ormskirk. There's also a Lancashire Wldlife Trust reserve called Mere Sands Wood not far from Martin Mere which I've been to a few times and might do as a Plan C. I'm hoping to be at Formby for about 9:00am.
The weather doesn't look that bad, with the promise of a few blue patchs.. so see you all there. I may be there from about 8am as I probably will be in Chester tonight.
Will work out the afternoon later, but may stay in Formby looking for that Squirrel master-piece.
Discussion
23 repliesThe next Gathering of the UKNP will be;
Date: 22nd September 07
At: Morning, 9am onwards, NT Formby for Red Squirrels just look for long lenses
At: Afternoon, 3pm onwards, Marshside, RSPB for Birds see HERE for directions to car park by sand pit.
Please see weblinks for details and note that their is an admission charge for both unless you are members of each sites respective organisation. There are toilets and parking at both sites.
Please bring squirrel food but please NOT peanuts as the husks ruin the shot.
The squirrels do not need 'Big Glass' if you are quiet and patient.
The fowl are fed at about 4pm at Martin Mere.
Finally the suggested gathering times for each meet will be posted a few days before the event, the Formby one will be 'early-doors' if the weather looks good, but obviously you can turn up when you want.
See you there.
PS
Tom i'll be visiting Formby the week before, as a friend wants to get some Red Squirrel pictures, I'll give you a heads up on conditions and any good spots if you want?
Paul
I've photographed at Formby about 8 times in the last 2 years, all in the area of the Aquirrel Walk. I've never had anyone challenge me.
I found this on the NT web site:
I doubt anyone would mistake me for a pro as I don't have any white lenses
Paul
Formby: the Squirrel walk is coated in peanut husks, and though reasonable views can be had, they do detract. A little way from the walk, going past the walk there are some good spots near the trees which offer superb close shots, and almost not peanuts. Though some of the squirrels have become exceedingly tame but would allow shots with wide angle lenses. Further still can be found some almost wild squirrels but they are hard to get shots of as the pine cones are ripe and being feasted on by the squirrels.
Martin Mere: Water level was still low meaning VERY long lenses recommended, but fair numbers of birds for the season. Some smaller birds are visible closer to the feeders which dragonflies also being easy to shoot.
Btw possible problem? 22nd maybe a very busy day at Martin Mere, they have an animal magic event on and the woman at the information desk, said that the place was likely to be rammed.
Any chance of getting a better Ideal of who will be turning up? Is It just the two Pauls and myself?
T
From a weather forum i'm on: their forcasts are a little general but tend to be close to the mark.
"Saturday 22nd and Sunday 23rd September looks like low pressure areas will dominate the weather, lying over Northern Scotland though there's some uncertainty about this; certainly a moderate strong W-SW'ly flow looks likely in the north and NW, with the risk of gales in the more exposed places, with fronts pushing across most of the northern and western UK on Saturday bringing quite a lot of cloud and rain, perhaps heavy at times over western upslopes. In central and eastern parts, inland areas may start clearer on Saturday with a touch of ground frost in sheltered places and perhaps some low cloud developing overnight to clear but it should stay stay dry for most parts of central, eastern and southern England by day, though by Sunday perhaps rather a lot of cloud around and some showery rain for many parts especiallly in central areas. The west, NW of England and all of Wales seem likely to become cloudier by early on Saturday with some rain at times, perhaps heavy in places, giving way to brighter periods later on with showers. Sunday looks likely to see sunny periods and showers again here, some quite heavy from the late morning and afternoon onwards till early evening when they shopuld tend to die away. Temperatures on Saturday average in the north but warm in the south at 18-21C, above average for late September but cooler on Sunday everywhere at just 10-13C in the north and 13-16C in the south. "
Source http://www.ukweatherworld.co.uk/forum/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=16879&posts=1&start=1
A third Paul will be coming along for the day, and possible longer if the weather is bad, they are great in the rain!!
So see you all? there
Paul
All being well, I'm hoping to get there.
John
Phillip.
Ps Marsh side may be better than the WWT
What's / Where's Marsh Side?
T
Marshside is an RSPB reserve at Southport.
Paul
its not far.
Updated above...
T
Its Southport Airshow on the 22nd and 23rd.
bugger
T :
Paul
If you get their early and If i'm at the car i may even be nice and offer coffee (first come first served).
Well i hope it has space, at Marshside, if not i'm sure we will think of something
The weather doesn't look that bad, with the promise of a few blue patchs.. so see you all there. I may be there from about 8am as I probably will be in Chester tonight.
Will work out the afternoon later, but may stay in Formby looking for that Squirrel master-piece.
T