The Lincolnshire Bird Club

Having been a regular watcher (mainly for the Gulls) at Kirkby on Bain for many years it now appears that access to the northernmost pit has become a problem. I was settled there at 1000 this morning when I was approached and told it was Private Property, owned by Woodhall Sand and Gravel, has been for many years and there is no public access whatsoever. It became quite evident after a 5 minute conversation that they are unwilling to provide any form of permission, written or otherwise for anybody. I will not go into details of the conversation but I was as pleasant and persuasive as possible, all to no avail. Having walked to the Tip entrance and spent a couple of hours there I returned to the small gap in the hedge (the only access point) and found that it had been sealed off with barbed wire! Does anybody have any contacts in Woodhall Sand and Gravel so that we can put an end to this ridiculous situation? Even viewing from the roadside would be acceptable and better than no views at all!!

Regards

Nige

Did you see any Yellow-legged Gulls before they felt your collar?

Not one Graham. Which didnt help!

Nige

That is a shame. Technically yes trespassing, but you were restricted to just a couple of yards of bank just through the hedge and doing no harm whatsoever

At least you weren't threatened as has happened to members in the past. Even, on one occasion I heard about, a shotgun was involved! It is private property and as has been the case at Bardney SBF for years to allow members of the public in is to take on some responsibility for their welfare on what is a working site. You can't waive this 'right'

John

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I find it rather irksome when common sense and civility form no part of a decision making progress. Would it really hurt to give written permission, clear guidelines etc for me to sit near a hedge some 2 metres inside the "Private Property"? As for it being a working site, I have never seen any work carried out on the pit in question (which is probably why the gulls like it!). Add to that, the fact that the only person responsible for my welfare is me and we are on to a winner!!

Nige

Our ringing group has been ringing Sand Martins for over 30 years at a variety of sites in the Caistor area with the owners/extraction company's written permission. This season we had a load of conditions attached in the name of Health and Safety and I suspect this may be one of the reasons behind the problem at Kirkby. At least we were treated with civility.

Nigel I have known people climb over the gate on the main road at the Kirkby end to view the pit. Is that no longer physically possible? Another solution would be to park a tall vehicle next to the hedge and stand on top of it to look over.

Is there anything wrong with that Stuart?

I'm no expert on the laws of trespass etc., Phil, but the tall vehicle appears an eminently sensible solution!
Stuart

Thanks for your response Stuart, my comment was meant partly humorously but now I can see there is a need for an LBC birding bus, an old double decker perhaps, with the upper floor windows taken out. Should make a wonderful hide and could be camoflage painted on the business side, with prominent adverts for LBC on the roadside.

The sight of that turning up legally should be sufficient to make many landowners keener to negotiate reasonable access.

We could make a fortune by taking it to twitches with awkward viewing like the Orphean Warbler at Hartlepool.

That's the solution, Phil!!! When the bus is not required for twitches or looking at difficult sites, Freddy Johnson could have it on permanent loan to go on his Spotted Flycatcher/Waxwing forays! It would save Freddy a lot of money on petrol and I couldn't think of a better ambassador for the Bird Club.
Yours (totally humorously),
Stuart

Stuart,

I think you mean ambusador. Your petrol saving optimism is a bit dodgy as my car would do about 4 times as many miles on a gallon of fuel as a bus......unless you're paying of course: then I'd be saving.

However, if I could park the bus when not in use on your front drive, I'm willing to give it a go.......or on your front lawn, I'm not fussy.

Tickets, please!

Freddy

Ideal for birdwatching parties - has nobody thought of pitching this money-maker on Dragon's Den?

Springwatch might be interested too.... possibly resulting in me getting that Martin Hughes-Games Megatick I've been dreaming of all these years.... * swoon *

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