Every spring, usually in late April or early May, teams of Fylde birders take part in a one-day sponsored birdrace in the Fylde. The highest total for a Fylde twenty-four hour birdrace is 133 species and was set by Chris Batty, Stephen Dunstan and Stuart Piner on 27th April 2006.

Money raised through sponsorship of the birdrace goes towards the Fylde Bird Club feeding stations and nestboxes.

The Fylde Bird Club committee would like to appeal to everyone to consider having a go. Participation, and consequent sponsorship income, has been disappointing in recent years - if half of the Fylde Bird Club membership took part and raised £10 each, then that would yield £350 towards our declining farmland birds winter feeding project and nestboxes. Please don't be daunted. You don't need to raise a fortune or record over 100 species to make it worthwhile and a have great day out. Please email Fylde Bird Club for a sponsorship form.

The rules of the birdrace are simple:

Birds can be counted if seen or heard
All birds counted must be in the Fylde (north of River Ribble, west of A6, south of both River Conder and River Lune)
The birdrace can be undertaken on any date
Period of birdrace is midnight to midnight
Birds can be counted if seen or heard
All proceeds to be given to the Treasurer for use in aid of declining farmland birds winter feeding project and nestboxes

Fylde Birdrace Results

167 species have been recorded on Fylde birdraces and of these 59 species have been recorded on all birdraces and 13 species have only been recorded once (Great Northern Diver, Curlew Sandpiper, Jack Snipe, Pomarine Skua, Ring-billed Gull, Iceland Gull, Glaucous Gull, Long-eared Owl, Short-eared Owl, Hoopoe, Ring Ouzel, Pied Flycatcher and Raven).
 
a) 5th May 1991 Paul Ellis, Maurice Jones, Bob Stinger
Most notable species recorded were Marsh Tit, Garganey, Scaup, Arctic Skua and Cuckoo.
The most notable omissions were Little Owl, Reed Warbler, Tawny Owl, Wigeon and Shoveler.
 
b) 30th April 1995 Paul Ellis, Dave Hall, Peter Scholes
Most notable species recorded were Bullfinch, Wood Warbler, Yellow Wagtail, Cuckoo and Snipe.
The most notable omissions were Sand Martin, Linnet, Greylag Goose, Stock Dove and Common Scoter.
 
c) 28th April 1996 Paul Ellis, Paul Slade
Most notable species recorded were Garganey, Yellow Wagtail, Cuckoo, Tree Pipit and Peregrine.
The most notable omissions were House Martin, Arctic Tern, Greylag Goose, Treecreeper and Red-legged Partridge.
 
d) 4th May 1997 Barry Dyson, Chris Hawkins, Mike Sutcliffe
Most notable species recorded were Citrine Wagtail, Black Tern, Garganey, Yellow Wagtail and Peregrine.
The most notable omissions were Sandwich Tern, Mistle Thrush, Long-tailed Tit, Yellowhammer and Stock Dove.
 
e) 4th May 1997 Paul Ellis, Dave Hall, Peter Scholes, Paul Slade
Most notable species recorded were Citrine Wagtail, Black Tern, Mediterranean Gull, Garganey and Bullfinch.
The most notable omissions were Goldcrest, Pink-footed Goose, Wigeon, Red-legged Partridge and Nuthatch.
 
f) 3rd May 1998 Paul Ellis, Peter Scholes, Paul Slade, Ian Gardner
Most notable species recorded were Pomarine Skua, Marsh Tit, Brent Goose, Little Tern and Yellow Wagtail.
The most notable omissions were Grey Wagtail, Bar-tailed Godwit, Common Tern, Gadwall and Goosander.
 
g) 2nd May 1999 Paul Ellis, Ian Gardner et al
Most notable species recorded were Long-eared Owl, Bullfinch, Wood Warbler, Cuckoo and Guillemot.
The most notable omissions were Bar-tailed Godwit, Gannet, Goosander, Greenshank and Peregrine.
 
h) 14th May 2000 Paul Ellis, Ian Gardner, Peter Scholes, Paul Slade
Most notable species recorded were Spotted Flycatcher, Siskin, Pochard, Razorbill and Peregrine.
The most notable omissions were Wren, Common Sandpiper, Coal Tit, Tawny Owl and Pink-footed Goose.
 
i) 5th May 2002 Chris Batty, Stephen Dunstan, Stuart Piner, Dave Satterthwaite
Most notable species recorded were Mediterranean Gull, Pintail, Wood Warbler, Little Gull and Little Egret.
The most notable omissions were Common Scoter, Gannet, Dipper, Goosander and Barn Owl.
 
j) 5th May 2002 Paul Ellis, Ian Gardner
Most notable species recorded were Wood Warbler, Stonechat, Cuckoo, Yellow Wagtail and Tree Pipit.
The most notable omissions were Red-breasted Merganser, Bar-tailed Godwit, Jay, Garden Warbler and Barn Owl.
 
k) 4th May 2003 Chris Batty, Stephen Dunstan, Stuart Piner
Most notable species recorded were Golden Plover, Mediterranean Gull, Water Rail, Pintail and Scaup.
The most notable omissions were Sparrowhawk, Shoveler, Nuthatch, Common Tern and Whinchat.
 
l) 7th June 2003 Kinta Beaver, Paul Ellis
Most notable species recorded were Spotted Flycatcher, Bullfinch, Goosander, Kingfisher and Garden Warbler.
The most notable omissions were Teal, Tufted Duck, Little Grebe, Grey Plover and Wheatear.
 
m) 29th April 2004 Chris Batty, Stephen Dunstan, Stuart Piner
Most notable species recorded were Hen Harrier, Brent Goose, White-fronted Goose, Water Rail and Little Gull.
The most notable omissions were Little Ringed Plover, Dipper, Garden Warbler, Whinchat and Kingfisher.
 
n) 1st May 2004 Paul Ellis, Ian Gardner, Dave Hall, Peter Scholes, Paul Slade
Most notable species recorded were Hen Harrier, Brent Goose, White-fronted Goose, Whooper Swan and Wood Warbler. The most notable omissions were Treecreeper, Common Tern, Cuckoo, Guillemot and Snipe.
 
o) 2nd May 2004 Len Blacow, Bob Stinger, Jan Stinger
Most notable species recorded were Great Northern Diver, Pied Flycatcher, Pintail, Whooper Swan and Little Egret. The most notable omissions Treecreeper, Sparrowhawk, Jay, Garden Warbler and Goosander.
 
p) 27th April 2005 Chris Batty, Stephen Dunstan, Stuart Piner
Most notable species recorded were Jack Snipe, Ruff, Merlin, White-fronted Goose and Golden Plover. The most notable omissions were Sparrowhawk, Common Tern, Gadwall, Garden Warbler and Kingfisher.
 
q) 30th April 2005 Paul Ellis, Ian Gardner, Peter Scholes
Most notable species recorded were Short-eared Owl, Ruff, White-fronted Goose, Mediterranean Gull and Whooper Swan.. The most notable omissions were Gadwall, Dipper, Goldeneye, Pochard and Razorbill.
 
r) 27th April 2006 Chris Batty, Stephen Dunstan, Stuart Piner
Most notable species recorded were Hoopoe, Raven, Fulmar, Fieldfare and Little Tern. The most notable omissions were Lesser Whitethroat, Common Tern, Garden Warbler, Whinchat and Kingfisher.
 
s) 29th April 2006 Paul Ellis, Ian Gardner, Dave Hall, Peter Scholes
Most notable species recorded were Ring Ouzel, Fulmar, Manx Shearwater, Golden Plover and Garganey. The most notable omissions were Gadwall, Dipper, Whinchat, Peregrine and Yellow Wagtail.
 
t) 27th April 2007 Chris Batty, Stephen Dunstan, Stuart Piner
Most notable species recorded were Ring-billed Gull, Barnacle Goose, Manx Shearwater, Golden Plover and Mediterranean Gull. The most notable omissions were Shoveler, Common Tern, Lesser Redpoll, Pochard and Siskin.
 
u) 29th April 2007 Paul Ellis, Ian Gardner, Dave Hall, Peter Scholes
Most notable species recorded Glaucous Gull, Redstart, Glossy Ibis, Barnacle Goose and Manx Shearwater. The most notable omissions were Nuthatch, Garden Warbler, Lesser Redpoll, Peregrine and Pochard.
 
v) 27th April 2008 Chris Batty, Stephen Dunstan, Stuart Piner, Niki Riley
Most notable species recorded were Curlew Sandpiper, Iceland Gull, Ross's Gull, Redstart and Green Sandpiper. The most notable omissions were Red-throated Diver, Gannet, Peregrine, Lesser Redpoll and Siskin.
 
w) 29th April 2008* Chris Batty, Stephen Dunstan and Stuart Piner
Most notable species recorded were Ross's Gull, Green Sandpiper, Merlin, Glossy Ibis and Little Tern. The most notable omissions were Lesser Whitethroat, Jay, Whinchat, Peregrine and Pochard.
 
*Fylde section of a Lancashire Birdrace finishing at 15:45, followed by a further seventeen species in the Forest of Bowland and North Lancashire to reach 147 in the county. The additional species being Pintail, Pochard, Red Grouse, Bittern, Peregrine, Water Rail, Avocet, Golden Plover, Woodcock, Mediterranean Gull, Black Guillemot, Green Woodpecker, Redstart, Pied Flycatcher, Marsh Tit, Jay and Raven.