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

175 species have been recorded on the latest 27 Fylde birdraces and, of these, 58 species have been recorded on all birdraces and 16 species have only been recorded once (Mandarin Duck, Great Northern Diver, Avocet, Curlew Sandpiper, Jack Snipe, Wood Sandpiper, Pomarine Skua, Ring-billed Gull, Iceland Gull, Glaucous Gull, Long-eared Owl, Hoopoe, Willow Tit, Cetti's Warbler, Ring Ouzel and Pied Flycatcher).

a) 5th May 1991 Paul Ellis, Maurice Jones, Bob Stinger
105 species
Most notable species recorded were Marsh Tit, Garganey, Scaup, Arctic Skua and Yellow Wagtail.
The most notable omissions were Little Owl, Reed Warbler, Tawny Owl, Wigeon and Shoveler.

b) 30th April 1995 Paul Ellis, Dave Hall, Peter Scholes
100 species
Most notable species recorded were Wood Warbler, Bullfinch, Yellow Wagtail, Cuckoo and Pochard.
The most notable omissions were Sand Martin, Linnet, Greylag Goose, Stock Dove and Common Scoter.

c) 28th April 1996 Paul Ellis, Paul Slade
106 species
Most notable species recorded were Garganey, Yellow Wagtail, Cuckoo, Tree Pipit and Goldeneye.
The most notable omissions were House Martin, Greylag Goose, Arctic Tern, Red-legged Partridge and Treecreeper.

d) 4th May 1997 Barry Dyson, Chris Hawkins, Mike Sutcliffe
92 species
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
111 species
Most notable species recorded were Citrine Wagtail, Black Tern, Garganey, Mediterranean Gull and Pintail.
The most notable omissions were Pink-footed Goose, Goldcrest, Wigeon, Red-legged Partridge and Nuthatch.

f) 3rd May 1998 Paul Ellis, Peter Scholes, Paul Slade, Ian Gardner
112 species
Most notable species recorded were Pomarine Skua, Marsh Tit, Little Tern, Brent Goose and Yellow Wagtail.
The most notable omissions were Grey Wagtail, Bar-tailed Godwit, Gadwall, Common Tern and Goosander.

g) 2nd May 1999 Paul Ellis, Ian Gardner et al
114 species
Most notable species recorded were Long-eared Owl, Wood Warbler, Bullfinch, Cuckoo and Pochard.
The most notable omissions were Bar-tailed Godwit, Gannet, Goosander, Buzzard and Greenshank.

h) 14th May 2000 Paul Ellis, Ian Gardner, Peter Scholes, Paul Slade
100 species
Most notable species recorded were Spotted Flycatcher, Siskin, Pochard, Razorbill and Peregrine.
The most notable omissions were Wren, Common Sandpiper, Coal Tit, Common Scoter and Tawny Owl.

i) 5th May 2002 Chris Batty, Stephen Dunstan, Stuart Piner, Dave Satterthwaite
113 species
Most notable species recorded were Mediterranean Gull, Wood Warbler, Pintail, Little Gull and Stonechat.
The most notable omissions were Common Scoter, Gannet, Goosander, Dipper and Barn Owl.

j) 5th May 2002 Paul Ellis, Ian Gardner
114 species
Most notable species recorded were Wood Warbler, Siskin, Stonechat, Yellow Wagtail and Cuckoo.
The most notable omissions were Red-breasted Merganser, Jay, Bar-tailed Godwit, Barn Owl and Garden Warbler.

k) 4th May 2003 Chris Batty, Stephen Dunstan, Stuart Piner
113 species
Most notable species recorded were Golden Plover, Mediterranean Gull, Water Rail, Scaup and Pintail.
The most notable omissions were Sparrowhawk, Shoveler, Nuthatch, Common Tern and Whinchat.

l) 7th June 2003 Kinta Beaver, Paul Ellis
93 species
Most notable species recorded were Spotted Flycatcher, Bullfinch, Kingfisher, Garden Warbler and Goosander.
The most notable omissions were Teal, Tufted Duck, Little Grebe, Whimbrel and Wheatear.

m) 29th April 2004 Chris Batty, Stephen Dunstan, Stuart Piner
118 species
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, Whinchat, Garden Warbler and Buzzard.

n) 1st May 2004 Paul Ellis, Ian Gardner, Dave Hall, Peter Scholes, Paul Slade
123 species
Most notable species recorded were Hen Harrier, Brent Goose, White-fronted Goose, Wood Warbler and Whooper Swan.
The most notable omissions were Treecreeper, Common Tern, Spotted Redshank, Guillemot and Snipe.

o) 2nd May 2004 Len Blacow, Bob Stinger, Jan Stinger
119 species
Most notable species recorded were Great Northern Diver, Pied Flycatcher, Pintail, Whooper Swan and Arctic Skua.
The most notable omissions Sparrowhawk, Treecreeper, Jay, Goosander and Garden Warbler.

p) 27th April 2005 Chris Batty, Stephen Dunstan, Stuart Piner
124 species
Most notable species recorded were Jack Snipe, Ruff, Merlin, White-fronted Goose and Golden Plover.
The most notable omissions were Sparrowhawk, Gadwall, Common Tern, Garden Warbler and Greenshank.

q) 30th April 2005 Paul Ellis, Ian Gardner, Peter Scholes
119 species
Most notable species recorded were Short-eared Owl, Ruff, White-fronted Goose, Mediterranean Gull and Whooper Swan.
The most notable omissions were Gadwall, Dipper, Spotted Redshank, Razorbill and Goldeneye.

r) 27th April 2006 Chris Batty, Stephen Dunstan, Stuart Piner
133 species
Most notable species recorded were Hoopoe, Raven, Little Tern, Fulmar and Fieldfare.
The most notable omissions were Lesser Whitethroat, Common Tern, Whinchat, Garden Warbler and Greenshank.

s) 29th April 2006 Paul Ellis, Ian Gardner, Dave Hall, Peter Scholes
126 species
Most notable species recorded were Ring Ouzel, Fulmar, Garganey, Golden Plover and Scaup.
The most notable omissions were Gadwall, Whinchat, Dipper, Peregrine and Cuckoo.

t) 27th April 2007 Chris Batty, Stephen Dunstan, Stuart Piner
129 species
Most notable species recorded were Ring-billed Gull, Golden Plover, Barnacle Goose, Scaup and Mediterranean Gull.
The most notable omissions were Shoveler, Common Tern, Lesser Redpoll, Pochard and Cuckoo.

u) 29th April 2007 Paul Ellis, Ian Gardner, Dave Hall, Peter Scholes
123 species
Most notable species recorded were Glaucous Gull, Redstart, Glossy Ibis, Barnacle Goose and Bullfinch.
The most notable omissions were Nuthatch, Garden Warbler, Lesser Redpoll, Peregrine and Snipe.

v) 27th April 2008 Chris Batty, Stephen Dunstan, Stuart Piner, Niki Riley
130 species
Most notable species recorded were Iceland Gull, Curlew Sandpiper, Redstart, Green Sandpiper and Ross's Gull.
The most notable omissions were Red-throated Diver, Gannet, Peregrine, Lesser Redpoll and Tree Pipit.

w) 29th April 2008* Chris Batty, Stephen Dunstan and Stuart Piner
130 species
Most notable species recorded were Green Sandpiper, Ross's Gull, Little Tern, Merlin and Glossy Ibis.
The most notable omissions were Lesser Whitethroat, Jay, Whinchat, Peregrine and Cuckoo.

x) 5th May 2008 Paul Ellis, Ian Gardner
120 species
Most notable species recorded were Ring-necked Parakeet, Ross's Gull, Glossy Ibis, Mediterranean Gull and Manx Shearwater.
The most notable omissions were Ruddy Duck, Bar-tailed Godwit, Greenshank, Lesser Redpoll and Kingfisher.

y) 26th April 2009 Paul Ellis, Ian Gardner
123 species
The most notable species recorded were Wood Sandpiper, Avocet, Velvet Scoter, Ring-necked Parakeet and Little Gull.
The most notable omissions were Gadwall, Common Tern, Dipper, Garden Warbler and Peregrine.

z) 27th April 2009 Chris Batty, Stephen Dunstan, Stuart Piner
117 species
The most notable species recorded were Mandarin Duck, Short-eared Owl, Velvet Scoter, Merlin and Brent Goose.
The most notable omissions were Goldcrest, Red-breasted Merganser, Treecreeper, Nuthatch and Common Tern.

aa) 27th April 2010 Chris Batty, Stephen Dunstan, Stuart Piner
128 species
The most notable species recorded were Willow Tit, Cetti's Warbler, Raven, Ruff and Fieldfare.
The most notable omissions were Grey Partridge, Ruddy Duck, Treecreeper, Garden Warbler and Kingfisher.

*this was the Fylde section of a record Lancashire Birdrace, leaving the Fylde at 15:45 and a recording a further 17 species (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) in the Forest of Bowland and North Lancashire to set a county record of 147.