Started "bird-watching" in 1984 and spent a couple of years going round the local parks not seeing a great deal. Took to birding a bit more serious in 86' and saw my first ever rare bird, a Greenish Warbler in Locke Park. For the next few years did a lot of local birding and had a few days and weekends away and saw a few "Northern" rarities.
From about 1990 took a lot more interest in rare birds and spent a week on Scilly. Went to Fair Isle in 93' and around this time started to keep a Cleveland County list but still didn't do a lot of Twitching (much regretted now).
In May 1994 got myself a Car and a Pager and started to Twitch everything I had the time and money to go for! Have missed loads over the years due to work or lack of time/funds/will power! Been fortunate to find or be Co-finder of a few Rarities inc Bufflehead, Great Spotted Cuckoo, "Eastern" Stonechat, Stejnegers Stonechat, Pechora Pipit, Black Stork, Desert Wheatear, Gull-billed Tern and Caspian Tern.
My aim was to reach 500 species for Britain and then stop worrying about missing birds and start to visit a few places I have yet to visit (North Ron etc) in the hope to build a self found list!