Upton Warren (125 Viewers)

[Phil Andrews]

Oyk chick made it back up after a few minutes, just as I was contemplating getting the boat out to give it a hand o

Think we need better barriers behind the hide at the public footpath.

Got a feeling that could tern into another sterna lecture about how its virtually impossible to rescue floating chicks (and how they sort themselves out in the end) based on previous experiences.

If and when the Trust replaces the screening to the hide approach perhaps we could fashion something for the discarded panels. With hindsight its a shame we disposed of the wooden door that previously gave access to the front of the hide. We need to block off any line of sight to the public footpath to deter temptation.

 

[upstarts1979]

SAILING POOL

FLASHES
15 Canada Geese, 2 Mute Swan, 7 Shelduck, 5 Coot, 14 Tufted Duck, 17 Mallard, 1 Gadwall (male), 5 LBB Gull, 4 Oystercatcher (third pair now sitting), 6 LR Plover, 2 Lapwing, 27 adult Avocet + 7 broods totalling 21 young

27 is a new peak count of Avocet for the reserve although I understand John and Terry first achieved this figure yesterday. The Avocet broods were as follows (starting in front of the hide and working anti-clockwise):-
4 : 3 (latest brood off the second Flash island; adult still incubating the final egg) : 2 (lost one overnight) : 3 : 4 : 3 : 2.

MOORS POOL
2 Mute Swan + 5 cgynets, 27 Canada Geese, Ross's Goose, 1 Shelduck, 1 Grey Heron, 3 Cormorant, 24 Mallard, 27 Tufted Duck, 41 Coot, 1 Little Grebe (Broadmeadow - no sign of any young), 8 GC Grebe + 4 young in Amy's Marsh (no sign of northern chick), 1 Gadwall (male), 1 Ringed Plover on east island (tundrae), 2 Lapwing (1 still sitting in Amy's Marsh; no sign of any young on the Broadmeadow but an adult was hanging around the telegraph pole on the southern boundary.....), 3 Oystercatcher (1 chick on domed island and remainder of clutch still being brooded; family party from the Broadmeadow hidden on the promontory), Garden Warbler, Cetti's Warbler, 150-200 Swift, 2 Common Tern, Arctic Tern, 250+ BH Gull (many hawking insects over the water)

Phil
The avocet broods in the 'delta do split up and get hidden by the nearest ditch and thick grass.
It would appear that the lapwing chicks could well be west of the lagoon, as that is where the female dropped into yesterday. I'm surprised they didn't go into the scrape, but maybe that's where the second brood will go. The same male is father of both broods.
Several ringed plovers on the move then.

 

[Woodchat]

.......

Finally two guys came briefly into the hide with two dogs, not on leads. They left after a few seconds and the 30 seconds later everything got up. We were looking for raptors, but it was the two guys walking out from the hide towards the public footpath. I called them back and both Andy P and I asked them what they were doing. There followed a few exchanges along the lines of "What's it got to do with you?" but they did return along the boardwalk... and then hopped over the fence into the transmitter field and accessed the footpath from there :C. Hopefully they've got the message, but they did say they'd walked that way before so I guess they will again if there's no one there or they're not challenged.

The Duke of Edinburgh kids were attempting to cut along there last week till I told them to stick to the public footpath - then I had a quiet word with their coordinators / leaders. I think that the 'NO ACCESS' message needs to be spelled out more clearly / made more obvious that it is a no-through route. :t:

 

[upstarts1979]

Got a feeling that could tern into another sterna lecture about how its virtually impossible to rescue floating chicks (and how they sort themselves out in the end) based on previous experiences.

If and when the Trust replaces the screening to the hide approach perhaps we could fashion something for the discarded panels. With hindsight its a shame we disposed of the wooden door that previously gave access to the front of the hide. We need to block off any line of sight to the public footpath to deter temptation.

We'll sort it, even if me and Vern have to stand guard8-P.
I do think there is a map going around that does show the entrance to the Flashes as part of a public footpath. I have encountered many nice, genuine people walking along the path, thinking it was part of the public footpath.

 

[Phil Andrews]

Several ringed plovers on the move then.

Looks like it - there were no Ringed Plover at the Flashes this morning whilst Mike presumably didnt encounter either the Moors' Ringie or the Sanderling mid/late afternoon. Blithfield had 10+ Sandlering today whilst Belvide's third (greedy b@st@rds ) Spotted Sand must be lurking somwhere in the region.

 

[Phil Andrews]

We'll sort it, even if me and Vern have to stand guard8-P.
I do think there is a map going around that does show the entrance to the Flashes as part of a public footpath. I have encountered many nice, genuine people walking along the path, thinking it was part of the public footpath.

The OS map does show a path (albeit not a public footpath) running around the Sailing Pool and then down the Flashes' access path, across the back of the hide and then joining the public footpath. The OS map also shows a path (again not a public footpath) running from the Moors Pool's West Hide along the southern boundary of the pool around to the East Hide! :eek!: Perhaps the Trust need to have a word with the OS before they publish their next update.

 

[Muntjac]

Action from today

Lots going on today (and lots of people holding their breath the little Oyk managed to get back up the bank after its swim!). A couple from the Flashes including the Sanderling which had some grief from an Avocet.

 

[Muntjac]

A few more

And then there were some issues between an angry BHG and a family of Canada Geese that became a bit heated - caption competition for the last one (as long as they're clean!!)?

 

[binus1963]

some from today

lapwing, lrp, oystercatcher, 2x lrp's and tufted. also on unwanted visitors there were three youngsters in the hide on the moors downstairs it was hard work explaining its private and they thought it was a public footpath, they were thick as pig doo dah.

 

[John Sirrett]

Hi Gert (and Des)

Both moths photographed are 1738 Common Carpets. It can be quite a variable moth but the blunt outer projection on the dark central forewing cross band and the wavy black line bisecting the central white band on fore and hindwing would be diagnostic. Although moths do appear at odd times with weather conditions as they are at the moment it would I suggest be too early for the scarce and local Wood Carpet, which as Des says has not been recorded at Upton. Lovely photos.

John

Spent the morning on the Moors. Cuckoo was the highlight when I arrived but couldn't see it for a photo.

A Garden Warbler by the 'secret garden' was performing well;

https://soundcloud.com/gert-corfield/garden-warbler-upton-warren

The Moors Plantation was full of bird song;

https://soundcloud.com/gert-corfield/song-thrush-with-other-birds

Anyone want to name the birds singing (excluding the chickens!) ?

Got a picture of the ringed Cetti's Warbler by the gate on the track to the east hide.

Watching the 4 Great Crested Grebe chicks trying to stay on the adults back was highly entertaining as well as when it came to feeding time!

By the Salwarpe, Large Red Damselfly, Azure Damselfly and Beautiful Demoiselle were present - as were Silver-ground Carpet and Wood Carpet (last pic) moths.

A very pleasant morning :t:

 

[binus1963]

last ones

black headed vs canada goose, bhg vs oystercatcher, shellduck is its belly like that through sitting on eggs? lbbg having taken bhg and bhg vs coot.

 

[upstarts1979]

black headed vs canada goose, bhg vs oystercatcher, shellduck is its belly like that through sitting on eggs? lbbg having taken bhg and bhg vs coot.

More violence than in Baghdad8-P

 

[steve_zodiac]

As I was walking back from the east hide this evening a Cettis Warbler was singing from vegetation beside the path just past the gate. It appeared for a few seconds then dropped back down. A couple of minutes later it -or another - began singing further along the path. I say 'or another' because just after that a Cettis was singing from the spot where I had first heard it.

The bird that appeared out of the vegetation definately had no ring on its leg

 

[rollingthunder]

Thanks for the wader clutch info.

With regard to the Oyks - interesting that you have only ever recorded 3, my old notes from Blakeney Point only records 1 nest out of ca30 with 3 and only 1 with 5. I wonder if this is the same female that for, whatever reason, lays a regular small clutch? Is it possible to be the same female or do several birds lay a reduced clutch @ UW?

I suppose birds could lay reduced clutches as a response to seasonal conditions and decide to incubate before a final egg is laid? But, as already stated by Wheatearlp it can be difficult to ascertain quite when a full clutch has been completed and needless disturbance is obviously to be avoided whether the species in question is Schedule 1 :eek!r whatever.....

Phil - i knew that little nugget would provoke and enquiry (that's why it was mentioned)

IIRC it was the year of the Lesser Crested Tern and a whole host of scarcities as well as a bumper year for the breeding Terns (4 species plus a summering Arctic) which i think was 1983 August? Earlier in the Spring sometime late-April i picked up a male KP that had been feeding outside one of the hides. I clocked it on and off for about 3 weeks before my boss came back from a wander and said he had seen the KP (a lifer for him) and said he was a bit dissapointed as it looked 'washed out' and not like the bird i had told him to keep a look out for? Perplexed by this i had a mooch over the next few days and spotted an obvious female whilst i was scoping the Sandwich Terns to show a school party some close up views from the hide.

Over the next few days (mid-May) the male was quite vocal and a decision was taken to pay a single visit which would involve disturbance to the Terns. A brief visit was paid and revealed a full clutch of 4 KP eggs. No further visit was made to the area until incubation should have taken place. The birds were still about but no young were seen despite long periods of observation.

The nest was re-located and the full clutch, which had been deserted for whatever reason was retrieved. The county recorder, at the time, Giles Dunmore was contacted (he regularly 'beat the bushes' on the Point) and he came up and took delivery of the clutch which i believe is/was held @ the Castle Museum in Norwich.

This was, i believe, the first 'proven' breeding for Norfolk. When i say breeding i.e. the first for the species having laid eggs. I have heard of a prior record of a single young, unfledged, bird being fed by an adult in the Holkham/Wells area some years prior to that altho i do not have any details.

Halcyon Days never to be repeated........

Laurie:t:

 

[wheatearlp]

Looks like it - there were no Ringed Plover at the Flashes this morning whilst Mike presumably didnt encounter either the Moors' Ringie or the Sanderling mid/late afternoon. Blithfield had 10+ Sandlering today whilst Belvide's third (greedy b@st@rds ) Spotted Sand must be lurking somwhere in the region.

He did, just didn't mention them as they weren't additions to your sightings :king:

 

[Phil Andrews]

black headed vs canada goose, bhg vs oystercatcher, shellduck is its belly like that through sitting on eggs? lbbg having taken bhg and bhg vs coot.

Certainly looks like a brood patch Trace - with the amount of rabbit burrows that exist at the rear of the sewage meadow (where many birds seem to be loitering in recent days) there is plenty of possible sites if the fence stays fox / badger proof.

 

[Phil Andrews]

IIRC it was the year of the Lesser Crested Tern and a whole host of scarcities as well as a bumper year for the breeding Terns (4 species plus a summering Arctic) which i think was 1983 August? Earlier in the Spring sometime late-April i picked up a male KP that had been feeding outside one of the hides. I clocked it on and off for about 3 weeks before my boss came back from a wander and said he had seen the KP (a lifer for him) and said he was a bit dissapointed as it looked 'washed out' and not like the bird i had told him to keep a look out for? Perplexed by this i had a mooch over the next few days and spotted an obvious female whilst i was scoping the Sandwich Terns to show a school party some close up views from the hide.

Over the next few days (mid-May) the male was quite vocal and a decision was taken to pay a single visit which would involve disturbance to the Terns. A brief visit was paid and revealed a full clutch of 4 KP eggs. No further visit was made to the area until incubation should have taken place. The birds were still about but no young were seen despite long periods of observation.

The nest was re-located and the full clutch, which had been deserted for whatever reason was retrieved. The county recorder, at the time, Giles Dunmore was contacted (he regularly 'beat the bushes' on the Point) and he came up and took delivery of the clutch which i believe is/was held @ the Castle Museum in Norwich.

This was, i believe, the first 'proven' breeding for Norfolk. When i say breeding i.e. the first for the species having laid eggs. I have heard of a prior record of a single young, unfledged, bird being fed by an adult in the Holkham/Wells area some years prior to that altho i do not have any details.

Hi Laurie - the reason I enquired about the year was having recently re-read the Rare Breeding Birds Panel reports available online (1973 to 2009) the only mention of breeding Kentish Plover I came across were a pair in Lincs / Humberside in 1979.

If one has a spare hour or so (perhaps one for those dark winter evenings) I would certainly recommend a browse through these report at http://www.rbbp.org.uk/, not just for the mega rarities such as Spotted Sandpiper or Litte Bittern but also some of the less scarce birds that we encounter at Upton but are on the edge of their breeding range eg Whooper Swan, Pintail, Green Sand, Wood Sand etc.

 

[rollingthunder]

Phil - As you might have already summised - i have waaaaaay too much time on my hands, a half-finished narrowboat will attest to that! I forstall my critics saying i am short of work and funds but they quickly round on me and remind me that i am still able to go on 2/3 foreign birding trips each year.

I am not often silenced.......

Will give the breeding reports a look, i am currently looking at the online BB rarities reports, a couple each week, re-living twitches and other peoples birds

I do not know why the KP info would not be included because the record and eggs (the latter AFAIK) exist i can assure you.

I was second observer for the LCT altho not familiar with the sp i was asked, by the finder, too take as many notes as i could in case it buggered off. This was duly done and submitted only to find that the finder, my boss (who did'nt see it until it was re-located hours later) and a very prominent Norfolk birder noted for the wearing of shorts all year round was credited in the finding:C

I've only ever caught up with another individual in Maroc at Oued Massa which was a nice find. I found it and nobody else was there - just thought i would make the point!

It's not what you know its.................but i'm not bitterB

ATB Laurie:t:

Below - BB report from 1985 with a notable ommission..........my name

 

[steve_zodiac]

Yeah, Laurie, but you're talking Norfolk. You know what its like over there......only Norfolk birders are allowed to find birds in Norfolk.

Its happened to me on several occasions so much so that I stopped submitting records for Norfolk as long ago as 1992.

 

[keithr]

Yeah, Laurie, but you're talking Norfolk. You know what its like over there......only Norfolk birders are allowed to find birds in Norfolk.

Its happened to me on several occasions so much so that I stopped submitting records for Norfolk as long ago as 1992.

What with that and being the only place that my membership does not cover they ARE funny B*******.

"Below - BB report from 1985 with a notable ommission..........my name"
Better the devil you know....NOT.

Keith :t: