Upton Warren (17 Viewers)

[upstarts1979]

Tomorrow we will be having a short work party pulling Ragwort from a couple of areas around the 2nd flash. This is to prevent the cattle from eating it as it doesn't do them any good.
Need gloves and possibly wellies but definitely walking boots.
Plan to start at 9am..obviously if there are any passage waders then we will postpone the work.
:t:john
ps meet at Avocet hide cheers

Today 8 of us cleared ( pulled out manually) two large areas of Ragwort from the southern meadow and meadow in front of the sewage works.
While walking around the 2nd Flash we came across a couple of interesting areas.
The first was in the SW corner hidden from hide view by a swathe of sedge. This is a very wet open pool where I found last year's Spotted crake. Considering that most of the 2nd flash is dry it is reassuring that there is still some wet areas surviving. I will try and post pics later.
The other area is between the 2nd & 3rd Flash. There was historically channels connecting all 3 Flashes. In time the one between the 3rd & 2nd flash silted up and no longer flowed. This caused the 3rd Flash to expand and deepen. It was a bone of contention as to whether we should clear out the channel and let the water flow into the 2nd. The thought was it would supply enough water to prevent the 2nd flash from drying up. However today we discovered that there is a flow but it is literally drawing into the eadt side of the 2nd flash and is only creating a small damp patch & won't be solving the drought problem.

Thanks to the team today
Bobby P. Bob R. Jim B. Kim W. Paul M. Steve S. Tony B and me. :t:

Birds at Flashes today
Teal 2. Greylag 18. Water rail. Moorhen 14.
Lapwing 119. Green sand.
BHG 3.
Peregrine. Buzzard.
Raven. Rook 2
Green woodp. Kingfisher.
Lesser Whitethroat 2. Whitethroat. Blackcap 3. Chiffchaff. Reed warbler 5.
Linnet 10. Goldfinch 25. Greenfinch. Bullfinch.
Pied wag.
Reed Bunting few.

 

[geoffw1946]

Must have been an old paper Geoff don't remember writing that8-P8-P

Next time I'm in the hide I'll reread it.

 

[geoffw1946]

Coincidentally Geoff we are planning to clear in front of Hen Pool hide next Tuesday :t:
More details later

That's good, I'll be looking for Spotted Crake then.

 

[Phil Andrews]

July finished on 96 species, just below the average of 96.83 species, with the year list advanced to 136.

Things usually pick up in August with the last 5 years producing an average of 106 species; potential additions may be limited due to conditions at the Flashes but could include:

Egyptian Goose, Garganey, Mandarin Duck, Spotted Redshank, Wood Sandpiper, Little Stint, Curlew Sandpiper, Caspian Gull, Little Owl, Whinchat, Tree Pipit, Crossbill

 

[upstarts1979]

From the Moors Pool this morning JTB reports:

Black-tailed Godwit, Green Sandpiper 5, Common Sandpiper, Snipe, Little Grebe 13 adults + 4 or 5 juveniles, Teal 12, Wigeon, Shoveler at least 3, Tufted Duck minimum of 8 broods, Great Crested Grebe adult +chick.

6 Green Sands in the end and one at the FLASHES..
:t:

 

[Phil Andrews]

6 Green Sands in the end and one at the FLASHES..
:t:

"Best" count of return passage so far

 

[Phil Andrews]

From the Flashes this morning Des J reports:

Male Redstart in the transmitter field hedge, 91 Lapwing, family party of Cetti's Warbler near the Hen Pool

 

[upstarts1979]

Mike Lilley from the Worcestershire Wildlife Trust will be carrying out a botanical survey at the FLASHES and Hen Pool today.. The Trust did contact me to make sure we hadn't got any unusual birds on the FLASHES. As good a time as any to do surveys. The water is very low and It will take a lot of heavy rain to wet the surface..The Moors will probably host most passage waders and don't forget to check along the SW marsh shore line from the East hide. :t: john

 

[Phil Andrews]

From the Moors Pool Andy P reports:

Black-tailed Godwit, 3 juvenile Shelduck circled over, 32 Lapwing, 4 Green Sandpiper, 2 Snipe, 7 Teal, 2 Shoveler, eclipse drake Wigeon, 3 Common Tern plus 2 chicks.

 

[UW82]

Today's highlights:

MOORS/N MOORS*
Yellow Legged Gull (ad)+ 2 x 2s--------Herring Gull (15)
L B B Gull (c190)-----------------------------B H Gull (c250)
Black Tailed Godwit-----------------------Green Sand (3)
Lapwing (90)---------------------------------Common Tern (2) + 2 young
Teal (9) (3)*----------------------------------Shoveler (1)
Gadwall (1)-----------------------------------Wigeon (m)
Little Grebe (18)-----------------------------G C Grebe (1) + juv
Greylag Goose (8)---------------------------Cormorant (3)

FLASHES/SAILING POOL*
Lapwing (95)---------------------------------Cetti's Warbler-Hen Pool area.
Rook (22)-------------------------------------Redstart (m)-feeding from transmitter field hedge.
Peregrine--------------------------------------G C Grebe (2) + juv

Des.

 

[upstarts1979]

From the Moors Pool this morning JTB reports:

Black-tailed Godwit, Green Sandpiper 5, Common Sandpiper, Snipe, Little Grebe 13 adults + 4 or 5 juveniles, Teal 12, Wigeon, Shoveler at least 3, Tufted Duck minimum of 8 broods, Great Crested Grebe adult +chick.

Also 6 swift.

 

[Phil Andrews]

From the Flashes this morning Andy P reports:

89 Lapwing, 14 BH Gull, 13 Stock Dove, Peregrine, Raven, Cetti's Warbler calling near the Hen Brook bridge.

Also 2 Common Tern over Sailing Pool.

 

[Phil Andrews]

From the Moors Pool at midday Andy P reports:

70 Lapwing, 3 Green Sandpiper, 2 Snipe, 3 Common Tern plus 2 chicks, 17 Teal, 6 Shoveler, eclipse drake Wigeon

 

[forgetfulelephant]

Absolute rubbish pic but thought for a minute or two I was going to claim a Red Tailed Hawk for Upton! :-O

 

[Phil Andrews]

From the Moors Pool yesterday evening Joe Owen reported a second summer Med Gull and a juvenile / female Redstart.

 

[Phil Andrews]

Alan H reports from the Moors Pool early morning:

2 Dunlin, 2 Green Sandpiper, 1 Common Sandpiper

 

[Bob O.]

Absolute rubbish pic but thought for a minute or two I was going to claim a Red Tailed Hawk for Upton! :-O

Ha ha! Close but no cigar! Was the Kite dropping onto something Rob?:t::t:

 

[forgetfulelephant]

Ha ha! Close but no cigar! Was the Kite dropping onto something Rob?:t::t:

No Bob, it flew across the N Moors pool to the tree & tried to perch then flew back across the plantation.

 

[wheatearlp]

Ha ha! Close but no cigar! Was the Kite dropping onto something Rob?:t::t:

Kite? It's a Buzzard.

 

[Bob O.]

Kite? It's a Buzzard.

Rob, what was it?