Upton Warren (48 Viewers)

upstarts1979 · Mar 17, 2017

Today at Moors 8.30am - 1.15pm

A very cold WSW wind and cloudy most of the day.

GCG 2. little grebe 11. little egret 3. cormorant 4. greylag 2. Shoveler 44. Teal 12. gadwall 10. Shelduck 5. pochard male. tufted 75.
lapwing pr. Oystercatcher 5.
pheasant. coot 40. water rail 2 north moors calling.
Common gull 1st summer. LBBG 5. Herring gull pr.
Kestrel 2. buzzard. sparrowhawk.
kingfisher . stock dove 35!!this is the highest total I've ever seen at Moors and this is as a direct result of the ploughing in the southern fields.
Redwing 10. song thrush 3 singing. starling c80-100 . pied wag. Cetti's Warbler 3 singing. Chiffchaff 4 singing. meadow pipit 25 in ploughed field.
Siskin 4 east side. Chaffinch. bullfinch 2. greenfinch 4.
Reed bunting 5.

North Moors for the first time this year there were no waterfowl on the open water. Earlier an otter had caught an eel so maybe it could have taken it in there to eat?

Ploughed field south of East hide.
This field has been ploughed in the last few days and was holding good numbers of feeding birds...Worth checking for wheatear etc

upstarts1979 · Mar 17, 2017

The Flashes Today 1.30 pm - 5.30pm

Dare I say BHG seemed to be lower throughout the afternoon, even with birds returning from feeding forays on to the North ploughed fields.
A flock of teal were flushed by the tractor as it approached the 'hidden pool' just north of the sewage works. This boosted the previously low number of 9 birds. Ducks generally a bit lower than of late..but it is nearly spring so they will offski soon - well at least some of them.
The strong winds made for difficult flying conditions for passerines but groups of starlings regularly appeared.

Species Counts Flashes: ( reserve totals)
Teal 45 (55), gadwall 8 (18), Shoveler 18 (62), Shelduck 7 (8), Coot 41 (81 min), cormorant, Curlew 4, Lapwing 36 (38), Avocet 30, snipe 4, Oystercatcher 4 (7-9), Med Gull 1 ad, BHG 600, LBBG 12,
Buzzard 2,
kingfisher 2,
starling 60, fieldfare 3, chiffchaff, greenfinch,

Steve T...had 700 LBBG plus 300 Herring gull. .in the Flashes roost

Sailing Pool: 14(16),

upstarts1979 · Mar 17, 2017

A thanks to Tuesday Crew

This extremely nice 'thank you' appeared on the noticeboard at the East hide .
I also received several complementary and appreciative comments from birders today for the work we are doing on a Tuesday. :t:B

Take a bow 'Crew'

Phil Andrews · Mar 18, 2017

Adult Med Gull and 30 Avocet at the Flashes this morning as per Gert

Phil Andrews · Mar 18, 2017

Little Egret at the Flashes late morning as per Matt Smith

Ravenwing · Mar 19, 2017

Med Gull

In front of the hide at the Flashes about 2.30 yesterday (Sat) afternoon

upstarts1979 · Mar 19, 2017

Ravenwing said:
In front of the hide at the Flashes about 2.30 yesterday (Sat) afternoon

Thanks for posting ...this a different bird to the pair on Tuesday 14th. The head is much more advanced than the duller bird which wouldn't have become that black in 3 days. But more obvious is the gonys angle on the bill. This bird has a long straight narrow bill. The Tuesday bird had a short stubby bill ..note the sharp angle from the tip of lower mabdible this is the gonys - to those that don't know. :t: john

upstarts1979 · Mar 19, 2017

Bobby P at Flashes

Avocet 31. dunlin. lapwing 25
Shelduck 8. gadwall 6. teal. 10. shoveler 36

Crofty adds c10 rooks in North fields. plus ad Med, 3 snipe & 2 chiffs

There was shooting at Hobden Hall farm this morning.
It appears that the Farmer is shooting Canada geese and one wes killed. I have seen this happen several times and reported that the shooting even took place from the footpath. It is not against the law to shoot canada geese if they are damage their crop. As for disturbing schedule 1 breeding birds (avocet ) not sure if that would be classed in this case. Hopefully the shooting will stop soon, I suppose it depends on what crop is planted south of the Moors.:-@

Phil Andrews · Mar 19, 2017

Surely it is illegal to shoot from a public footpath though?

Phil Andrews · Mar 19, 2017

Phil Andrews said:
Surely it is illegal to shoot from a public footpath though?

Full legal position outlined here: http://birdersagainst.org/shooting-near-roads-ways/

Peregrine Trousers · Mar 19, 2017

upstarts1979 said:
Thanks for posting ...this a different bird to the pair on Tuesday 14th. The head is much more advanced than the duller bird which wouldn't have become that black in 3 days. But more obvious is the gonys angle on the bill. This bird has a long straight narrow bill. The Tuesday bird had a short stubby bill ..note the sharp angle from the tip of lower mabdible this is the gonys - to those that don't know. :t: john

How about this one John ?...(from last Thursday)

Birder Gladys · Mar 19, 2017

just some pics from the moors today.

Burberaj · Mar 19, 2017

Ravenwing said:
In front of the hide at the Flashes about 2.30 yesterday (Sat) afternoon

Looks like the same bird I photographed on Friday morning.

upstarts1979 · Mar 20, 2017

Peregrine Trousers said:
How about this one John ?...(from last Thursday)

Same as Friday and Saturday Andy...in my opinion :t:

Phil Andrews · Mar 20, 2017

Adult Med yesterday evening as per Mike W

upstarts1979 · Mar 20, 2017

Work party Tuesday Moors

We are coming to the end of the work for this season, just 2 possibly 3 left now.
Tomorrow will be the final one out on Amy's Marsh so there will be disturbance.
Tasks will include - shoring up the pool banks on pool island. Strengthening the east border fence. Lowering the bramble hedge along east bank of scrape. Readying site for breeding season. :t:john

upstarts1979 · Mar 20, 2017

Droitwich camera club
Several members of the Trust also belong to the Droitwich camera.
One of our wardens/work party colleagues and Droitwich camera club member would like to invite you to a Wildlife photographic evening with Mark Hamblin, on 25th March at Droitwich High School.

see attachment for more details

upstarts1979 · Mar 21, 2017

Tuesday work party Moors (penultimate)

Today 13 of finished off the work in Amy's Marsh.

The bramble hedge running south from the East hide is mostly dead and spindly and also too high. This limits views into the seasonal pool and meadow.
Today we heavily pruned it and the views from the hide are now much improved.

In the SE corner of the meadow the power company pollarded several large willows underneath the cables. Unfortunately they left all the brash in the meadow and on the stock fence today we removed it and burned it.
In conjunction with the bramble clearing the whole area is now open and ideal for ducks and waders.

Thanks to the crew:t:
Bob O, Bobby P, Bob R, Charles, Dave H, Ian, Janet H, Jim B, Keith M, Paul M, Ray C, Roger and me

photos
1 bramble before work
2. work in progress on bramble
3. After work view from East hide.
4. Work in progress in SE corner of meadow
5. after removal

upstarts1979 · Mar 21, 2017

Birding the Reserve Today

The moderate cold SW wind made it feel it more like winter, even in the sun this morning.
The afternoon sleet and rain curtailed the thought of spring.
The duck numbers have certainly declined as per normal, but snipe too seem to have moved on from Amy's marsh. Passerines were very few and far between only siskin moved through.

Species count MOORS:
GCG 2, Little grebe 8, Little egret 2, mute swan 2, greylag 2, Shoveler 31, teal 6, gadwall 4, shelduck , pochard male, tufted 60,
Oystercatcher 4, lapwing 2, curlew, redshank,
BHG 60,
Peregrine, buzzard,
green woodp, cetti's w 2, siskin 3.

Sailing Pool : GCG 19 (21 in total),

FLASHES: All alone from 3.30pm till 7pm, plenty of action though. The BHG's have declined a little, thinking the same with the large gulls until they dropped in late on. I would expect the numbers to start going down as the breeding season gets underway. Lapwing were in fine voice with at least 7 flight displaying and 'singing' ( well its music to my ears), Avocets too were going through the motions. The cattle are really doing the business, creating some great muddy, short grassy feeding areas. I will close the gate to the right of the hide as soon as the waders settle down . But it is important to get the grass as short as possible , but keeping some longer areas for the hopeful return of redshank. At 6.55pm 2 green sands came into roost, but too wet for any chance of Barn owl.

Species Count FLASHES:
Teal 6-8, Gadwall 17 (7prs + 3 males), Shoveler 27, shelduck 7, mallard 51, tufted 4, mute swan pr, coot 46, little egret 2, grey heron,
Avocet 32, curlew 7, oystercatcher 4, snipe 1, green sand 2, lapwing 37, redshank was seen earlier
Med Gull adult, BHG 1600, LBBG 360, Herring gull 35.....99% of large gulls were adult.
kestrel, peregrine,
raven, rook 12 on north fields, stock dove 10+,
starling a lone bird feeding in front of the hide.

Janner Falcon! · Mar 21, 2017

Spring is in the (COLD) air.

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