[upstarts1979]

I arrived just as the first few BHG's were moving off from their night time roost.
From now until late September the number of roosting birds in front of the new hide will increase. For those that have never witness this event, it is certainly worth the effort. I know you are not going to see thousands of rare birds in an exotic location. But to see so many birds rammed into a relatively small area, that is no more than 4 acres (the area between the 2 flashes and adjoining habitat) is amazing. However by 6am the majority of birds had left for their feeding grounds. Today by 6.30am the spectacle had disappeared. What's also rewarding, is testing your skills at identifying birds in poor light and silhouette. It is surprising how birds shape changes when in full light and features appear that aren't really there. As the sun comes up over the 'north fields' the show is almost over.
Today's sightings before 6.30am:
Teal, 10, shoveler 2, shelduck 2 juvs, mallard 255 (min), tufted 3 adults and a fresh brood of 4 chicks which accompanied the older chick and its mother. Canada goose 120+, ross's goose (escape), coot 10, moorhen 15, water rail 2 juvs and a calling adult, mute swan 2, Curlew 26, green sand 14, common sand 1, LRP juv, dunlin adult, black tailed godwit adult, lapwing 74, BHG 1000 +, LBBG, common gull 2 adults.

After 7am birds started to flyover and the passerines grabbed the first ray's of the sun as they foraged through the hedgerows.
Species included: Peregrine stooping low over the flashes, herring gull 3, grey heron, several flocks of jackdaw, a group of 10 swallows moved through. In the bushes were reed warblers, blackcap, chiffchaff singing and others(5) foraged. A willow warbler emitted a sub song and a song thrush sang from the steps area, while a juvenile called near the hide. Many more regular passerines appeared in the scrubland by the 1st Flash hide. Green and great spotted wood peckers called from behind the hide and finally a Yellow wagtail flew over calling.
John

[forgetfulelephant]

Images from recent visits:

1. Moorhen feeding Dragonfly to young.
2. The Flasher!
3. Greylag Geese.
4. Female Blackcap.
5. Chiffchaff?

Rob

[upstarts1979]

The Moors from 8.30am until 9.30am
From the east hide: It was good to see that our efforts on Tuesday paid dividends, a small group of lapwing (12) and a snipe dropped onto the east island. The overall 'open vista' should hopefully see more waders drop in over the next few weeks. I didn't stay long so not a complete list of the birds on site..but here is what I did see.
GCG 4, little grebe 2, cormorant 7, greylag 9, mute swan 2 ads + 3 cygnets, little owl, buzzard, swift, swallow, calling warblers - blackcap, chiffchaff, willow warbler, reed warbler, and a sedge warbler feeding young in front of east hide.

[forgetfulelephant]

Originally Posted by upstarts1979

The Moors from 8.30am until 9.30am
From the east hide: It was good to see that our efforts on Tuesday paid dividends, a small group of lapwing (12) and a snipe dropped onto the east island. The overall 'open vista' should hopefully see more waders drop in over the next few weeks. I didn't stay long so not a complete list of the birds on site..but here is what I did see.
GCG 4, little grebe 2, cormorant 7, greylag 9, mute swan 2 ads + 3 cygnets, little owl, buzzard, swift, swallow, calling warblers - blackcap, chiffchaff, willow warbler, reed warbler, and a sedge warbler feeding young in front of east hide.

I can add C. Tern. Kingfisher. juvenile Herring Gull & Juv L.B. Backed 2. Stock Dove 2. A family group of 3 Buzzard performed round the masts.

[forgetfulelephant]

Some more pics:

1. Small Tortoiseshell & Hover Fly (Sphaerophoria scripta possibly)
2. Buzzard family
3. Buzzards
4. And one for upstarts cos he luvs em!

Rob

[upstarts1979]

Originally Posted by forgetfulelephant

Some more pics:

1. Small Tortoiseshell & Hover Fly (Sphaerophoria scripta possibly)
2. Buzzard family
3. Buzzards
4. And one for upstarts cos he luvs em!

Rob

Great reflection shot of the Lapwing RobJohn

[ADRIANS PHOTOGRAPHY]

Love the Lapwing photograph great capture, are the Oystercatchers still around as I visited the Sandwell rspb yesterday for an hour and there's have now left.

[Woodchat]

Originally Posted by shhh

thanks for the info john,

yes, that was the survey i meant

i was hoping it was part of an ongoing monitoring of aquatic/benthic invertebrates.

regarding the nutrient levels, i was wondering if the flooding this summer might have raised them significantly.

cheers

jon

Hi Jon,

Your point regarding nutrient levels is an interesting one and something that has cropped up in the past:

A couple of years ago the Trust commissioned a hydrology survey by an external contractor and several of us (volunteer wardens) were invited to a meeting with them. One of the suggested actions of that meeting was to monitor all aspects of water quality. Andy Harris has overall responsibility for UW so it fell on him to organise things. However, to my knowledge, nothing has really happened on that score since then - possibly due to lack of funds (giving them the benefit of the doubt.)

I personally, would like to see the following tests done on a regular basis:

• Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) - a measure of organic pollution / nutrient enrichment.
  
• Nitrate Levels
  
• Phosphate levels
  

Together, these would give an idea as to whether anthropogenic eutrophication is occuring - e.g. via agricultural run-off during flooding events.

I have suggested the further analyses (outlined above) to Andy Harris in subsequent discussions with him, offering to source the necessary analytical services if required. However, nothing really came of it - again possibly due to lack of funds.

I measure the salinity of the flashes off my own back in order to satisfy my own curiosity more than anything. I have put one or two posts on here regarding the results of that survey.

I have also suggested to AH that it would be very useful to get a full elemental analysis (via ICP-AES) done as this would elucidate the composition of salts present in the flashes - from my conductivity survey it is obvious that significant amounts of divalent / multivalent ions are present (in other words its not just NaCl).

All these analyses would give a much fuller picture regarding the water-chemistry of the flashes - however, I'm not going to fund them myself and, so far, the Trust has not facilitated me to initiate any studies of this kind so I can only assume that they're not that bothered or they don't really take my advice too seriously. It seems they don't take the imminent, devastating encroachment of Phragmites on the flashes too seriously either but that is another story (although there could be a causal link)

[CaveLight]

Originally Posted by forgetfulelephant

Some more pics:

1. Small Tortoiseshell & Hover Fly (Sphaerophoria scripta possibly)
2. Buzzard family
3. Buzzards
4. And one for upstarts cos he luvs em!

Rob

I also love Lapwings. Great shot!

[forgetfulelephant]

Originally Posted by ADRIANS PHOTOGRAPHY

Love the Lapwing photograph great capture, are the Oystercatchers still around as I visited the Sandwell rspb yesterday for an hour and there's have now left.

Thanks Adrian. The only report os Oystercatcher that I remember from recently was a flyover so no, none around although maybe some will drop in.

Rob

[ADRIANS PHOTOGRAPHY]

many thanks for the reply

Kind Regards

BCB

[woodwolf]

Bad year for butterflies. Only seen 2 Common Blues at the reserve this year and not able to find any Brown Argus yesterday. The whites have picked up a little, and Peacock numbers were up slightly from last weekend.

Peacock
Greeen-veined White
Yellow Shell

[shhh]

[quote=Woodchat;2509742]I measure the salinity of the flashes off my own back in order to satisfy my own curiosity more than anything. I have put one or two posts on here regarding the results of that survey.[quote]

thanks for the reply and the salinity data - much appreciated

jon

[Phil Andrews]

IF you believe the BBC forecast the conditions on Sunday look really good - warm, easterly winds and rain. Make your excuses now!

[upstarts1979]

Originally Posted by Phil Andrews

IF you believe the BBC forecast the conditions on Sunday look really good - warm, easterly winds and rain. Make your excuses now!

If that is the case Phil, we should organise a ROTA for both sides of the reserve to be covered from 5am until 9.30pm. I will do 1.30 pm until dark.

mind you the first couple of hours will be spent dismantling the west/bittern hide interior fittings.

[Phil Andrews]

Originally Posted by upstarts1979

If that is the case Phil, we should organise a ROTA for both sides of the reserve to be covered from 5am until 9.30pm. I will do 1.30 pm until dark.

mind you the first couple of hours will be spent dismantling the west/bittern hide interior fittings.

You know as well as I do how reliable the BBC forecast can be Its an easterly as well on Saturday so it may drag some Black Terns or similar across from the continent.

[ADRIANS PHOTOGRAPHY]

Hi phil the forecast I use for the twitter account show Sunday as a very wet and quite cool day with only a 10% chance of bright spells if thats any help.

Oh a silly question here whats happening Sunday and what does ROTA stand for?

[Phil Andrews]

Originally Posted by ADRIANS PHOTOGRAPHY

Hi phil the forecast I use for the twitter account show Sunday as a very wet and quite cool day with only a 10% chance of bright spells if thats any help.

Oh a silly question here whats happening Sunday and what does ROTA stand for?

ROTA = Rarity Observers Tracking Avians (or just John's enthusiam for using capitals )

BBC shows "one drop of rain" with temps of 22C for Sunday. Confusing isnt it!

[ADRIANS PHOTOGRAPHY]

Maybe one day between all the weather casts they may get one Right but hey who cares as long as we can go birding

[upstarts1979]

Originally Posted by Phil Andrews

ROTA = Rarity Observers Tracking Avians (or just John's enthusiam for using capitals )

like it good call

[Phil Andrews]

Wheatearlrp reports the Blackwit still present this evening at the Flashes, together with 17 Green Sands. A Crossbill flew over at 7:05pm!! (as per S Roper)

Crossbill is the 86th species for August already; over 100 should be achievable for this month.

[upstarts1979]

This is the pressure chart for Sunday morning (T+72) . In simple terms: high pressure over northern Europe should entice migrants to move and then the low pressure over north west France, should force the birds down over the UK. John

http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/..._pressure.html

[PeterE]

Originally Posted by upstarts1979

The Moors from 8.30am until 9.30am
From the east hide: It was good to see that our efforts on Tuesday paid dividends, a small group of lapwing (12) and a snipe dropped onto the east island.

John,

You'll be pleased to know that by noon yesterday the lapwings had reached at least 60 in number. Hearteningly there were quite a few young amongst them. So they are breeding successfully somewhere if not at UW (yet).

Peter

[upstarts1979]

Originally Posted by PeterE

John,

You'll be pleased to know that by noon yesterday the lapwings had reached at least 60 in number. Hearteningly there were quite a few young amongst them. So they are breeding successfully somewhere if not at UW (yet).

Peter

good to hear Pete and welcome back.
We did have a good colony of Lapwing in the past. When Amy's was first created 19 years ago, we had 9 pairs there. The Flashes formerly hosted a good sized colony, but encroaching rank vegetation and the march of the phragmites has curtailed breeding. However a bit of judicious management and a bit of tweaking here and there, could see their return, as well as the redshank. john

[Spoonbill Finder]

Female Goosander at Moors Pool.