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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Upton Warren (14 Viewers)

WFG flew from the campsite field at 1115, circled for ten mins and appeared to land at the Flashes but couldnt be relocated.
 
This morning at the Moors Pool:

2 Mute Swan, 34 Cormorant, 14 Canada Geese, 4 Pochard, 23 Tufted Duck, 11 Shoveler, 48 Teal, 1 Little Grebe, 1 Great Crested Grebe (the first for several weeks), 2 Grey Heron, 98 Lapwing, 9 Snipe, 18 Curlew, 166 Coot, 5 Moorhen, Coal Tit calling from gardens adjoining the east track.

Accompanying the White-fronted Goose at the sailing Pool were 70 Canada Geese and 19 Greylag Geese.

Dave and Des are stuck in for the day so hopefully there should be some further reports later.
 
Just one shot of the EW-fG taking off from the fields at the back of the sailing pool. More later although Dave's still shots (digiscoped) will be better than my hand held offerings...
 

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This morning at the Moors Pool:

2 Mute Swan, 34 Cormorant, 14 Canada Geese, 4 Pochard, 23 Tufted Duck, 11 Shoveler, 48 Teal, 1 Little Grebe, 1 Great Crested Grebe (the first for several weeks), 2 Grey Heron, 98 Lapwing, 9 Snipe, 18 Curlew, 166 Coot, 5 Moorhen, Coal Tit calling from gardens adjoining the east track.

Accompanying the White-fronted Goose at the sailing Pool were 70 Canada Geese and 19 Greylag Geese.

Dave and Des are stuck in for the day so hopefully there should be some further reports later.

I left Des to slog it out. The Eurasian White-fronted Goose was another nice addition to my year list - putting me on 144 with 3 birding days left.

Also today: 35 Redpolls, 20 Siskins and 1 Goldcrest in the ed res / along the Salwarpe. 2 Peregrines (male and female) over the moors.
 

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Here are a couple more of the EW-fG and two from the Moors taken earlier this morning.
I also promised to post a lucky shot of three Little Grebes in one frame from a few weeks ago.
 

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I left Des to slog it out. The Eurasian White-fronted Goose was another nice addition to my year list - putting me on 144 with 3 birding days left.

Also today: 35 Redpolls, 20 Siskins and 1 Goldcrest in the ed res / along the Salwarpe. 2 Peregrines (male and female) over the moors.

Thanks for the text Dave - the WFG gets me to 133 - well ahead of my 127 last year:t:
 
Missed the WFG as we were on our way back from Dorset, although I have to say if one landed on my lap I would'nt of had a clue what it was 8-P
 
I can't add very much to the sightings already posted, except Little Grebe became two.

The White-fronted Goose ie its head and upper neck, was just visible from the boardwalk at the Flashes: it appeared to be in a depression in front of the 'new hide' and may well have been out of sight since appearing to land at the Flashes this morning. Visitors to the Flashes, some of whom were new to the reserve or holiday visitors and expecting to use the hide, were told of the presence of the goose and advised to view at a suitable distance.


Des.
 
I can't add very much to the sightings already posted, except Little Grebe became two.

The White-fronted Goose ie its head and upper neck, was just visible from the boardwalk at the Flashes: it appeared to be in a depression in front of the 'new hide' and may well have been out of sight since appearing to land at the Flashes this morning. Visitors to the Flashes, some of whom were new to the reserve or holiday visitors and expecting to use the hide, were told of the presence of the goose and advised to view at a suitable distance.

Des.
Cheers Des - what time did you last see the goose?

The lack of a hide after eight weeks (and seemingly another couple until it and all the associated works are completed) is woeful and deeply embarassing. I am glad I am no longer a warden and have to try to explain away this monumental &%#@ up.

EDIT: I note that the Trust website is now reporting that "the new hide is expected to re-open by the end of January 2012"
 
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Cheers Des - what time did you last see the goose?

The lack of a hide after eight weeks (and seemingly another couple until it and all the associated works are completed) is woeful and deeply embarassing. I am glad I am no longer a warden and have to try to explain away this monumental &%#@ up.

At about 14.45 Phil.


Des.
 
Cheers Des - what time did you last see the goose?

The lack of a hide after eight weeks (and seemingly another couple until it and all the associated works are completed) is woeful and deeply embarassing. I am glad I am no longer a warden and have to try to explain away this monumental &%#@ up.

EDIT: I note that the Trust website is now reporting that "the new hide is expected to re-open by the end of January 2012"


It's pretty pathetic isn't it !!!
 
Staff from the Trust have informed us that they do ocasionally drop into the Forum, so the floor is open to them should they wish to outline the processes and timescales from start to finish for the procurement and construction of the new hide at the Flashes ........
 
I'm not sure what it will take to shake the Trust out of their apparent complacency. We have informed them that the Avocets are now returning in mid-February and if the hide isn't finished before then there will be a lot of very dissatisfied customers. The contracted builders have missed deadline after deadline so I don't have a lot of confidence that they will meet the current one either. They never seem to be on-site doing any work! :C

Back to today's birding - pretty quiet. No sign of the WFG this morning, just 19 Greylags with the Canada flock. An adult Common Gull lingered around the moors, 18 Curlews, a few Snipes and a Peregrine. ~20 Lesser Redpolls in the trees at the back of the hen pool, 2 Ravens over the flashes and a Goldcrest in the ed res.
 
I'm not sure what it will take to shake the Trust out of their apparent complacency. We have informed them that the Avocets are now returning in mid-February and if the hide isn't finished before then there will be a lot of very dissatisfied customers.

Obviously I'm no expert but given the potential disturbance to rare birds at a crucial time for establishing breeding territories, and the lack of monitoring by wardens which would result from the lack of a hide, I'd hope the Trust would be well aware of the impact of not meeting an end of Jan deadline.

I don't really know the legislation but even if they didn't face official sanction they would be opening themselves up to rather more serious criticism and a great deal of bad publicity if their actions had such a negative effect on the wildlife in their care. I'm optimistic that this will prove even more motivation than anything "customers" could do. (Let's face it they already have a lot of very dissatisfied customers which doesn't seem to be motivating them adequately at present.)

Paul
 
Flashes work party - 8th January

For those of you feeling the effects of an over-indulgant Christmas, the first work party of the year at the Flashes is on Sunday 8th January, commencing at 10am.

Work will include a thorough inspection of the fox proof fencing (together with the planning of works to the fence to be undertaken in February) and further scrub management work to three main areas - the bramble patch by the steps, the hedge line between the feeding station hide and Hen Pool hide (as worked on in December) and the blackthorn around the feeding station itself.

Light refreshments (squash and biscuits) will provided, along with tools. Please wear old, warm clothes and boots / wellies.

Provisional dates for the following work parties are Sundays 5th February and 4th March - work will comprise of reinfocement to the fox-proof fencing, clearing the islands of vegetation and strimming the islands and foreshore ahead of the breeding season.

A further ad hoc work party may be required if there are additional "tidying up" works need upon the eventual completion of the hide.
 

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