Redshank
Thanks Phil for taking the time (twice) to answer my query.......I hope they all sort things out so the Redshanks can get a better look in in the future.....used to love seeing them close up from the old hide.
Anyone who has participated in the Flashes' work [arties this winter will hopefully testify that the sewage meadow looks perfect for breeding Redshank, with the grazing transforming it into a damp meadow with areas of standing water.
However Redshank has always been an erratic and unpredictable breeding species at Upton Warren with attempts as follows:
1965 - 2 pairs successfully bred
1968 - 1 or 2 pairs bred
1971 - known to have bred
1972 - 2 pairs bred
1973 - 1 pair bred
1977 - breeding attempted
1981 - 1 pair bred but were unsuccessful
1982 - unsuccessful breeding
1984 - 2 pairs bred; both were unsuccessful
1985 - 2 pairs bred; one was unsuccessful whilst the other fledged 3 young
1990 - 1 pair bred with 3 chicks hatched of which 1 went on to fledge
1991 - 2 pairs bred; one failed to produce any young whilst the other had 2 short-lived chicks
1992 - 2 pairs bred; 2 chicks were hatched but neither fledged
1993 - 4 pairs bred; 3 pairs on the Flashes fledged just one chick whilst the pair at the Moors Pool was unsuccessful
1994 - 4 pairs bred again; 3 pairs at the Flashes were unsuccessful; the pair at the Moors Pool hatched three chicks of which two went on the fledge
1996 - 5 pairs bred; 3 pairs at the Flashes were unsuccessful. Both pairs at the Moors Pool were initially unsuccessful; one abandoned and the other had their clutch trampled by Canada Geese. One pair re-laid in the south-west marsh, fledging three young
2001 - 1 pair bred at the Moors Pool on Amy's Marsh, hatching 4 young all of which were lost
2003 - 2 pairs bred at the Flashes; one was unsuccessful which the other fledged three chicks from the four that hatched
2004 - 1 pair bred on the east island at the Moors Pool with three very small chicks seen on the 18th June but not subsequently
2008 - 1 pair bred at the Flashes; all four chicks hatched went on to successfully fledge
2009 - 1 pair bred unsuccessfully at the Flashes
2010 - mating was noted at the Flashes but no further breeding activity was observed
2013 - a pair scraped at the Flashes in June but no further breeding activity was observed
In a county context, Worcestershire retains a small breeding population, predominately in the south. The last three published West Midland Bird Club annual reports describe the following numbers:
2012 - 6 pairs (3 Ripple, 2 John Bennett, 1 Lower Moor)
2011 - 12 pairs (2 Ripple, 3 John Bennett, 1 Lower Moor, 1 Nafford Lock, 1 Gwen Finch, 1 Grimley, 1 Throckmorton, 1 Ryall Pits, 1 Bredon's Hardwick)
2010 - 6+ pairs (Ripple, Longdon Marsh, GwenFincj, Grimley, Ryall Pits, Wick)
2010 -
Historically Redshank numbers have always peaked in late April; however the reserve's peak count of 13 birds in Amy's Marsh occurred on the 11th November 2006, possibly the result of a cold weather movement from further north.