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Upton Warren (11 Viewers)

Craigs report from the Flashes :-
This evening a large flock of 600 starlings were flushed off the north fields by a passing peregrine. This reflects the recent increase in numbers moving through
over the last few days. They seem to be loosely associated with the increasing number of winter thrushes that are now passing through on route to Scandinavia.
21 curlew and the redshank was still in the 'delta' with a green sand :t:

Craig also mentioned an entry in the Flashes log....Goshawk this afternoon.he didn't recognise the initials
 
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Spring peak numbers and resulting breeding activity for Avocet is as follows:

2003 - spring peak of 2 - 1 pair nested at the Flashes
2004 - spring peak of 2 - 1 pair nested at the Flashes
2005 - spring peak of 2 - 1 pair nested at the Flashes
2006 - spring peak of 4 - 2 pairs nested at the Flashes
2007 - spring peak of 8 (late April) - 2 pairs nested at the Flashes
2008 - spring peak of 11 (24th April) - 4 pairs nested at the Flashes
2009 - spring peak of 13 (31st March) - 2 pairs nested at the Flashes
2010 - spring peak of 15 (15th April) - 4 pairs nested at the Flashes; 1 pair nested at the Moors Pool
2011 - spring peak of 19 (9th April) - 8 pairs nested at the Flashes
2012 - spring peak of 17 (1st April) - 5 pairs nested at the Flashes
2013 - spring peak of 27 (26th May) - 13 pairs nested at the Flashes
2014 - spring peak of 32 (15th April + several dates after) - 13 pairs nested at the Flashes; 2 pairs nested at the Moors Pool (1 of which relocated to the Flashes)
2015 - spring peak of 28 to date (13th March)

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.
 
This morning Dave J reports:

26 Avocets, Chiffchaff, 2 Sand Martin, Meadow Pipit, 20 Fieldfare - Flashes
3 Sand Martin, 2 Chiffchaff - Sailing Pool

Also 5 Gadwall, 68 Shoveler, 5 Cetti's Warbler, 30 Fieldfare, 400 Starling
 
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This morning Dave J reports:

26 Avocets, Chiffchaff, 2 Sand Martin, Meadow Pipit, 20 Fieldfare - Flashes
3 Sand Martin, 2 Chiffchaff - Sailing Pool

Gert's highlights for this morning include:

4 Little Egret, 15 Curlew, 6 Oystercatcher, 26 Avocet, 3 Chiffchaff, 1 Blackcap, 2 Sand Martin
 
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.
 
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Here's my list from both sides of the reserve this morning:

Sand Martin, Avocet, Oystercatcher, Curlew, Moorhen, Coot, Great Crested Grebe, Canada Goose, Mallard, Shelduck, Teal, Black-Headed Gull, Carrion Crow, Woodpigeon, Chiffchaff, Stock Dove, Pied Wagtail, Long-Tailed Tit, Blue Tit, Dunnock, Wren, Robin, Blackbird, Lapwing, Lesser Black-Backed Gull, Jackdaw, Magpie, Cormorant, Herring Gull, Little Grebe, Shoveler, Buzzard, Gadwall, Little Egret, Tufted Duck, Mute Swan, Goldfinch and Starling.

Chris
 
Yesterday - Rob Guest's atmospheric photo of 3 little egrets in the dead oak tree close to the cuckoo hide.
 

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On reaching the halfway point of the month, March's list has already surpassed January and is level with February's total on 83 species.

Possible additions for the remainder of the month include (year ticks in bold):

Wigeon, Pintail, Goldeneye, Goosander, Bittern, Dunlin, Golden Plover, Ringed Plover, Little Ringed Plover, Woodcock, Yellow-legged Gull, Tawny Owl, Little Owl, Swallow, House Martin, Nuthatch, Wheatear, Willow Warbler, Siskin, Brambling, House Sparrow, Yellowhammer
 
Craig also mentioned an entry in the Flashes log....Goshawk this afternoon.he didn't recognise the initials

Goshawk remains a highly prized sighting at Upton Warren with few of the reports actually resulting in submission to / acceptance by the County Recorder. Details of the 14 accepted records are as follows:

25th August 1991 - male at the Flashes - Steve Whitehouse, Rob Wardle, David Wright
26th September 1992 - immature at the Moors Pool - Stuart Croft, Andy Warr, Mike Wakeman, Gordon Greaves, Arthur Jacobs
11th April 1994 - unknown sex / age / location - Arthur Jacobs
3 dates between 31st October and 15th November 1994 - male at the Flashes - Paul Anstis, Arthur Jacobs
Unknown date in 1996
23rd March 1996 - immature - Stuart Croft, Paul Anstis
11th May 1997 - male in the Education Reserve, Stuart Croft, Paul Croft
27th January 1998 - North Moors - Stuart Croft
10th May 1998 - female at the Flashes - Geoff Wardle, Rob Wardle
14th September 2000 - female in the Education Reserve - Terry Hinnett
23rd January 2002 - female at the Moors Pool - Arthur Jacobs
15th April 2008 - female over the Education Reserve - Dave Walker, Phil Andrews
21st February 2009 - two in courtship display over the Flashes - Phil Andrews
23rd, 24th and 30th January 2010 - male at the Moors Pool / Education Reserve - Phil Andrews, Pat Farmer, John Hingley, Alan Hambury

The bird observed on the 11th May 1997 was one of seven species of raptor noted on the reserve that day.

The species is rarely twitchable although the 2010 sighting was viewable on and off for decent periods on the 23rd and 24th and is only the second Goshawk I have ever seen perched up.
 
Tuesday's MOORS work party

Tomorrow will see the final time we go out in to Amy's marsh.
We will bringing the tern rafts in-well two of them. The large one will be left and 'covered'.
We will be re-launching them in late May.
We will also be planting hedge plants along the west track. the species will include hawthorn, spindle, hazel and guelder rose. Any left over will be planted at the Hen pool next to the archery field.
Tree guards will be placed around other hawthorns that were planted by the contractors.
If time allows we will also put up a barn owl box and finish off the log jam in the Salwarp.
Hope you can make it.:t:John
 
Highlights this morning were 3 Sand Martin at the sailing lake and 2 Treecreeper together by the steps to the flashes. Also seen were the pair of dark Canadas, 11 Shelduck, 2 Little Egret, 4 Oystercatcher, 8 Snipe, 11 Curlew, 4 Redwing and 20 Linnet.
Geoff.
 
Highlights this morning were 3 Sand Martin at the sailing lake and 2 Treecreeper together by the steps to the flashes. Also seen were the pair of dark Canadas, 11 Shelduck, 2 Little Egret, 4 Oystercatcher, 8 Snipe, 11 Curlew, 4 Redwing and 20 Linnet.
Geoff.

John - have we got any Treecreeper nest boxes deployed between the steps and feeding station; this is always a favoured area at the Flashes
 

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