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

Upton Warren (16 Viewers)

Big Metal Birds

Chinooks are quite frequent over Stoke Prior and the one Adrian captured was one of a pair that flew over work - Hanbury Road - yesterday. A sight to behold - you can hear the thud thud thud of the rotors well before you see them - they have to be my personal favourite big metal bird. :-O

Lou
 
Just back from upton. Took me 40 minutes normally takes 18. No cars in the car park and no tracks. Topped feeders up a bit, being careful not to spill any(the birds will do that). thanks to whoever topped them up (Rob/Paul:t:) still 5 rats though., I did poke into the holes which they had disappeared into.
There was quite a large open area of water, stretching from the east to the concrete hide about 30 yards in width.
There was a strange site of snipe huddled together in small groups in the snow around the seasonal pool. A jack snipe flew around a couple of times, as did most of the waders when a buzzard got too close. My first meadow pipit of the year flew over Amy's marsh.
Several thrushes and redpoll were along the east side and the feeding station was well attended with birds.
species count:
GCG 3, Cormorant 1, mute swan 1, teal 1, mallard 30, tufted 15+, pochard 10 min, coot 165, snipe 50 min, jack snipe, curlew 10, lapwing 60, herring gull2, LBBG 1, BHG 120, buzzard, great sp woodp, fieldfare 5, redwing 1, redpoll 12, greenfinch 15, chaffinch 5, reed bunting 10, plus plenty of common garden birds on feeders.
B :)John
 
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Occasionally you get the helicopters going to Birmingham hospital where the military are treated. I was working at Selly Oak a couple of years ago, before they moved to the QE site and an Apache came in and caused quite a crowd to gather as it landed and took off.

They can be a pain as they cross wetlands and put everything up, but its still good to watch.
 
upstarts1979 said:
Just back from upton. Took me 40 minutes normally takes 18. No cars in the car park and no tracks. Topped feeders up a bit, being careful not to spill any(the birds will do that). thanks to who ever topped them up (Rob/Paul:t:) still 5 rats though., I did poke into the holes which they had disappeared into.
There was quite a large open area of water, stretching from the east to the concrete hide about 30 yards in width.
There was a strange site of snipe huddled together in small groups in the snow around the seasonal pool. A jack snipe flew around a couple of times, as did most of the waders when a buzzard got too close. My first meadow pipit of the year flew over Amy's marsh.
Several thrushes and redpoll were along the east side and the feeding station was well attended with birds.
species count:
GCG 3, Cormorant 1, mute swan 1, teal 1, mallard 30, tufted 15+, pochard 10 min, coot 165, snipe 50 min, jack snipe, curlew 10, lapwing 60, herring gull2, LBBG 1, BHG 120, buzzard, great sp woodp, fieldfare 5, redwing 1, redpoll 12, greenfinch 15, chaffinch 5, reed bunting 10, plus plenty of common garden birds on feeders.
B :)John
Click to expand...

Well done getting there John. Not me that filled feeders it was Paul yesterday.


Rob
 
forgetfulelephant said:
Well done getting there John. Not me that filled feeders it was Paul yesterday.


Rob
Click to expand...
Thanks Rob :t:
hope you are getting better mate.
B :)John
A few pics from today
1.view from east hide
2.curlew around shingle island
3. snipe to left of hide next to seasonal pool
4. Amy's scrape - snipe island middle left.
5.more snipe on snipe island
 

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keithr said:
Amazing how a species suddenly turns up...hope they stay and in fact a lot more arrive.Would love to get down to see them....they like grazing so wonder if they will have a munch below the East hide....
Keith :t:
P.S. had a go at enlarging the graph.
Click to expand...

There were 29 Wigeon at Camp Lane Pit Grimley on Sunday - possibly same birds?

Patch
 
upstarts1979 said:
Just back from upton. Took me 40 minutes normally takes 18. No cars in the car park and no tracks. Topped feeders up a bit, being careful not to spill any(the birds will do that). thanks to who ever topped them up (Rob/Paul:t:) still 5 rats though., I did poke into the holes which they had disappeared into.
There was quite a large open area of water, stretching from the east to the concrete hide about 30 yards in width.
There was a strange site of snipe huddled together in small groups in the snow around the seasonal pool. A jack snipe flew around a couple of times, as did most of the waders when a buzzard got too close. My first meadow pipit of the year flew over Amy's marsh.Several thrushes and redpoll were along the east side and the feeding station was well attended with birds.
species count:
GCG 3, Cormorant 1, mute swan 1, teal 1, mallard 30, tufted 15+, pochard 10 min, coot 165, snipe 50 min, jack snipe, curlew 10, lapwing 60, herring gull2, LBBG 1, BHG 120, buzzard, great sp woodp, fieldfare 5, redwing 1, redpoll 12, greenfinch 15, chaffinch 5, reed bunting 10, plus plenty of common garden birds on feeders.
B :)John
Click to expand...

First for the year for the reserve as well John - now 79 for 2013
 
upstarts1979 said:
Thanks Rob :t:
hope you are getting better mate.
B :)John
A few pics from today
1.view from east hide
2.curlew around shingle island
3. snipe to left of hide next to seasonal pool
4. Amy's scrape - snipe island middle left.
5.more snipe on snipe island
Click to expand...

Getting there John thanks. :t: Got UW withdrawal symptoms now! :-C

Rob
 
With regard to local or visiting aircraft movements....

The practice ranges in North Wales around Lake Vyrnwy and Mach'lyth means that fast jets and bigger things regularly commute from the East coast. These include regular Tornado's and Harriers (the ones that are still left) as well as F15's from Lakenheath and visiting US bombers from Fairford and Mildenhall. I have had B1's and B52's over the West Midlands as well as all other types over the years. Frequency and type are less varied and frequent these days due to budget constraints and aircraft going out of service.

Most unusual, about 4 years ago was, whilst sitting outside 'The Cross' PH in Kinver B :)after a couple of hours birding was the arrival and circling of a pair of 'Stealth' B2 bombers:eek!:, according to my mil-radio, they were awaiting a refueling tanker from Mildenhall as they had flown from Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean and were taking fuel on board prior to crossing 'the pond' and returning to base in Missouri.

Unlikely to be repeated, the equivalent of a 'First for Britain' for me altho i have seen them at airshows etc.

Keep your eyes to the skies and listen and if you hear a fast jet and visibility is good then look well ahead of the sound. Sometimes if the planes are above 30,000 feet you can hear them break the sound barrier if they are authorised. I had 3 Tornado's over Bridgnorth several years ago that did just that. A sharp audible series of 3 'cracks' as the wings swung in close to the fuselage

Happy hunting whether it's birds or planes

Laurie:t:
 

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rollingthunder said:
With regard to local or visiting aircraft movements....

The practice ranges in North Wales around Lake Vyrnwy and Mach'lyth means that fast jets and bigger things regularly commute from the East coast. These include regular Tornado's and Harriers (the ones that are still left) as well as F15's from Lakenheath and visiting US bombers from Fairford and Mildenhall. I have had B1's and B52's over the West Midlands as well as all other types over the years. Frequency and type are less varied and frequent these days due to budget constraints and aircraft going out of service.

Most unusual, about 4 years ago was, whilst sitting outside 'The Cross' PH in Kinver B :)after a couple of hours birding was the arrival and circling of a pair of 'Stealth' B2 bombers:eek!:, according to my mil-radio, they were awaiting a refueling tanker from Mildenhall as they had flown from Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean and were taking fuel on board prior to crossing 'the pond' and returning to base in Missouri.

Unlikely to be repeated, the equivalent of a 'First for Britain' for me altho i have seen them at airshows etc.

Keep your eyes to the skies and listen and if you hear a fast jet and visibility is good then look well ahead of the sound. Sometimes if the planes are above 30,000 feet you can hear them break the sound barrier if they are authorised. I had 3 Tornado's over Bridgnorth several years ago that did just that. A sharp audible series of 3 'cracks' as the wings swung in close to the fuselage

Happy hunting whether it's birds or planes

Laurie:t:
Click to expand...

I take it you saw the Euro fighters that were buzzing the Black Country last year, as well as helicopters. Sometimes when I'm birding Castlemorton common and the Malverns chinooks pass over to and from Wales.
It seems we've all got an obsession with things that fly, both feathered and mechanical.
 

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