• Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.

    Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Upton Warren (14 Viewers)

That raises possible problems for whoever buys it then and is great news for conservation, due to the badger act 1992 no work can be carried out within 20 metres of the sett and there are various other laws which I cannot remember. I just recall our lecturer telling us it's a real headache for land owners :t:

The sett is in the north moors plantation, far away from the outdoor education centre land.
 
I think I'm getting a bit confused - is it just the sailing res and surrounds which this involves or is it the reserve as well?

If the RSPB took over would that mean them buying the outdoor centre and then taking over the reserve portion from the Trust? Or am I misunderstanding the relationships between the ownership of the outdoor centre and the reserve.

By the sounds of the article though it's a case of the local authority wanting to have their cake and eat it. In other words they want the savings of not owning the site but still want to be able to offer it to pupils. Which would mean they're unlikely to sell to someone who wanted to prioritise birding/conservation over outdoor activities.

Personally, I'd love to see someone try to run a place like UW commercially and maybe someone at the Trust will have the vision for that but I'd guess they'll argue that it is not their core business.

Sorry to be pragmatic. As a penance I'll buy an extra lottery ticket this week ;)

Paul
 
I think I'm getting a bit confused - is it just the sailing res and surrounds which this involves or is it the reserve as well?

If the RSPB took over would that mean them buying the outdoor centre and then taking over the reserve portion from the Trust? Or am I misunderstanding the relationships between the ownership of the outdoor centre and the reserve.

By the sounds of the article though it's a case of the local authority wanting to have their cake and eat it. In other words they want the savings of not owning the site but still want to be able to offer it to pupils. Which would mean they're unlikely to sell to someone who wanted to prioritise birding/conservation over outdoor activities.

Personally, I'd love to see someone try to run a place like UW commercially and maybe someone at the Trust will have the vision for that but I'd guess they'll argue that it is not their core business.

Sorry to be pragmatic. As a penance I'll buy an extra lottery ticket this week ;)

Paul

Hi Paul - the Trust owns the Flashes and the Moors Pool; WCC own the Sailing Pool, car park, building complex and the Education Reserve. However the entire area is designated as a SSSI.

I think you have hit the nail on the head in that WCC wish to still see UW used for outdoor activity, albeit possibly as a private operation. If this is the case there would be little added value other than say use of one of the buildings and potentially the Education Reserve (albeit it would still be disjointed from the main areas of reserve).

Phil
 
I think I'm getting a bit confused - is it just the sailing res and surrounds which this involves or is it the reserve as well?

If the RSPB took over would that mean them buying the outdoor centre and then taking over the reserve portion from the Trust? Or am I misunderstanding the relationships between the ownership of the outdoor centre and the reserve.

By the sounds of the article though it's a case of the local authority wanting to have their cake and eat it. In other words they want the savings of not owning the site but still want to be able to offer it to pupils. Which would mean they're unlikely to sell to someone who wanted to prioritise birding/conservation over outdoor activities.

Personally, I'd love to see someone try to run a place like UW commercially and maybe someone at the Trust will have the vision for that but I'd guess they'll argue that it is not their core business.

Sorry to be pragmatic. As a penance I'll buy an extra lottery ticket this week ;)

Paul

Paul,

Just to clarify:

Only the sailing centre and surrounds (ed res etc.) are involved in the potential sell-off. This land is, however, covered by the SSSI and there are certain restrictions attached.

You're right that they probably want to retain the outdoor education / leisure facilities and so on without incurring the current costs.

There are certainly no plans to sell any part of the WWT reserve (as far as I know). I just mentioned the RSPB because they are a well-resourced and forward-thinking organisation who always seem to snap up opportunities to buy land adjacent to their reserves when they become available. If the RSPB owned Upton Warren I imagine it would probably be twice its current size. However, this is just wistful thinking.

:t:
 
If the RSPB owned Upton Warren I imagine it would probably be twice its current size. However, this is just wistful thinking.

:t:[/QUOTE]

You're right there Dave!
 
Today's Highlights

I arrived on the Sailing Lake car park at 7.50 this morning.

On the Sailing Lake were 2 Great Crested Grebes, 1 Grey Heron and 1 Cormorant.

Along the path heading towards the Flashes I encountered a small flock of Lesser Redpolls (about 10), some of which landed in the Silver Birches behind the Hen Brook hide. 3 Curlews and a Grey Wagtail also flew over.

From the Feeding Station hide I saw 10 Teal on the first flash.

From the Tower Hide I witnessed 60 Lapwings, 2 Curlews, 8 Meadow Pipits and 1 Skylark plus 2 Redwings in the hedge to the right of the hide. A Buzzard also flew through.

2 Goldcrests were seen on the North Moors walk; one in the bushes behind the hide and the other in those near the bench on the North side.

On the path to the East Hide I saw at least 3 Siskins in one of the Alders plus another Goldcrest mingling with a tit flock.

From the East Hide I counted 8 Pochard, 7 Shovelers, 25 Teal, 1 drake Gadwall, 4 Great Crested Grebes, 1 Little Grebe, 14 Cormorants, 6 Mute Swans, 25 Lapwings and a Sparrowhawk.
 
The sett is in the north moors plantation, far away from the outdoor education centre land.

Ah! when I mentioned a sett I was referring to the sailing pool area, I am aware of the Moors sett. Looks like Des was misinterpreting my meaning, that'll be an age thing ;) only joking Des 8-P
 
Ah! when I mentioned a sett I was referring to the sailing pool area, I am aware of the Moors sett. Looks like Des was misinterpreting my meaning, that'll be an age thing ;) only joking Des 8-P

No problem Gavo. You will just have to frame your arguments a little more accurately in future.

Des. (62 in November):t:
 
Has anyone got a link to somewhere that has more details on the sale of the land?

Really long shot but reckon an email to RSPB, WWT and Natural England won't hurt! If you don't ask you don't get!
 
Arrived fairly early this morning at the Moors car park. Dave Jackson's car was already there so I headed off to the East side of the pools. Immediately confronted by the rancid stench of fox along the causeway, which was only put to the back of my mind bt the closest views I've ever had of a Redwing; so close and so dark that the autofocus on the 7D wouldn't activate at all. Manual focus and a lot very slow exposure gave a totally crap outcome, but I won't forget the views in a hurry.
Between the disabled car park and the East hide I encountered no less than 16 Blackbirds. Furthermore there were 4 cock and three hen pheasants in the cow field behing the east hide.

Dave and I then spent a few hours in the hide and welcomed Terry Norledge who, I think it's fair to say, was less than impressed that the work party had been hijacked to do pre-demolition clear out work behind the Avocet hide on the Flashes! LOL!
Eight, increasing to eleven Snipe showed well on a distant promentary with Terry and Dave scoping them to check for Jacks. After they'd left me another three Snipe flew in and I convinced myself that these were Jack Snipe. Two landed close by straight into cover and the third circled again and landed with the afore-mentioned Snipe in the open. The bird was pre-occupied with bathing and preening. It appeared smaller than its immediate neighbours and appeared to have a short bill. I texted JTB (he didn't get the message until much later) and showed my preview imagery to DJ when I bumped into him later - he was unconvinced. Gladly, I hadn't texted Brian Stretch. I'll whack up a very dodgy (long-range) photo later for you ridicule.

A few flypasts by the Kingfisher then followed until I decamped for the other side of the pools where, later in the day I was joined by Gavo and JTB.
Species counts for me were:
Redwing
Blackbird 18
Pheasant 8
Pochard 18
Teal 31
Snipe 11 + 3
Shoveler 22
Kingfisher
Gadwall
Cormorant 18
GCG 3
Greylag 13
Lapwing 64 - early (low) count never got 'round to recounting
Bullfinch 2
Water Rail 3 (all between the two West Moors hides)
Reed Bunting 3
Little Grebe 2
Curlew 7
Wren 3

Per DJ - Siskin, Redpoll and Goldcrest.

Photos to follow...
Addendum: It's a short billed Snipe by the looks of it.
 

Attachments

  • Snipe.jpg
    Snipe.jpg
    187.5 KB · Views: 116
Last edited:
Arrived fairly early this morning at the Moors car park. Dave Jackson's car was already there so I headed off to the East side of the pools. Immediately confronted by the rancid stench of fox along the causeway, which was only put to the back of my mind bt the closest views I've ever had of a Redwing; so close and so dark that the autofocus on the 7D wouldn't activate at all. Manual focus and a lot very slow exposure gave a totally crap outcome, but I won't forget the views in a hurry.
Between the disabled car park and the East hide I encountered no less than 16 Blackbirds. Furthermore there were 4 cock and three hen pheasants in the cow field behing the east hide.

Dave and I then spent a few hours in the hide and welcomed Terry Norledge who, I think it's fair to say, was less than impressed that the work party had been hijacked to do pre-demolition clear out work behind the Avocet hide on the Flashes! LOL!
Eight, increasing to eleven Snipe showed well on a distant promentary with Terry and Dave scoping them to check for Jacks. After they'd left me another three Snipe flew in and I convinced myself that these were Jack Snipe. Two landed close by straight into cover and the third circled again and landed with the afore-mentioned Snipe in the open. The bird was pre-occupied with bathing and preening. It appeared smaller than its immediate neighbours and appeared to have a short bill. I texted JTB (he didn't get the message until much later) and showed my preview imagery to DJ when I bumped into him later - he was unconvinced. Gladly, I hadn't texted Brian Stretch. I'll whack up a very dodgy (long-range) photo later for you ridicule.

A few flypasts by the Kingfisher then followed until I decamped for the other side of the pools where, later in the day I was joined by Gavo and JTB.
Species counts for me were:
Redwing
Blackbird 18
Pheasant 8
Pochard 18
Teal 31
Snipe 11 + 3
Shoveler 22
Kingfisher
Gadwall
Cormorant 18
GCG 3
Greylag 13
Lapwing 64 - early (low) count never got 'round to recounting
Bullfinch 2
Water Rail 3 (all between the two West Moors hides)
Reed Bunting 3
Little Grebe 2
Curlew 7
Wren 3

Per DJ - Siskin, Redpoll and Goldcrest.

Photos to follow...

Nice little ditty mate.
After you left could only add or subtract the following.
Little grebe 4, Shoveler only 12, Pochard 19 a welcome increase and 2 water rail in front of feeding station hide.
:t:John
 
Tuesday work party at Flashes (just another one off, that's the 3rd now ))

The best turn out of the new season with 15 of us (which didn't include the governor Paul M:smoke:)
We tackled the cut phragmites in front of the 3rd flash reed bed. It had been lying for a couple of months and was extremely heavy and wet. This was a real team effort, raking, piling into canvas sacks and dragging it to a few metres short of the perimeter fence. Although from the hide it didn't look a big task, it really was a chore. This brings an end to the removal of all the cuttings from the south and east side of the 2nd Flash. ( totalling 70 man hours).
Our 2nd task was to clear beneath the main hide. Here we have collected wood, metal scaffolding, posts anything I could nick from work basically over the last 15 years.
Pics
1 and 2.It was difficult to capture the work on film so here is the east shore after clearing.
3. The cleared hide ..to those who had never seen it, believe me it was a 'scrap yard' all good stuff though...honest8-P
4. No water on sunday 30th Oct
5. And Now the real thing ..this is not a mirage this is WATER:eek!::eek!::eek!: on the Flashes

the only negative today was that while clearing under the hide, we disturbed 12 Peacock. However we built a new hibernation area with the pile of good stuff and transferred them, although it was warm enough for many to fly around anyway.
B :)John
 

Attachments

  • 1after clearing cuttingsi.jpg
    1after clearing cuttingsi.jpg
    200 KB · Views: 77
  • 2.reeds after removing cuttings.jpg
    2.reeds after removing cuttings.jpg
    234.6 KB · Views: 67
  • 3 cleared unda hide.jpg
    3 cleared unda hide.jpg
    198.8 KB · Views: 72
  • 5.no water sunday 30th Oc 11.jpg
    5.no water sunday 30th Oc 11.jpg
    207.9 KB · Views: 73
  • 4.best wata bck.jpg
    4.best wata bck.jpg
    122.1 KB · Views: 96
Thanks to all the Tuesday work party lads today for their efforts; this means on Sunday we can concentrate all our efforts on the digging of channels, clearance of silt, creation of islands and spits.

Very encouraging to see water back in the second Flash; hope this is grow (but not until after the work party ;)).

Nice summary of sightings Sy - best counts of Snipe and Pochard for the autumn so far.

Phil
 
Thanks for the feedback John and Phil. It was a frustrating day with all the action happening when it was practically dark. I have loads of 'oh so nearly' 'b4st4rd!' 'if only' type photos and very few really good 'uns.. C'est la vie - still beat the Sierra Hotel one Tango out of being at work...
 
the cannock shrike

got a few pics sunday for your perusal.
 

Attachments

  • DSC05777.jpg
    DSC05777.jpg
    45.3 KB · Views: 80
  • DSC05788.jpg
    DSC05788.jpg
    38.9 KB · Views: 76

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top