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Upton Warren (13 Viewers)

upton-till-i-die said:
The above is a quote on the Staffordshire thread from Steve Nuttall, king of Midlands' patch watching, for the prospects tomorrow. Not being one to doubt such wisdom I will try to get down for a few hours prior to the survey work starting (for the final time) at 10am on the Flashes. The rain is due to start about 1-ish so if anyone is around tomorrow afternoon / evening it may be a productive visit.
Click to expand...

Ferg and myself said the same today during a reci around the hen brook/feeding station for likely ringing spots. In this area several reed warblers were in the blackthorn and reeds as well as blackcap, willow warblers, c10 chiffs and a small influx of chaffinch 5+. We were going to have an early morning ringing session (Thursday) but the projected heavy rain put pay to that. So I will try to get down at some stage tomorrow but intend to be there all day Friday.
Also saw 5 green sand 2 common, redshank and Imm Shelduck
B :)John
 
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Sy V said:
John
Interesting pictures mate. Are you attributing the nest to Reed Warblers rather than Sedge Warblers on the strength of its position within the reed bed (versus in the rank vegetation at the edges of the reed beds) or are there subtle structural differences between the species' nests?
You may have already done this, but given the fact that the last disruptive survey day is almost upon us and before someone uses the 2nd Flash salt bed for a land speed record attempt, is it worth giving the depth gauge a good clean?
Just an idea...

Sy
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never seen a sedge nest Sy, so because it was in the middle of the reeds assumed must be reed warbler
B :)john
 
Ruff

Sunday's Ruff was the first record of the year for a species that has shown a serious decline in its occurences at Upton Warren. Ruff were so plentiful in several years (particularly the early 1990s) that detailed daily totals were not recorded in the annual reports, making any translation into culmlative "Ruff days" impossible. Instead I set out below the peak annual counts since the early 1960s which only partially demonstrates this marked reduction in numbers.
 

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upton-till-i-die said:
Sunday's Ruff was the first record of the year for a species that has shown a serious decline in its occurences at Upton Warren. Ruff were so plentiful in several years (particularly the early 1990s) that detailed daily totals were not recorded in the annual reports, making any translation into culmlative "Ruff days" impossible. Instead I set out below the peak annual counts since the early 1960s which only partially demonstrates this marked reduction in numbers.[/QUOTE
Manby Flashes near Louth in Lincs has this week had a record count of 32 Ruff, best previously were 6 or 7. I named Manby Flashes after Upton Warren Flashes as it reminds me of your reserve.
It also does well for Black-tailed Godwit 65 circa and Green Sand 30 plus at times.
Geoff
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autumn all-dayer

As far as I know no-one has claimed an individual highest ever autumn total, so I'll put in first claim with my 75 from last year. I'm confident that this will be usurped with days, if not hours ... :-C

Anyway this year will, if nothing else, be a good day on the reserve, good craic and hopefully some good birds. So be there from, well, whenever you like, until you've had enough and lets see if we can break 86 this year :t:

Mike[/QUOTE]

Hello Mike and all Upton birders,

75 seems like a pretty decent number to me, although i think i read somewhere that the all-time day list record is a staggering 81 - imagine that!
Have struggled to get down to Upton of late and unfortunately cannot make the 3rd, but im sure you will all have a great day. However, if all goes to plan I may try a "solo effort" next week and will be in touch if anything of interest flies my way.
 
Quick visit to the Flashes this morning but nothing to report other than 2 Common Sandpiper, 5 Green Sandpiper, Redshank, 3 Curlew, 2 Sedge Warbler, lots of Chiffs calling and a Lesser Whitethroat. Little Owl on the chimney.

Cheers
 
Where's the rain?

A morning visit to Upton today produced the following:-

FLASHES
1 Redshank, 4 Green Sand, 3 Common Sand, 3 Curlew, 1 Shoveler, 12 Teal, 73 Lapwing, 12 Greylag Geese over, 10 Moorhen, 200 BH Gull, c10 Mallard, 1 Grey Heron, Little Owl on chimney, several (unsuccessful) passes by an immature Peregrine, 2 Whitethroat in front of hide, several Jay.

MOORS
1 Green Sand, 6 adult + 1 young GC Grebe, 14 adult + 4 young Tufted D, 2 Pochard (m+f), 14 Teal (probably includes birds seen at Flashes), 6 Shoveler, 166 Mallard, 120 Coot, 5 Moorhen, 3 Herring Gull, 82 LBB Gull, 1 adult Common Tern, 75 Lapwing (probably same flock as at the Flashes), Grey Wagtail over, Fox on the East Island

Whilst the lack of tern / wader / passerine passage was disappointing, it was encouraging to see some duck movement - Garganey here we come!
 
oriole boy said:
Hello Mike and all Upton birders,

75 seems like a pretty decent number to me, although i think i read somewhere that the all-time day list record is a staggering 81 - imagine that!
Have struggled to get down to Upton of late and unfortunately cannot make the 3rd, but im sure you will all have a great day. However, if all goes to plan I may try a "solo effort" next week and will be in touch if anything of interest flies my way.
Click to expand...

I believe you are well-acquainted with the individual day-list record holder so should be well-qualified to comment. ;);)

Can't see 81 being beaten on an autumn all-dayer, but it's not impossible as last years collective 86 showed. Still we'll have a good go - always scope for sandgrouse and coursers on the dry salt-pan/desert (aka 2nd Flash).:-O

Mike
 
upton-till-i-die said:
A morning visit to Upton today produced the following:-

FLASHES
1 Redshank, 4 Green Sand, 3 Common Sand, 3 Curlew, 1 Shoveler, 12 Teal, 73 Lapwing, 12 Greylag Geese over, 10 Moorhen, 200 BH Gull, c10 Mallard, 1 Grey Heron, Little Owl on chimney, several (unsuccessful) passes by an immature Peregrine, 2 Whitethroat in front of hide, several Jay.

MOORS
1 Green Sand, 6 adult + 1 young GC Grebe, 14 adult + 4 young Tufted D, 2 Pochard (m+f), 14 Teal (probably includes birds seen at Flashes), 6 Shoveler, 166 Mallard, 120 Coot, 5 Moorhen, 3 Herring Gull, 82 LBB Gull, 1 adult Common Tern, 75 Lapwing (probably same flock as at the Flashes), Grey Wagtail over, Fox on the East Island

Whilst the lack of tern / wader / passerine passage was disappointing, it was encouraging to see some duck movement - Garganey here we come!
Click to expand...

I cannot remember a spell like this , I personally have not seen a decent drop of rain for weeks , showers have been so localised and I seem to have missed them all.

19.00 hours is mean't to be the time of the 'deluge' this evening ...we will see
 
woodwolf said:
I cannot remember a spell like this , I personally have not seen a decent drop of rain for weeks , showers have been so localised and I seem to have missed them all.

19.00 hours is mean't to be the time of the 'deluge' this evening ...we will see
Click to expand...

Hmmm thats slipped back from the 10am it promised yesterday - if it does rain heavily and for a prolonged period overnight tomorrow might be the day!
 
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upton-till-i-die said:
Hmmm thats slipped back from the 10am it promised yesterday - if it does rain heavily and for a prolonged period overnight tomorrow might be the day!
Click to expand...

No chance:-C
Although Saturday looks good first thing heavy rain....I promise something will appear. I'll pack in birding if it doesn't. I'll do my best tomorrow- raptor, passerine me thinks. Although sometimes crap conditions can bring something unexpectedly

B :)John
 
We must all have a different forecaster, mine said rain at one today and then no further wet until Saturday, but minimal at that.
 
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Friday 19th August

The most notable report was from yesterday when a Ruff was present at the Flashes at some point during the day.

Today there were further signs of increased wader and duck numbers:

FLASHES
7 Green Sand, 3 Common Sand, 1 Redshank, 65 Lapwing, 8 Curlew, 1 Snipe, 3 Shoveler, 20 Teal, 1 Shelduck, 5 Mallard, 9 Moorhen, 170 BH Gull, 3 Grey Heron. 2 Lesser and 1 Common Whitethroat in the hedge to the right of the hide.
In the area by the steps - 2+ Willow Warbler, 2+ Reed Warbler, 4+ Blackcap, 1+ Common Whitethroat, 10+ Chiffchaff.

MOORS POOL
1 Green Sand, 3 Lapwing, 4 Cormorant, 6 GC Grebe, 3 Little Grebe, 6 Grey Heron, 2 Pochard, 15 Tufted Duck, 4 Shoveler, 11 Teal, 5 Moorhen, 122 Coot, 3 Mute Swan, 44 Canada Goose, 4 Herring Gull, 28 LBB Gull.

SAILING POOL
1 Grey Heron, 1 Common Tern, 225 Mallard

JTB has dug in for the day so hopefully there will be some interesting reports later.

PS Does anyone know who has the initials SJC (yesterday's Ruff) and GH (Sunday's Ruff and the Whooper Swam from earlier in the year)?
 
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