Upton Warren (14 Viewers)

Woodchat said:

Hi Des,

Damselflies were out in force today - including Large Reds, Common Blues, Banded and Beautiful Demoiselles (photos below) - especially along the Salwarpe. Perhaps it's time to start looking for Variables(?).

Also, any chance we might get a Vagrant Emperor Dragonfly?

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Hi Dave. There's every chance you might see a Vagrant Emperor, thousands were in Europe and many have been seen along the south coast. Look for a bright blue ring near to the base of the abdomen in the male. Variables are out in other counties, but unless you catch one with a net or get a good photo', they are a tricky subject.

I'll be in contact tomorrow morning from somewhere in Worcestershire on an 'all-dayer' to see what's dropped in at Upton.


Des.

midlands birder said:

I think i read this yday that a bird that was missing off the day list was green woodie,
I would like to say that we had a bird on the east side of the moors yday,
sorry to mess up your stats phil
MB

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Not a problem Craig - always glad for any sightings. Yesterday's revised total is therefore 82 species.

Nice one with the Bar-wits; similar weather conditions tomorrow may bring more of the same.

I have just woken up (9.30 from my afternoon nap) and talk about wrecked just reading today's list has knackered me. In the 34 years I have been going to Upton it has never been like this:smoke:
Yesterday both the new moors car park and sailing car park were full from 9am onwards (maybe summet to do with a wedding. But overall the number of visitors has increased anyway and once again Upton thrives on this kind of coverage (albeit just the same few people finding the birds and they know who they are:t.
So to any newcomers swept along in this tide of euphoria enjoy it while it lasts, it won't last forever ( but another 6 months would be nice:smoke.
Unfortunately the hides can be full and noisy, at times which is mostly good banter and joyful exuberance and doesn't affect the birds. Hopefully no one will be offended by the youthful enthusiasm:-O shown by the regulars, who are rejoicing after a long hard winter of management activity that appears to be paying instant dividends. Thankfully almost all visitors and members are sharing this feast of migration, but there will always be 1 or 2 intolerant people-C ). There were possible a minimum of 300 people on the reserve yesterday and only one person chose to be a :C ***.
We have tried to provide more viewing areas such as the north moors trail and openings in the west track, secret garden etc to alleviate the pressure on the hides. So bare with us and go with the flow in this exciting period. When the sun stops shining and the birds stop arriving only the hard core will be left. Then you can have a relaxing time enjoying the breeding species on offer. Until it all happens again in the Autumn (hopefully) :-O, after such a hard winter we should all relish this spring spectacular as it might all be over in a couple of weeks:-C
B :gn:

I don't know if 27 Barwits is a county record, but I'm willing to bet 10 emicons in Johns last post is certainly an UW thread record 8-P

See you tomorrow people, essay finished so time to take in UW in all its glory :t:

1 Greenshank, 1 Bar-tailed Godwit, 1 Wood Sandpiper, 1 Whimbrel still on flashes plus Cuckoo, Redshank and Common Sandpiper

Gert reports 5 Barnacle Geese at the Moors (all with Russian accents?)

Many many thanks to all the contributers - regular and irregular - and viewers of this thread which make it a vibrant forum to report the latest sightings, post photographs, recount former (and current) glories and set out the management work that is being undertaken across the reserve. We have now passed a quarter of a million views as of late yesterday and are rapidly approaching 5,000 posts.

May your enjoyment of the reserve (and this current run of notable records :t long continue.

Phil

The 5 Barnacle Geese flew west at 06:30.

Dunlin now on flashes and three Wood Sands flew over moors (per John Ridley). Greenshank and Whimbrel appear to have flown out from flashes.

upstarts1979 said:

So bare with us and go with the flow in this exciting period.

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Speak for yourself - have you turned Upton into some sort of nudist camp?? OOOOh matron!! :-O:-O

upton-till-i-die said:

Speak for yourself - have you turned Upton into some sort of nudist camp?? OOOOh matron!! :-O:-O

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If you like darling8-P

Gavo said:

I don't know if 27 Barwits is a county record, but I'm willing to bet 10 emicons in Johns last post is certainly an UW thread record 8-P

See you tomorrow people, essay finished so time to take in UW in all its glory :t:

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Tried to do more but they limit to 10:smoke::smoke::smoke::smoke::smoke::smoke::smoke::smoke::smoke::smoke see ya kate Gav

Woodchat said:

The 5 Barnacle Geese flew west at 06:30.

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They circled Grimley at c6.45am then continued south. Now if you'd share out some of your waders it would be much appreciated!

Brian
____________________
www.birdingtoday.co.uk

Flotation aids now fixed to raft... just a matter of transportation, humping (of the carrying variety) and floating.

Sy,

I can probably manage some time tomorrow afternoon after 2 pm if that's any good.

Cheers
Mike

Wow! What a month; hardly time to catch one’s breath with the flurry of excellent sightings and records being broken left right and centre. In the 14 years I have been coming to Upton I am struggling to think of another period of sustained top-notch birding to rival what we have just experienced in April.

The usual monthly update will be appearing shortly but I thought it was worthwhile drawing together the highlights in a month when 116 species were recorded:-

Bluethroat – one at the Hen Pool on the 26th and 27th – second record for the reserve and third for the County; first sighting in the West Midlands region of the White-spotted form.
Spoonbill – one at the Flashes on the 22nd – second record for the reserve.
Hoopoe – one over the Moors Pool on the 9th - third record for the reserve.
Little Gull – two at the Moors Pool on the 9th; eight at the Moors Pool on the 18th – record count for the reserve
Bar-tailed Godwit – one at the Moors Pool (then the Flashes) on the 30th; a flock of 27 flew over the Moors Pool late on the 30th – record count for the reserve.
Sandwich Tern – one at the Moors Pool on the 18th.
Osprey – one over the Moors Pool on the 18th.
Wood Sandpiper – one at the Flashes from the 29th to 30th; a further two at the Moors Pool on the 30th.
Marsh Harrier – female over the Flashes on the 25th, female flew out of the Education Reserve on the 29th, female flew over the Moors Pool on the 30th.
Arctic Tern – one at the Moors Pool on the 24th, two at the Sailing Pool early on the 29th, one at the Flashes late on the 29th and two at the Moors Pool on the 30th.
Avocet – new reserve (and regional) record count of 19 at the Flashes on the 9th.
Red Kite – one seen three times over the reserve on the 9th; a different bird was over the Moors Pool on the 10th.
Mediterranean Gull - a second summer was present from early March until the 14th April, the longest staying individual recorded; a first summer was at the Flashes on the 22nd.
Whimbrel – one at the Flashes from the 29th to 30th.
Greenshank – one at the Flashes on the 29th and 30th.
Yellow Wagtail – noted on the 5th April at the Moors Pool and on a further eight dates.
White Wagtail – noted at the Moors Pool on the 7th and on a further eight dates.
Whinchat – one at the Flashes on the 17th.
Wheatear - a female was at the Flashes on the 10th, a pair at the Flashes on the 14th, a male at the Flashes on the 17th, a female at the Flashes on the 19th and a female at the Moors Pool on the 22nd (with presumably the same bird later the same day at the Flashes)
Redstart – one at the Flashes on the 12th.
Common Tern – first returning bird at the Moors Pool on the 3rd was the earliest ever return date
Pink-footed Goose – longest ever staying individual present from the 9th January until the 7th April.
Black-tailed Godwit – one at the Flashes on the 2nd.
Grasshopper Warbler – one reeled in several locations across the reserve from the 15th to 17th.
Merlin – one flew through the Moors Pool on the 7th.

The scary thought is that May has traditionally been more productive for rare birds at Upton .....

Excellent summary Phil. And it's not just migrants too - seeing Sy V's pics of the avocet brood and lapwing chick is absolutely brilliant! Fingers crossed for more of the same. With the quality of the coverage and observers as it is, you wouldn't bet against it!

Spring All-Dayer

As promised I have attched a couple of speadsheets showing the species seen on previous all-dayers - one for 90s, one for 00s and one showing last year. I'm sure it will be a thrilling read for all of you stattos out there

As you will see, over the years we have managed an overall total of 126 different species over the range of dates chosen. This, for a variety of reasons, is actually quite a span - 25th April in 2009 to 9th May in 1992 & 1998.

One of the more tedious stats is:

the average number of species seen is 81.33 and, perhaps unsurprisingly, 81 is the final total on four different occasions.

Cheers
Mike

By the end of April Upton Warren had recorded a total of 137 species. This is far ahead of where we normally are for this time; since I started doing the monthly updates the previous highest total for the end of April was 133 in 2008.

Potential new birds in May include Black Tern, Spotted Fly, Garganey, Little Egret and Sanderling with an outside chance of Turnstone, Little Stint and Temmincks Stint (birds recorded today in Herefordshire and Northants).

upton-till-i-die said:

Gert reports 5 Barnacle Geese at the Moors (all with Russian accents?)

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The Geese flew in from the direction of Webbs about 5.50am and touched down. They immediately fed on the islands on Amy's marsh and did a lot of preening. I didn't see any rings on any of the Birds and got a good look at all of them before they flew off at about 6.30 towards the Flashes where Dave Jackson got them. Some record shots below.

Managed 6 hours at Upton but still no Yellow Wag :-C Still the Geese and Garden warbler in the Education reserve gets me to 117.

How Dave and others do this all day I don't know - I'm knackered and looking forward to Kent v Worcestershire (and a snooze) on the telly - unless another text comes in...