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Upton Warren (15 Viewers)
- Thread starter andythomas
- Start date
Mary
Well-known member
The advert I'm seeing under this is 'Bath Aids for the Elderly' :-O
UW82
Well-known member
Today's highlights:
MOORS:
Goldeneye (f)-----------------Jack Snipe
Snipe (6)---------------------Curlew (9)
Lapwing (c130)---------------Pochard (40)
Teal (30)---------------------Shoveler (11)
Tufted Duck (25)-------------Cormorant (24)
Herring Gull (2)---------------Grey Wagtail
Goldcrest---------------------Blackcap (f)
Siskin (1)---------------------Nuthatch (calling from behind east hide)
Cetti's Warbler (bird with red and silver rings on one leg seen in front of east & west hides). Do we have one singing bird or two!
Song Thrush (singing)
FLASHES-SAILING POOL:
Curlew (1)------------------Lapwing (94)
Teal (62)-------------------B H Gull (22)
Song Thrush (singing)-------Greylag Goose (25)
Redpoll (10)-----------------Tufted Duck (4)
There were no Grebes or Bittern noted on the reserve today.
Western Power Distribution were at the Flashes this morning cutting down trees near power lines. The area affected is to the left of the gate at the top of the steps from the Sailing Pool. A tree was also cut down to the right of the gate. I will post images later.
Des.
MOORS:
Goldeneye (f)-----------------Jack Snipe
Snipe (6)---------------------Curlew (9)
Lapwing (c130)---------------Pochard (40)
Teal (30)---------------------Shoveler (11)
Tufted Duck (25)-------------Cormorant (24)
Herring Gull (2)---------------Grey Wagtail
Goldcrest---------------------Blackcap (f)
Siskin (1)---------------------Nuthatch (calling from behind east hide)
Cetti's Warbler (bird with red and silver rings on one leg seen in front of east & west hides). Do we have one singing bird or two!
Song Thrush (singing)
FLASHES-SAILING POOL:
Curlew (1)------------------Lapwing (94)
Teal (62)-------------------B H Gull (22)
Song Thrush (singing)-------Greylag Goose (25)
Redpoll (10)-----------------Tufted Duck (4)
There were no Grebes or Bittern noted on the reserve today.
Western Power Distribution were at the Flashes this morning cutting down trees near power lines. The area affected is to the left of the gate at the top of the steps from the Sailing Pool. A tree was also cut down to the right of the gate. I will post images later.
Des.
upstarts1979
Well-known member
Hi Des
we have seen a singing bird with out a ring. But the red ringed bird certainly zips around the reeds in no time. Maybe its trying to chase the non-ringed bird away.
Re the tree cutting. I texted Andy H and he was not aware of them doing any work. I suppose if the cables are at risk, then i guess the power company can do as they please.
Stone Snapper
Warrener till i snuff it
bob's_retired
Active member
Sunshine at last!
Great to have some sunshine this afternoon so I dashed up the M5From the Flashes hide saw 2 Buzzaeds apparently in some kind of display then being harrie by the Crows, followed by a Sparrowhawk being harried by same Crows for at least 5 minutes. Not much else there(-
. Followed by a walk round the small pool at the top of the reserve and saw some close Fieldfare and Redwing and then along to the West hide. Lots of Curlew action and a Peregrine overhead at about 1515. Temperature had really plummetted when I left the hide and there were still people in the East hide. Finished off with a spectacular sunset.
1. Fieldfare
2. Buzzards
3. Redwing
4. Fieldfare
5. Curlew
Great to have some sunshine this afternoon so I dashed up the M5From the Flashes hide saw 2 Buzzaeds apparently in some kind of display then being harrie by the Crows, followed by a Sparrowhawk being harried by same Crows for at least 5 minutes. Not much else there(-
. Followed by a walk round the small pool at the top of the reserve and saw some close Fieldfare and Redwing and then along to the West hide. Lots of Curlew action and a Peregrine overhead at about 1515. Temperature had really plummetted when I left the hide and there were still people in the East hide. Finished off with a spectacular sunset.1. Fieldfare
2. Buzzards
3. Redwing
4. Fieldfare
5. Curlew
Attachments
bob's_retired
Active member
Thank you very much.
Judging from Des' photos the power men have been quite brutal in their attacks on these trees, which provided perches for so many passerines. I cannot believe they had to cut every stem on the trees almost to the ground. Not all of them were in danger of snagging the power lines. Does the reserve's SSSI status not give some protection against such reckless behaviour?
Peter
upstarts1979
Well-known member
Exactly what I thought Peter. Most of those cut, were hawthorns on our bank. I will ask Andy if we can have some hawthorn saplings to be planted along that area. The coppiced stumps will sprout back up and in time will form a scrubby area, we could do with filling the gap up with thorn bushes. The bramble will now be able to thicken up, so we will gain in some way.
B
johnThe pic shows what has been cut down, compare it to Des's 1st pic.
Attachments
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MJN
Well-known member
Hello Peter.
I'm afraid it's not quite so straightforward, the trees don't have to snag the lines to cause power failure, they can cause as much damage just by encroaching safety clearance. Depending on the Voltage present this distance could be from as little as 800mm up to several metres.
Like most things these days, cash is king. WPD resources are cut to the bone (no doubt so they can maximise profits for the American owners) and the task may even be sub contracted out.
When these works are carried out they no doubt trim back more than is required, this lengthens the time between visits and makes even more profit for the American owners.
For work like this, SSSI doesn't really come into it.
Mike
upstarts1979
Well-known member
MJN
Well-known member
Hi John, I'm fine, trust you are too.
WRT the SSSI, it obviously does come into play but only inasmuch as that they cut the trees back out of nesting season. Also many other factors may be considered such as G C Newts, Japanese Knotweed, Badgers etc. They defo could be more sympathetic and only cut back the bare amount, but that would mean returning every two years instead of every ten.
I'm really pleased to see you guys have got a Bittern back!
WRT the SSSI, it obviously does come into play but only inasmuch as that they cut the trees back out of nesting season. Also many other factors may be considered such as G C Newts, Japanese Knotweed, Badgers etc. They defo could be more sympathetic and only cut back the bare amount, but that would mean returning every two years instead of every ten.
I'm really pleased to see you guys have got a Bittern back!
Thanks Chris.
Alan did manage eventually to get a shot as the Sprawk was there for over 1 minute. He put his photo on www.flickr.com/photos/asandyfordsykes.
UW82
Well-known member
upstarts1979
Well-known member
Birding today on the reserve 8.45am till 5.10pm
Started with a slow walk around the North Moors, its vital you take your time, the birds simply fly off and double back.
Plenty of thrushes along the west side of the trail. In and around the rejuvenated north west scrub - great spotted woodpecker probed the dead logs,
bullfinch, redwing, fieldfare, song thrush and blackbirds all gorged themselves on sloe's. At the opposite end of the north moors in the SE corner, there was equally as much activity. Two water rail called, from the reeds, while a cettis warbler sang close by. In the nearby silver birch and larch trees a flock of redpoll mixed with goldfinch. Also chaffinch, goldcrest, long tailed tits, reed buntings and a blackcap were recorded.
On to the East hide of the Moors, on route more redpoll were encountered this time feeding on alders. From the hide, duck numbers were again in low numbers, only a few snipe showed. With the lack of coot, the BHG have now turned their attention to harassing pochard when they submerge.
On to the west side where, where again another slow walk, this time along the Salwarp track towards the Swan Inn. Redpoll again were the highlights, feeding low to the ground on willowherb, where also my first siskin for a while joined them. But the majority were in the alders along the river salwarp. In fact most of the species I saw were in the bank side trees. This included goldfinch, goldcrest, treecreeper, bullfinch, chaffinch, song thrush, fieldfare and redwing in good numbers. Meanwhile several flocks of northward flying herring gulls were noted, with smaller numbers of LBBG with them.
Species counts MOORS:
Little grebe, cormorant 20, Teal 60, shoveler 3 (2m + 1f), Pochard 35, tufted 40, mute swan imm, water rail c5, coot 18 - 20, lapwing 50+, snipe 5, curlew 11, herring gull 60 ish, LBBG 30, BHG 200, stock dove, great sp woodp, jay, treecreeper, fieldfare 50, redwing 70, song thrush c5 ( 1 singing east side), Cettis warbler 1 singing 1 female calling, blackcap, goldcrest 3, pied wag, greenfinch 20, bullfinch 5, goldfinch 40, redpoll 40+, siskin male, reed bunting 5,
Sailing Pool: little grebe, tufted 8, coot 16 - 18, grey wag
Flashes: For a change not just me present, good company was had with the 2 Bob's, Phil W and Paul A. We had gathered to see the Starling roost. Typically, the day an audience gathers, there was a no show, well not at the normal time. At first just a handful of birds flew around, but they quickly flew off. But then more small groups joined them and slowly the flock built up to a couple of hundred. For them then to fly off west, thankfully returning a short time later. More large flocks arrived, swelling the ranks into a tight gyrating 'ball', that performed for a good while, being added to all the time. At this point the flight was slow and relaxed, but then all of a sudden the whole flock flew off at speed to towards the sailing pool and disappeared. It wasn't for a few minutes that a flock of 80 or so returned at speed and dropped straight into the reeds. Perplexed by this action, we then realised what was going on , when a large female sparrowhawk flitted over the fence behind the reeds. Thereafter the rest of the flock returned immediately diving silently into the reeds, unusually not a murmur was heard once in the reeds.
When we first arrived there was not a bird on the 2nd or 3rd Flash, by dark it was a much more different place.
Species count at Flashes
Teal 75, Shoveler male, mallard 100, greylag 25, canada geese 10 + c80 overhead. coot 12 grazing, snipe c10 flew out, curlew 11 roosted - not coming in until after dark. Lapwing 5, BHG 230 roosted, Herring gull c30 flying north, LBBG c20, Sparrowhawk, jackdaw c400, winter thrushes 500+, starling 1200 min, redpoll c25+,
Earier 50 linnets were seen by others.
the worse ever picture, this is part of the starling flock, it was getting dark though8-P
Started with a slow walk around the North Moors, its vital you take your time, the birds simply fly off and double back.
Plenty of thrushes along the west side of the trail. In and around the rejuvenated north west scrub - great spotted woodpecker probed the dead logs,
bullfinch, redwing, fieldfare, song thrush and blackbirds all gorged themselves on sloe's. At the opposite end of the north moors in the SE corner, there was equally as much activity. Two water rail called, from the reeds, while a cettis warbler sang close by. In the nearby silver birch and larch trees a flock of redpoll mixed with goldfinch. Also chaffinch, goldcrest, long tailed tits, reed buntings and a blackcap were recorded.
On to the East hide of the Moors, on route more redpoll were encountered this time feeding on alders. From the hide, duck numbers were again in low numbers, only a few snipe showed. With the lack of coot, the BHG have now turned their attention to harassing pochard when they submerge.
On to the west side where, where again another slow walk, this time along the Salwarp track towards the Swan Inn. Redpoll again were the highlights, feeding low to the ground on willowherb, where also my first siskin for a while joined them. But the majority were in the alders along the river salwarp. In fact most of the species I saw were in the bank side trees. This included goldfinch, goldcrest, treecreeper, bullfinch, chaffinch, song thrush, fieldfare and redwing in good numbers. Meanwhile several flocks of northward flying herring gulls were noted, with smaller numbers of LBBG with them.
Species counts MOORS:
Little grebe, cormorant 20, Teal 60, shoveler 3 (2m + 1f), Pochard 35, tufted 40, mute swan imm, water rail c5, coot 18 - 20, lapwing 50+, snipe 5, curlew 11, herring gull 60 ish, LBBG 30, BHG 200, stock dove, great sp woodp, jay, treecreeper, fieldfare 50, redwing 70, song thrush c5 ( 1 singing east side), Cettis warbler 1 singing 1 female calling, blackcap, goldcrest 3, pied wag, greenfinch 20, bullfinch 5, goldfinch 40, redpoll 40+, siskin male, reed bunting 5,
Sailing Pool: little grebe, tufted 8, coot 16 - 18, grey wag
Flashes: For a change not just me present, good company was had with the 2 Bob's, Phil W and Paul A. We had gathered to see the Starling roost. Typically, the day an audience gathers, there was a no show, well not at the normal time. At first just a handful of birds flew around, but they quickly flew off. But then more small groups joined them and slowly the flock built up to a couple of hundred. For them then to fly off west, thankfully returning a short time later. More large flocks arrived, swelling the ranks into a tight gyrating 'ball', that performed for a good while, being added to all the time. At this point the flight was slow and relaxed, but then all of a sudden the whole flock flew off at speed to towards the sailing pool and disappeared. It wasn't for a few minutes that a flock of 80 or so returned at speed and dropped straight into the reeds. Perplexed by this action, we then realised what was going on , when a large female sparrowhawk flitted over the fence behind the reeds. Thereafter the rest of the flock returned immediately diving silently into the reeds, unusually not a murmur was heard once in the reeds.
When we first arrived there was not a bird on the 2nd or 3rd Flash, by dark it was a much more different place.
Species count at Flashes
Teal 75, Shoveler male, mallard 100, greylag 25, canada geese 10 + c80 overhead. coot 12 grazing, snipe c10 flew out, curlew 11 roosted - not coming in until after dark. Lapwing 5, BHG 230 roosted, Herring gull c30 flying north, LBBG c20, Sparrowhawk, jackdaw c400, winter thrushes 500+, starling 1200 min, redpoll c25+,
Earier 50 linnets were seen by others.
the worse ever picture, this is part of the starling flock, it was getting dark though8-P
Attachments
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upstarts1979
Well-known member
Vern has just rang me. To say he has got a flock of a 100+ redpoll in the alders and silver birch trees at the corner of the causeway opposite the chedtnt tree at the beginning of the North Moors trail. They are moving to alders in front of Lifestyles. Pleade respect tSteve Pooles customers that use the road there. B john
john
