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Upton Warren (11 Viewers)

With the ongoing fiasco that is the Flashes hide, I hope that the usual pool of volunteers for the work party (and anyone thinking of joining) are not put off from lending their time next Sunday to assist in what will hopefully be the penultimate work party of the year at the Flashes.

There are a number of important tasks to complete before the big push in March. These include:-

- Digging out the encroaching phragmites from the foreshore
- Fixing the fox fencing to the new hide
- Repairing the fox fencing runs which extend into the water
- Undertake a thorough inspection of the external fencing and a thorough flush to ensure that a fox isnt caught inside
- Replacement of the sewage work gate with a more substantial structure
- Further scrub management work (time dependant)
- Start the strimming work ahead of the March work party (time dependant)

Its the usual 10:00am start with squash and an assortment of biscuits provided. Please bring gloves and wear warm old clothes and boots / wellies.

Please remember that you volunteers are the true guardians of Upton Warren. At times like this we all need to keep our spirits up; a little song comes to mind:

"As you go through life,
It's a long, long road,
There'll be joys and sorrows too,
As we journey on, we will sing this song,
For the boys at the Flashes and Moors,
We're often partisan, la, la, la,
We will journey on, la, la, la,
Keep right on to the end of the road,
Keep right on to the end,
Though the way be long,
Let your hearts be strong,
Keep right on round the bend,
Though you're tired and weary,
Still journey on,
Till you come to your happy abode,
Where all the love you've been dreaming of,
Will be there. Where ?
At the end of the road.
Upton Warren! Upton Warren!"

be sure you wear a blue and white scarf when singing this ..the BLUES anthem. sorry villa boys and others.
 
Historical tour

Had a play with my new scanner that one of my Daughters had bought me for Christmas.
So much easier to upload my old pics.
I have put a different slant on this tour. By that, I mean, have a guess where these pics where taken. The clue is, the year is 1988

B :)John
 

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  • 2.NE wood from life styles 1988.jpg
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  • 3.NE wood from east gate 1988.jpg
    3.NE wood from east gate 1988.jpg
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Had a play with my new scanner that one of my Daughters had bought me for Christmas.
So much easier to upload my old pics.
I have put a different slant on this tour. By that, I mean, have a guess where these pics where taken. The clue is, the year is 1988

B :)John

Well, judging by the title of the photos I would guess that they were ....
 
Had a play with my new scanner that one of my Daughters had bought me for Christmas.
So much easier to upload my old pics.
I have put a different slant on this tour. By that, I mean, have a guess where these pics where taken. The clue is, the year is 1988

B :)John

Hi John,

The 3rd picture I'm pretty sure is taken from the eastern side of the Moors Pool, looking North, towards where Amy's Marsh is now. Am I right? The perimeter over to the right was always good for Corn Bunting I seem to remember.

Si
 
Hi John,

The 3rd picture I'm pretty sure is taken from the eastern side of the Moors Pool, looking North, towards where Amy's Marsh is now. Am I right? The perimeter over to the right was always good for Corn Bunting I seem to remember.

Si

I would calculate that the photos was taken paralell to the start of the track to the east hide looking north; the horse chestnut on the end of the causeway is the centre of the photo. Just right of the shot is what is now Lifestyles.
 
I would calculate that the photos was taken paralell to the start of the track to the east hide looking north; the horse chestnut on the end of the causeway is the centre of the photo. Just right of the shot is what is now Lifestyles.

smart arse8-P
I will try and retake the pics, in exactly the same position tomorrow during the work party. This will give us an idea of just how things have moved on. Remembering that we started planting trees and bushes there 21 years ago, we are now endeavouring to try and recreate some of that grassy 'openness'.
Thus from grassland to woodland ..to somewhere in between in 21 years.

The 1st pic shows the horse chesnut tree and the straining wires of the telegraph pole would now be in the middle of the Secret garden.
 
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Wouldn't have thought you'd need to look at the pictures titles to identify where they were ;)

John- didn't somebody once tell us we'd never grow trees there as the soil was too poor? :eek!:
 
smart arse8-P
I will try and retake the pics, in exactly the same position tomorrow during the work party. This will give us an idea of just how things have moved on. Remembering that we started planting trees and bushes there 21 years ago, we are now endeavouring to try and recreate some of that grassy 'openness'.
Thus from grassland to woodland ..to somewhere in between in 21 years.
John,

If these pics were taken in 1988 I am old enough, in theory, to remember Upton as it was but unfortuneatley may be too old in practice to reliably do so.

Pic 1 - I would say this is taken from in front of Lifestyle's paddock looking across the area of the secret garden to the causeway and North Moors hide. The route of the path to the east hide ran from the causeway to the centre left of the photo behind the telegraph poles. Seem to recall that a second path started somewhere by the disabled parking area.

Pic 2 - This is looking in same general direction taken from somewhere in front of Lifestyles building but this time from the edge of the tarmac track to the farm. Seem to recall that this part of the track, from the disabled parking to the farm, was not part of the reserve but was the preferred access in wet weather when the official path would be deep in mud.

Pic 3 - Guess this is taken from area between start of present track to east hide and the metal gate. The old path to the east hide followed the line of the telegraph lines out of the photo to the left. There was no hard track to east hide but the access path continued past the east hide, skirted round the back of the old Broadmeadows pool and then followed the line of the Salwarpe to join the current track at the rear of the west hide.
The large trees on the right were in a large field which stretched from the hedge, opposite the disabled parking, along the track and in front of the farm house. Don't seem to recall getting Corn Buntings on this side. There was, however, a winter roost of 40 or 50 birds in the reeds to the north of the west hide.
 
Hello locals,

As I just have moved place and Upton Warren is now my new local patch I dare to ask this completely OT question:
For a new (or used) pair of binoculars, where is best to look for reviews?
Or do you consider it mandatory to go to focus optics?

Thanks in advance (if you don't grill me now),
Daniel
 
Hello locals,

As I just have moved place and Upton Warren is now my new local patch I dare to ask this completely OT question:
For a new (or used) pair of binoculars, where is best to look for reviews?
Or do you consider it mandatory to go to focus optics?

Thanks in advance (if you don't grill me now),
Daniel

Welcome to the wonderful world of Upton Daniel.

There are various optic reviews elsewhere on Bird Forum but nothing beats trying them in the field. Would suggest you go to either one of the two regular events - In Focus (run from the concrete hide at the Moors Pool - % of the sales goes to the reserve) or the Birders Store (run from one of the Sailing Club buildings by Brian Stretch, local grapevine coordinator)
 
Next programmed optics events are:

In Focus (Moors Pool) - Tuesday 13th March
Birder's Store (Sailing Centre) - Saturday 10th March
 
smart arse8-P
I will try and retake the pics, in exactly the same position tomorrow during the work party. This will give us an idea of just how things have moved on. Remembering that we started planting trees and bushes there 21 years ago, we are now endeavouring to try and recreate some of that grassy 'openness'.
Thus from grassland to woodland ..to somewhere in between in 21 years.
John,

If these pics were taken in 1988 I am old enough, in theory, to remember Upton as it was but unfortuneatley may be too old in practice to reliably do so.

Pic 1 - I would say this is taken from in front of Lifestyle's paddock looking across the area of the secret garden to the causeway and North Moors hide. The route of the path to the east hide ran from the causeway to the centre left of the photo behind the telegraph poles. Seem to recall that a second path started somewhere by the disabled parking area.
Correct , I am not sure exactly where the original path was, but the causeway was a pretty poor track and not tarmacked. I think the main path is as it is today

Pic 2 - This is looking in same general direction taken from somewhere in front of Lifestyles building but this time from the edge of the tarmac track to the farm. Seem to recall that this part of the track, from the disabled parking to the farm, was not part of the reserve but was the preferred access in wet weather when the official path would be deep in mud.
correct

Pic 3 - Guess this is taken from area between start of present track to east hide and the metal gate. The old path to the east hide followed the line of the telegraph lines out of the photo to the left. There was no hard track to east hide but the access path continued past the east hide, skirted round the back of the old Broadmeadows pool and then followed the line of the Salwarpe to join the current track at the rear of the west hide.
Correct
The large trees on the right were in a large field which stretched from the hedge, opposite the disabled parking, along the track and in front of the farm house. Don't seem to recall getting Corn Buntings on this side. There was, however, a winter roost of 40 or 50 birds in the reeds to the north of the west hide.
correct

nice one AlanB :)
 
Tuesday work party at Moors 31st Jan 2012

Today 14 of us gathered in very cold miserable conditions, but Terry W soon cheers us up with his dry wit:t:

The chopped Ash trees were tidied up, dead hedge along road was strengthened. Several large logs were left to rot down. Apart from installing some nest boxes (next week), work in this area is now complete. Please note there is NO access to this section of the reserve. But adequate views are possible from the road and east gate, could you take notes on any sightings bird , flowers butterflies - this will help us gauge the effects of the management on the flora and fauna.

The second task today, involved more coppicing, heavy pruning and removal of last years willow growth from the coppices. The large Oak tree to the left of the 'Broadmeadow ' gate was pruned, - this will allow light into the bramble patch and encourage a more vigorous growth. The pruned oak limbs will provide homes for hole nesting species. photos later
B :)John
 
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Today 14 of us gathered in very cold miserable conditions, but Terry W soon cheers us up with his dry wit:t:

The chopped Ash trees were tidied up, dead hedge along road was strengthened. Several large logs were left to rot down. Apart from installing some nest boxes (next week), work in this area is now complete. Please note there is now access to this section of the reserve. But adequate views are possible from the road and east gate, could you take notes on any sightings bird , flowers butterflies - this will help us gauge the effects of the management on the flora and fauna.

The second task today, involved more coppicing, heavy pruning and removal of last years willow growth from the coppices. The large Oak tree to the left of the 'Broadmeadow ' gate was pruned, - this will allow light into the bramble patch and encourage a more vigorous growth. The pruned oak limbs will provide homes for hole nesting species. photos later
B :)John

Please note there is NO access to this section of the reserve.
 

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