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Upton Warren (18 Viewers)

Given Mike's and Andy's experience with the dog walkers and my encounter with a rather dubious character last Thursday, can I remind all Upton Warren visitors to be vigilant. This is not to suggest these people had an ulterior motive but not everyone has best interests of the birds at heart.

Secondly.............if you see someone clearly watching a bird along one the pathways, please pause and wait a few seconds until they have finished, rather than walk past or even walk in front, thus blocking the observers view and probably disturbing the birds.
 
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Oh, before i forget re: waders - interesting to note that you say that the Avo's incubate from laying the first egg. That surprises me and that would mean a size-range in newly hatched chicks, i would not have thought that they would have asynchronous hatching?

Laurie:t:
 
ICE AGE GIANTS.

WWT have heard back from the BBC and the Upton sequence did not make the final cut. The nation doesn't know what it's missed. This series seems to be concentrating on big animals and icy wastes so a section to do with beetles, which is one of the important areas that Upton is known for, is probably not deemed powerful enough for the BBC.


Des.
 
with the unfortunate ending shortly of the Worcestershire birding information web page (if it's changed and someone is taking it on please let me know) I am considering starting a facebook page up for the Upton Warren Nature Reserve
I would like feed back on this issue as with the last one I was going to start on flickr seemed to upset a few people by the amount of p/m I received and after careful consideration I decided to follow my instincts and not start the flickr page but think a facebook page would be of great advantage to the regular and the once a time visitor.

Please let me know what you think
 
A facebook page is not something that I'd use, but only as I don't have either a facebook account or a web-enabled phone ;) Therefore I have no strong opinions either way.
 
A facebook page is not something that I'd use, but only as I don't have either a facebook account or a web-enabled phone ;) Therefore I have no strong opinions either way.

Hmmm ...what extra from a thread like this one would another format achieve.....I too don't do the facybook thing...or Twatter......cannot get on with either.So much so that when I do try and get on a faceboof link it goes blank as I tried to cancel my account (lasted a few weeks).

I don't know if the Worcestershire birding information web page is what I kept getting over the years when I used to put Upton warren birds into google it never gave ant info and didn't seem to be updated.All this was before I found this site.....from which I can access ALL the regions.
This thread will never suffer from non updating as the many who view keep it going whereas other sites seem to suffer from them being too much for one or two who run them.
Keith
 
A wet day at the Mecca (Flashes)

Started at the Flashes and spent 11 hours from 5.45am and the rain never stopped. While getting my gear from the boot of my car, a couple of oystercatchers came in from the west Started at the Flashes, from the bridge scrubland garden warbler, blackcap, whitethroat, chiffchaff and at least 5 reed warblers in the Hen pool and surrounding scrub. A spotted flycatcher sheltered in the large maple tree behind the Hen pool hide, only infrequently making flycatching forays from its perch. Just before I got into the main hide 4 more oycs called circling as they did so. This was a family party of 2 ads and 2 juvs, added to the 3 breeding pairs , meant that there were 12 birds on site not including the chicks. At about 7.30 the wind shifted to the east but unfortunately nothing arrived. Although 2 redshanks were seen by Clive L after I had moved on to the Moors. The Avo chicks were all intact and I counted 150+ BHG chicks, the waders from the previous night were stil present. I left for the Moors at 8.30am and returned at 1.30pm to watch Rob E performing his acting roll8-P for the BBC.(part of the springwatch season, on Midlands Today). Luckily the Avocets sheltering for most of the day, did perform equally as well, for the camera. Apart from a few swallows battling against the elements and 2 more oystercatchers dropped in briefly, nothing new was added to the morning session.
Species count Flashes:
Shelduck 6 min, gadwall 2 males, mallard 4 broods, Tufted 20, mute swan 2 prs, coot 10, Avocet 25 + 22 chicks, Oystercatcher 8 (poss 10), LRP 4, 'Tundra' ringed plover 3, sanderling, LBBG 10, BHG 300 +150 ch, jay, swallow 20, song thrush 2 singing, pied wag male plus juv,

Sailing Pool: GCG 2, Tufted 2 prs, swallow 30, house martin 40, swifts 20, whitethroat, reed warbler,
 
with the unfortunate ending shortly of the Worcestershire birding information web page (if it's changed and someone is taking it on please let me know) I am considering starting a facebook page up for the Upton Warren Nature Reserve
I would like feed back on this issue as with the last one I was going to start on flickr seemed to upset a few people by the amount of p/m I received and after careful consideration I decided to follow my instincts and not start the flickr page but think a facebook page would be of great advantage to the regular and the once a time visitor.

Please let me know what you think

Hi Adrian
I don't think a lot of people that use this site are on Facebook or Twitter. Ironically this facility is exactly like Twitter except you're not limited by 140 characters of course!
Facebook has changed a lot recently and I'm not on it and wouldn't go back. As this forum is just another form of social media where Upton warreners post then it probably does the job. Just my view but nice one for thinking about it. :t:
Cheers
Gert
 
Moors Today

Stuck in the east hide due to the rain. Didn't bother launching the tern rafts today so will be done next week instead.
My mission today was to do a water bird breeding tally, as migration was not going to happen. But saying that there was more about than I expected. Most notable was the large mixed flock of swift and hirundines, that were forced down low over the water. Only 2 common terns were present when I first arrived but 3 more dropped in as well as a 1st summer common gull, but most surprising was a common snipe flying out of the 'juncus' patch and landing in deep cover on the west bank of the Broadmeadow pool. A cuckoo landed in alders on the southern border, but it didn't call. Even in these dier conditions, many passerines continued singing, including Garden warbler, whitethroat (2), chiffchaff (2), blackcap (2), reed warbler (10), cettis warbler (2), along east side and Amy's marsh, 2 or 3 song thrushes also let me know they were there.
Species count MOORS:
GCG 5 prs 3 lots of young - 4,1,1. Little grebe 1 pr + 2 chicks, mute swan 5 ch, mallard 35 + 5 broods, gadwall male, shelduck pr, tufted 30, coot 54 + 8 broods, moorhen 2 broods, canada geese c30 + 6 broods, greylag 6, grey heron 2, cormorant 2, Oystercatcher 4 + 2 broods of 3:1. lapwing 3- the female and male attacked and drove away a heron in the area west of the lagoon , this would indicate that they had chicks. The female dropped in an area out of view so I couldn't count the chicks. Snipe, Avocet, BHG 150 + 50 chicks min, common gull 1st summer, buzzard 2, swift 300, cuckoo, green woodpecker, swallow 30, house martin 200, sand martin 10, pied wag,
The poor conditions meant that I only saw 58 species, due to the lack of passerines. B :)John
 
with the unfortunate ending shortly of the Worcestershire birding information web page (if it's changed and someone is taking it on please let me know) I am considering starting a facebook page up for the Upton Warren Nature Reserve
I would like feed back on this issue as with the last one I was going to start on flickr seemed to upset a few people by the amount of p/m I received and after careful consideration I decided to follow my instincts and not start the flickr page but think a facebook page would be of great advantage to the regular and the once a time visitor.

Please let me know what you think

I think starting a Facebook page is a brilliant idea. I am a member of quite a few wildlife/birding groups and they can be a mine of information of what to see and where to go. My first port of call when off birding. Hope this helps.
 
The sun came so dashed here but gone by time i made it....1000's of Swift everywhere.But no idea why as its freezing and there does not look like any midges.
Keith
 
with the unfortunate ending shortly of the Worcestershire birding information web page (if it's changed and someone is taking it on please let me know) I am considering starting a facebook page up for the Upton Warren Nature Reserve
I would like feed back on this issue as with the last one I was going to start on flickr seemed to upset a few people by the amount of p/m I received and after careful consideration I decided to follow my instincts and not start the flickr page but think a facebook page would be of great advantage to the regular and the once a time visitor.

Please let me know what you think

Hi Adrian,

Just to clarify, the Birding Today service ends in its current format on Friday but a Worcestershire only news service will continue, albeit on a more limited species basis. The provisional list of species to be included can be seen here. The list is not set in stone so there may be a few additions/deletions in time.

Brian
 
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Recent visit

Had a lovely visit on Saturday afternoon - thought I would share some pics. Saw the Avocet and Oyster Catcher fighting at the Flashes and managed to fire a shot off but unfortunately not that good :(
 

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with the unfortunate ending shortly of the Worcestershire birding information web page (if it's changed and someone is taking it on please let me know) I am considering starting a facebook page up for the Upton Warren Nature Reserve
I would like feed back on this issue as with the last one I was going to start on flickr seemed to upset a few people by the amount of p/m I received and after careful consideration I decided to follow my instincts and not start the flickr page but think a facebook page would be of great advantage to the regular and the once a time visitor.

Please let me know what you think

My personal view is this thread is near perfect - it combines rapid news of rarities, regular detailed updates (would be great if that was on a daily basis), cracking photos, history of the reserve, background of the species occurring (past and present), work party activities, future proposals etc etc. It is contributed to by many of the regular watchers of the reserve past and present and has helped develop a real "community feel" amongst Upton Warren birders and those who visit on a less regular basis; the fact that this is the most visiting and contributed to single-site thread on Bird Forum speaks volumes. To my mind anything which fragments this central focus point is a backward step. As Brian as mentioned a few minutes ago he will continue to offer information focussed on the county and several of us with smart phones try to post details of scarcer birds seen by our less technically advanced friends to keep the information following as live as possible. I suspect that you would end up coming up to this forum to get details of sightings so why not just keep it all in one self-contained place?
 
Oh, before i forget re: waders - interesting to note that you say that the Avo's incubate from laying the first egg. That surprises me and that would mean a size-range in newly hatched chicks, i would not have thought that they would have asynchronous hatching?

Laurie:t:

The past decade has seen Avocet broods with a notable difference in size (and therefore hatching date) between the oldest and youngest in the brood. Just yesterday whilst the latest brood of three was feeding on the peninsular the parent was still brooding the remaining (fourth ;)) egg in the nest some 24 hours later.
 
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[
I do not know why the KP info would not be included because the record and eggs (the latter AFAIK) exist i can assure you.

This record is of such national significance I would urge you to contact the RBBP direct with the information, despite the passage of time. In the meantime, is there anything you can do to tempt a Kentish Plover to UW?
 
Started at the Flashes and spent 11 hours from 5.45am and the rain never stopped. While getting my gear from the boot of my car, a couple of oystercatchers came in from the west Started at the Flashes, from the bridge scrubland garden warbler, blackcap, whitethroat, chiffchaff and at least 5 reed warblers in the Hen pool and surrounding scrub. A spotted flycatcher sheltered in the large maple tree behind the Hen pool hide, only infrequently making flycatching forays from its perch. Just before I got into the main hide 4 more oycs called circling as they did so. This was a family party of 2 ads and 2 juvs, added to the 3 breeding pairs , meant that there were 12 birds on site not including the chicks. At about 7.30 the wind shifted to the east but unfortunately nothing arrived. Although 2 redshanks were seen by Clive L after I had moved on to the Moors. The Avo chicks were all intact and I counted 150+ BHG chicks, the waders from the previous night were stil present.

This is the first multiple Redshank record since the 16th March 2012 - a very sorry decline for this formerly regular attempted breeder :-C
 
Stuck in the east hide due to the rain. Didn't bother launching the tern rafts today so will be done next week instead.
My mission today was to do a water bird breeding tally, as migration was not going to happen. But saying that there was more about than I expected. Most notable was the large mixed flock of swift and hirundines, that were forced down low over the water. Only 2 common terns were present when I first arrived but 3 more dropped in as well as a 1st summer common gull, but most surprising was a common snipe flying out of the 'juncus' patch and landing in deep cover on the west bank of the Broadmeadow pool. A cuckoo landed in alders on the southern border, but it didn't call. Even in these dier conditions, many passerines continued singing, including Garden warbler, whitethroat (2), chiffchaff (2), blackcap (2), reed warbler (10), cettis warbler (2), along east side and Amy's marsh, 2 or 3 song thrushes also let me know they were there.
Species count MOORS:
GCG 5 prs 3 lots of young - 4,1,1. Little grebe 1 pr + 2 chicks, mute swan 5 ch, mallard 35 + 5 broods, gadwall male, shelduck pr, tufted 30, coot 54 + 8 broods, moorhen 2 broods, canada geese c30 + 6 broods, greylag 6, grey heron 2, cormorant 2, Oystercatcher 4 + 2 broods of 3:1. lapwing 3- the female and male attacked and drove away a heron in the area west of the lagoon , this would indicate that they had chicks. The female dropped in an area out of view so I couldn't count the chicks. Snipe, Avocet, BHG 150 + 50 chicks min, common gull 1st summer, buzzard 2, swift 300, cuckoo, green woodpecker, swallow 30, house martin 200, sand martin 10, pied wag,
The poor conditions meant that I only saw 58 species, due to the lack of passerines. B :)John

Another passerine in evidence today was the Lesser Whitethroat which John Ridley and I heard singing from behind the Sailing Pool at midday.
 
This record is of such national significance I would urge you to contact the RBBP direct with the information, despite the passage of time. In the meantime, is there anything you can do to tempt a Kentish Plover to UW?

Hi Phil,

The Birds of Norfolk (Moss Taylor et al) mentions several nesting records for Norfolk including two attempts on Blakeney Point in '83, Hickling in '78 and Salthouse in '77 while a pair was in the Cley/Salthouse area from April to June '75.

With the only Worcs record at Bittell in July 1940 it would great to have a repeat performance but I don't hold out much hope given how much scarcer they have become since the '70s and '80s let alone the '40s.

Brian
 

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