• Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.

    Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Upton Warren (25 Viewers)

Seen from the west hide, came in low from the the north at approx 10.00 am being mobbed by a Grey Heron.

Landed in the west reed bed but was spooked by male Sparrowhawk; landed briefly on rail in front of hide then in Amey's marsh. Last seen to disappear in SW corner.

Dashed round to east hide but could not re-locate.

Smashing pics Alan.
 
Been out on Tue. Work Party today -Great Day ,Great Company, anybody out there thinking about having a go, grab your Wellies get out there and enjoy!!!
Cheers Glenn
 
I visited the Flashes mid-morning and can give you an exact count of the birds there: not one, not a gull nor a duck. However, there were 4 or 5 men working. I asked the inevitable question and was told that they didn't know but hoped it would be by the end of January. What is a builder's hope worth?

Peter

Did they say which year ?
 
Tuesday work party at Moors

After last weeks wash out, today was like an early spring day.
We split into 2 groups Dave H, Ray C and Glenn H, set about constructing a new screen in front of the small car park below the chestnut tree. This helped make the secret garden more 'secret' by making it taller and thicker.
The viewing 'hedge' which overlooks the secret garden was also modified to make it more 'user friendly'.
pic 1 - secret garden
2 - new viewing hedge
3 - view of car park screen from secret garden hedge
4 - the view of new screen and entrance to secret garden
 

Attachments

  • 1.secret Garden on10 jan 12 (3).jpg
    1.secret Garden on10 jan 12 (3).jpg
    286.1 KB · Views: 79
  • 2.new screen at Secret G 10jan 12 (2).JPG
    2.new screen at Secret G 10jan 12 (2).JPG
    305 KB · Views: 72
  • 3.view from SG screen of screen 2small car park 10jan 12b (2).JPG
    3.view from SG screen of screen 2small car park 10jan 12b (2).JPG
    366.5 KB · Views: 69
  • 4.new screen from road on approach 2 SG (2).JPG
    4.new screen from road on approach 2 SG (2).JPG
    326.9 KB · Views: 77
Great work John + crew. I'm really looking forward to seeing the Willow Warblers taking up their territory in there in a few months.
 
Tuesday work party at Moors part 2

The second group of 10, Paul M, Paul H (beyonder), John C, Terry N, Terry W, Matt, Sukie, Janet, Andy H and me.
continued coppicing / pollarding and dead hedging the north east emergent woodland.
We chopped a few more ash trees mostly in the north section, Andy H chainsawed a few before his chainsaw packed up, Several trees were treated and others 'ring barked'.
A few logs were left on the ground and covered in soil and leaf litter to create micro habitat. The rest of the brash was used to create a double dead hedge at the front and back of the woodland. We then moved to the southern section (which is at the start of the east track) which is dominated by willows close to the reedbed. By pollarding them we have opened up the area and made it more enticing to a larger range of flora and fauna.
We have almost turned the area inside out..by that I mean the taller trees have been left. A gradual incline from the water through the reeds, then into herbaceous and scrubland, finally meets the tall trees next to the road. This is how an ideal wetland habitat should look. It lessens the shading and drying effect that trees in the 'wrong' place produces.
The project is not quite finished yet, but even at this stage the variety of habitat in this area has been massively increased.
Pic 1 and 2 show tody's work
3 shows the view from Life styles and 4 shows inside the area viewed from there.
5. shows the view from the southern section just inside from the east path, looking north.
B :)John
 

Attachments

  • A.ash trees cut and treated in nw corna of NE wood 10jan12.jpg
    A.ash trees cut and treated in nw corna of NE wood 10jan12.jpg
    326.2 KB · Views: 71
  • B.NE wood from  ring bargked NE corna 10 jan 12 (2).jpg
    B.NE wood from ring bargked NE corna 10 jan 12 (2).jpg
    347.5 KB · Views: 64
  • c. viewed from LStyle.jpg
    c. viewed from LStyle.jpg
    208.3 KB · Views: 73
  • D.in area viewed from life styles.JPG
    D.in area viewed from life styles.JPG
    325.8 KB · Views: 67
  • best view from south section looking northr (2).JPG
    best view from south section looking northr (2).JPG
    303.4 KB · Views: 80
Last edited:
pics for graham

a few pics from saturday curlew and reed bunting, was'nt sure if you've had a pheasant yet this year but gra said he did'nt think you'd had a blackcap yet to add to year list was up salwarpe. soz i could'nt make it sunday something cropped up, see ya all soon.
 

Attachments

  • DSC07956.jpg
    DSC07956.jpg
    184.5 KB · Views: 93
  • DSC07941.jpg
    DSC07941.jpg
    60.3 KB · Views: 59
  • DSC07966.jpg
    DSC07966.jpg
    117.1 KB · Views: 68
  • DSC07989.jpg
    DSC07989.jpg
    110.2 KB · Views: 77
pps

the heron pic is in there coz it has a stick in its beak maybe planning setting up home was heading over to the far right looking from the east
 
Cheers Tracey - Blackcap certainly is new for the year (#75).

No worries about Sunday, as John posted previously we now have a pool of volunteers to call on with 38 different attendees for the Sunday work parties and probably an additional 20 or so for the Tuesdays - the unsung heroes (and heroines) of Upton Warren.
 
Last edited:
Birding at the Moors today.
During the work party at least 2 song thrushes sang close by and a coal tit called from the east track. Great spotted woodpeckers were ever present. On the water the scrape was busy with both ducks and waders. Towards dark all the water fowl gathered off shore from the lagoon and east island.
Totals
GCG 8, Little Grebe, Shoveler 12, Teal 60 ( at least 30 fed in the broadmeadow pool), Shelduck 2 males, the dominant bird constantly chased the younger one.
Tufted 22, Cormorant 30 Mute Swan 3, coot 105, water rail 3 calling.
Curlew 16, lapwing 130+, Snipe 5. LBBG c20, Herring gull less than 10, BHG c300,
Green and great sp woodpecker, Fieldfare only 1 roosted.
B :)John
Please note the dominant male Shelduck has a metal BTO ring on its right leg. This in itself will tell us if this bird is one of our breeding season birds or a migrant. Anyone with a scope could you try and get its numbers/letters. :t:
 
Last edited:
Fantastic work guys! Hope the breeding birds appreciate it during the coming spring and summer. More Willow Warblers and Whitethroats would be a great pay-back for all the hard work, plus anything else that fancies a quick stop-off.
 
The artificial sand martin bank at the scrape section of Amy's marsh was installed last Feb/March. Unfortunately no sand martins used it.
Although it was a tried and tested design, used successfully by the 'sand martin trust'. The chances of success in the first year were going to be low and time will be a factor. However rather than sit back and wait we have decided to modify it in time for this years breeding season.
We have listened to a lot of positive criticism and researched further into other reserve's experiences. I have passed on this design to the Trust for English Nature to ratify.
Basically we will be installing a wooden surround that will help the bank, blend in with the natural earth bank behind it. We could alos increase the diameter ion some of the holes. A 'living roof' will also be planted on top of the roof which will have the front extended to give the holes more shelter from the elements.
B :)John
 

Attachments

  • sand martin plan.jpg
    sand martin plan.jpg
    91.2 KB · Views: 136
On a light hearted note. Watch Midsomer Murders, tonight. Its about a rare bird from uganda being found by a geazer who then goes on to win the local year listing competition. Dave what have you started, see it is a mattrer of life and death 8-P. Wonder if it the bird was a shoebill:-O
B :)John
 
Sand Martin bank

The artificial sand martin bank at the scrape section of Amy's marsh was installed last Feb/March. Unfortunately no sand martins used it.
Although it was a tried and tested design, used successfully by the 'sand martin trust'. The chances of success in the first year were going to be low and time will be a factor.
B :)John

Time indeed seems to be a major factor. As an example for the last five years I have spent a late spring day birding on the river near Monmouth. Where the river skirts the town there is a stone retaining wall where Sand Martins nested in virtually all of the drainage pipes. The second year I went part of the retaining wall had been rebuilt and although it appeared exacting the same as the original the sand Martins were only nesting in the old section. It was only this year that the pipes in the new section of wall were being used.
 
On a light hearted note. Watch Midsomer Murders, tonight. Its about a rare bird from uganda being found by a geazer who then goes on to win the local year listing competition. Dave what have you started, see it is a mattrer of life and death 8-P. Wonder if it the bird was a shoebill:-O
B :)John

Interesting... I wonder what rare bird specifically from Uganda could turn up as a genuine vagrant in the UK. As well as the normal afrotropical migrants, a few species which norrmally only occur in sub-saharan Africa have turned up in the Western Pal (e.g. Didric Cuckoo). Can't think of anything specifically only from Uganda though (suggests endemic).

I'm probably overthinking it - after all we're talking about a work of fiction here. I'm surprised there's anyone left alive in that village. :t:
 
Today's highlights, on what might be one of the last really Spring-like days for a while.

FLASHES:
MEN AT WORK!

MOORS:
Shelduck (2)-------------------Shoveler (10)
Teal (65)-----------------------Tufted Duck (21)
Gadwall (m)-------------------Snipe (17)
Curlew (18)------------------- Cormorant (20)
Little Grebe--------------------G C Grebe (8) nest building
Greylag Goose (14)-----------Song Thrush (3 singing)

ED RES:
Lesser Redpoll (6)-------------Siskin (3)
Song Thrush ( 2 singing)


Des.
 
Today's highlights, on what might be one of the last really Spring-like days for a while.

FLASHES:
MEN AT WORK!

MOORS:
Shelduck (2)-------------------Shoveler (10)
Teal (65)-----------------------Tufted Duck (21)
Gadwall (m)-------------------Snipe (17)
Curlew (18)------------------- Cormorant (20)
Little Grebe--------------------G C Grebe (8) nest building
Greylag Goose (14)-----------Song Thrush (3 singing)

ED RES:
Lesser Redpoll (6)-------------Siskin (3)
Song Thrush ( 2 singing)


Des.

Cheers Des - no sign of any 'Blue Crested Hoopoes' then...8-P
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top