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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Upton Warren (17 Viewers)

Highlight of the morning - a Meadow Pipit on the deck in front of the flashes hide!

Just to keep the records going for Phil (while he is away)
Moors: Shoveler 10 , Pochard 4, Oyc 4

Flashes; Teal 45, Oyc 2,

It would appear that the majority of the waders yesterday were passage migrants
Redshank 2, LRP 2 and ringed plover
 
The first Wheatear (a male) of the year appeared behind the new hide at the Flashes, late morning Hairy birder (Si B)

Hi John. It was still hanging around when Guy and I left the flashes at around 12:45, when we managed to put G La B. and his wife on to it. It was near the back of the field, between the large red brick building and the 3 large oaks trees in the back hedge. It did tend to disappear in between the ridges of the field and so was easily lost from view. Cheers Si. :t:
 
Hi John. It was still hanging around when Guy and I left the flashes at around 12:45, when we managed to put G La B. and his wife on to it. It was near the back of the field, between the large red brick building and the 3 large oaks trees in the back hedge. It did tend to disappear in between the ridges of the field and so was easily lost from view. Cheers Si. :t:

Looks like I should have scanned the field more thoroughly whilst I was there :-C

Nice find so early in the month. No doubt Phil will do us a graph on early Wheatear sightings when he gets back, unless he's sufficiently bored on his honeymoon to do it now ... ;)

I could say that Wheatear was the 93rd species for the year, but I'd be making it up 'cos I've no idea what the count is at the moment. :-O
 
y'days pics

some pics of the lapwings displaying yesterday.
 

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Butterflies and Moths of Upton Warren

I am about to complete my Butterflies and Moths of Upton Warren it runs to around 60 pages. If this would be of interest to you please register that interest with me at [email protected]. I have three worthy aims in publishing, the first is to make sure lepidoptera records for the site are preserved, the second is to assist in the management of plants and animals on the reserve, and the third is to encourage people to take up an interest in lepidoptera. I intend to privately publish this, it will not be available for sale.

I aim to include all published records. If there are those of you out there with unpublished records, which they would like to see included please contact me at the above email address.

JS
 
I am about to complete my Butterflies and Moths of Upton Warren it runs to around 60 pages. If this would be of interest to you please register that interest with me at [email protected]. I have three worthy aims in publishing, the first is to make sure lepidoptera records for the site are preserved, the second is to assist in the management of plants and animals on the reserve, and the third is to encourage people to take up an interest in lepidoptera. I intend to privately publish this, it will not be available for sale.

I aim to include all published records. If there are those of you out there with unpublished records, which they would like to see included please contact me at the above email address.

JS

Excellent work John
This will give us even more valuable information on the biodiversity of the Reserve. Moth nights could also take place, but I will leave that up to you John. I will definitely have a copy and will email you. It will be interesting to see how the recent management work is affecting the populations and diversity of both moths and butterflies.

B :)John
 
Today saw a halt to the spring bandwagon with low temperatures and a cooling west - NW breeze. It appears that breeding activity is slow this year with most wetland species.
The FLASHES were relatively quiet this afternoon.
Teal 25, Avocet 3 ( feeding a bit more than of late), Lapwing 14 - with a lot of flight displaying. Oystercatcher pr, Curlew 6.
BHG 60+. A few LBBG moved north, several Buzzards (c6) soared around the reserve. A small flock of c20 Fieldfare mixed in with the 50 or so Starling flock over the orchard.
At least 2 chiffchaffs sang.

The MOORS were a bit more lively. Just before dark almost all the ducks had gathered in front of the east hide.
Totals: GCG 4 min, Little grebe 6, shoveler 10, gadwall pr, teal c10, shelduck pr, pochard 4 (2prs), Tufted 49, Lapwing 3, snipe 5, oystercatcher 4 (2 prs), BHG c200 - although all had left by 6pm to roost at the Flashes. A kingfisher was seen on the nearby river salwarp.
Still good numbers of reed bunting (10) and bullfinch at the feeding station.
Chiffchaff seen on the east side.
also 2 siskins flew over the education reserve.

B :)John
 
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These are really quality shots, of my favourite bird.
Mind you Trace, Gert was having an good bash at some flight shots today. Were they taken on the ground floor of the new hide?
B :)John
ps. still got your rucksack mate;)

Below a selection of pics from this afternoon's brief adventure at the Flashes. Nice to get the Chiff Chaff and the tumbling up side down Lapwing - their display flights are stunning aren't they? Also a male Lapwing was displaying to the leucistic female :t: The distant shot is of the same LRP from Saturday which dropped in late afternoon.
 

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Below a selection of pics from this afternoon's brief adventure at the Flashes. Nice to get the Chiff Chaff and the tumbling up side down Lapwing - their display flights are stunning aren't they? Also a male lapwing was displaying to the leucistic female :t: The distant shot is of the same LRP from Saturday which dropped in late afternoon.

The Lapwing has turned inside out:eek!:
You don't realise until your capture how acrobatic they can be.:t:

Gert, do you think it is the same LRP as yesterday, they are both females, today's bird looks to have more fuller brown ear coverts, although that could be the angle. I just like to think there is a constant passage of birds through upton. which would mean there has been 33 Avocets at least. 8-P
 
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Spent a few hours today at both moors and flashes today 3 Avocet, 2 LRP, 3 curlew 6 Oystercatcher (2 flashes 4 moors) 6 GCG on the sailing lake with at least 5 chiffchaff singing in the summer sunshine.
 
Spent a few hours today at both moors and flashes today 3 Avocet, 2 LRP, 3 curlew 6 Oystercatcher (2 flashes 4 moors) 6 GCG on the sailing lake with at least 5 chiffchaff singing in the summer sunshine.

Some footnotes:

Two of the avocets investigated two of the smaller islands very closely and looked as if they were about to take up residence, or at least to mate, but they just wandered back into the water.

At the Moors one pair of oystercatchers also seemed to be house-hunting on various islands; they were also extremely vociferous in tandem. Is this part of their mating ritual?

Yes, the GCGs seem to be the dominant species on the Sailing Pool at the moment.

Peter
 
Some footnotes:

Two of the avocets investigated two of the smaller islands very closely and looked as if they were about to take up residence, or at least to mate, but they just wandered back into the water.

At the Moors one pair of oystercatchers also seemed to be house-hunting on various islands; they were also extremely vociferous in tandem. Is this part of their mating ritual?

Yes, the GCGs seem to be the dominant species on the Sailing Pool at the moment.

Peter
Hi Peter yes that is part of the breeding activity. You also see the two pairs at the moors squaring up to each other in territorial disputes. When all 4 birds stand side by side, frantically calling, facing downwards with wings drooping by their side. It rarely ends up in a fight more of a posturing threat, possibly a case of the loudest pair wins.B :)John
 
Spent a few hours today at both moors and flashes today 3 Avocet, 2 LRP, 3 curlew 6 Oystercatcher (2 flashes 4 moors) 6 GCG on the sailing lake with at least 5 chiffchaff singing in the summer sunshine.
Hi Mark
I think we all thought spring had started last week, but as ever the NW winds arrive and it all slows down , until the SE winds come.;)see you tomorrow hopefully.
B :)John
 
I popped into see the new hide on Sat afternoon. Didn't venture upstairs as I got called away, but seems decent enough. Good low angle from the downstairs area and comfortable enough too. Slightly restrictive windows, but I guess it's my fault for having a bazooka...

Some pics from that afternoon and more on my Flickr page. Fab displays by the lapwings. Avocets sadly kept their distance.
 

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Hi Peter yes that is part of the breeding activity. You also see the two pairs at the moors squaring up to each other in territorial disputes. When all 4 birds stand side by side, frantically calling, facing downwards with wings drooping by their side. It rarely ends up in a fight more of a posturing threat, possibly a case of the loudest pair wins.B :)John

Ah so thats what they are doing. I thought one of them had dropped a contact lens! Its a pic i took last year from East hide. cheers Dennis
 

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