I was amazed to see the one brood diving at the weekened, I never realised they did that as soon as they took to water. I then saw them dive en masse as a gull swooped over !!
final word on the bingo, Dave W won, with 2 little ducks :-O
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Upton Warren (23 Viewers)
- Thread starter andythomas
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I was amazed to see the one brood diving at the weekened, I never realised they did that as soon as they took to water. I then saw them dive en masse as a gull swooped over !!
final word on the bingo, Dave W won, with 2 little ducks :-O
Phil Andrews
It's only Rock and Roller but I like it
Mark - if you spend more time with your eyes on the sky and less on your bingo card you may eventually see one of these in 2011 ...
UW82
Well-known member
At one time both broods were together ie 18. Sometime latér there was a brood of 8 so I assumed the broods were 8 and 10.
Des.
Mark - if you spend more time with your eyes on the sky and less on your bingo card you may eventually see one of these in 2011 ...
Ouch ! I promise to pay more attention :t:
upstarts1979
Well-known member
Just back from the Little Mecca the FLASHES( the big one being Cley8-P),
As Tim mentioned plus 17 LRP's (4 juvs), 2 common sand, 31 Curlew, 40 lapwing, 3 Teal and fem Tufted, BHG roost 650 and 11 LBBG.
BJohn
As Tim mentioned plus 17 LRP's (4 juvs), 2 common sand, 31 Curlew, 40 lapwing, 3 Teal and fem Tufted, BHG roost 650 and 11 LBBG.
B
John
Jason K
Well-known member
Haha Little Mecca, I like it!
Your right about Cley John...fantastic reserve far superior to the somewhat overated Titchwell. especially if you take the longer walk towards Salthouse and back down the iron road. One of my favourite areas along the North Norfolk coast!
Jase
Brian Stretch
Well-known member
Year lists now updated here: http://www.uptonwarrenbirding.co.uk/upton_warren_year_listing_45.html
Also Black-tailed Godwit gallery added, courtesy of Chris's excellent shots: http://www.uptonwarrenbirding.co.uk/black-tailed_godwits_upton_warren_49.html
Brian
_________________________________________
Birding Today - Midlands Birding Review May 2011
Also Black-tailed Godwit gallery added, courtesy of Chris's excellent shots: http://www.uptonwarrenbirding.co.uk/black-tailed_godwits_upton_warren_49.html
Brian
_________________________________________
Birding Today - Midlands Birding Review May 2011
upstarts1979
Well-known member
Weather looking good for next few days windy and wet.
I'm off on Holiday for next 2 weeks to the Canaries. So hope things are good for you all. I think you might get a couple of the following; Spot shank, greenshank, ruff, little egret and a goody or two. Hope the breeding continues, can you keep tabs on the Terns progress and ducks (redstart would be nice:smoke so I can finalise the breeding survey, when I get back.
Have a good un boys and girls:t:
BJohn
ps I will only come back for a Marsh sand, or something of that ilk8-P
I'm off on Holiday for next 2 weeks to the Canaries. So hope things are good for you all. I think you might get a couple of the following; Spot shank, greenshank, ruff, little egret and a goody or two. Hope the breeding continues, can you keep tabs on the Terns progress and ducks (redstart would be nice:smoke
so I can finalise the breeding survey, when I get back.Have a good un boys and girls:t:
B
Johnps I will only come back for a Marsh sand, or something of that ilk8-P
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MARSH SANDPIPER still at Blacktoft Sands RSPB this morning
Well it's got less travelling to Upton than you will have :eek!:
Well it's got less travelling to Upton than you will have :eek!:
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Phil Andrews
It's only Rock and Roller but I like it
Weather looking good for next few days windy and wet.
I'm off on Holiday for next 2 weeks to the Canaries. So hope things are good for you all. I think you might get a couple of the following; Spot shank, greenshank, ruff, little egret and a goody or two. Hope the breeding continues, can you keep tabs on the Terns progress and ducks (redstart would be nice:smoke
Have a good un boys and girls:t:
B
ps I will only come back for a Marsh sand, or something of that ilk8-P
Have a great time John!
Is anyone else able to get down Tuesdays and Thursdays for the next two weeks whilst John is away to make sure a mega doesnt slip through and to keep the Forum updated?
A question more than a post really, I'm aware that there was a lot of shrub clearance was done in the not too distant past and I assume that was done to perhaps increase the number of birds visiting the reserve. I wondered if any work was going to be done to increase the numbers of butterflies, damselflies and insects that visit the reserve.
When I have visited the reserve this year the numbers of insects etc seems to be well
down on previous years and I wondered if anybody had some thoughts on this
When I have visited the reserve this year the numbers of insects etc seems to be well
down on previous years and I wondered if anybody had some thoughts on this
Phil Andrews
It's only Rock and Roller but I like it
Hi Nick,
I am sure those who are far more au fait with insects (Gavo, Woodchat, UW82) will be able to give a better answer than I can but here's a start.
I personally havent notice a significant decrease in insect life although I would admit that dragon/damselflies do seem thin on the ground this year. In a large part I believe that insects are far more sensitive the spells of hot / cold / dry / wet weather and your observations may be an effect of the unusually dry period we have had from late May onwards.
Much of the management work we have undertaken has focussed on opening up overgrown / croweded out areas to create more light and develop a varied plantlife at ground level which can then only further encourage a wide range of insect life (as well as birds). Further programmes of works are proposed to tackle the problems caused by high canopies with little growth below say 20 foot above ground level in several key areas of the reserve, together with the rejuvination of now "leggy" hedgerows. Areas like the "secret garden" at the Moors Pool try to develop the limited grasslands we have got whilst the mowing / strimming regime helps the grassland areas generate on a regular basis. The loss of the transmitter field, which was looking really encouraging until its mowing last month and the insertion of cattle, was a real blow as that area was developing a wide selection of plants and insects.
Whilst UW is primarily a bird reserve (there are other WWT reserves more focused on insect life) we are acutely aware of the interaction of the foodchain with the Upton ecosystem and the work parties / contractors directed by the Trust will aim to create as varied and diverse habitat as is possible with the limited land we have available.
Phil
upstarts1979
Well-known member
Re butterflies; The scrub clearance ie North Moors, secret garden and east gate have all seen a good number of orange tips early spring, Meadow brown and tortoishell.
I am not the one to talk about insects, but butterflies have good and bad years. Tortoishell certainly have come back with a vengeance.
The clearance work will benefit more than just the birds. The first 3 years of coppicing will allow more light in, this will improve the fauna which in turn will increase the insects. The dragonflies is something Des can comment about, but I have seen plenty in the last week or so.
When you mention... down on previous years...is this a casual observation or based on your notes. Sometimes people see a tree cut down and think we have destroyed it, where in fact we are extending its life. The 'structural diversity of managing the wooded/scrub areas will be an ongoing thing, as it has been left (neglected) for far too long. The management will benefit all aspects of wildlife not just the birds.
Insects in general, have declined all over the UK in recent years, so I don't think it is as a result of anything we may or may not have done.
John
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Woodchat
Cogito ergo sum
I think this year has been excepionally good for tne following insect indicators at upton:
Orange Tip
Ringlet
Marbled White,
Small Tortoiseshell
Banded Demoiselle
Beautiful Demoiselle
I've probably seen more of these than in previous years.
An average year for Holly Blue, Common Blue, Small Copper, Honey Bee, Brimstone, etc.
Many Dragonflies are just starting to emerge with broad bodied chasers, black tailed skimmers and brown hawkers apparent in fair numbers in recent weeks. Red Admirals are also widespread.
Like John says, insects have good and bad years.
Personally, I think the areas that have been managed this year via coppicing and thinning have shown the greatest abundance.
The weather will also have a great influence and, from my perspective, the recent few weeks of sunny weekends have provided me with good opportunities to observe plentiful numbers of many species.
UW82
Well-known member
I think Upton does pretty well for a variety of insects, however, changeable weather, which was a feature of much of May and June, might have coincided with some of your visits. When the sun goes in or if there is a dramatic temperature drop, many insects go into hiding. I have noticed an increase in Red Admirals and Small Tortoiseshells when compared with 2010 and Ringlets have been of almost plague proportions. Dragonflies numbers seem to be similar to previous years and catching up with those aerial acrobats is very weather dependent. The Redstarts at the Flashes might be able to answer your question more accurately judging by the number of insects they appear to be catching from the transmitter field. Only accurate record keeping and regular visits will give a true picture of the fluctuations in insect numbers.
Des.
Hi Phil,
Thank you for the information about the work done and about the work that is planned. Upton is a great reserve and if the work is successful will become better still.
My question was not a criticism of the work however I have been coming down to the reserve for many years and from my notes and observations there has seemed to be less insects this year, whether this is a national trend I'm not sure.
Hopefully there will be increased numbers for the rest of this month and next month and that any future work successfully increases numbers of both birds and insects
Phil Andrews
It's only Rock and Roller but I like it
Whimbrel at the Flashes at 10:25 then flew south.
Well not many braved the elements this morning, I arrived around 8.45 and only saw 3 fellow birders all morning
Flashes this morning had c9 Green Sand, 2 Common Sand 3 Avo's and a Whimbrel between 10.15 and 10.25.1 Dunlin seen. Skylark came down in front of the hide around 9.30 for a few minutes. Water Rail showed in reeds infront of large oak. Peregrine over
From the East hide on the Moors the Little Owl was showing in it's usual spot. I could only see 1 Tufted Duck brood with 6 showing briefly before going out of sight in the broadmeadow area. The odd Sand Martin ensured all Hirundines were represented at some point over the reserve
After another massive downpour around 1pm I legged it while I could to dry out and watch the golf
Flashes this morning had c9 Green Sand, 2 Common Sand 3 Avo's and a Whimbrel between 10.15 and 10.25.1 Dunlin seen. Skylark came down in front of the hide around 9.30 for a few minutes. Water Rail showed in reeds infront of large oak. Peregrine over
From the East hide on the Moors the Little Owl was showing in it's usual spot. I could only see 1 Tufted Duck brood with 6 showing briefly before going out of sight in the broadmeadow area. The odd Sand Martin ensured all Hirundines were represented at some point over the reserve
After another massive downpour around 1pm I legged it while I could to dry out and watch the golf
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Phil Andrews
It's only Rock and Roller but I like it
A few more birders ventured out this afternoon including myself, Woodchat, CaveLight, Phil Quiney, Terry Norledge and GLaB. Not much change to this morning but a summary of sightings is as follow:
MOORS POOL
10 GC Grebe + 1 well grown chick, 4 Grey Heron, 2 Cormorant, 93 Coot, 23 Lapwing, c45 LBB Gull, 1 Herring Gull, Kingfisher very active around the Broad Meadow, Little Owl on chimney of Hobden Hall Farm, 2 adult Common Terns + 2 chicks from fledged brood, 4 Tufted Duck + 1 brood of 6 chicks, 340 BH Gull, 7 Moorhen.
FLASHES
12 Green Sand, 1 Common Sand, 1 Dunlin, 13 LRP (incl 3 juvs), 3 Avocet, 28 Curlew, 15 Lapwing, 3 Teal, 9 Moorhen, 8 Coot, fem Tufted Duck on 3rd flash, 2 oldest fledged tern chicks, 430 BH Gull. Ringed Plover reported earlier.
PS Sorry Cooky - forgot you were up the other end of the hide.
MOORS POOL
10 GC Grebe + 1 well grown chick, 4 Grey Heron, 2 Cormorant, 93 Coot, 23 Lapwing, c45 LBB Gull, 1 Herring Gull, Kingfisher very active around the Broad Meadow, Little Owl on chimney of Hobden Hall Farm, 2 adult Common Terns + 2 chicks from fledged brood, 4 Tufted Duck + 1 brood of 6 chicks, 340 BH Gull, 7 Moorhen.
FLASHES
12 Green Sand, 1 Common Sand, 1 Dunlin, 13 LRP (incl 3 juvs), 3 Avocet, 28 Curlew, 15 Lapwing, 3 Teal, 9 Moorhen, 8 Coot, fem Tufted Duck on 3rd flash, 2 oldest fledged tern chicks, 430 BH Gull. Ringed Plover reported earlier.
PS Sorry Cooky - forgot you were up the other end of the hide.
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