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Upton Warren (18 Viewers)

Upton Revisited

Well, you couldn't make it up !!

Was just finishing my lunch when news came through about a Brent Goose at the Flashes. 25 mins later was looking at a very smart bird. Cheers Phil :t: Not only a great Upton tick but a lifer !

As if that was not enough 3 gulls drifted over around 3pm, the middle one looking large, black backed and brutish, Great Black backed Gull was another Upton tick, taking my UW life list to 133 :-O

The excitement was obviously too much, I had left my car door open in my haste to get to the goose, Cheers JB for closing it

Happy New Year !! B :)
 
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Well that was a truly excellent way to end the year!! B :)

Attached are two photos - the first being my initial view, when the belly colour wasn't obvious and the second when it became apparent that it was the dark-bellied race.

Cheers to Phil for finding it and putting the news out.
 

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I can save you the trouble Mike, I am on 200. I assume we are counting calling birds such as Quail. Although if I remember rightly, Mike has an issue with counting calling birds in certain circumstances.Des.

Only a personal thing really, not suggesting anyone adopts the idea ;)

I've a rough idea on Stu's list, but not sure what he's added since he left in the mid-90s. I'll see if he has an up to date figure.
 
The latest quoted life lists for the reserve are currently as follows:

Although now I spend my of the year in York my Upton list has creeped upto 141 since that last update, was saying to Woodchat that I hadn't had an Upton tick this year although I remembered I had managed 1! Whinchat! Even John managed more ticks than that!

Hopefully if the Brent Goose is there tomorrow it won't be my only Upton tick of the year! Maybe I'll be able to shift some bogeys for the reserve in the form of Greenshank!!! Golden Plover, House Sparrow, Wheatear and amazingly after this year Redstart!

Happy New year guys, here's to 2012!
 
Attached is a review of my own (many) personal highlights of birding Upton Warren in 2011, including my final yeat list.

A very HAPPY NEW YEAR to all and good birding in 2012! :t: B :)
 

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Best wishes for 2012

My thanks to everyone at Upton for their good company, their advice, expertise and the loan of their optics. I wish you all the best for the coming year. I look forward to seeing you in the comfort of the new hide.

Peter
 
Attached is a review of my own (many) personal highlights of birding Upton Warren in 2011, including my final yeat list.

A very HAPPY NEW YEAR to all and good birding in 2012! :t: B :)

Thanks for your review, it almost makes me wish I still did UW as my regular patch.
I think my list stands at 171 species since I first started watching the place in1974.
Happy new year to you all.
Geoff
 
Two drake Goosanders just circled the sailing pool and seemed to be heading for the moors pool -looked like they were landing.

Edit. No further sign of Goosanders - must've flown straight through.

Coal Tit again in gardens along east track. 8 Pochard dropped in and Peregrine over. Still 40 or so Lesser Redpolls in birches in north moors plantation.

Further sightings for today were as follows:

MOORS POOL
2 GC Grebe, 1 Little Grebe, 10 Pochard, 15 Tufted Duck, 22 Shoveler, 33 Teal, 29 Cormorant, 26 Canada Geese, 2 Grey Heron, 9 Moorhen, 129 Coot, 115 Lapwing, 17 Curlew, 9 Snipe, 2 female Pheasants feeding on the East Island, 2 Sparrowhawk.

SAILING POOL
c80 Canada Geese, 19 Greylag Geese, adult Dark-bellied Brent Goose unnoticed on the ground in the campsite field until all the geese took off at 1:45. The flock flew towards the Moors Pool where the bird was noted by Chris Cook but a volley of gunfire caused the Brent to veer off and came back over the Sailing Pool and drop into the Flashes. It was seen on the shore nearest the hide by myself, Woodchat and Israel before it moved to the back of the Flashes and then onto the winter wheat field to the north east where it remained for at least an hour, allowing many to catch up with it. By approx 4pm it had rejoined the main goose flock in the campsite field.

FLASHES
2 Grey Heron, adult Great Black-backed Gull flew south (good call from Andy Warr)
 
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A couple of the Dark Bellied Brent Goose.A good bird to close 2011 at Upton.:t:
A very Happy New year to all on the Forum.B :)

Chris
 

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2011 Year Listing - its the final countdown!!

Congratulations to Dave in ending the year on 145 species, exceeding Stuart Croft's previous record of 142 species set in 1994. The year finished with the following year lists (please feel free to update with any amendments):

1. Dave Walker - 145
2. Phil Andrews - 134
2. Gert Corfield - 134
4. Dave Jackson - 132
5. Mark Peacock - 130
6. John Belsey - 129
6. Mike Wakeman - 129
8. Andy Pitt - 122
8. Gavin O'Seachnasaigh - 122
 
Attached is a review of my own (many) personal highlights of birding Upton Warren in 2011, including my final yeat list.

A very HAPPY NEW YEAR to all and good birding in 2012! :t: B :)

A great review Dave and, in 2012, you can relax in the knowledge that your final total for the year will not be beaten for some years- famous last words.
To think that last Wednesday we were speculating on the possibility of increasing your year list by one, eg Bearded Tit and now you've increased the list by TWO.

I was on the road today and couldn't connect with my 201st species--maybe tomorrow.

Happy New Year to all Upton forumers.


Des.
 
Brent Goose records

Prior to today's sighting there have only been three accepted records of Brent Geese for Upton Warren, all relating to Dark-bellied birds:

28th October 1989 - one at the Moors Pool
6th April 1992 - one in the Broadmeadow at the Moors Pool
13th October 1996 - one on the Sailing Pool (presumably the same bird was also seen two days later at the Moors Pool although not submitted to the County Recorder)

There have been two further reports that were not submitted to the County Recorder, both from 2007 - two at the Flashes on the 15th October followed by two on the Sailing Pool on the 26th December.

As an aside, 2011 is the first year that has seen six species of geese recorded at Upton Warren.
 
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Congratulations to Dave in ending the year on 145 species, exceeding Stuart Croft's previous record of 142 species set in 1994. The year finished with the following year lists (please feel free to update with any amendments):

1. Dave Walker - 145
2. Phil Andrews - 134
2. Gert Corfield - 134
4. Dave Jackson - 132
5. Mark Peacock - 130
6. John Belsey - 129
6. Mike Wakeman - 129
8. Andy Pitt - 122
8. Gavin O'Seachnasaigh - 122


Phil - didn't get tawny Owl tonight so joint 2nd is fine by me:t: I would add though that I heard Golden Plover and House Sparrow which would have taken me to 136 but I'm not going to claim those in true Wakeman fashion.
Attached are photos of the mini twitch this afternoon and the last sunset at Upton Warren for 2011.
Happy New Year to all - and congrats to Dave - that attachment is a thing of beauty mate:t:
And my favorite image of the year was one I took with my phone one early April morning (17/4) of 2 Avocets about to embark on some breeding activity as per the link below - the photo is just as I took it through my scope in the early morning sun..
http://www.flickr.com/photos/wildgert/6608538249/in/photostream
 

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Following the updates provided in the last 24 hours and the impact of today's Brent Goose, I attach a revised list of Upton birders' totals:

1. John Belsey (Upstarts1979) - 212
2. Mike Wakeman (Wheatearlrp) - 202
2. Terry Hinnett - 202
4. Andy Warr - 201
5. Des Jennings - 200
6. Richard Harbird - 196
7. Dave Walker (Woodchat) - 192
8. Dave Jackson - 190
9. Phil Andrews (Formerly Upton-till-i-die) - 189
10. Rob Prudden - 188
11. Paul Croft (Oriole Boy)- 186
12. Graham La Bouchardiere - 183
13. Geoff Williams - 171
14. Gert Corfield (Gertatron) - 170
15. Andy Pitt (Spoonbill Finder) - 157
16. Ed Lea - 145
17. Tim Jones (Timmyjones) - 141
18. Mark Peacock (Woodwolf) - 133
19. Craig Reed (Midland Birder)- 130

It is believed that at least three other birders (Steve Whitehouse, Gordon Greaves and Arthur Jacobs) are also well in excess of 200.
 
Attached is a review of my own (many) personal highlights of birding Upton Warren in 2011, including my final yeat list.

A very HAPPY NEW YEAR to all and good birding in 2012! :t: B :)

That's a great read Dave and all your own pics.
It makes all the sweat and sleep deprivation worth it.:t:
I might try and do it myself next year.
 
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Following the updates provided in the last 24 hours and the impact of today's Brent Goose, I attach a revised list of Upton birders' totals:

1. John Belsey (Upstarts1979) - 212
2. Mike Wakeman (Wheatearlrp) - 202
2. Terry Hinnett - 202
4. Andy Warr - 201
5. Des Jennings - 200
6. Richard Harbird - 196
7. Dave Walker (Woodchat) - 192
8. Dave Jackson - 190
9. Phil Andrews (Formerly Upton-till-i-die) - 189
10. Rob Prudden - 188
11. Paul Croft (Oriole Boy)- 186
12. Graham La Bouchardiere - 183
13. Geoff Williams - 171
14. Gert Corfield (Gertatron) - 170
15. Andy Pitt (Spoonbill Finder) - 157
16. Ed Lea - 145
17. Tim Jones (Timmyjones) - 141
18. Mark Peacock (Woodwolf) - 133
19. Craig Reed (Midland Birder)- 130
Stuart Croft would have undoubtedly been way up there if he hadn't have moved to Cornwall. Mind you everytime he comes back he gets a new one.B :) John
 
congratulations Dave, well earned.

Happy new year to all, see you next year.

One notable feature of Dave's record breaking year was the number of good birds he found himself - Pink-footed Goose, White-fronted Goose, Spoonbill, Hoopoe, Marsh Harrier, Red Kite, Wood Sand, Red-necked Phal, Black Tern, Yellow-legged Gull, Arctic Tern, Tree Pipit, Waxwing, Whinchat, Mealy Redpoll and Sandwich Tern all come to mind. Keep at it in 2012 Dave! :t:
 
well done dave, i'm off for 146 in 2012! i wish i new how many i've had at upton but useless with all the lists! missed the brent as i've been over norfolk( artic redpol, scaup, ring necked duck and western sand piper, gonna try for taiga bean, lesser white fronted and hoopoe tomorrow. all the best to everyone for the new year i'll see you all the 8th if not before.
 
well done dave, i'm off for 146 in 2012! i wish i new how many i've had at upton but useless with all the lists! missed the brent as i've been over norfolk( artic redpol, scaup, ring necked duck and western sand piper, gonna try for taiga bean, lesser white fronted and hoopoe tomorrow. all the best to everyone for the new year i'll see you all the 8th if not before.

What Hoopoe is this binus? Am off to Norfolk too soon and have never seen a Hoopoe!

Sam
 

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