[shhh]

Originally Posted by ADRIANS PHOTOGRAPHY

@shhh where abouts did you catch sight of the Green Woodpeckers as still need for lifer at Upton will be there tomorrow weather permitting?

to the right of the causeway (walking from the carpark to the east hide), on one of the dead trees - not sure what the areas called - i think part of it's known as the 'secret garden'

jon

[upstarts1979]

Originally Posted by shhh

to the right of the causeway (walking from the carpark to the east hide), on one of the dead trees - not sure what the areas called - i think part of it's known as the 'secret garden'

jon

Hi Jon, is it where we did a lot of coppicing opposite 'lifestyles'. If so that's the North east coppice. The 'secret garden' is behind the small disabled car park next to the large horse chestnut tree. John

[shhh]

Originally Posted by upstarts1979

Hi Jon, is it where we did a lot of coppicing opposite 'lifestyles'. If so that's the North east coppice. The 'secret garden' is behind the small disabled car park next to the large horse chestnut tree. John

it would be the north east coppice then

[luckyosprey4]

At the bittern hide this evening i watched a very distressing scene of a juvenile great tit that had its head stuck in the feeder. As we watched it it slowly stopped struggling and died. If any of the wardens are going down tomorrow i think you should remove the body, for the other birds sakes.

Chris

[Phil Andrews]

Our developing West Midlands Wader Top Ten looks like this:

1. Draycote Water - 39
2. Belvide - 36
3. Chasewater - 35
3. Bittell - 35
5. Upton Warren - 34
6. Grimley - 31
7. Bredons Hardwick - 29

I will have a go at estimating Blithfield's list; perhaps Geoff W could add Middleton Lakes (with or without KWP).

[Phil Andrews]

I reckon that Blithfield is in second place with 38 species (not sure regarding Dotterel or Stone Curlew)

It has recorded 6 species that UW hasnt (White-rumped Sand, Baird's Sand, Buff-breasted Sand, Purple Sand, Lesser Yellowlegs, Kentish Plover) but is missing 2 (Least Sand and Wilson's Phal)

[JHDraytonbassettpits]

Originally Posted by Phil Andrews

Our developing West Midlands Wader Top Ten looks like this:

1. Draycote Water - 39
2. Belvide - 36
3. Chasewater - 35
3. Bittell - 35
5. Upton Warren - 34
6. Grimley - 31
7. Bredons Hardwick - 29

I will have a go at estimating Blithfield's list; perhaps Geoff W could add Middleton Lakes (with or without KWP).

34 species with rarest Broad-billed Sandpiper, Least Sandpiper and Kentish Plover. John

[Phil Andrews]

JTB reports three Common Scoter on the Sailing Pool - the first for about four years

[SJHALL]

Originally Posted by Phil Andrews

JTB reports three Common Scoter on the Sailing Pool - the first for about four years

They'd seemingly gone from the sailing lake by 11am

[Phil Andrews]

Originally Posted by JHDraytonbassettpits

34 species with rarest Broad-billed Sandpiper, Least Sandpiper and Kentish Plover. John

Cheers John - Kentish Plover seems to be a common theme from sites away from Upton

[Periwinkle]

Originally Posted by Phil Andrews

Cheers John - Kentish Plover seems to be a common theme from sites away from Upton

AFAIK Middleton Lakes has not has Kentish Plover - I believe there was a record on the pits that became Kingsbury Water Park. Unless John is hiding something!

[Phil Andrews]

Originally Posted by Periwinkle

AFAIK Middleton Lakes has not has Kentish Plover - I believe there was a record on the pits that became Kingsbury Water Park. Unless John is hiding something!

Cheers Tom - will be interesting to see how KWP and Middleton are recorded going forward; I suspect traditionally they have been lumped together???

[Claudy Banks]

Unfortunately, the Scoters flew off at 10:15, high over the Moors pool, literally thirty seconds after I arrived, so got a glimpse (a lifer for me) but not enough time for even the poorest of record shots. Thanks to Rob (Forgetful Elephant) for the safe retrival of my lens cap which I had forgotten to pick up from the sailing pool car park in my panic to check whether the birds may have re-located to the Moors Pool, which of course, they hadn't.

[Phil Andrews]

Originally Posted by SJHALL

They'd seemingly gone from the sailing lake by 11am

John advises that they flew off at 1025. All three were drakes.

[woodwolf]

Here they are, the 3 amigos ( Upton Lifer for me )

[Phil Andrews]

Originally Posted by woodwolf

Here they are, the 3 amigos ( Upton Lifer for me )

Is that another one in front of Gavo?

[JHDraytonbassettpits]

Originally Posted by Periwinkle

AFAIK Middleton Lakes has not has Kentish Plover - I believe there was a record on the pits that became Kingsbury Water Park. Unless John is hiding something!

Hi Tom,
Information from Paul Hyde the bird was on pits now filled on the Middleton Hall side the bird was found by John Astbury and seen by Paul and I believe Alan Dean and other birders at that time, John also found Caspian Tern at Dosthill lake.

Reards, John

[woodwolf]

Originally Posted by Phil Andrews

Is that another one in front of Gavo?

should be

Mind you I wouldn't mind seeing some of the stuff he has ticked off the last few weeks on his travels, I get frequent texts from him gripping me o..... , I mean letting me know what he has seen

[g.h.1]

John (J.T.B. ) sent you a P.M. about Caterpillar
Cheers Glenn

[upstarts1979]

Originally Posted by g.h.1

John (J.T.B. ) sent you a P.M. about Caterpillar
Cheers Glenn

Cheers Glenn
I will put the question out anyway, what is this?John
Found crawling along the sailing centre car park

[the wicker man]

Originally Posted by upstarts1979

Cheers Glenn
I will put the question out anyway, what is this?John
Found crawling along the sailing centre car park

Looks like a Peacock I reckon

Mike

[upstarts1979]

sent the whole 6 and a half hours here. Arrived at the sailing pool car park just as the rain stopped. A look over the sailing pool without my bins initially revealed a few GCG's and coot, well they black so must be Well surprisingly they weren't, but 3 male common scoters instead. They hung around for an hour and 20mins, before flying off north east. There were also 7 adult GCG and a chick, plus a common tern and 2 reed warblers.
At the Flashes the water had dropped to an ideal level at 0.42. This had created several soft muddy patches all around the saucer.
A kingfisher landed on the the muddy shore before landing on a post in front of the hide. A couple of reed warblers foraged on the right side of the hide (photo),
plenty of waders fed in the saucer.
Species count
Teal 2 fems, tufted c10, Avocet 9 (4 ads + 5chicks), Green sand 6, LRP 2, Curlew 14, Lapwing 15, oystercatcher 4 (a pair are holding territory against all comers), Kingfisher, green woodpecker, Buzzard, kestrel, Lesser whitethroat 2, reed warbler 10+, sedge warbler 2, chiffchaff 2, blackcap 2 singing. Linnet 10,

[upstarts1979]

Originally Posted by the wicker man

Looks like a Peacock I reckon

Mike

In one Mike

[forgetfulelephant]

Originally Posted by upstarts1979

Cheers Glenn
I will put the question out anyway, what is this?John
Found crawling along the sailing centre car park

Yes I'm told it's a Peacock Butterfly caterpillar. Lots of them on the nettles down the Salwarpe track.

Rob

[forgetfulelephant]

Originally Posted by Claudy Banks

Unfortunately, the Scoters flew off at 10:15, high over the Moors pool, literally thirty seconds after I arrived, so got a glimpse (a lifer for me) but not enough time for even the poorest of record shots. Thanks to Rob (Forgetful Elephant) for the safe retrival of my lens cap which I had forgotten to pick up from the sailing pool car park in my panic to check whether the birds may have re-located to the Moors Pool, which of course, they hadn't.

You're welcome, glad you got it back.

Rob