Upton Warren (99 Viewers)

[Sy V]

Gang

Here's a thread started on Saturday by Gary... The Biking Birder.

 

[Phil Andrews]

Ice Ice Baby

Another very cold day down Upton - the sailing centre were using a powerboat to break the ice on the Sailing Pool but it was freezing up again within a few minutes!

Despite the condition there has been some movement overnight. The Moors Pool had 8 Wigeon and a male Gadwall new in; also present duck-wise were 1 GC Grebe, 7 Tufties, 8 Pochard, 15 Shoveler, 64 Mallard, 49 Teal, 230 Coot and 9 Mute Swans. Two Bitterns showed well at the north end around 1pm - one bird had earlier been in front of both the concrete hide and the feeding station.

At this time of year the feeding stations are a lifeline to many birds and today both the Moors and Flashes facilities were frantic with activity - up to 16 Moorhen and 2 Water Rail were at the Moors whilst good numbers of Reed Bunts, Chaffinch and Bullfinch were at the Flashes (sadly no Brambling).

The Flashes itself had 20 Teal feeding on the Hen Brook, 210 Lapwing on the transmitter field with 1 Golden Plover (which Stuart had seen first thing on the Moors Pool), 16 Moorhen and at least 18 Greylag Geese with the roving Canada Goose flock.

There were good numbers of thrush, finches and tits across the resderve whilst several hundred Wood Pigeons were scattered between the North Moors plantation, the Education Reserve and the trees at the back of the Moors residencies.

Three circuits of the Webbs site at two hour intervals didnt bring a sniff of a Waxwing :-C

 

[warrener]

Hi All

Link below is to a distant shot of the Golden Plover that was on the Moors today.

The other link is to a shot of the Bittern also taken today at the Moors (there are several more images on my website).

May see some of you tomorrow at the Moors work party?

Cheers

Stuart

http://stuartandrews183.fotopic.net/p68280422.html

http://stuartandrews183.fotopic.net/p68281991.html

 

[upstarts1979]

Hi All

Link below is to a distant shot of the Golden Plover that was on the Moors today.

The other link is to a shot of the Bittern also taken today at the Moors (there are several more images on my website).

May see some of you tomorrow at the Moors work party?

Cheers

Stuart

http://stuartandrews183.fotopic.net/p68280422.html

http://stuartandrews183.fotopic.net/p68281991.html

Nice shots Stuart, still haven't seen a goldie at upton this year. Re the Bitterns the two birds are quite distinctively marked. The 'pale' bird that has been present for a few years is strikingly larger than the bird in your photo.
B John

 

[Phil Andrews]

Re the Bitterns the two birds are quite distinctively marked. The 'pale' bird that has been present for a few years is strikingly larger than the bird in your photo.

The contrast between the two birds was very marked today when the larger, paler bird flew across the Moors Pool to oust the smaller, darker bird from the NE reedbed.

 

[Phil Andrews]

Bitterns - Sightings Please

Bitterns are one of the species particularly hard hit by prolonged periods of cold weather with their favoured feeding habitat of shallow water within reedbeds frozen over.

I would be grateful if all sightings of Bitterns over the next few days could be logged both on the Forum and in the hide log-books; we may need to take the difficult decision whether to intervene with supplementary feeding to assist them through this period (obviously we would prefer them to survive without the need of human interfrence and disturbance).

 

[upstarts1979]

The hardy crew managed to complete the willow pollarding in the lower section of the west track. (photos tomorrow after I thaw out).

The ice free section of the Moors pool held the following:-
GCG, Shoveler 31, Teal 15, Pochard 8, tufted 12, also seen was a snipe, 1st winter Herring gull, 2 water rail, the pale bittern walked along the east shore. Kingfisher flying around edge of moors looking for open waterMeadow pipit over as well as many redwing a few fieldfare.

On the Sailing pool were 26 Greylags

At the flashes (again frozen) the 120 lapwing fed on the transmitter field with one starling. At least a 100 redwing roosted in the thicket next to the feeding station. Also seen was a fem kestrel and a Peregrine swooped at a wood pigeon without success
B john

 

[Phil Andrews]

On the Sailing pool were 26 Greylags

Probably about the sixth time this year the reserve record for Greylags has been broken! Shoveler numbers are encouraging (esp given the conditions).

 

[PeterE]

As we approach the end of the year I wondered if anyone else has a favourite bird seen at UW this year.

I would nominate the juvenile Ruff seen on the Flashes in September. As someone who has only recently returned to bird-watching after some decades I had never seen a ruff before except for the illustrations in the handbooks. I was therefore expecting a rather butch figure with a flamboyant collar so I was rather disappointed by a distant view of a non-descript wader. However, when it came much closer to the hide I was impressed by its elegant form and movement and by the striking double patterns on its back. A cracking bird.

 

[midlands birder]

As we approach the end of the year I wondered if anyone else has a favourite bird seen at UW this year.

I would nominate the juvenile Ruff seen on the Flashes in September. As someone who has only recently returned to bird-watching after some decades I had never seen a ruff before except for the illustrations in the handbooks. I was therefore expecting a rather butch figure with a flamboyant collar so I was rather disappointed by a distant view of a non-descript wader. However, when it came much closer to the hide I was impressed by its elegant form and movement and by the striking double patterns on its back. A cracking bird.

well if i was to chose between my favorite bird this year at the warren it would be a pritty hard decision, but probs top 4 would read:
1. 2nd summer MED GULL ( simply it was a stunning looking bird, i found it, only 4 birders got to see it:eat: ((( GRIP ALERT))))):smoke::-O, and its the scarcest plumge to be seen in the midlands, my favorite bird, so a dream find
2. Pectoral Sandpiper ( my First American bird :t:, well actually i saw a few in turkey but lets not go there :smoke
3. Grey Phalarope ( A nice bird:-O)
4. Red necked Phalarope. (only rates behind grey because i saw another red neck (same bird???) on the same sunday (fathers day) a year previous:eat
I Know the question was best bird but i cant narrow it down that far:t:
MB

 

[Woodchat]

As we approach the end of the year I wondered if anyone else has a favourite bird seen at UW this year.

I would nominate the juvenile Ruff seen on the Flashes in September. As someone who has only recently returned to bird-watching after some decades I had never seen a ruff before except for the illustrations in the handbooks. I was therefore expecting a rather butch figure with a flamboyant collar so I was rather disappointed by a distant view of a non-descript wader. However, when it came much closer to the hide I was impressed by its elegant form and movement and by the striking double patterns on its back. A cracking bird.

No contest, really - got to be the GREAT SKUA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Such an amazing bird to see on the deck so far inland. Closely followed by Long-eared Owl, Pec and both Phalaropes. Seeing two Red Kites in one year at UW is a first for me also.

 

[Sy V]

Well mine are much more common than any species mentioned thus far. My Marsh Harrier from 3rd May (a lifer for me) and one from the last all-dayer, having told John that I'd get us a Skylark and then did, from the field behind the sailing pool.

 

[midlands birder]

Well mine are much more common than any species mentioned thus far. My Marsh Harrier from 3rd May (a lifer for me) and one from the last all-dayer, having told John that I'd get us a Skylark and then did, from the field behind the sailing pool.

nothin wrong with a marshy :t:, i still aint seen one yet :eek!:
MB

 

[upstarts1979]

Red necked phal for me never tire of seeing them. I do get your point Pete about Ruff though, always overlooked as boring but the juveniles are immaculately and uni-formally marked on the scapulars and coverts. But lack a bit of colour:t:
B John

 

[Gert Corfield]

As we approach the end of the year I wondered if anyone else has a favourite bird seen at UW this year.

I would nominate the juvenile Ruff seen on the Flashes in September. As someone who has only recently returned to bird-watching after some decades I had never seen a ruff before except for the illustrations in the handbooks. I was therefore expecting a rather butch figure with a flamboyant collar so I was rather disappointed by a distant view of a non-descript wader. However, when it came much closer to the hide I was impressed by its elegant form and movement and by the striking double patterns on its back. A cracking bird.

A very good question! For me it's a close run thing between hearing and seeing the first Cuckoo, Yellow Wagtail - both birds are on higher conservation concern so who knows how long we have left to enjoy these iconic birds, and Redstart.

I think that seeing a resplendent male Redstart on a perfect spring day, on top of a hawthorn bush along the path to the East Hide on the Flashes is the one for me!

 

[UW82]

Hi everyone.

From 30C one week to 1C the next!

Highlights for today at the Moors.

Pochard (11)
Shoveler (16)
Teal (1)
Tufted Duck (4)
Mallard c40
Coot c220
B H Gull (63)
Common Gull ( Ad + 1st W)
Kestrel + Sparrowhawk
Lesser Redpoll (3)
Water Rail (2)
Cettis Warbler
G C Grebe (1)
1 Bittern reported.

At the Flashes (transmitter field)

Greylag Geese (26)
Lapwing (34)

Bird of the year? Little Tern.

Cheers, Des.

 

[woodwolf]

This year was a bit of a revelation for me as I rediscovered birding after 30 years !! Seeing the Bittern the first time I entered a hide at UW, followed by water Rail, sedge warbler, and cetti's warbler within about 30 minutes ( all first's for me) 'sold' it to me. :-O

Looking forward to the New Year and my first full year visiting UW 2011 :t:

Mark

 

[upstarts1979]

First two pics show west track before and after pollarding the willows.
The 3rd shot shows the view of the pollarded area from the east hide.
the 4th shot highlights the shrinking ice free water in the middle of the moors pool.

 

[Phil Andrews]

Birds of the year for me were the three young LRP fledged on the reserve, marking a successful return for the symbol of Upton Warren as a breeding species

 

[Woodchat]

Birds of the year for me were the three young LRP fledged on the reserve, marking a successful return for the symbol of Upton Warren as a breeding species

Ah yes - a very commendable and noble sentiment re the LRP's. However, I bet they wouldn't be your highlight of the year if you'd seen the Bonxie. :-O:-O