Upton Warren (20 Viewers)

[Bob O.]

Flashes water level.

Enclosed are a few pics of the rapidly shrinking Flashes. Looks like the water level is at about 3.8 . Another 25mm lower and the Flashes will separate.
We need some rain!!!:t::t::t:

 

[Peregrine Trousers]

A late visit (1600-1900) to the moors to seek the mandarin...but not seen:-C

...anyway the highlights were....

Moors

Canada (140)
Egyptian (2)
Coot (180)
Greylag (23)

Flashes

Avocet (17)
Green Sandpiper (7)
Common Sandpiper (1)
LRP (1 + juv)
Snipe (1)
Blackwits (3)
Greenshank (1)
Curlew (17)

Lots of House Martins flying through with a couple of Swallows and a Swift

...several pics of the Greenshank....plus what I think is a Brown Hawker?

 

[wheatearlp]

A late visit (1600-1900) to the moors to seek the mandarin...but not seen:-C

...anyway the highlights were....

Moors

Canada (140)
Egyptian (2)
Coot (180)
Greylag (23)

Flashes

Avocet (17)
Green Sandpiper (7)
Common Sandpiper (1)
LRP (1 + juv)
Snipe (1)
Blackwits (3)
Greenshank (1)
Curlew (17)

...several pics of the Greenshank....plus what I think is a Brown Hawker?

Yes to Brown Hawker

 

[Phil Andrews]

2 Black-tailed Godwit at the Flashes this morning as per Matt Smith (Fuzeare)

 

[midlands birder]

BHG- White E2P3 seen on the Sailing Pool 9/08/16- ringed as a pulli at stevensweert, The Netherlands on 28/05/16, First sighting away from the ringing location. :t:

 

[Mary]

Terry H and myself sat on the veranda overlooking the pool yesterday . We spent a good time there chatting and drinking tea. Even with plenty of sports activity on the water there was a surprising number of birds present. When the disturbance stopped , birds quickly returned.
A juv Peregrine made several passes attempting to catch a BHG and a tern.
At least 6 common terns fished and a raft of gulls formed when the activity stopped. Many ducks, geese, grebes returned including the Egyptian geese. Tufteds and their young too came out of hiding. Hirundines and passerines flew through and a grey wag foraged along the jetty. Kingfisher/s put in several appearances and earlier a common sand was on the beach. Considering the 'non migration conditions' there was plenty on offer.
I recommend if you get chance to pop into the cafe and site outside and possibly witness some ' VisMig' if it's cold blankets are provided.
A few years back the osprey appeared in August, other species I have seen include black, little and arctic terns. Also Little gulls, Common scoter, goosander both egrets and not forgetting the well performing Smew. I will add that I have also seen Brent geese, shag, Red breasted Merganser and Red Rumped Swallow from here.

Never mind the wildlife.....They stock Marshfields Clotted Cream Icecream.......Mmmmmmmmmh!

 

[upstarts1979]

Never mind the wildlife.....They stock Marshfields Clotted Cream Icecream.......Mmmmmmmmmh!

Must try that on Tuesday.👍

 

[OwlieCollins]

black partridge

Wonder if anyone can help. A neighbour in stourbridge has identified a black partridge in her garden .It has been there 4 days and appears agitated and making loud plaintive calls continuously. It must be an escapee from somewhere. Do you know any bird refuge charities that might come and rescue it.

 

[upstarts1979]

Craig has had the 1st juv Med gull of the summer this evening :t:

 

[Phil Andrews]

Enclosed are a few pics of the rapidly shrinking Flashes. Looks like the water level is at about 3.8 . Another 25mm lower and the Flashes will separate.
We need some rain!!!:t::t::t:

No rain forecast until next Saturday and even that doesn't look substantial at the minute. The folly of the diktat not the de-silt the wader feeding channels at the Flashes may come home to roost :-C The next week with warm south-easterly winds looks very promising from a birding perspective but will only speed up the evaporation.

John - is the sluice now watertight or is there still some seepage when closed?

 

[upstarts1979]

No rain forecast until next Saturday and even that doesn't look substantial at the minute. The folly of the diktat not the de-silt the wader feeding channels at the Flashes may come home to roost :-C The next week with warm south-easterly winds looks very promising from a birding perspective but will only speed up the evaporation.

John - is the sluice now watertight or is there still some seepage when closed?

I fitted the metal plate on Thursday 11th August.

 

[Phil Andrews]

Dave J reports from the Flashes this morning:

22 Avocet (9 adults & 13 juveniles), 2 Black-tailed Godwit, 7 Green Sandpiper, 2 Common Sandpiper, 2 LR Plover (adult + juvenile), 17 Curlew, Redstart, Willow Warbler, 4 Lesser Whitethroat, Whitethroat, 7 juv Shelduck, 10 Shoveler, 22 Teal, 2 Gadwall, 2 Egyptian Geese

 

[Phil Andrews]

Dave J updates with a varied selection from the Moors Pool:

Juvenile Spotted Flycatcher in the residencies gardens, 2+ Nuthatch (including juvenile), Coal Tit, Treecreeper, 2 Egyptian Geese, Willow Warbler, 4 Swift, Common Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Mute Swan (+ 5 cygnets ), 18 Little Grebe (6 juvs) + 2 chicks, dog Otter which caught an eel, Yellow Wagtail over car park and dropped into the southern A38 field.

 

[Mary]

Must try that on Tuesday.👍

Oh, no, please don't, it's awful really! ( You might get addicted like us , then there's be none left next time we come!)

 

[upstarts1979]

Tonight at the Flashes until 9.3pm.
Teal 24. Shoveler 8. Shelduck 7 all of flew high and to the east. 10 minutes later they returned. Greylag 29 roosted.
Avocet 22. Green sand 8. Common sand 3. Blackwit 2. Curlew 18. Snipe 2. LRP ad+chick now flying.
Common tern 12 (3 juvs) roosted. BHG 600.
Hobby.

 

[upstarts1979]

Work party Tuesday Moors

Tomorrow the channels in front of the west hide (Jacobs hide) will be strimmed.
These channels have been choked by phragmites.
The feeding station will resume in September, by which time the squirrels will have moved on.

Also PLEASE NOTE.
ON 23RD AUGUST. The Trust will be cutting back reed beds around FLASHES. When I get more details I will post, suffice to say the Flashes will be heavily Disturbed.

 

[upstarts1979]

Grazing Moors

At present 6 cattle are grazing around the Broadmeadow and Amy's Marsh.
Hopefully this will open up the shoreline for passage waders.

 

[Phil Andrews]

Also PLEASE NOTE.
ON 23RD AUGUST. The Trust will be cutting back reed beds around FLASHES. When I get more details I will post, suffice to say the Flashes will be heavily Disturbed.

At the start of the week that promises some excellent birding conditions (more later) I didn't want to commence it with a rant but the above raises many questions:

(1) Why does the work have to take place on this date when then Flashes should be full of migrant and newly fledged waders? Would a delay for say a month be that critical?
(2) Other than improving the visual aspect what will this achieve - our careful observations over the years indicate cutting does nothing to halt the spread of phragmites and indeed can stimulate it's growth.
(3) Will all cut material be removed from the site rather than left lying it situ, preventing to return of juncas and seshe.
(4) How does this fit into the wider long term plans (that need implementing ASAP) to effectively manage the reeds at the Flashes?

 

[Phil Andrews]

Terry Hinett reports from the Flashes this morning:

2 Black-tailed Godwits, 19 Avocets, 17 Curlew, 2 LRP, 6 Green Sands, 2 Common Sands, Juv Water Rail, 7 Shelduck, Redstart

 

[upstarts1979]

At the start of the week that promises some excellent birding conditions (more later) I didn't want to commence it with a rant but the above raises many questions:

(1) Why does the work have to take place on this date when then Flashes should be full of migrant and newly fledged waders? Would a delay for say a month be that critical?
(2) Other than improving the visual aspect what will this achieve - our careful observations over the years indicate cutting does nothing to halt the spread of phragmites and indeed can stimulate it's growth.
(3) Will all cut material be removed from the site rather than left lying it situ, preventing to return of juncas and seshe.
(4) How does this fit into the wider long term plans (that need implementing ASAP) to effectively manage the reeds at the Flashes?

I will ask the question...I am just the messenger. ...