Upton Warren (88 Viewers)

[Spoonbill Finder]

Blackcap on the east side of the Moors Pool as per Lloyd E - #73 for the year.

I had 2 Greylag Geese yesterday early morning at the Moors Pool. I don't think that species is on the UW year list as yet!

 

[Adrian k]

HOUSE SPARROW SIGHTINGS - in the past I have picked up sightings of both male and female on the walk from the main rd to the car park at the Moors pools mainly just off the main rd but a couple of sightings from the car park.

Also in that past have had a couple of sightings in the sailing pool car park but all sightings have been early (7am - 7.30am) in a morning can't remember seeing any later in the day.

 

[upstarts1979]

Maybe someone could help me with House Sparrow, which definitely isn't an Upton "easy one" for me. I also think a number of us struggled with Nuthatch for the patch list in 2017.

They have always been erratic at #uptonwarren John. They are mostly seen in autumn during the post breeding dispersal period. They can be seen anywhere on the Reserve. I have seen them in the Broadmeadow east side along the hedgerow, on the feeding station also on and around the SAILING pool car park . At the Flashes they appear in the hedgerow south of the avocet hide. One autumn I found a massive flock of 50+ in the hedgerow that runs south from Hobden Hall farm .

 

[UW82]

Today's highlights:

MOORS:
Whooper Swan-------------Shelduck
Curlew (10)------------------------Little Egret. Also seen over the N Moors.
Shoveler (10)----------------------Pochard (14)
Gadwall (2)------------------------Tufted Duck (15)
Teal (36)---------------------------Cormorant (47)
Grey Heron (3)--------------------Herring Gull (2)
Little Grebe (1)--------------------Mute Swan (3). Two of the three birds were seen over the Flashes.
B H Gull (c70)---------------------Kingfisher
Sparrowhawk

FLASHES:
Teal (57)---------------------------Snipe (9)
Lapwing (c400)--------------------B H Gull (c100)
Greylag Goose (40+)

SAILING POOL:
G C Grebe (5)---------------------Little Grebe (1)
Tufted Duck (14)

Des.

 

[Woodchat]

Some information on Grey Partridges in the link below:

https://www.livingwithbirds.com/tweetapedia/21-facts-on-grey-partridge

Anyone assessing Grey Partridge records needs to be aware of fact no. 21:

"They are highly sedentary birds, seldom moving far from where they hatched. In contrast, hand-reared birds released for shooting seldom stay in the release area for long."

This is backed up by my own personal observations. In the 1980's wild Grey Partridges could be found in the fields around the Hanbury Hall Estate and Piper's Hill Common. These birds were close enough to Upton Warren to provide the occasional record of a genuine wild bird. However, by the mid-1990's, these birds were gone.

I don't believe there are currently any pockets of extant wild populations of GP close enough to UW and this has been the case for approx 20 years. There have, however, been periodic releases of birds which, unlike wild ones, are prone to wander.

Although I visited UW during the 1980's, I wasn't lucky enough to see Grey Partridge there at that time. Therefore, it is not included on my Upton list and, unfortunately, is one that I will not be able to get back as all recent and future records are 99.9% likely to be escapes / releases IMO .

 

[Phil Andrews]

Phil W reports from the Moors Pool:

Whooper Swan still, 3 Wigeon , 10 Curlew, 3 Mute Swan.

 

[Phil Andrews]

Phil W reports from the Moors Pool:

Whooper Swan still, 3 Wigeon , 10 Curlew.

New for the year - #74 - Wigeon

 

[Phil Andrews]

I overlooked Greylag Goose on the 2nd and 3rd - new for the year #75

 

[Phil Andrews]

Maybe someone could help me with House Sparrow, which definitely isn't an Upton "easy one" for me. I also think a number of us struggled with Nuthatch for the patch list in 2017.

Nuthatch have been recorded on the following number of days in recent years:

2014 - 21
2015 - 19
2016 - 69
2017 - 10

As previously stated the east track at the Moors Pool (and the gardens of the residencies in particular) are the most productive locations. The peak periods for reports are either in the spring (March to May) or late summer / early autumn (August and September), especially if breeding close to the reserve.

House Sparrow have been recorded on the following number of days in recent years:

2014 - 14
2015 - 20
2016 - 12
2017 - 18

Again as previously stated the feeding station at the Moors Pool and the brambles in front of the east hide (especially if there is local breeding) are the commonest locations sparrows are encountered, along with the hedges around the sailing centre. Averaging out the last few years there is a slight increase in sightings during spring but no real spike or definitive year-on-year pattern.

 

[Phil Andrews]

Sorry Phil - but this has been bugging me since I first read it.

Surely, as far as any official documentation is concerned, the highest status that can be attributed to this record is 'origin uncertain' or similar. To my mind, assuming it was a wild bird suggests a lack of rigour in its assessment.

Did anyone make any wider enquiries at the time?

IMO, the suggestion of any Grey Partridge records at UW in the last 20 years (or more) being of truly wild origin is a bit fanciful - but that's just my opinion.

The annual report is written by myself (and edited by Mike / Des / John) to the best of our ability using the information accessible (and in the time available) - I suspect investigations back in 2012 revolved John enquiring of Steve Poole as to the status of his breeding programme and the commentary was lead by those responses. Clearly the more information available the better one can put sightings in context; with more and more detail available through the web and social media platforms the greater the validity of such sightings can be assessed - the information provided by yourself on the forum and Gert via Twitter in recent weeks following Andy's sighting has certainly been illuminating. One of the problems of completing an annual report so close to the subject date is the lack of time to note the development of any trends or for further information coming to the fore.

You may recall my post a few weeks back detailing all entries for Grey Partridge in the annual report since it was first produced in 1984 - I certainly wouldn't have any objection is anyone wanted to undertake a review of the overall position with the benefit of passage of time and a greater understanding of captive breeding /release programmes in the locality.

 

[Woodchat]

......
You may recall my post a few weeks back detailing all entries for Grey Partridge in the annual report since it was first produced in 1984 - I certainly wouldn't have any objection is anyone wanted to undertake a review of the overall position with the benefit of passage of time and a greater understanding of captive breeding /release programmes in the locality.

I think that a review would be a wise move. Having read up a bit on Grey Partridge ecology it has become apparent that the 2012 record is certainly unlikely to be a wild bird. The nearest extant population at that time would probably be around 10km away (Shenstone area). These showed typical characteristics of being wild in that they seemed to be faithful to that area - therefore, unlikely to wander as far as Upton.

Admittedly, I am assuming they were still present at Shenstone at that time - I observed them there for several years in the noughties.

 

[Phil Andrews]

Will have a spin through the WMBC reports to see what birds were reported near(ish) to UW in say the last decade.

 

[AlanH46]

Grey Partridge

The last sighting I have, for Shenstone, is April 2011.

 

[Gert Corfield]

I think that a review would be a wise move. Having read up a bit on Grey Partridge ecology it has become apparent that the 2012 record is certainly unlikely to be a wild bird. The nearest extant population at that time would probably be around 10km away (Shenstone area). These showed typical characteristics of being wild in that they seemed to be faithful to that area - therefore, unlikely to wander as far as Upton.

Admittedly, I am assuming they were still present at Shenstone at that time - I observed them there for several years in the noughties.

I’ve had a look through the New Naturalist Partridges book by Dick Potts and in the studies mentioned, particularly near Damerham in Hampshire where thousands of wild Grey Partridge were ringed, none of them travelled further than 8.3 km. The majority often spent their lives within the confines of 2 or 3 fields. Pen-reared birds elsewhere travelled much further with about 2% recovered travelling beyond 20km. In a Sussex study in the 1960s two pen reared birds were shot at 40 km away. The greatest distance recorded was a pen reared bird released in Italy that travelled 140 km! Fascinating stuff.

 

[upstarts1979]

Tuesday 9th January Work Party PRIOR WARNING

On Tuesday we will be closing the car park from 1st light for an hour or 2. This is so we can cut back the encroaching bramble on the periphery of the car park. It is also to stop any cars being hit by the bramble. Any of the work party arriving early please park by the chestnut tree or east side or west track. Gate will be opened up. Paul M will be starting the strimming at 8am so should be done by 9 to 9.15. Thus work party will start at 9.30am.
More details Sunday. :t:

 

[wheatearlp]

I think that a review would be a wise move. Having read up a bit on Grey Partridge ecology it has become apparent that the 2012 record is certainly unlikely to be a wild bird. The nearest extant population at that time would probably be around 10km away (Shenstone area). These showed typical characteristics of being wild in that they seemed to be faithful to that area - therefore, unlikely to wander as far as Upton.

Admittedly, I am assuming they were still present at Shenstone at that time - I observed them there for several years in the noughties.

A large covey, c.35 birds, appeared on my local patch in Redditch in autumn 2016. At least four pairs (there may have been more, little access to the fields in question) were seen in spring 2017. At least 20 seen together on two occasions in November. Doubtful that they are wild, but not sure where they'd come from. I'm not aware of any shoots in the immediate vicinty, but Pheasants are shot about 1.5 miles away. Interestingly no RL Partridges are raised for shooting, one or maybe two pairs in both areas as a constant for the last 5-6 years at least.

 

[Woodchat]

A large covey, c.35 birds, appeared on my local patch in Redditch in autumn 2016. At least four pairs (there may have been more, little access to the fields in question) were seen in spring 2017. At least 20 seen together on two occasions in November. Doubtful that they are wild, but not sure where they'd come from. I'm not aware of any shoots in the immediate vicinty, but Pheasants are shot about 1.5 miles away. Interestingly no RL Partridges are raised for shooting, one or maybe two pairs in both areas as a constant for the last 5-6 years at least.

A sudden appearance of that many in an area would make me suspicious. I was very surprised when I found a group of 17 on my patch this autumn - too good to be true because that is exactly what it was - a little bit of investigation (talking to to local farmers) confirmed this beyond doubt.

 

[Phil Andrews]

Whooper Swan still at the Moors Pool as per Lloyd E

 

[Spoonbill Finder]

Clive Lee & Brian Richardson had a Golden Plover in with the Lapwing flock at the Flashes yesterday morning.

 

[Phil Andrews]

Clive Lee & Brian Richardson had a Golden Plover in with the Lapwing flock at the Flashes yesterday morning.

With a report of a Feral Pigeon earlier the year list advances to 77.