Upton Warren (17 Viewers)

[beyonder]

Thanks to all for the encouragement. I think what I really need is more practice. I'll just have to forget earning a living and get out there more often

Paul

 

[upstarts1979]

Thanks to all for the encouragement. I think what I really need is more practice. I'll just have to forget earning a living and get out there more often

Paul

Your right there Paul work is a waste of time and stops you birding:smoke:
B John

 

[upstarts1979]

I thought it might be a good time to review the work carried out over the winter.
The Secret garden
This area is behind the chestnut tree at the Moors. Before the work was carried out it was an overgrown lifeless area. Blackthorn and hawthorn dominate the area with some well established individuals. Unfortunately they were left for too long and had become trees offering refuge to nesting magpies and squirrels. Amongst them were saplings that were 20 to 30 foot tall but only an inch in diameter. We addressed the problem by coppicing trees in the middle section, and used the brash to form a 'dead hedge' and screen. Some of the peripheral trees/bushes were removed on the south side to allow light in. The benefits were almost instant with good numbers of butterflies ( especially orange tip) egg laying on the new flora that appeared, with cuckoo flower predominant. The targeted bird species were willlow warbler and whitethroat and we were not disappointed when a willow warbler set up territory followed by young being seen. As I write willow warbler are still singign and a 2nd brood will hopefully result. Unfortunately the whitethroat didn't materialise. However a bonus was Garden warbler that has periodically sang and next year will breed. Chiffchaff regularly sing as do blackcap. A brood of reed warblers were being fed there last week.

This small scale trial sample shows what can be achieved and has brought instant success. The area has scope to expand and this could attract more sylvia warblers as well as other species, There are other areas around the reserve that would benefit from this type of management.
2 pics show it in winter and now

 

[Gert Corfield]

Flashes this evening

A calm evening tonight. 3 Shelduck present. 10 LRP including the 2 Juvs. Lapwing Juv plus 16 Avocet juveniles still. Also 3 Green Sandpiper, Common Tern, 1 Oystercatcher, 125 Mallard. 2 Curlew flew in to roost.

 

[UW82]

Can't add a lot to Phil and Gert's notes
At the Moors 25 Sand Martin, lesser whitethroat , garden warbler singing by east gate. A cuckoo perched in an Ash tree on the southern boundary. At least 60 BHG chicks counted with more hidden in the grass on the islands.
The rain had increased the water level by 2cm to 0.62 on the marker.

3 pics (with my compact camera) from today showing a sand martin in front of east hide and two views of Amy's marsh scrape

Hi John. With reference to the Sand Martin "bank", a guy recently mentioned to me in the east hide that it might benefit from filling in the open area beneath the structure so that it appears, to Sand Martin's, to be part of the bank behind the structure.

The Secret Garden is a resounding success and similar projects should be a high priority.:t:


Des.

 

[rollingthunder]

I do'nt know whether this is of any use you might already have their info - they have a whopping 100 page booklet...........

http://www.sandmartintrust.org.uk/

Laurie -

 

[upstarts1979]

I do'nt know whether this is of any use you might already have their info - they have a whopping 100 page booklet...........

http://www.sandmartintrust.org.uk/

Laurie -

Cheers for that Laurie ..that's exactly where we got the info:t: John

 

[upstarts1979]

Hi John. With reference to the Sand Martin "bank", a guy recently mentioned to me in the east hide that it might benefit from filling in the open area beneath the structure so that it appears, to Sand Martin's, to be part of the bank behind the structure.

The Secret Garden is a resounding success and similar projects should be a high priority.:t:


Des.

Des
I will try and get a photo of the Sand martin trust's version. We are willing to try anything but I suppose it would have been a miracle if they had used it in the first year. :t:

 

[beyonder]

Des
We are willing to try anything but I suppose it would have been a miracle if they had used it in the first year. :t:

Brandon Marsh has one which is built into a bank but seems no more successful even after what I understand to be several years despite lots of sand martins passing through. There is one at Rutland which appears highly successful but that's concrete.

Presumably internal temperature is crucial. Perhaps the box needs to be covered more as well? What's inside - lots of soil?

Paul

 

[Sy V]

Just received another RNP report at the Flashes - thanks Brian. Quite some season!
I wonder if it was found by JTB and his Tuesday mob?

 

[Woodchat]

Just received another RNP report at the Flashes - thanks Brian. Quite some season!
I wonder if it was found by JTB and his Tuesday mob?

No, I received a phone call from a lady called Jackie. I didn't catch her surname - but she is the finder of this bird. A big thanks to her for letting one of us know. I'll be down after work to have a butchers. :t:

 

[Sy V]

Jungle drums nicely oiled (or whatever you do to make a drum work better) then, excellent!

 

[upstarts1979]

Hi Paul
The internal view is attached the 6 inch diameter pipes were partially filled with sand and the front 'facia' was attached to the frame. The bottom of the external holes are 4 cm above the bottom of the internal pipe. The pipes are surrounded with an insulation material and at the rear of the pipes is a void 10cm wide also filled with insulation, to keep the would be 'nesting chamber' (in this case the end of the pipe) warm.
B John

 

[upstarts1979]

Just back from the Flashes. This is the 9th 'Red necked phalarope day' this spring. Hard to say for sure if its a different bird from two weeks ago, I would like to think it was. Maybe a few birds are touring Britain, admittedly it would be strange for it to be the same bird.
All we know is that there were 2 birds minimum and 4 birds max involved in the sightings at upton this spring.

The water is dropping again to 0.35 level. But absolutely brilliant for LRP's with 11 today (incl our 2 juvs).
28 Avocets, 1 of the crèche of 6 has a badly broken right leg.you will see it mostly sleeping just in front of the hide. All the rest are flying to varying degrees. Last year the only successful brood and female left when the chicks were 48 days old. The oldest chicks are now 47 and 48 days old and very flighty today.
There were 7 lapwing (incl our juv). The Green sand have built up to 5, also today were 2 curlew and an oystercatcher.
Also 2 shelduck, common tern and a cuckoo. Many warblers have resumed singing after raising their first brood, possibly now starting their 2nd broods. Those singing were Whitethroat, blackcap, reed and sedge warbler and chiffchaff. Two swallows were gathering mud for nest building close by.
B John

 

[beyonder]

Hi Paul
The internal view is attached the 6 inch diameter pipes were partially filled with sand and the front 'facia' was attached to the frame. The bottom of the external holes are 4 cm above the bottom of the internal pipe. The pipes are surrounded with an insulation material and at the rear of the pipes is a void 10cm wide also filled with insulation, to keep the would be 'nesting chamber' (in this case the end of the pipe) warm.
B John

Thanks John, I'd like to learn more sometime but best take it offline to save boring everyone with off topic stuff. I'll chat to you about it when I see you next if I may - assuming we're not all busy with another phalarope .

Paul

 

[upstarts1979]

No, I received a phone call from a lady called Jackie. I didn't catch her surname - but she is the finder of this bird. A big thanks to her for letting one of us know. I'll be down after work to have a butchers. :t:

Yes agreed many thanks Jackie
All it takes is one phone call or text and 1 of us can check it out.
In this case Dave texted me, I texted Paul M (who was at the Moors) he informed Ray C and Dave H who were there as well. I arrived at 11am and saw it from the 1st Flash hide, I then texted the 'regulars' and Worcester birding. I then received a text off Ray C who was in the main hide.
A very long winded explanation but the point is: that if any one finds an unusual bird, please ring one of the numbers in the log book. Then there are several avenues that we can take to get it sorted.
:t:John

 

[Woodchat]

Record Shot of the Phalarope below - I'm keeping an open mind but I suspect that this is the original (first bird) which keeps coming back - anyone suggest a reason why it isn't? Lord knows where it goes to if it is. I didn't see Friday's bird so can't comment on that one.

Also present on the flashes were loads of Warblers (including fledged juv Reed Warblers), 5 Green Sandpipers, 3 Gadwall and 1 Curlew.

A Hobby was hawking insects on the moors at dusk and 2 or 3 Noctules were flying around.

 

[geoffw1946]

Record Shot of the Phalarope below - I'm keeping an open mind but I suspect that this is the original (first bird) which keeps coming back - anyone suggest a reason why it isn't? Lord knows where it goes to if it is. I didn't see Friday's bird so can't comment on that one.

Are you sure it isn't hiding on the 3rd flash ( the one you can't see very well)?

 

[Woodchat]

Are you sure it isn't hiding on the 3rd flash ( the one you can't see very well)?

We had considered that it might be hiding - however, I think if it was on the 3rd flash we'd see it - it tends to move about a lot when feeding so would move into an area that was visible from the hide (at some point during the 3 intervening days). Also Wardens (Gert et al.) have been out to cage the sitting LRP in the meantime and not seen it.

I think Jackie said she'd seen it fly in this morning - if it is the same bird it must be going somewhere 'off site'. :t:

 

[jjs]

No sign of the phalarope at the flashes between 6:20 and 7:30 this morning.
John