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Upton Warren (100 Viewers)
- Thread starter andythomas
- Start date
upstarts1979
Well-known member
discors;2373174 Found a road kill Tawny Owl on the A38 Just past the bromsgrove island coming to upton showed a few people and I have left it beneath the reserve sign in the Moors car park presumably one that had a territory close by Incredible feathering[/QUOTE said:Rob you my have missed this from Saturday
BJohn
forgetfulelephant
Well-known member
Rob you my have missed this from Saturday
B
Thanks I did wonder if it may have been that bird. Thought it would be too terrible to have twoin an area in a week.
Woodchat
Cogito ergo sum
Excellent data there, Paul. The Diptera prey are interesting given the recent survey.
I suspect the prey 'species-mix' changes through the season depending on the conditions favouring successive emergences / hatches.
You're right about the national importance - migration staging posts are essential for many species and UW seems to be fulfilling that role for Avocets at this time of year and other species (e.g. RN Phal) later in the spring.
upstarts1979
Well-known member
Brilliant Paul
I will add this to the Upton warren manual - very informative. Looks like I am now redundant 8-P. It would be interesting how many species they find in the survey.
It would also be interesting (if a bit scientific) to find out, when these food items become available and what are the limiting/controlling factors of their numbers. ie water/air temperature, depth of water and salinity levels and at what time of year (possibly temperature related anyhow) do they peak.
B
John
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forgetfulelephant
Well-known member
The mystery of the missing bench from the concrete hide is solved! Apparently taken away by the Trust for refurbishment without telling anyone!
Rob
Rob
upstarts1979
Well-known member
Hopefully it'll come back with a nice cushy seat.8-P
and the new bridge and boardwalk behind the tool shed is the dogs danglies
forgetfulelephant
Well-known member
Yes they have made a cracking job of it. Take a mighty flood to move that!
rollingthunder
Well-known member
Havnt looked at the forum for a few days - nice to see some vanguard Avocets - a mate of mine had 500+ in Devon around the general Bowling Green Marsh area at the weekend.
With regard to Wilden and 'management' - I was not using Wilden as a 'pawn' in the UW work-party debate! - I do'nt believe anybody could perceive it in that way? I merely used it as an example and a fairly obvious one IMO on how an area can change, drastically, in a very, very short period of time. 5 years ago i could record 8 species of Warbler in mid-May. Whether it is deep dredging in the Stour, destruction of the water-holding bunds by BSC or lack of rainfall the effect has been drastic. There is no longer enough water to sustain the wetland habitat of the marsh and the meadows, this is an important assemblage of relict plant spp in the Stour Valley and the wet Alder carr type woodland is drying out. Whether the new culverts will stem this only time will tell. It is a great pity that this habitat is now gone as Worcs has enough scrub.
If you want a nice 'quiet' walk then Wilden awaits.......:C
Laurie :t:
With regard to Wilden and 'management' - I was not using Wilden as a 'pawn' in the UW work-party debate! - I do'nt believe anybody could perceive it in that way? I merely used it as an example and a fairly obvious one IMO on how an area can change, drastically, in a very, very short period of time. 5 years ago i could record 8 species of Warbler in mid-May. Whether it is deep dredging in the Stour, destruction of the water-holding bunds by BSC or lack of rainfall the effect has been drastic. There is no longer enough water to sustain the wetland habitat of the marsh and the meadows, this is an important assemblage of relict plant spp in the Stour Valley and the wet Alder carr type woodland is drying out. Whether the new culverts will stem this only time will tell. It is a great pity that this habitat is now gone as Worcs has enough scrub.
If you want a nice 'quiet' walk then Wilden awaits.......:C
Laurie :t:
Phil Andrews
It's only Rock and Roller but I like it
JTB reports 5 Avocet and a Redshank - new for the year - at the Flashes this morning.
upstarts1979
Well-known member
Back from the Mecca (MOORS)
Although the easterly breeze was a cooling factor, in the hides it felt like spring was here.
The Moors was awash with raucous displaying BHG's. Reed bunting were the most conspicuous of the passerines and seemed to be singing from everywhere, also singing were chaffinch, bullfinch and tits as well as 2 great spotted woodpeckers drumming.
Skylark passed over and fieldfare and redwing fed behind the east hide. Duck numbers were holding up and several coot and GCG were nest building.
Species count at the Moors:
GCG 5, Little grebe, cormorant 15, mute swan pr, shoveler 21 (14 males), Teal 12, Shelduck male, Pochard 12 (6 males), Tufted 45
Lapwing few, Snipe 6, Oystercatcher 4 (2 prs),
BHG c300, LBBG c10 (including a pair setting up territory), Herring gulls 3 x 1st Summers, Water rail, Stock dove 2, great sp woodpecker 2, green woodpecker, Fieldfare 3, redwing 2, skylark plus garden birds.
Although the easterly breeze was a cooling factor, in the hides it felt like spring was here.
The Moors was awash with raucous displaying BHG's. Reed bunting were the most conspicuous of the passerines and seemed to be singing from everywhere, also singing were chaffinch, bullfinch and tits as well as 2 great spotted woodpeckers drumming.
Skylark passed over and fieldfare and redwing fed behind the east hide. Duck numbers were holding up and several coot and GCG were nest building.
Species count at the Moors:
GCG 5, Little grebe, cormorant 15, mute swan pr, shoveler 21 (14 males), Teal 12, Shelduck male, Pochard 12 (6 males), Tufted 45
Lapwing few, Snipe 6, Oystercatcher 4 (2 prs),
BHG c300, LBBG c10 (including a pair setting up territory), Herring gulls 3 x 1st Summers, Water rail, Stock dove 2, great sp woodpecker 2, green woodpecker, Fieldfare 3, redwing 2, skylark plus garden birds.
upstarts1979
Well-known member
The FLASHES
The water level had dropped to 0.47 but there was a good area of mud in front of the hide. The 5 Avocets were gathered in the 'central area' but at first only fed just off shore from the sewage works field. After a while a pair fed in the area where we had dug out a channel from the 1st Flash to the 2nd flash in the autumn. Initially they were pecking the surface but then nearer to the dug channel , they started picking up large items juggling them in their bills prior to swallowing. This was very reassuring to see that there was plenty of food, after previous droughts the subsequent springs have seen a dearth of waders, almost as a result of a depleted food supply. Many Lapwings were displaying and our 1st Redshank of the year fed quite close to the hide. The remnants of the wintering thrush flock continued to feed in the old orchard behind the 3rd flash.
Species counts for the FLASHES
Teal 42, Gadwall pr, Avocet 5, Oystercatcher 2, Redshank, curlew 6, lapwing 54, BHG c150, Green woodpecker, redwing 30, fieldfare 5, treecreeper by bridge in alders, Pied wagtail singing on the flashes not far from Sy's open-fronted nest box, Long tailed tit building a nest . and several tits showing interest in the new boxes.
BJohn
The water level had dropped to 0.47 but there was a good area of mud in front of the hide. The 5 Avocets were gathered in the 'central area' but at first only fed just off shore from the sewage works field. After a while a pair fed in the area where we had dug out a channel from the 1st Flash to the 2nd flash in the autumn. Initially they were pecking the surface but then nearer to the dug channel , they started picking up large items juggling them in their bills prior to swallowing. This was very reassuring to see that there was plenty of food, after previous droughts the subsequent springs have seen a dearth of waders, almost as a result of a depleted food supply. Many Lapwings were displaying and our 1st Redshank of the year fed quite close to the hide. The remnants of the wintering thrush flock continued to feed in the old orchard behind the 3rd flash.
Species counts for the FLASHES
Teal 42, Gadwall pr, Avocet 5, Oystercatcher 2, Redshank, curlew 6, lapwing 54, BHG c150, Green woodpecker, redwing 30, fieldfare 5, treecreeper by bridge in alders, Pied wagtail singing on the flashes not far from Sy's open-fronted nest box, Long tailed tit building a nest . and several tits showing interest in the new boxes.
B
John
Phil Andrews
It's only Rock and Roller but I like it
Hi John - I will ask the same question as earlier in the week; was that 4 or 6 Oyks across the reserve today?
Jason K
Well-known member
In addition to John's round up, myself and Tony Smith clearly heard a Marsh Tit call its "pitchoo, chickabeebeebee" call 3 or 4 times whilst sat in Hen pool hide at approx mid-day. Unfortunately it didn't call again after we left the hide and we were unable to locate said bird.
UW82
Well-known member
Phil Andrews
It's only Rock and Roller but I like it
Dont know about rare - its an absolute MEGA!
There have only ever been three sightings at Upton Warren and I have yet to meet anyone who is convinced by any of them.
The last sighting was in 1986 when the annual report simply stated "a bird thought to be of this species was seen in the Spring".
Jason K
Well-known member
I didn't realize that until John B informed me when we spoke at the Flashes. In fact I was knid of matter of fact about it when I mentioned it, not realising its scarcity in Upton terms.
In 5 years of recording at Shenstone I have only had one Marsh Tit and that was a one day bird in early Spring a couple of years back
UW82
Well-known member
Quite right Phil, but Willow Tit is so rare at Upton that the implication of MEGA status is in my statement................well that's my interpretation anyway.
Des.
upstarts1979
Well-known member
The 4 at the Moors seemed to be settled on their respective territories, where as the 2 on the Flashes were either asleep or feeding in the surrounding field.
Thus I would say there were 6.:t:
Phil Andrews
It's only Rock and Roller but I like it
Where would the internet be without mis-interpretation and the splitting of hairs! :-O
