Upton Warren (9 Viewers)

[Jason K]

With the breeding season fast approaching it is essential that this thread (and others similar to it representing sites across the country) dont become a valuable source of information to toe-rags such as Gonshaw and his like.

Please therefore, however well-intended or informative, refrain from including any details in your postings of birds mating or nesting, or indeed alluding to breeding activity. If you have any particular information about what might be breeding or when birds started sitting could you please PM myself or John so we can consider what action needs to be taken (if any).

As with previous years we will (under licence) continue to cage certain species' nests to protect them from the dual threat of predation (Coot, Moorhen, gulls, herons) and clumsiness (geese). This has had a notable impact on the number of clutches then go on to hatch; unfortunately there is little we can do once they have left the safety of the shell other than provide a range of suitable habitats for young birds to feed to boost their chances of survival. The actually caging process is now down to a fine art and the actual disturbance is limited to no more thatn 2 minutes, with sitting birds returning very quickly to the nest.

I would also ask our ever expanding and cooperative photography community to assist us in not posting anything that features photos of birds mating or on the nest (Gert / Mark P - can this message to extended to the Flickr page please?).

Thanks
Phil

A very sensible approach guys. I do the same at Shenstone from April to August with Corn Buntings and Grey Partridge...I won't put them on my blog or Birding Today during this point. Although if any of the local birders that I know need some info on them to try and see them for their year lists etc ..they can contact me and I will point them in the right direction.

So who is this Gonshaw character? anyone got a photo of him or a link to one on a web site so I can keep my eyes peeled for him?

Jase

 

[Sy V]

So who is this Gonshaw character? anyone got a photo of him or a link to one on a web site so I can keep my eyes peeled for him?

Jase

Jase

"In December 2011 persistent egg collector Matthew Gonshaw from Bow, London was convicted for the 5th time for the taking and possession of wild bird eggs, Gonshaw was jailed for 6 months and is due for release in mid March.

In addition to this, Gonshaw was also subject to the first ever Anti-Social Behaviour Order (ASBO) received by a wildlife criminal. This ASBO places restrictions on Gonshaw and some of these have direct relevance to your reserves/land.

Gonshaw has been banned from entering any RSPB and Wildlife Trust land within England and Wales for the next 10 years. In addition, Gonshaw cannot travel to Scotland between February 1st and August 31st and this also applies for 10 years.

Gonshaw is a determined individual and could breach the conditions. If you see him anywhere near any reserves/land in England, Wales or Scotland (between the above dates) then call the Police on 999 immediately and inform RSPB Investigations 07803 241452. He isn’t known to be violent but DO NOT approach him.

Gonshaw has an affinity with osprey, golden eagle, dotterel, avocet, stone curlew and black-tailed godwit eggs to name a few species."

I'll Google him to see if I can find a picture but there was one posted earlier IIRC.

Sy

P.S. He's not difficult to find!
Gonshaw Gallery

 

[woodwolf]

With the breeding season fast approaching it is essential that this thread (and others similar to it representing sites across the country) dont become a valuable source of information to toe-rags such as Gonshaw and his like.

Please therefore, however well-intended or informative, refrain from including any details in your postings of birds mating or nesting, or indeed alluding to breeding activity. If you have any particular information about what might be breeding or when birds started sitting could you please PM myself or John so we can consider what action needs to be taken (if any).

As with previous years we will (under licence) continue to cage certain species' nests to protect them from the dual threat of predation (Coot, Moorhen, gulls, herons) and clumsiness (geese). This has had a notable impact on the number of clutches then go on to hatch; unfortunately there is little we can do once they have left the safety of the shell other than provide a range of suitable habitats for young birds to feed to boost their chances of survival. The actually caging process is now down to a fine art and the actual disturbance is limited to no more thatn 2 minutes, with sitting birds returning very quickly to the nest.

I would also ask our ever expanding and cooperative photography community to assist us in not posting anything that features photos of birds mating or on the nest (Gert / Mark P - can this message to extended to the Flickr page please?).

Thanks
Phil

No worries there Phil, hopefully folks will realise it's no good submitting them in the first place, but if they do they will not be approved :t:

 

[wheatearlp]

Hi Mike - just caught up with the above post; I had better things to do on my honeymoon (like finding megas for Spain :-O).

This would be the joint third earliest Wheatear in Upton's recorded history. HOWEVER, there is a record of a male in the West Hide log-book at the Moors Pool for the previous day (16th) which would be joint second earliest record.

The Flashes log-book has a record of a Willow Warbler near the steps down friom the Sailing Pool on the 11th; anyone know anything more?

I, and no-one I've spoken to, knows any more than is written in the log-book. Therefore no idea if it was singing or was a sight-only ID. If singing it would be a remarkably early record, if not then it may have been the Chiffchaff that has been seen between the black poplar and the steps for the last week or so.

 

[wheatearlp]

1. I'm self teaching myself -

Who else would you self-teach?

 

[Sy V]

Good point - well made. B Now knob off you pedantic old git!

 

[Brian Stretch]

A very sensible approach guys. I do the same at Shenstone from April to August with Corn Buntings and Grey Partridge...I won't put them on my blog or Birding Today during this point. Although if any of the local birders that I know need some info on them to try and see them for their year lists etc ..they can contact me and I will point them in the right direction.

So who is this Gonshaw character? anyone got a photo of him or a link to one on a web site so I can keep my eyes peeled for him?

Jase

Just to follow on from Jase's post. The same applies for all records of LRP. This species has the same level of protection as Avocet and with many nesting at remote gravel pit workings the threat is considerable. Of course these low life characters know where these and many other species are nesting, even more so than your average birder, but there is no harm in not giving them a helping hand. I've put some guidance here. A bit more gen on the egger here.

Brian
___________
Birding Today

 

[toadoftoadhall]

I am not able now to edit the post, or would remove the photos. Sorry about that. Lesson learned. If admin can, please do.
toad.

 

[wheatearlp]

Good point - well made. B Now knob off you pedantic old git!

Will do. :t:

 

[Phil Andrews]

A very sensible approach guys. I do the same at Shenstone from April to August with Corn Buntings and Grey Partridge...I won't put them on my blog or Birding Today during this point. Although if any of the local birders that I know need some info on them to try and see them for their year lists etc ..they can contact me and I will point them in the right direction.

So who is this Gonshaw character? anyone got a photo of him or a link to one on a web site so I can keep my eyes peeled for him?

Jase

Cheers Jase - I think its very easy for all of us to get swept up in breeding potential at local patches and inadvertantly reveal more than we should. As with most others sites in the area, Upton is not a place for surpression unless there is a very very good reason for it.

Phil

 

[Jason K]

Jase

"In December 2011 persistent egg collector Matthew Gonshaw from Bow, London was convicted for the 5th time for the taking and possession of wild bird eggs, Gonshaw was jailed for 6 months and is due for release in mid March.

In addition to this, Gonshaw was also subject to the first ever Anti-Social Behaviour Order (ASBO) received by a wildlife criminal. This ASBO places restrictions on Gonshaw and some of these have direct relevance to your reserves/land.

Gonshaw has been banned from entering any RSPB and Wildlife Trust land within England and Wales for the next 10 years. In addition, Gonshaw cannot travel to Scotland between February 1st and August 31st and this also applies for 10 years.

Gonshaw is a determined individual and could breach the conditions. If you see him anywhere near any reserves/land in England, Wales or Scotland (between the above dates) then call the Police on 999 immediately and inform RSPB Investigations 07803 241452. He isn’t known to be violent but DO NOT approach him.

Gonshaw has an affinity with osprey, golden eagle, dotterel, avocet, stone curlew and black-tailed godwit eggs to name a few species."

I'll Google him to see if I can find a picture but there was one posted earlier IIRC.

Sy

P.S. He's not difficult to find!
Gonshaw Gallery

Thanks for the info Sy...I've googled him now and think I would recognize him now. I'ts hard to believe there a still people out there who get pleasure out of this archaic and abhorrent pursuit!

 

[Jason K]

Cheers Jase - I think its very easy for all of us to get swept up in breeding potential at local patches and inadvertantly reveal more than we should. As with most others sites in the area, Upton is not a place for surpression unless there is a very very good reason for it.

Phil

I couldn't agree more Phil. At the end of the day we need to put these threatened breeding birds first. Populations of some of them are fragile enough in the county without some prize tw*t sniffing around for eggs. Your right we sometimes do get caught up in the moment with our patch birds and inadvertantly let out info without realising on our respective forums, blogs and Flickr profiles. I for one will be more aware of what I'm 'putting out there'

P.s. congratulations on your recent tying the knot!

 

[upstarts1979]

I am not able now to edit the post, or would remove the photos. Sorry about that. Lesson learned. If admin can, please do.
toad.

Not to worry lot of species mate away from breeding grounds, to secure the pair bond.

 

[Jason K]

Just to follow on from Jase's post. The same applies for all records of LRP. This species has the same level of protection as Avocet and with many nesting at remote gravel pit workings the threat is considerable. Of course these low life characters know where these and many other species are nesting, even more so than your average birder, but there is no harm in not giving them a helping hand. I've put some guidance here. A bit more gen on the egger here.

Brian
___________
Birding Today

Useful guidance and submission list Brian....cheers

 

[upstarts1979]

Tuesday work party in Education Reserve

Today most of the team were committed to other things so the 5 of us set about attempting to rejuvenate the 'top' reed bed in the NE corner of the reserve.
The task looked a bit more than we could cope with, with 20 people, let alone 5.
Anyhow we started raking and strimming in the worse area that measured about 30 metres x 30 metres.
Much of the reed that had collapsed was still attached so this made our task even harder. We raked up the old stems and carried them to the small fire at the western end of the bed. After an hour or so we decided to strim a 'fire break' around the targeted area and then burn it. However the easterly wind changed direction half way through and the fire leaped the fire break and headed north.
After a rather traumatic time the fire burn itself out. This resulted in an amazing transformation, the 25 years of debris (old reeds) were now gone. Raking over the area exposed some very wet areas. These will now be able to grow a lush stand of reeds in the next year or so. The 'core' area of quality reed was left untouched. After this section was burnt off, we had another controlled fire to the south.
Photos
1. before work
2. same area after work
3. looking east from the west side
4. looking from the NW corner to the south

NEXT TUESDAY IS THE LAST MAJOR TUESDAY WORK PARTY OF THE SEASON.
WE WILL BACK AT THE MOORSB

 

[g.h.1]

Besides Butterflies allready mentioned in earlier postes,had 3 Orange-tips (all males ) in the Education Reserve this afternoon (Is this not a little bit on the early side ? )
Cheers Glenn

 

[Sy V]

Twisted Fire Starter strikes again. I'll Google Red Adair's mobile number for you, John!

 

[upstarts1979]

Here a few more photos from today.
They show how after removing all the litter and debris how wet the area became . Just a few minutes of raking forced the water to the surface.
1. the north end of the reed bed
2. the NE corner looking to the SW.
3. wetness after raking.

 

[upstarts1979]

BIRDING today.
The birding took a back seat , but I did manage a bit with Glen and Crofty in tow8-P ( they were only after my tea.)
MOORS:
GCG 4, Little grebe 1, shoveler 17 (11 males), WIGEON a pair asleep in the middle of the pool. Gadwall pr, Teal 4, Shelduck pr, Tufted c40, Curlew, Oystercatcher 6, lapwing 3, Snipe 3, Water rail 2 calling from NM, chiffchaff 5 or 6 singing.

EDUCATION RESERVE:
GCG 12, Water rail calling, Blackcap 2 singing, Chiffchaff 3 singing, goldcrest singing, mistle thrush singing, green and great spotted woodpecker.

FLASHES
Teal 10, gadwall pr, shoveler pr, Oystercatcher 2 (poss 8 on the reserve), Lapwing 12, Avocet 8, LRP 4, Redshank - seen by Terry N,

B John
I am sure Paul and Glenn will add what I have missed.

 

[Phil Andrews]

Nice one Phil. Yesterday I checked on last years counts in March..I was going to do a comparative graph for 2011 and 2012. Here is the data for 2011 can you do the graph mate :t:
MARCH :1st -1, 2nd - 3 till 6th, 7th - 2 till 11th, 12th - 4, 13th - 8, 14th -6 till 15th, 16th - 9 till 17th, 18th - 8, 19th 9 till 20th, 21st - 13, 22nd - 15, 23rd - 14, 24th - 13, 25th 15 till 27th, 28th - 16, 29th - 13.

Hi John - as requested please find a comparison between Avocet numbers last year and this; I think whilst both show a general upward trend during the month, 2012 demonstrates a far greater variation on a daily basis: