Upton Warren (9 Viewers)

[upstarts1979]

I am glad to see you were enjoying the butterflies today, but I wonder how many people know on which food plants these common butterflies are dependant and where, if at all, they are to be found on the reserves at Upton Warren.
The rarest butterfly we have on the reserve which emerges later in the summer is the White-letter Hairstreak; nationally it is Notable Scarce b, which means it occurs in only 31 to 100 ten kilometre squares in the country. The eggs of this butterfly, grey flying saucer like discs, can currently be seen fixed below a flower bud on twigs on the sunny side of the canopy of its favoured Wych Elm along the Salwarp. John

John, one thing that was apparent after the 'secret garden ' was created, was how quickly the cuckoo flower (ladies smock) appeared after we had removed the overgrown canopy. The orange tips then followed in good numbers
Bumblebees: in front of the water rail hide today feeding on ground ivy were: common carder, early and buff tailed
B John

 

[g.h.1]

A few shots from in front of the new hide, in the 'hide channel'.
Please note, I am a member of the 'bridge camera crew' of which there are now quite a few of us.8-P
as opposed to the bazooka crew

One thing the pictures show is how the colour of the water changes throughout the day.

As a" member" have got a few photos but have not got a clue how to download to Forum/flicker site any advice?
Cheers Glenn

 

[forgetfulelephant]

I am sure the photographers amongst us can provide better advice than I can but here goes:-

- The Moors Pool is effectively arranged on an east-west axis so the sun is behind you in the East (Lapwing) Hide in the morning and the West (Bittern) Hide in the afternoon.
- In the East Hide look out for Snipe feeding in the margins amongst the flag; should also get good opportunities for Shelduck, Teal, Oystercatcher and Shoveler.
- The West Hide overlooks the feeding station; probably a bit quiet this time of year but also a chance of a showy Bullfinch
- Just before you get to the West (Bittern) Hide there is the Concrete (Water Rail) Hide; there are feeders nearby plus chance of a Water Rail in front and gulls on the rail in the water.

The Flashes offers opportunities to tackle Avocet, Little Ringed Plover, Lapwing and sandpipers; I would suggest you use the ground floor of the Tower (Avocet) Hide to get the best angle. Light is probably better here in the afternoon.

That sums it up very well from a photography angle as well Phil.

Rob

 

[forgetfulelephant]

Hi Mate if you send a PM (private message) to forgetfulelephant,. he is one of resident warden/photographers, he will put you right. Please note if you are not a member of a wildlife trust you will need a day permit.
B john

Blimey, I know I spend a lot of time there but resident! Does that mean two lots of council tax? 8-P

Rob

 

[upstarts1979]

Blimey, I know I spend a lot of time there but resident! Does that mean two lots of council tax? 8-P

Rob

No Rob just buy a permit8-P £5 a day plus more of your Banana cake..quality mateB

 

[djaphoto]

I am sure the photographers amongst us can provide better advice than I can but here goes:-

- The Moors Pool is effectively arranged on an east-west axis so the sun is behind you in the East (Lapwing) Hide in the morning and the West (Bittern) Hide in the afternoon.
- In the East Hide look out for Snipe feeding in the margins amongst the flag; should also get good opportunities for Shelduck, Teal, Oystercatcher and Shoveler.
- The West Hide overlooks the feeding station; probably a bit quiet this time of year but also a chance of a showy Bullfinch
- Just before you get to the West (Bittern) Hide there is the Concrete (Water Rail) Hide; there are feeders nearby plus chance of a Water Rail in front and gulls on the rail in the water.

The Flashes offers opportunities to tackle Avocet, Little Ringed Plover, Lapwing and sandpipers; I would suggest you use the ground floor of the Tower (Avocet) Hide to get the best angle. Light is probably better here in the afternoon.

Many thanks for the information, definately what i was looking for so I have an idea of what can be seen where and allows me to plan a little.

i will let you know how I get on Phil, cheers

 

[Phil Andrews]

That sums it up very well from a photography angle as well Phil.

Rob

All I need now is a camera and an inclination to take photos!

 

[Phil Andrews]

Many thanks for the information, definately what i was looking for so I have an idea of what can be seen where and allows me to plan a little.

i will let you know how I get on Phil, cheers

Not a problem - enjoy your first visit.

 

[upstarts1979]

I am sure the photographers amongst us can provide better advice than I can but here goes:-

- The Moors Pool is effectively arranged on an east-west axis so the sun is behind you in the East (Lapwing) Hide in the morning and the West (Bittern) Hide in the afternoon.
- In the East Hide look out for Snipe feeding in the margins amongst the flag; should also get good opportunities for Shelduck, Teal, Oystercatcher and Shoveler.
- The West Hide overlooks the feeding station; probably a bit quiet this time of year but also a chance of a showy Bullfinch
- Just before you get to the West (Bittern) Hide there is the Concrete (Water Rail) Hide; there are feeders nearby plus chance of a Water Rail in front and gulls on the rail in the water.

The Flashes offers opportunities to tackle Avocet, Little Ringed Plover, Lapwing and sandpipers; I would suggest you use the ground floor of the Tower (Avocet) Hide to get the best angle. Light is probably better here in the afternoon.

Don't forget the Kingfishers from all 3 moors hides, on the ready made perches. here's another one. Nice post is that a bird on it:smoke:

 

[forgetfulelephant]

A few shots from in front of the new hide, in the 'hide channel'.
Please note, I am a member of the 'bridge camera crew' of which there are now quite a few of us.8-P
as opposed to the bazooka crew

One thing the pictures show is how the colour of the water changes throughout the day.

Yes it does but it also shows that having 'just a bridge camera' can & does also produce good quality images!


Rob

 

[Phil Andrews]

Spring All-Day Birdwatch - Saturday 5th May

As there is a fair amount of activity on the Forum tonight, it is worth reminding everyone that the annual Spring All-Day Birdwatch is taking place on Saturday 5th May (the Saturday of the May Day Bank Holiday weekend); put it in your diaries!!

Technically the object of the day is to try to record as many species as possible within the 24 hours (leading to some ridiculous start times in an attempt to bag Tawny Owl etc). Not only does this provide a snap-shot of what can occur on the reserve on an average spring day but it also allows us to review trends year on year and compare the reserve with the occurences at Belvide and Middleton Lakes with whom we have had a "friendly" rivalry for the last few years. A running score is kept throughout the day at both the West Hide at the Moors and the main hide at the Flashes as we aim to beat our previous record (or at least not record our lowest ever total). There is also the holy grail of the highest ever individual total which I believe is held by Paul Croft (at around 81 species?).

Mike has a host of information about what has been recorded over the years which hopefully he will post prior to the event and possibly even a handy tick sheet.

However, the day is far more than just ticking off birds. Fortified by light refreshments, biscuits, cakes and a few bacon / sausage sarnies, it is an opportunity for all have enjoyed birding / photographing on the reserve over the year and contributed to its success to come together in a celebration of Upton Warren. This is particularly true now with the Forum so active; its the chance to meet people we may have corresponded with but never met (or probably more accurately, never knowingly met). It is an often overused phrase but there is a great craic on the day and is a date I look forward to weeks in advance.

Finally, it is hoped that the 2011 Annual Report will be ready for purchase on the day (Mike - I will drop it off at your house Mon or Tues evening next week for stapling).

Hope to see as many of you as possible on the 5th May.

 

[Snow-Bunting]

Hi Snow-Bunting, we spoke in the hide yesterday, many thanks for publishing the pipit photographs. I was hoping that blown up on the computer the photos might offer more clues to the pipit's identification, but as you can see from the responses we are not going to be able to say exactly what it was. It is one of those species where we really needed to get 'the full suite of features'. Thanks once again. John

You're welcome!! They weren't the best of photographs but considering the distance and the camera's capabilities, they didn't come out too bad. I posted them on the RSPB website too and a couple of responses indicated it as being a Rock/Water Pipit. Hopefully it will show again and someone can ID it again correctly.

 

[forgetfulelephant]

Recent images:

Robin-early resident of 'Swampy Bottom'
Kingfisher with an identity crisis.
Orangetip along the east track
We may need to think about renaming the hide.

Rob

 

[John Sirrett]

John, one thing that was apparent after the 'secret garden ' was created, was how quickly the cuckoo flower (ladies smock) appeared after we had removed the overgrown canopy. The orange tips then followed in good numbers
Bumblebees: in front of the water rail hide today feeding on ground ivy were: common carder, early and buff tailed
B John

That's a good positive result from the teams management of the reserve.
In answer to my earlier question about food plants the Orange Tip uses other crucifers as well, but mostly ladies smock and garlic mustard, there are patches of the later along the public footpath by the Salwarp.
The Small Torts, Peacocks and Comma's use nettles, but can be fickle about which patches of nettle they will use. The Comma also uses Elm. The population of Small Tortoiseshell has fallen 64% in the last ten years according to Butterfly Conservation. One of the reasons is a parasitic fly, Sturmia Bella, first recorded in Britain in 1998;recent cold winters seem to have lessened the impact of the fly and more Small Torts are now being seen on the wing.
The Brimstone uses the trees and shrubs of purging and alder buckthorn - neither of which I can say I have noticed on the reserves.
Good haul of Bumblebees, but there seem to be fewer about this spring. john

 

[Sy V]

As a "member" have got a few photos but have not got a clue how to download to Forum/flicker site any advice?
Cheers Glenn

Glenn

This may get long, so get comfortable.
I strongly advise you (if you haven't already) to convert any imagery for upload into .jpg/.jpeg format. Then you must ensure that the following constraints are met:
jpg/jpeg max file size - 395.3 KB
Max pixel Height 1200
Max Pixel Width 1200

If your image(s) are within these parameters the Forum will accept it/them for upload.
At the bottom of this page you will see the "Quick Reply" Message: dialogue box. Under it there are two buttons: "Post Quick Reply" and "Go Advanced".
You must click "Go Advanced" to upload images.
You will see another Message: dialogue box (you don't need to add a "Title"). Type whatever text you you want to accompany your image(s) in the dialogue box and when you're ready to upload images click on the "Attachments" button (it looks like a paper clip).
You will get a pop-up box called "Manage Attachments". In the "Upload Files from your Computer" section click "Browse" and navigate to where the picture is on your hard drive. Click on the image you want to upload and click "Open".
You will see that the "Upload Files from your Computer" section is populated with the whereabouts of your image/file. Click "upload" and wait until you see your image's file name listed in the "Current Attachments" section. Leave this pop-up box alone now and return to the Message: dialogue box where you've typed the accompanying text.
Click "Submit Reply" and you should see your message and the image(s) you wanted to add.

 

[forgetfulelephant]

Glenn

This may get long, so get comfortable.
I strongly advise you (if you haven't already) to convert any imagery for upload into .jpg/.jpeg format. Then you must ensure that the following constraints are met:
jpg/jpeg max file size - 395.3 KB
Max pixel Height 1200
Max Pixel Width 1200

If your image(s) are within these parameters the Forum
will accept it/them for upload.
At the bottom of this page you will see the "Quick Reply" Message: dialogue box. Under it there are two buttons: "Post Quick Reply" and "Go Advanced".
You must click "Go Advanced" to upload images.
You will see another Message: dialogue box (you don't need to add a "Title"). Type whatever text you you want to accompany your image(s) in the dialogue box and when you're ready to upload images click on the "Attachments" button (it looks like a paper clip).
You will get a pop-up box called "Manage Attachments". In the "Upload Files from your Computer" section click "Browse" and navigate to where the picture is on your hard drive. Click on the image you want to upload and click "Open".
You will see that the "Upload Files from your Computer" section is populated with the whereabouts of your image/file. Click "upload" and wait until you see your image's file name listed in the "Current Attachments" section. Leave this pop-up box alone now and return to the Message: dialogue box where you've typed the accompanying text.
Click "Submit Reply" and you should see your message and the image(s) you wanted to add.

Very succinctly put Sy & will be useful for others to read. Just one thing to add:
You can click on 'Preview Post' before 'Submit Reply' & see how your images/message looks. You can then make any changes before committing to the post. Clicking on the image thumbnails will open them up as they will be seen on the thread.

Rob

 

[upstarts1979]

T The population of Small Tortoiseshell has fallen 64% in the last ten years according to Butterfly Conservation. One of the reasons is a parasitic fly, Sturmia Bella, first recorded in Britain in 1998;recent cold winters seem to have lessened the impact of the fly and more Small Torts are now being seen on the wing.
john

Re small tortoishell: I have seen a lot more (non scientific I know) around in early spring before and during the very hot spell of 3 weeks ago. However only 1 since the weather has got colder and wetter. What would have happened to those individuals, would they have gone into partial hibernation, or succumbed.
B John

 

[upstarts1979]

Recent images:

Robin-early resident of 'Swampy Bottom'
Kingfisher with an identity crisis.
Orangetip along the east track
We may need to think about renaming the hide.

Rob

Its a case of the birds watching the birders watching the birds , if that makes sense.:h?:
Kingfisher - I knew we should have made a few of the holes bigger8-P

nice 1 Rob

 

[upstarts1979]

Migration on hold

The recent cold spell seems to be taking a hold over most of Europe. There are 'low's' over most of southern Europe, this is almost certainly curtailing any mass migration into northern Europe. Some migrants are seeping through, but the majority are waiting for high pressure over southern Europe and north Africa.
Unfortunately it doesn't appear to be getting any better over the next few days.
see links:-CJohn

http://magicseaweed.com/MSW-Surf-Ch...WMAG&zeroHourTimestamp=1334278800&endTimestam

http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/uk/surface_pressure.html

 

[waterrailus]

The recent cold spell seems to be taking a hold over most of Europe. There are 'low's' over most of southern Europe, this is almost certainly curtailing any mass migration into northern Europe. Some migrants are seeping through, but the majority are waiting for high pressure over southern Europe and north Africa.
Unfortunately it doesn't appear to be getting any better over the next few days.
see links:-CJohn

http://magicseaweed.com/MSW-Surf-Ch...WMAG&zeroHourTimestamp=1334278800&endTimestam

http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/uk/surface_pressure.html

Having said that John, Portland logged 1000 willow warblers yesterday and on a personal note i had a cracking male Pied Flycatcher in woods near Stourbridge yesterday. Just when i thought i would have to wait til next week in Lesvos for my first of the year. Cheers Dennis