Upton Warren (16 Viewers)

[Phil Andrews]

Andy P's count of 20 Mute Swan yesterday was the second largest occurrence in the reserve's history, only bettered by 50 birds present on the 22nd December 1952!

The only other annual counts to exceed 15 birds were 18 present in late October 2004 (boosted by a successful breeding season), 17 on the 31st January 1942 and a similar number on 10th September 1999 (10 adults and 7 fledged cygnets).

The second chart - plotting the half monthly maxima counts for the previous 17 years against this year - shows just how exceptional this sustained peak in numbers during the summer and early autumn period is, particularly when one considers that in several of past years these numbers would have been inflated by fledged cygnets that had been raised on the reserve.

 

[Phil Andrews]

JTB has had an adult Yellow-legged Gull over the Flashes in the company of 80 LBB Gull; also 2 Grey Wagtail over.

 

[UW82]

Andy P's count of 20 Mute Swan yesterday was the second largest occurrence in the reserve's history, only bettered by 50 birds present on the 22nd December 1952!

The only other counts to exceed 15 birds were 18 present in late October 2004 (boosted by a successful breeding season), 17 on the 31st January 1942 and a similar number on 10th September 1999 (10 adults and 7 fledged cygnets).

Plus 19 on Wednesday.

Des.

 

[Phil Andrews]

Black Tern, Black-tailed Godwit and Common Sand at the Moors Pool early afternoon

 

[AlanH46]

Common Sandpiper

Think this might be the Common Sand that raised todays hopes.

Cropped from the background of an image taken yesterday; hence being slightly our of focus.

 

[Burberaj]

Pictures from yesterday

Black-tailed Godwit at Moors, making ripples
Black Tern flying over Moors pool.

 

[John Layj]

Plenty of butterflies on the wing today.

 

[upstarts1979]

This morning at Flashes

Another early start but forgot we lose 15 minutes of light per week so a bit dark and very quiet at 5.40am. The barn owl appeared at 6ish hunting the meadow before flying over the 1st flash and out of sight.
The green sands stayed around longer than last week but moved off after an hour of light as did all the other waders with just the Lapwing flock remaining. The roosting large gulls have built up to just over 300 birds , but some left while still dark so not sure of the real number. Later in the morning a flock of 80 large gulls came in from the south and circled low over the Flashes but they didn't land. They were however close enough for me to ID an adult Yellow legged gull.
Once the roost had broken up and after checking for any waders that might be lurking I did a bit of vis mig from the bench area. The constant drizzle and mist gave me hope, but it was pretty hard going. Grey wag, mipit, swallows and house martins were all in small numbers.
After 2 and a half hours of hard slog vis-migging I went back to the hide to do a 'hedgewatch'.
It is now apparent that most of the warblers have departed with just blackcap and chiffs seen today other than our resident Cetti's. Finches were increasing though and particularly numerous were goldfinch, with flocks feeding on thistle heads all around the Flashes. A ringed plover called a couple of times but must have just dropped down out the mist for a look, as with many other waders during autumn if they get no reply from their congeners they move through.

With a SE mist and drizzle I would expect movement of some sort, but it was a bit disappointing to say the least.
Last year on 1st October exactly the same conditions produced over 800 meadow pipits and 200+ swallows . Today the same species were moving through but in much reduced numbers, well from where I was situated at the Flashes. I did pick out distant flocks of hirundines and passerines moving south beyond the sewage works but too distant to ID 100% but they were probably mipits and swallows. This reinforces the theory that the valley between the sewage works and Hanbury is a flightpath for autumn migrants as it runs north to south with the north end running through the North moors.

SPECIES COUNTS:
Little grebe, GCG juv flew over, Teal 28, shoveler 59, Mallard 55, tufted 2, greylag 54, canada's 320, cormorant 2 over, grey heron
coot 20, water rail,
Black Tailed godwit moved to the Moors after roosting - obviously more food there. Curlew 15. green sand 4, ringed plover, lapwing 145, snipe 2,
Black tern roosted and went to Moors to feed, LBBG 300, Yellow legged gull ad, herring 10 ish, BHG c500, other gulls c120 moved through),
Kestrel, Buzzard 3, sparrowhawk 2, Barn Owl,
raven 3, jay, rook 5, jackdaw 120+,
stock dove 60 - 70, Green woodp,
swallow 40, house martin 20 ish.
Song thrush 2, skylark, Cetti's w 2 singing, blackcap 3, chiffchaff 4, Meadow pipit 6, grey wag 3, pied wag,
starling 2, Goldfinch 85 min other flocks pushed total to above 100, linnets 12, bullfinch chaffinch over, greenfinch 7, reed bunting 6

 

[Phil Andrews]

Juvenile Black Tern still this evening at the Moors Pool as per Craig. Also 2 Yellow-legged Gulls and 4 Green Sand in the roost at the Flashes.

 

[midlands birder]

Moors Pool.
Juvenile Black Tern showing well. juv Black-tailed Godwit, 1 Wigeon, 47 Greylag, 2 Green Sand

Flashes
2 YLG into roost (ad and 3w) + 2 Green Sand (not Moors birds). 15 Curlew. c200 large Gulls, c20 Herring, the rest LBBG. 2 intermedius birds inc. 1 very dark mantled bird.

If anyone pays close attention to Curlews, one is ringed. Very difficult to read but i managed most of the code (I am missing 1 letter from the 7 digit code), If anyone can get any photos/ readings of the code hopefully we may be able to get some info back. 67 Shoveler and 50+ Greylag roosted this evening.

 

[Phil Andrews]

Is it a metal BTO style ring Craig?

 

[midlands birder]

Is it a metal BTO style ring Craig?

Yes mate, a metal BTO ring. I have the 5 number sequence, but couldn't make out the 2nd letter to make the full sequence.

 

[Phil Andrews]

From the Flashes this morning Dave J reports:

Tawny Owl, 5 Green Sandpiper, Common Gull, 15 Curlew, Little Egret, 55 Shoveler

Birds on the move over the Flashes include:

2 Pintail, Redpoll, 41 Meadow Pipit, 30 House Martin, 3 Swallow.

 

[upstarts1979]

Invertebrate Survey

For anyone interested in how the reserve is managed and for a non-birding insight here is a summary of the recent invertebrate survey.


Upton Warren Flashes – Summary of Invertebrate Survey
Will Watson and Giles King-Salter
16th September, 2017

In total, 18 species of aquatic invertebrate and 5 families of aquatic Diptera larvae were recorded in the 3 minute samples from the three Flashes, at an average of 9.3 taxa per pond. Flashes 1 and 2 had 6 and 7 taxa respectively, while Flash 3 was the most diverse with 16 taxa in 13 families.
Hemiptera were particularly numerous in Flash 3, with an abundance of the two corixids (lesser water boatmen) Sigara lateralis and S. concinna, plus small numbers of the larger species Corixa panzeri. This is probably related to the fringe of tall marginal vegetation (Phragmites and Schoenoplectus) in the water, which was largely absent from Flashes 1 and 2. Potentially it could also be related to differences in salinity. A single individual of a fourth species of corixid, Cymatia coleoptrata, was found in Flash 1.
The Minute Water-cricket Microvelia pygmaea is much rarer than the common and widespread species M. reticulata, with very few records outside East Anglia and the south east of England; this could potentially be a new county record for Worcestershire.
Several water beetle specimens have been sent to Prof Garth Foster for identification or confirmation. Overall both the diversity and abundance of water beetles were very low, probably due to the combined effects of the salinity and the low quantity of vegetation in the water.
Ochthebius minimus, found in Flash 2, is a common freshwater species that lives around the extreme margins of the water. O. dilatatus is the second commonest species of the genus in Britain, but records in the west midlands seem to be relatively sparse. Neither seems to have been previously recorded from the site.
The widespread species Enochrus testaceus was recorded from Flash 3, and a teneral female Enochrus from Flash 1 was determined as E. bicolor by Garth Foster. This is a halophitic species with a mainly coastal distribution, uncommon inland; it was recorded from the Flashes by Don Goddard in 1999.
Fly larvae were only identified to family. Flashes 1 & 2 seem to be dominated by Ceratopogonidae and Chironomidae, which are likely to be what many of the birds are feeding on (adults and/or larvae). The former are much more numerous but the larvae found of the latter are larger. Additional families of fly were recorded in Flash 3: Culiciidae, Dixidae and a single horsefly larva (Tabanidae).
The terrestrial species include 3 species of Shore Bug (Saldidae), which are predators associated with the margins of water bodies. Chartoscirta cincta is common and widespread, but Saldula palustris and S. opacula are both coastal species with very few inland records. S. palustris inhabits estuarine mudflats, while S. opacula is found on saltmarshes. The identity of all three species has been confirmed by Dr Joe Botting. A third coastal species, Saldula pilosella, was found by Don Goddard in 1999 but was not refound in this survey.
Two species of Marsh Beetle (Scirtidae) were recorded, which have aquatic larvae and terrestrial adults. Although a member of the Scavenger Water Beetles (Hydrophilidae), Megasternum concinnum is a terrestrial species that frequents rotting organic matter and would no doubt be attracted by the large quantity of bird droppings around the Flashes.
The beetle Anthocomus rufus is generally associated with wetter areas – this has previously been recorded from the Flashes in 1999 and 2004. The Water Ladybird, Anisosticta novemdecimpunctata, has been recorded at least six times previously. The small ladybird, Coccidula scutellata, is associated with Typha and does not seem to have been previously recorded from the site.

 

[Phil Andrews]

From the Moors Pool Dave J reports:

Black Tern, Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, 10 Snipe, Siskin, 2 Wigeon, Pochard

 

[Phil Andrews]

Dave J updates from the Moors Pool:

Little Egret, 3 Wigeon, 2 Reed Warbler, Skylark, 9 Mistle Thrush, 19 Mute Swan, Coal Tit, Otter

 

[Phil Andrews]

5 SPOONBILLS dropped into the Moors Pool as per John Stroud (via JTB)

 

[Phil Andrews]

5 SPOONBILLS dropped into the Moors Pool as per John Stroud (via JTB)

Party consists of an adult and four juveniles - early images here courtesy of Dave Jackson:

https://twitter.com/davejredditch/status/911956774336499713

 

[John Layj]

An hour well-spent :t:

 

[GaseousClay]

Couple of shots of the Spoonbill today