Upton Warren (15 Viewers)

[upstarts1979]

Great White Egret today flew out of Moors at 12:25 heading towards transmitter masts.

Cracking Martin, by far the best flight shot I've seen:t: John

 

[Peregrine Trousers]

Having seen it arrive, it wasn't until I wandered around to Arthur Jacobs hide some 3 hours later that I saw it again...digiscoped from a long way!

 

[upstarts1979]

Having seen it arrive, it wasn't until I wandered around to Arthur Jacobs hide some 3 hours later that I saw it again...digiscoped from a long way!

I was under the impression that the GWE was just loafing around at the Moors .But in the last couple of days it appears to be fishing. Whether this is due to the water levels dropping I'm not sure.

 

[Phil Andrews]

Was there some suggestion that the Bittell bird had a missing primary? Not sure I have seen that in any photos of the Upton bird

 

[UW82]

Was there some suggestion that the Bittell bird had a missing primary? Not sure I have seen that in any photos of the Upton bird

We had a close look at the flying bird today and concluded that there wasn't a missing primary.

Des.

 

[wheatearlp]

Rob Wardle said the bird he saw at Bittell did have a missing primary.

 

[UW82]

Today's highlights:

MOORS:
Great White Egret. Seen feeding in the east shore reed bed, the SW marsh and the Flashes 3rd Flash, before flying to the Sailing Pool to roost.
Little Egrets (3) . Also feeding at the Moors intermittently and roosting at the Sailing Pool.
Pochard (20) inc 13 drakes----------Teal (83)
Shoveler (28)------------------------Curlew (13)
Snipe (5)-----------------------------Cormorant (35)
Coot (c270)--------------------------Little Grebe (2)
G C Grebe (1)------------------------Kingfisher
Water Rail (2)------------------------Cetti's Warbler (2)
Coal Tit (2)---------------------------Siskin/Redpoll (c15 predominantly Siskin)
Raven--------------------------------Herring Gull (1)

FLASHES:
Green Sand (5)-----------------------Barn Owl (Perched right of hide for a few minutes before flying north)
Redshank-----------------------------Lapwing (c200)
Teal (33)------------------------------B H Gull (c200)
Raven---------------------------------Kestrel

SAILING POOL:
Smew. Very elusive, but did show in the NW corner and E side for short periods.
G C Grebe (9)-------------------------Shoveler (8)
Tufted Duck (8)-----------------------Little Grebe (2)
Kingfisher------------------------------Skylark

Des.

 

[Peregrine Trousers]

...also had mixed flock of c40 fieldfares/redwing feeding on sloes and hawthorne by moors carpark

 

[upstarts1979]

Today's highlights:

MOORS:
Great White Egret. Seen feeding in the east shore reed bed, the SW marsh and the Flashes 3rd Flash, before flying to the Sailing Pool to roost.
Little Egrets (3) . Also feeding at the Moors intermittently and roosting at the Sailing Pool.
Pochard (20) inc 13 drakes----------Teal (83)
Shoveler (28)------------------------Curlew (13)
Snipe (5)-----------------------------Cormorant (35)
Coot (c270)--------------------------Little Grebe (2)
G C Grebe (1)------------------------Kingfisher
Water Rail (2)------------------------Cetti's Warbler (2)
Coal Tit (2)---------------------------Siskin/Redpoll (c15 predominantly Siskin)
Raven--------------------------------Herring Gull (1)

FLASHES:
Green Sand (5)-----------------------Barn Owl (Perched right of hide for a few minutes before flying north)
Redshank-----------------------------Lapwing (c200)
Teal (33)------------------------------B H Gull (c200)
Raven---------------------------------Kestrel

SAILING POOL:
Smew. Very elusive, but did show in the NW corner and E side for short periods.
G C Grebe (9)-------------------------Shoveler (8)
Tufted Duck (8)-----------------------Little Grebe (2)
Kingfisher------------------------------Skylark

Des.

A big drop from approx 200 Teal to today's c120

 

[Peregrine Trousers]

A big drop from approx 200 Teal to today's c120

I concur...I had c100+ at first light this morning

 

[Phil Andrews]

Just to emphasis how scarce Smew has become on a national basis, listed below are all the reports from around the country since the 4th December when the Upton bird was first noted. Including to the Upton bird and assuming no duplication these amount to only 32 birds presently in the country! :eek!:

Dungeness, Kent - up to 4
Newchurch Common, Cheshire - 1
Rye Harbour, East Sussex - up to 2
Big Waters NR, Northumberland - 1
King George V Reservoir, London - 1
Sonning Eye Gravel Pits, Oxon - 1
Amwell NR, Hertfordshire - 1
Siblyback Lake, Cornwall - 1
Kilvington, Nottinghamshire - 1
Abberton Reservoir, Essex - up to 2
Rescobie Loch, Angus - 1
Pitsford Reservoir, Northamptonshire - up to 2
Fen Drayton Lakes RSPB, Cambridgeshire - up to 6
Saltholme RSPB, Cleveland - 1
Lachore Meadows CP, Fife - 1
Lytchett Bay, Poole Harbour, Dorset - 1
Ravensthorpe Reservoir, Northamptonshire - 1
Burgfield GP, Berkshire - 1
Holes Bay, Dorset - 1
Staines Reservoir, Surrey - 1

 

[Phil Andrews]

Running the same exercise for Great White Egret (bearing in mind it was only downgraded from a national rarity a decade ago) from its first arrival at Upton Warren on the 30th November and allowing for some degree of duplication it would suggest that there are upwards of 40 birds currently wintering in Britain.

Chew Valley Lake, Somerset - 2
Greylake RSPB, Somerset - 1
Ham Wall RSPB, Somerset - 2
Blagdon Lake, Somerset - 1
Burton Mere, Cheshire - up to 2
Hale, Cheshire - 1
Blashford Lakes, Hampshire - 1
Pitsford Reservoir, Northamptonshire - 1
Clumber Park, Nottinghamshire - 1
Snettisham, Norfolk - 1
Scotney Gravel Pits, Kent / East Sussex - 2
East Guldeford Levels, East Sussex - 1
Brett's Marina, Lydd, Kent - up to 5
Denge Marsh, Dungeness, Kent - 1
Rutland Water, Leicestershire - 1
Grove Ferry, Kent - 1
Eoligarry, Barra, Western Isles - 1
Ravensthorpe, Northamptonshire - 1
Summer Leys, Earls Barton, Northamptonshire - 1
Middleton Lakes RSPB, Warwickshire - 1
Llanrhidian Marsh, Glamorgan - 3
Lakenheath RSPB, Norfolk / Suffolk - 2
Yearsley Moor, Yorkshire - 1
Reydon, Suffolk - 1
Eyebrook Reservoir, Leicestershire - 1
Llangorse Lake, Powys - 1
Covenham Reservoir, Lincolnshire - 1
Studland, Dorset - 1
Hornsea, Yorkshire - 1
Leighton Moss RSPB, Lancashire - 1
Silverdale Moss, Lancashire - 1

I am sure that the suggestion 20 years ago that there would be more Great White Egret wintering in Britain than Smew would have been met with ridicule and disbelief.

 

[PHW]

Great white egret still on moors this morning and the Smew was reported on the sailing lake but was very illusive.

Phil.

 

[Peregrine Trousers]

Running the same exercise for Great White Egret (bearing in mind it was only downgraded from a national rarity a decade ago) from its first arrival at Upton Warren on the 30th November and allowing for some degree of duplication it would suggest that there are upwards of 40 birds currently wintering in Britain.

My records indicate that GWE was present on 28th Nov

 

[upstarts1979]

Phil W also reports Dunlin and GWE moors . Redshank at Flashes..both waders being attracted to the low water levels on both sides of reserve.

 

[Phil Andrews]

My records indicate that GWE was present on 28th Nov

You are 100% correct Andy - clearly hadn't woken up when I posted in. Will re-run exercise from the 28th later.

 

[upstarts1979]

Proof of GWE catching fish courtesy of Mike Townley ...what fish ?

 

[Peregrine Trousers]

Looks like a perch

 

[Sarahrea]

Proof of GWE catching fish courtesy of Mike Townley ...what fish ?

No expert what so ever (as we all know) but the red fins say Perch to me...

 

[Sarahrea]

OR a Roach.....failing that...Fishy