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Upton Warren (24 Viewers)

Phil Andrews said:
Its been four years since I last posted this summary so ahead of the main wader return passage commencing shortly I thought it was worth providing an updated version:

Oystercatcher - 14 - 20th July 2012
Black-winged Stilt - 1 - 21st to 22nd May 2006
Avocet - 57 - late June 2015
Little Ringed Plover - 31 - Late June 2002
Ringed Plover - 20 - 15th May 1994
Golden Plover - 150 - 25th February 1994
Grey Plover - 6 - 7th to 8th October 1991
Lapwing - 3,000 - February 1977, 31st July 1995, early February 1985, early 1994, late 1994, December 1995
Knot - 3 - 21st August 1965
Sanderling - 3 - 15th May 2006
Little Stint - 37 - 25th September 1996
Temminck’s Stint - 6 - 25th to 27th May 1975
Least Sandpiper - 1 - 13th to 15th August 1988
Pectoral Sandpiper - 2 - 15th September 2003
Curlew Sandpiper - 16 - 26th August 2000
Dunlin - 35 - 14th May 2007
Ruff - 16 - 2nd May 1994
Jack Snipe - 35 - 25th February 2014
Snipe - 200 - 28th March 1971
Woodcock - 2 - 1st March 1986
Black-tailed Godwit - 69 - 12th April 2013
Bar-tailed Godwit - 23 - 30th April 2011
Whimbrel - 32 - 9th August 1992
Curlew - 122 - September 1988
Spotted Redshank - 7 - 26th August 1966
Redshank - 27 - 10th May 2016
Greenshank - 13 - 21st August 2000 & 10th May 2016
Green Sandpiper - 31 - 19th August 2001
Wood Sandpiper - 6 - August to September 1965
Common Sandpiper - 18 - 25th August 1971
Turnstone - 8 - 2nd September 1988
Wilson’s Phalarope - 1 - 2 records
Red-necked Phalarope - 2 - 30th April 2011
Grey Phalarope - 1 - 4 records
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Further to my post from yesterday re maximum counts for each wader species I have found this updated post from Phil Andrews from 3 years ago, which includes amended totals for Black-tailed Godwit, Avocet, Jack Snipe and Redshank plus the addition of the joint record for Greenshank.

This list now requires further amendment to include (a) the Baird's Sandpiper that graced the Flashes from 9-16th September 2016; (b) the 3 Woodcock found along the Salwarpe by Pete & Marjo Lewis on 11th December 2017; (c) the ever increasing number of Avocets present during the breeding season.

According to Phil's post from 16th June 2019 Dave Jackson counted a total of 87 birds at the Flashes that morning, made up of 44 adults and 43 young. Unless anyone knows otherwise I take it that this is the new record maximum count for Avocet on the reserve!
 
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Spotted Flycatcher and Redstart in the hedgerow of the transmitter field by the dung heap this morning as per Mick Barlow; also 1 adult Little Ringed Plover plus 1 chick still.
 
Bird feeding Fund

Many thanks to Tim O for your kind donation to the fund..we no longer have food given to us by the local pet food supplier so all food is paid for from money raised at Upton warren. B :)
 
From the Flashes yesterday evening Mike and Tim reported:

1 Black-tailed Godwit (the 39th consecutive day the species has been present), 16 Avocet, 10 Green Sandpiper, 2 Common Sandpiper, 1 Snipe, 1 Little Ringed Plover + 1 chick, 12 Curlew, 85+ Lapwing, 2 Gadwall, c10 Teal, juvenile Shelduck, 8 Common Tern (including 2 juveniles), c500 BH Gull (including regular ringed bird yellow 2RNJ plus longstanding white 2K44 first noted all the way back in 2009), 3 LBB Gull

From the Moors Pool Tim additionally reported:

Green Sandpiper, Little Egret, 5 Cormorant, 10 Swift. 38 Coot, 3 Mute Swans
 
Ruff and Black-tailed Godwit at the Flashes this morning as per Andy P plus 4 GC Grebe and 3 Common Tern at the Sailing Pool; Little Ringed Plover still safe and well.
 
Phil Andrews said:
Ruff and Black-tailed Godwit at the Flashes this morning as per Andy P plus 4 GC Grebe and 3 Common Tern at the Sailing Pool; Little Ringed Plover still safe and well.
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Andy P updates from the Flashes:

4 Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Snipe, Little Ringed Plover + chick, Black-tailed Godwit, 102 Lapwing, 18 Avocet, 21 Teal, 5 Shoveler, Gadwall, Shelduck juvenile, 2 Little Grebe, Peregrine, Kestrel. No sign of the Ruff since 07:20am.
 
Some pictures from The Flashes this morning

Some pictures, taken through the drizzle, at The Flashes, this morning.

1 &2) Last remaining Little Ringed Plover chick looking healthy alongside adult.
3) Common Tern with lunch
4) Green Sandpiper sheltering from the drizzle.
 

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Mumblings, Grumblings and Fly tipping.

Firstly, for those planning to visit the Moors over the next few days please be aware that due to a second incident of fly tipping recently a large amount of rubbish has been dumped at the bottom end of the car park. Until it is removed it will impact on the number of parking spaces and it is quite unpleasant if you get too close. The relevant authorities have been made aware and it will hopefully be removed early next week at the latest.

On a wider note I have heard directly and anecdotally recently of an increasing number of instances of comment/complaint about aspects of the reserve that is not to a minority of visitors liking.
These complaints are most consistently, that the feeders are not replenished often enough but also that lack of "maintenance" has impacted on photographers ability to take clear and unobstructed photographs. A regular visitor was offended recently as it seems a couple of individuals went onto the "wildlife only" part of the reserve to remove grass and place sticks for Kingfishers to use. This apparently being for the sole purpose of getting better pictures. These individuals will have walked straight past a "wildlife only past this point" sign to access that part of the reserve. Apart from the potential disruption to the wildlife it can and does upset and offend other visitors. The signs are there for a reason and this behaviour is not acceptable. All of the work at the reserve is done by UNPAID volunteers some of whom devote a lot of their own time to keep the reserve functioning and welcoming to all visitors. We do consider photographers needs when deciding on work priorities but manicuring parts of the reserve for that sole purpose is not on the agenda. Perhaps those who do complain regularly could put the same amount of energy into joining the volunteer cadre and actually contributing something now and again. Finally it was frustrating to read a comment in the North Moors sightings book today. It consisted of a comment about lack of food in the feeders accompanied by an offer to join the volunteers if it helped top them up more regularly. This individual was apparently told by someone ??? that the reserve didn't need any more volunteers !!!! Unfortunately the author of this comment left it unattributed and also failed to identify the source of the response so therefore possibly a waste of ink. If he or she reads this - all new volunteers are welcome and if helping replenish the feeders is something they wish to do as part of the existing programme, I'm sure the regulars would be grateful for the offer.
 
Kimbo52 said:
Firstly, for those planning to visit the Moors over the next few days please be aware that due to a second incident of fly tipping recently a large amount of rubbish has been dumped at the bottom end of the car park. Until it is removed it will impact on the number of parking spaces and it is quite unpleasant if you get too close. The relevant authorities have been made aware and it will hopefully be removed early next week at the latest.

On a wider note I have heard directly and anecdotally recently of an increasing number of instances of comment/complaint about aspects of the reserve that is not to a minority of visitors liking.
These complaints are most consistently, that the feeders are not replenished often enough but also that lack of "maintenance" has impacted on photographers ability to take clear and unobstructed photographs. A regular visitor was offended recently as it seems a couple of individuals went onto the "wildlife only" part of the reserve to remove grass and place sticks for Kingfishers to use. This apparently being for the sole purpose of getting better pictures. These individuals will have walked straight past a "wildlife only past this point" sign to access that part of the reserve. Apart from the potential disruption to the wildlife it can and does upset and offend other visitors. The signs are there for a reason and this behaviour is not acceptable. All of the work at the reserve is done by UNPAID volunteers some of whom devote a lot of their own time to keep the reserve functioning and welcoming to all visitors. We do consider photographers needs when deciding on work priorities but manicuring parts of the reserve for that sole purpose is not on the agenda. Perhaps those who do complain regularly could put the same amount of energy into joining the volunteer cadre and actually contributing something now and again. Finally it was frustrating to read a comment in the North Moors sightings book today. It consisted of a comment about lack of food in the feeders accompanied by an offer to join the volunteers if it helped top them up more regularly. This individual was apparently told by someone ??? that the reserve didn't need any more volunteers !!!! Unfortunately the author of this comment left it unattributed and also failed to identify the source of the response so therefore possibly a waste of ink. If he or she reads this - all new volunteers are welcome and if helping replenish the feeders is something they wish to do as part of the existing programme, I'm sure the regulars would be grateful for the offer.
Click to expand...

This sort of thing raises its head periodically, some people will always complain about something! On the subject of Kingfisher sticks, there are plenty already in situ. The reserve can't be littered with these; take what's there or ask the work-parties to place more. Not saying they will (see my previous comment) but it's not a free-for-all and you, whoever you are, don't get to make unilateral decisions on what happens. That's what the work party team, wardens or the Trust (dependent on magnitude of the decision) are there for. Same goes for spur of the moment gardening in off-limits areas. If you don't like it go somewhere else.

As for volunteers, I'd say there can never be enough (unless you're leading a work party & far more turn up than you have work for!). If you want to volunteer to put food out then I'm quite sure those who currently carry out this task would be delighted to reduce their commitment in this area. Contact numbers can be found in the log-books in the hides or on some notices in the larger hides.
 
You can please some of the people some of the time etc, etc.It never fails to surprise me about the tiny majority who must have very little else to fill their empty lives.I enjoy every moment of my my visits to the reserve,It is a nature reserve after all and things keep growing, the volunteer workers do a brilliant job in all weathers and the only reward is cake!!! If John needs some help with the feeder filling please contact me for help.
 
Grahamjazz said:
You can please some of the people some of the time etc, etc.It never fails to surprise me about the tiny majority who must have very little else to fill their empty lives.I enjoy every moment of my my visits to the reserve,It is a nature reserve after all and things keep growing, the volunteer workers do a brilliant job in all weathers and the only reward is cake!!! If John needs some help with the feeder filling please contact me for help.
Click to expand...

I think Paul & Bob O do most of the feeder filling, so liaise with them?
 
Kimbo52 said:
Firstly, for those planning to visit the Moors over the next few days please be aware that due to a second incident of fly tipping recently a large amount of rubbish has been dumped at the bottom end of the car park. Until it is removed it will impact on the number of parking spaces and it is quite unpleasant if you get too close. The relevant authorities have been made aware and it will hopefully be removed early next week at the latest.

On a wider note I have heard directly and anecdotally recently of an increasing number of instances of comment/complaint about aspects of the reserve that is not to a minority of visitors liking.
These complaints are most consistently, that the feeders are not replenished often enough but also that lack of "maintenance" has impacted on photographers ability to take clear and unobstructed photographs. A regular visitor was offended recently as it seems a couple of individuals went onto the "wildlife only" part of the reserve to remove grass and place sticks for Kingfishers to use. This apparently being for the sole purpose of getting better pictures. These individuals will have walked straight past a "wildlife only past this point" sign to access that part of the reserve. Apart from the potential disruption to the wildlife it can and does upset and offend other visitors. The signs are there for a reason and this behaviour is not acceptable. All of the work at the reserve is done by UNPAID volunteers some of whom devote a lot of their own time to keep the reserve functioning and welcoming to all visitors. We do consider photographers needs when deciding on work priorities but manicuring parts of the reserve for that sole purpose is not on the agenda. Perhaps those who do complain regularly could put the same amount of energy into joining the volunteer cadre and actually contributing something now and again. Finally it was frustrating to read a comment in the North Moors sightings book today. It consisted of a comment about lack of food in the feeders accompanied by an offer to join the volunteers if it helped top them up more regularly. This individual was apparently told by someone ??? that the reserve didn't need any more volunteers !!!! Unfortunately the author of this comment left it unattributed and also failed to identify the source of the response so therefore possibly a waste of ink. If he or she reads this - all new volunteers are welcome and if helping replenish the feeders is something they wish to do as part of the existing programme, I'm sure the regulars would be grateful for the offer.
Click to expand...

That covers most of it Kim..and with the comments from Mike, Phil and Grahamjazz I can only add....that if you have any ideas or gripes about the reserve then contact one of us via phone or speak to wardens . No need to write anonymous comments in the log books.B :)john
 
Black-tailed Godwit, 9 Green Sandpiper and Redstart still at the Flashes as per Carl J. Also juvenile Water Rail, juvenile Shelduck, the LRP chick still plus Swift - could all sightings of the latter be reported from now on please as the species becomes scarce from the second half of August onwards.
 
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Date for your diaries - the Autumn All-Day Birdwatch is confirmed as Saturday 7th September. Hope to see a good turn out at Upton Warren.
 
Tuesday Work party 20th August

With wader passage already happening we will enhance the habitat at Amy's marsh this coming Tuesday.
This will include clearing the two main shingle islands in front of the east hide.....wit the orchids well gone we will also brush cut the east shore line. If any orchids are still flowering we will avoid them.
The sluice will also be adjusted to maximise the amount of of ideal wet mud.
If you can make it we will be meeting at 9am in the Moors car park.
John B :)👌👍
 
From the Flashes this morning Dave J reports:

20 Avocet, Yellow Wagtail over (first of the return passage), Little Ringed Plover (+ 1 chick still), 4 Green Sandpiper, 2 Common Sandpiper, Snipe, juvenile Redstart, juvenile Shelduck, 7 Gadwall, no sign of the Black-tailed Godwit.

8 Common Tern on the Sailing Pool.
 
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