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Upton Warren (21 Viewers)

At the risk of upsetting some - what is the permit score for the birder that would like to pop in,say on his way home to Manchester from relatives in the SW and arriving in the evening?
 
For those that haven't seen it yet - the Sabine's roosted again tonight, coming in at 19.30. Don't forget that Worcs WT (or other county wildlife trust) membership is required to access the reserve. Permits are currently available at £1.00 each, although with effect from next week this will increse to £3.00!

Welcome to Birdforum, Wheatearlp! Looking forward to more posts from you!

I think it is worth mentioning that the £3.00 charge for the permit (£1.00 at present) does not include the Outdoor Education Centre carpark charge of I believe to be £1.00 at present. I have contacted the WWT HQ to have this confirmed on behalf of a friend. Another point worth mentioning , I was told by the Worcs WT HQ that if receipts are retained they can be used against membership fees if they wish to join the Worcs WT.
 
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Went to UW again yesterday.I'm becoming a regular now I've discovered my Warks wildlife card gets me in and I can get there quicker than I can get to Brandon Marsh.

Went to the Moores pools first and was chuffed to find three Black Terns zooming round at great speed.Getting a decent shot was impossible as the sun from the hide I was in was directly in front of me (well that's my excuse).Didn't see anything else of note and surprisingly hardly any other birders were there.

Went to the flashes next and it was very quiet from the main hide (some roofing work had been done earlier).Did see 17 Curlew (the roofing men had counted 37), 8 Green Sandpipers,2 common Sandpipers and 2 Ringed Plovers.

Max.

Black Terns are super to watch aren't they, Max! :t: Great to see you are becoming a regular at the Warren! Might bump into you one day, though I tend to go evenings (occasionally) and Sundays normally!

Great pics, glad you enjoyed your visit!
 
Re replies to my earlier post:

Emma - As highlighted by 'The Blackbird' £3.00 isn't that expensive for a permit and it doesn't apply if you're a member of WWT, or any other county wildlife trust, anyway. Also I wasn't aware a forum was purely for listing bird sightings, surely a forum is a place for open discussion?

Rob Smallwood - the situation would be the same whatever time you arrived. I have to pay to visit sites in Norfolk, or Wildfowl & Wetlands sites, at whatever time of day I arrive.
 
Re replies to my earlier post:

Emma - As highlighted by 'The Blackbird' £3.00 isn't that expensive for a permit and it doesn't apply if you're a member of WWT, or any other county wildlife trust, anyway. Also I wasn't aware a forum was purely for listing bird sightings, surely a forum is a place for open discussion?

The reason why I may have appeared sharp (not intentionally!) is because in my opinion there has been too much emphasis of late on charges/permits to enter the reserve by both members of this forum and individuals met whilst at the reserve. The information about charges/permits should be made clear at the reserve at the car parks/in the hides and also on the Worcs Wildlife Trust website as this would be the first port of call for people who want to visit Upton to find out more information. I agree that a forum is a place for open discussion but this thread was started for the sole purpose of latest sightings and reports from Upton Warren, hopefully the members who have joined in this discussion will also add their Upton sightings to this thread.
 
Went to UW again yesterday.I'm becoming a regular now I've discovered my Warks wildlife card gets me in and I can get there quicker than I can get to Brandon Marsh.

Went to the Moores pools first and was chuffed to find three Black Terns zooming round at great speed.Getting a decent shot was impossible as the sun from the hide I was in was directly in front of me (well that's my excuse).Didn't see anything else of note and surprisingly hardly any other birders were there.

Went to the flashes next and it was very quiet from the main hide (some roofing work had been done earlier).Did see 17 Curlew (the roofing men had counted 37), 8 Green Sandpipers,2 common Sandpipers and 2 Ringed Plovers.

Max.

Sounds like you had a good visit to Upton Max, your Black Tern pics have come out really well :t:...much better than the blurred effort that I managed a few months ago! Bet it was lovely to watch them zip around!! Hopefully they will stick around for a few more days!!
 
The reason why I may have appeared sharp (not intentionally!) is because in my opinion there has been too much emphasis of late on charges/permits to enter the reserve by both members of this forum and individuals met whilst at the reserve. The information about charges/permits should be made clear at the reserve at the car parks/in the hides and also on the Worcs Wildlife Trust website as this would be the first port of call for people who want to visit Upton to find out more information. I agree that a forum is a place for open discussion but this thread was started for the sole purpose of latest sightings and reports from Upton Warren, hopefully the members who have joined in this discussion will also add their Upton sightings to this thread.

Hi Emma,

Hopefully the relevant info can be found here: (subject to next weeks increase of course!) - http://www.worcesterbirding.co.uk/upton_warren_14.html

Brian
___________________________
www.birdingtoday.co.uk
www.worcesterbirding.co.uk
www.westmidlandsbirding.co.uk
 
Rob - If you're making a spur of the moment visit and the Sailing Centre is closed, and there are no wardens on site, then you'd be in for nothing!
 
Had a productive visit to Upton Warren this afternoon, it was fairly busy over at the Flashes with 2 LRP, 5+ Green Sandpipers, 1 Common Sandpiper, 3 Snipe, Juv Teal & Shoveller and 2 Juv Water Rail in amongst the high numbers of BH Gulls that were present and who's number swelled after the heavy rain had ceased! We scanned the BH Gull flock for the Sabine's Gull just incase it decided to come in earlier but alas it didn't!! Back at the sailing pool car park we were quite surprised to see 2 Ravens fly over head, this was only my second sighting of them at Upton and was soon to be followed by my third sighting as they flew over the Moors Pool calling about 30 mins later!!

Over at the Moors we were treated to some super views of one of the Kingfishers that was purched in amongst the bull rushes for over an hour just moving once in a while to catch a fish when it as hungry!! Also present was the Little Egret and also a juv Black Tern was flying here there and everywhere at the back of the pool...still too far away for a decent piccie!! It was nice to see the Swifts flying low near the car park especially as they all seem to have disappeared from my area of the Midlands!!
 

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Today I visited Upton Warren, Worcestershire and saw:-

Black Tern (Juvenile)
Water Rail 1
Raven 2
Kingfisher 1
Green Sandpiper
Common Sandpiper
Snipe 3
Little Ringed Plover 3
Little Egret 1

Had excellent views of the Black Tern in flight with the Black Headed Gulls and at rest on one of the Islands.

Went to look at the Gull Roost at the Flashes and had great views of the Sabine's Gull which came in at 7pm. Watched it land on the ground, take to the water and superb views in flight through my scope. It was interesting comparing the size of the gull alongside the Black headed Gulls, LBB Gulls and Herring Gulls. It was quite a moment when it came into view arriving with other Black Headed Gulls.

Dean

Happy Birding
 
this thread was started for the sole purpose of latest sightings and reports from Upton Warren, .

Apologies if I misrepresented the mood of your earlier post Emma.

Nevertheless sorry to labour the point but I can find no suggestion in post No.1 that this thread is for sightings only, indeed it looks like a general description of all things pertaining to the reserve. To repeat my earlier suggestion do you think we need two threads?

I agree it is unfortunate that the main topic of conversation in the hides is about charges but it is, for example, difficult to ignore the individual who thought he should not have to pay because he had been going since he went with Bill Oddie, he knew Harry Green and Colin Raven, used to know Andrew Fraser and they would'nt have charged him! (my guess is that they would all have been disappointed to think he had never wanted to help support the Trust!!)

The reserve does seem to be going through a 'purple patch' let us hope we can all see the value of a couple of hours there.

Nice Kingfisher Emma - much better than on a pole!
 
Apologies if I misrepresented the mood of your earlier post Emma.

Nevertheless sorry to labour the point but I can find no suggestion in post No.1 that this thread is for sightings only, indeed it looks like a general description of all things pertaining to the reserve. To repeat my earlier suggestion do you think we need two threads?

I agree it is unfortunate that the main topic of conversation in the hides is about charges but it is, for example, difficult to ignore the individual who thought he should not have to pay because he had been going since he went with Bill Oddie, he knew Harry Green and Colin Raven, used to know Andrew Fraser and they would'nt have charged him! (my guess is that they would all have been disappointed to think he had never wanted to help support the Trust!!)

The reserve does seem to be going through a 'purple patch' let us hope we can all see the value of a couple of hours there.

Nice Kingfisher Emma - much better than on a pole!


The original post was in 2003! This more recent thread was only started earlier this month, at the suggestion of some forum members, instead of posting upton info on the west midlands forum. Not entirely sure why it should be restricted to sightings, but it's a forum so everyone is entitled to their opinion!

The fact that you will have to purchase a permit is mentioned on the WWT web-site, but no sum is mentioned. It does suggest that you purchase a permit from WWT prior to visiting, but this is not always practical. To put charges on the info boards probably wouldn't help as, in my experience, lots of visitors don't look at them ... or at least those found wandering around the Broadmeadow area, in front of hides & through feeding stations haven't.

To appease those that only want sightings - an Osprey flew over the Sailing Pool & Flashes just prior to 8.30 (per the Worcesterbirding web-site)
 
I have never visited Upton Warren :eek!: and feel that I must do so soon :t:. I just have to convince myself that birders using the site are not too scary ;).

Personally, I find information on access vital, especially when visiting new sites and would welcome any updates :t:

Similarly, news on bird (& other wildlife) sightings are also vital, including where to find them or where last seen.

I am sure a happy medium can be reached :t:

Now, where are my maps....................... ;)
 
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Permit problems.

Hi Everybody

Sorry to keep this permits/access issue going but I was a bit surprised to have to pay for a permit today as I've been a member of the Birmingham & Black Country Wildlife Trust for about 10 years.

The problem is that the BBCWT stopped issuing annual membership cards at renewal a few years ago, the last one I received has the date 14/03/2003 on it so naturally today's voluntary warden considered this to be out of date & therefore invalid.

I'm sure there are a few more BBCWT members out there who will have the same problem, so I was wondering if there is any way around this, other than resigning from one trust just to join another, which seems a bit daft to me.
 
hi everyone im back,right what did i see at upton well an awful lot this week,seen the sabine's gull 4 times (yeah im greedy).on saturday 22nd(1st try for sab gull).we noted a little egret fly over,the juv dunlin was still presant,a whimbrel at the back of the flash,a juv med gull(only from hide),sabine's gull(flew in at 8:20,watch out on blog for full story).what a night this was.
monday 24th, the moors pool,the 2 kingfishers gave stunning views on the stick in front of the east(lapwing) hide and i got a minuite long video,also a common sand.
got tipped off that 6 black terns had newly arrived at the sailing pool and we shot off down there,all 6 were still there(2 partial summer adults and rest juv),a peregrine was seen carrying a live white dove(from the moors farm) towards tyhe masts but was not relocated,a juv LRP was down,the dunlin still,2 snipe,the sabines gull was found on the deck at 7:55(note that the bird wasent seen the night before),2 cettis and 4 reed warbler were giving stunning views in the hen pool.apink b h gull was on the flashes
wednesday 26th
water rail and 2 black tern giving good views at the moors(though the terns were in flight) as was a kingfisher,
the sabines gull was found on the floor again and the black terns from the moors came down,the birds mentioned previously were still there(well most of them)
then a day at slimbridge.
saturday 29th took my friend down for the first time(he was megga impressed,4 lifers for him) a black tern was still about and landing on the rail giving great views from the concrete hide,again a common sand,a count of 3 kingfisher was made from the west hide(one of which perched on the water gage)also viewed a peregrine on the masts from the moors.a superb golden plover flew in at around 7:??(which was attacked by an adult l b b gull but got waway unharmed) the black tern from the moors did a few shorties over the flashes and the sabines gull was found on the floor yet agin(again after it hadent roosted the night before),how about that for a week at upton,photos will be posted later!!
 
Popped over to the Moors this afternoon in the gloom, though the sun made a couple of brief appearances. Saw the black tern, as it darted up and down in flight. Shame it favours the far side of the lake, as it made getting pics tricky. Didn't perch on the rail when I was there, but I wasn't there that long...

Also saw the bittern, as it flew to the reedbed near the gate (car park). No pics of that as it was too far off.

What's with the rabbits at the Moors? Seems to be a fair few that appear to be blind. Had one wandering around by my feet as I walked out of the Water Rail hide today. Didn't know I was there. I hope it's not Myxomatosis.
 
I have just returned from a weeks holiday and it appears that a lively debate has ensued.
Having been birding at upton for 32 years I have seen massive changes during that time.
Over the next few weeks I ( hopefully with the help of wheatearlp) will try and explain some of the History of the reserve which may help explain some of the recent developements there.
It is quite obvious that there are many new members joining the trust within the last 4 years or so. So the information will help them appreciate how the reserve has evolved into a prime birding site. And how much of this work was organised and carried out by volunteers independently of any Trust involvement although the Trust always oversaw everything.
cheers John
ps I will try and put my take on all the posts over the last week in chronological order
 
At the risk of upsetting some - what is the permit score for the birder that would like to pop in,say on his way home to Manchester from relatives in the SW and arriving in the evening?


Hi Rob
what we are trying to achieve at Upton is not to a create closed shop BUT a place for all like minded (wildlife lovers) to visit and have an enjoyable experience.
Whilst feeling part of what to many is a warm and welcoming place you want to preserve that empathy and as many of us over the years have done, you also want to get involved to maximize its potential, both for your pleasure and to attract more wildlife. (thus the formation of todays WORK PARTIES).

20 years ago we started a permit scheme to minimize the disturbance caused by the local youth and dog walkers abusing the reserve and hides. Touch wood a problem seldom encountered today. Over the years this scheme lapsed for various reasons but presently the popularity of Upton is again increasing so we are hopefully able to encourage more people to become members of the Wocestershire Trust.

My answer to your question is why not join your local Trust Lancashire or Cheshire and wherever you are you can visit any local trust reserve.

All wildlife Trust members are more than welcome at Upton Warren

cheers John
 

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