• Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.

    Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Upton Warren (15 Viewers)

Further to the sightings I posted on earlier from the Flashes - here's a few pics - the Green Sandpiper that dropped in, Common Gull and a distant shot of the juv Water Rail:t:
 

Attachments

  • GreenSand.jpg
    GreenSand.jpg
    223.7 KB · Views: 68
  • CGull.jpg
    CGull.jpg
    256.8 KB · Views: 77
  • WRAil.jpg
    WRAil.jpg
    272.8 KB · Views: 119
Made use of the new screens on the North Moors to observe the Reed Warblers at close quarter this morning.
There was a large emergence of Cinnabar Caterpillars ( along with the moths present) in the Eddy this morning. Butterflies seen were Speckled Wood, Common Blue, Large White, Red Admiral and a Skipper that was probably a Large, but skipped off pronto.
 

Attachments

  • reedwarb.jpg
    reedwarb.jpg
    124.1 KB · Views: 82
Last edited:
Hi gang,

A few photo`s from the flashes this PM:t:.
No sign of the Green Sandpiper while i was there but the Common Gull played ball.
There was an airshow at Cosford today and we had our own display at Upton with several "dogfights" with the Avocets and anything that flew over they took a dislike too.B :)

Chris
 

Attachments

  • com gul 2 a.JPG
    com gul 2 a.JPG
    361 KB · Views: 67
  • com gul 3 a.JPG
    com gul 3 a.JPG
    322.6 KB · Views: 65
  • avo 5 a.JPG
    avo 5 a.JPG
    261 KB · Views: 58
  • dogfight 1 a.JPG
    dogfight 1 a.JPG
    300.1 KB · Views: 76
Spent the afternoon at the Mecca with crofty junior (and banana and walnut cake-quality).
Started at a very slow pace clockwise from the car park around the North Moors trail. A good selection of birds all around the site. In the scrubby areas plenty of common garden birds, plus 2 singing whitethroats, blackcap (2), chiffchaff (2), and two reed warblers sang in the north end blackthorn. All along the trail, reed warblers sang in the reeds, including at least 1 in front of the viewing screens (between 8 and 10 birds in this section of the reserve). Also 2 sedge warblers were seen along the east side of the reed bed. In the south east corner a water rail called.
During a shower I spent a good time motionless just inside the plantation. From here, there were good numbers of young of all the 3 common tits, also at least 1 chaffinch family, several chiffchaff young and 2 males sang. Further into the wood were at least 3 males and several juvenile blackcaps. Also seen was a great spotted woodpecker carrying food as well as plenty of blackbirds, robin and dunnocks. This was certainly the most productive days birder in this area for a good few years. The only way to work it, is to spend a good couple of hours in there at a very slow pace and stand still for a while - the 'northern half is by far the best area. On the water were 2 cormorants and 2 tufted and a common tern fished the pool while a kestrel hovered above the periphery.
 
After the North Moors we moved onto the Moors section. Starting at the secret garden which was a bit quiet, we moved onto the 'east hide' passing a couple of singing chiffs, reed warblers plus bullfinch. From the hide the 2nd pair of Oystercatchers have at least 2 very small chicks on the Broadmeadow island. There were also 8 lapwing a sign of migration is underway. With most of the BHG now vacating the moors for the Flashes, the door was open for common terns to move in and today 8 adults seemed to be settling on the main shingle island. The 2 GCG were still hitching a ride on the adults back, but the other 2 pairs have no young. The cuckoo was still calling from the education reserve. Plenty of swift fed high up and a handful of sand martin fed over the pool. Walking back to the west hide, another water rail was heard on the moors side of the causeway, where 4 reed bunting held territory.
other species counts
GCG 6, cormorant 2, Tufted 8, herring gull 2, BHG 30 plus no more than 10 young,
there are at least 17 bee-orchids this year.
 
Finally onto the Flashes
The green sand from earlier in the day was not visible and could well be on the 3rd flash were a lapwing dropped onto.
The Avocet chicks were down to 7 with broods of 1:1:2 and 3. The original brood of 4 are now down to 2 and these were bigger than the recently lost chick. However they are themselves 2/3 the size of the largest chicks but only 2 days younger. There are at least 6 LRP still around and just 1 lapwing. The pair of teal from yesterday are still about, as is the pair of shelduck.
Also seen today: tufted 12, common gull 1st summer, common tern, BHG c200, Buzzard 3, stock dove 5, raven and more reed warblers, now singing from the scrub next to the hide.
On the sailing pool 4 GCG with 2 half grown chicks
B :)John
 
How was the water level John - was absolutely p!ssing down as I drove passed on the M5 half an hour ago.

Great news re the second pair of Oyks.
 
For those who have caught up with a Cuckoo at UW (or elsewhere) you might or might not be aware of last years BTO ringing and GPS transmitter project. 5 male Cuckoos were suitably kitted out for there local meanderings and the Southbound journey to their African wintering quarters Sud-Sahel. 2 made it back to Blighty and a further 11 males have been rung this Summer (?) in Norfolk, Wales and Scotland.

Link to current background article on Birdguides....

http://www.birdguides.com/webzine/article.asp?a=3309

and link to the BTO project page......

http://www.bto.org/science/migration/tracking-studies/cuckoo-tracking

Something of interest to brighten up the dull days over the next few months....

Laurie:t:
 
How was the water level John - was absolutely p!ssing down as I drove passed on the M5 half an hour ago.

Great news re the second pair of Oyks.

Sorry Phil did mean to mention it. 0.46, I left about 2" of 'flow' through the out pipe.
Today and Tuesday should be relatively dry, but Thursday looks wet again. I will assess it again tomorrow afternoon and take appropriate action.
:t:John
 
This morning's highlights

The Moors:
Cuckoo heard and seen (in the trio of dead trees and flying north; Little Owl on farm chimney, 4 Oyster catchers and 2 young (one of which was flying short distances) and associated Lapwing [worryingly there was no sign of the new Oystercatcher chicks and their parents were remarkably inactive and apparently not feeding]; 2 Swans and 3 cygnets; 2 GCGs and 2 chicks; Little Grebe; Common Tern. The white domestic duck was fiercely defending 4 (apparently) Mallard ducklings. Did she mate with a Mallard drake?


The Flashes:

7 Avocet chicks (it was not easy to count but I had an experienced second opinion); Common Gull, 1 Oystercatcher; 2 Shelduck.

Peter
 
This morning's highlights

The Moors:
Cuckoo heard and seen (in the trio of dead trees and flying north; Little Owl on farm chimney, 4 Oyster catchers and 2 young (one of which was flying short distances) and associated Lapwing [worryingly there was no sign of the new Oystercatcher chicks and their parents were remarkably inactive and apparently not feeding]; 2 Swans and 3 cygnets; 2 GCGs and 2 chicks; Little Grebe; Common Tern. The white domestic duck was fiercely defending 4 (apparently) Mallard ducklings. Did she mate with a Mallard drake?
Peter
Hi Peter
I noticed the white duck with the mallard type chicks, perhaps she kidnapped them. I would have expected paler chicks if they were her own.

Re the new Oyc brood: Were the adults on the Broadmeadow island? yesterday the freshly hatched chicks were hiding in the long vegetation whist the adults sat on guard only saw them once. So maybe they are just lying low.
B :)John
 
Hi Peter
I noticed the white duck with the mallard type chicks, perhaps she kidnapped them. I would have expected paler chicks if they were her own.

Re the new Oyc brood: Were the adults on the Broadmeadow island? yesterday the freshly hatched chicks were hiding in the long vegetation whist the adults sat on guard only saw them once. So maybe they are just lying low.
B :)John

Hi John,

If the white duck wasn't the real mother she was certainly acting as if she was: she was flying at the coots and chasing them off and she shepherded the ducklings away from possible harm. However, I agree about the colouration.

The adult Oystercatchers were on the Broadmeadow spit where they had their nest. I was there for about an hour and a half but didn't see any sign of chicks or feeding behaviour.

Peter
 
The white domestic duck was fiercely defending 4 (apparently) Mallard ducklings. Did she mate with a Mallard drake?

Yes she did Peter I witnessed the act. Pretty sure she did the same last year & the young were very Mallardish!
 
Hi John,

If the white duck wasn't the real mother she was certainly acting as if she was: she was flying at the coots and chasing them off and she shepherded the ducklings away from possible harm. However, I agree about the colouration.

The adult Oystercatchers were on the Broadmeadow spit where they had their nest. I was there for about an hour and a half but didn't see any sign of chicks or feeding behaviour.

Peter
Will have a good look tomorrow,
I did see one of the white ducks presumably a male (when there were 3) a couple of years ago piling into a pair of mating mallard and ousted the mallard. Pretty aggressive little 'white boys'.;)
 
Here's a couple of images that show just how aggressive the white males get!

Rob
 

Attachments

  • _ROB6125 - Version 2.jpg
    _ROB6125 - Version 2.jpg
    137.4 KB · Views: 86
  • _ROB6140 - Version 2.jpg
    _ROB6140 - Version 2.jpg
    137.3 KB · Views: 83
Spent 10 hours at the reserve today.
Starting at the Flashes from 9am till 1.30pm and again from 5.30 till 7pm.
I opened the sluice full flow for 8 hours in which time the water dropped 1cm from 0.46 to 0.45.
I didn't witness any migration, but 2 green sands were reported.
A juv goldcrest behind the hen pool hide must have bred very locally.
It was all about breeding birds today, with the following young seen:
LRP at least 2 (2days old max), Avocet 7, BHG 36 - 40 max, Coot 3 broods (1 hen pool), Moorhen 2 broods (1 hen pool), Mallard 6 broods (1 hen pool),
passerine youngsters include: chiffchaff, blackcap, reed warbler.Pied wagtail,
also of note: GCG 2 on 1st flash all day, Tufted 15, shelduck pr, Avocet 10 adults, LRP 6 ads, Lapwing 2, common tern, stock dove 10, linnets 10,

At the Moors
The second brood of Oystercatcher with 3 chicks were still on the Broadmeadow island. The 2 juvs and parents were feeding on the grassland when a fox attacked, luckily the vigilant lapwing saved the day. The 2 GCG chicks were growing rapidly, so much so that only one can get on the parents back. There are at last 5 coot broods, 4 mallard broods, the 3 mute swan cygnets are doing well. Two pairs of common tern look like they have settled down, but no more than 12 BHG chicks have survived the fox onslaught.
Passerine breeding activity included : food carrying by sedge and reed warblers in front of the east hide, reed bunting in several areas, blackcap behind east hide. Two broods of chiffchaff one either side of east hide, the ones to the north hardly had any tails, must have just left the nest.
also of note. GCG 6 ads, Cormorant 2, tufted only 5, sand martin 20.

B :)John
 
Last edited:
More than any other species, the tiny vulnerable bundles of feathers that are newly hatched LRPs resonate with me about the fragility of our birdlife at Upton Warren and the trials and tribulations they endure in coming into the world and the many challenges they then face to survive and grow.

Great news that we have not only got two chicks but that the second pair of Oyks at the Moors are doing OK. Was there any sign of the grebe family on the Sailing Pool?
 
Last edited:
More than any other species, the tiny vulnerable bundles of feathers that are newly hatched LRPs resonate with me about the fragility of our birdlife at Upton Warren and the trials and tribulations they face in coming into the world and the many challenges they then face to survive and grow.

Great news that we have not only got two chicks but that the second pair of Oyks at the Moors are doing OK. Was there any sign of the grebe family on the Sailing Pool?
Yes the 2 chicks were on the sailing pool , even with a lot of boat activity.
Thats possibly why 2 adults were on the 1st Flash.
Also saw my first large dragonfly of the year - southern hawker? and several
al chimney sweeper moths.
Transmitter field cut today...redstarts should appear now:smoke:
 
Yes the 2 chicks were on the sailing pool , even with a lot of boat activity.
Thats possibly why 2 adults were on the 1st Flash.
Also saw my first large dragonfly of the year - southern hawker? and several
al chimney sweeper moths.
Transmitter field cut today...redstarts should appear now:smoke:

Of interest re the LRP chicks last night was the parents tenacity in protecting them against the Black Headed Gulls and an Avocet. In turn the Gulls and Avocets saw off Lesser BB Gulls and a Heron so there are advantages in all 3 breeding together..

Also of note was one roosting Curlew last night and a Black Headed Gull chick swallowing an entire Mole!

I will be there again on Sunday night during the next round of Football hysteria..8-P
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top