Upton Warren (11 Viewers)

rollingthunder said:

I class it as constructive criticism - not moaning or bitching.

Everybody has their own opinion on how this has been handled but it is fairly obvious to me that we are playing catch-up. Perhaps Bozza’s ‘brush with death’ is clouding his own judgement? I am no expert and have not studied Classics at Oxbridge but i would not have gone around hugging people.....i don’t - infected or otherwise

People, everybody i talk to, are fed up with being treated like children. Everybody has their own ‘personal space’ - a metre is not a bad average. I do not sit on a bus or a train next to somebody nor do i use a urinal without a gap between users. I cycle to bird and people well ahead back off or move to one side. All this is done down at places like UW and well before the ‘Chy-nah Virus’. Based on what people’s normal MO is and what is happening elsewhere the Trust need to pull their finger out imo.....

I know a good few birders that only subscribe to the Trust in order to use UW. Most work full-time and particularly at this time of year a weekly fix down at The Goldfish Bowl is the highlight of that week. Birders are an understanding lot and nobody would ask for a partial refund but there are not many services, if any, at the moment that you would fund and not allow it to be used.

Trust staff read this - indeed it will generate a response from them i am sure. I hope so because they are all working from home so they are supposed to still be gainfully employed or have they been furloughed with Bozza picking up the tab? I sent an email several weeks ago with regard to some background information about the little-known, or visited Chance Wood near Kinver, i got an automated response and nothing else since.

As for Phil, i hope it wasn’t my comments that upset him as it was certainly not my intention - i have enough bad press on this thread as it is. His input and specialised interests as resident ‘Statman’ is invaluable:t: Phil is also very diplomatic in his postings and i am hoping he might actually say hello to me when we next pass at UW

Good birding -

Laurie:t:

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rollingthunder said:

It is just banter Mike nothing more nothing less and nothing personal. My definition of semantics probably differs from others but hey ho - at the end of the day i like to think everybody on here is on the same side.

There is nothing to stop anybody accessing UW at several points from the Moors houses, Aztec car park and public footpaths - i am surprised nobody has? Perhaps they have but will not post on here.....

I haven’t

Good birding -

Laurie:t:

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Kimbo52 said:

Unfortunately I can't resist the urge to comment further on the continued closure.
Phil is doing a splendid job of defending what now appears to be the indefensible and presumably adhering to the collective responsibility commitment. It would be interesting to know if he holds the same views personally. I agree with the Harborne Flyer that the continued closure is ridiculous given that most if not all of the other reserves have been open for a while. It is true that Upton is different in that it has several hides but these could be locked and the rest of the reserve i.e. the footpaths could be opened subject to sufficient signs reminding the need for social distancing. This would be a sensible interim half way house measure. I had a long [perfectly amicable] chat with the reserves team leader on 28 May to put the case for re-opening. By this time pretty much all other reserves had opened and I was curious to know how the Trust saw the difference between walking around Trench Wood for example and walking around the north Moors path. Not really sure I got an answer. The overriding point for me boils down to this : If the footpaths were opened and people didn't feel safe visiting - well presumably they wouldn't - it ain't compulsory. The reserves manager suggested that without the opening of the hides there would be little point in visiting. Whilst the hides are there for an obvious reason they aren't the be all and end all. The volunteer work party expends some of its resources creating screens and viewing points by lowering sections of hedge in several different places. This is done in part to take the pressure off the hides. Where Phil refers to the Trusts risk aversion based partly on previous litigation this has been to the best of my knowledge in relation to physical injuries sustained on the reserve in conjunction with inadequate provision [at the time] of warning signs. If catching the virus at Upton was a valid concern [short of the most spectacular irresponsible recklessness I don't see how] how, after the accepted incubation period would anyone be able to prove it. Finally, anyone who was minded to visit when opened, and walk the reserve would also be able to decide for themselves whether to wear a mask and latex gloves as anyone with any sense does when visiting their supermarket.

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Rob Williams said:

My two penn'orth on this issue for what it is worth:

I think that Worcs WT have acted quite irresponsibly during the lockdown. When I asked what the rationale for entry was I think they deliberately tried to confuse the issue. They stated that they closed the reserve acting upon the government's lockdown advice but that when we were able to take one hours' exercise they asked the volunteers to take their exercise at Upton. This rather overlooked the fact that as soon as lockdown came in we were able to take exercise for one hour each day in the area where we lived....not many miles away. Various reasons have been put forward for this: security, maintenance, stop trespass and damage, welfare of the birds. None of which actually complied with the law and government guidance. Work had to be for essential occupations: healthcare, food supply, national logistics. In essence those things necessary for our society to tick over. We may view the care of the reserve as important, but it most certainly was not essential for the nation. This then placed the volunteers (all the paid staff were furloughed) in a dangerous position. To comply with the wishes of the Trust put them in danger of being fined and possibly getting a criminal record, in addition to being alone on a reserve. To an extent this was proved by the kayak incident; when you contact the police, kayaking on a nature reserve pool is simply not, and never will be, a priority. Again, we may think that is unfair, but trespass, on the whole, is a civil not a criminal matter and the police have no jurisdiction over civil matters.

The issue of visiting now is merely an extension of this attitude. Open the reserve but close the hides. Transmission of the virus in the open air on paths is an infinitessmally small chance. Put signs up telling people they enter at their own risk, give them guidance on how to behave and let them make their own mind up.

I for one am reviewing my relationship with the Trust, I think they have been cavalier and played fast and loose with their volunteers.


Rob

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Phil Andrews said:

Mike had a Black-headed Gull sporting a black leg ring with white code 2ATJ at the Flashes yesterday, presumably from Marsh Lane NR.

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geoffw1946 said:

(From report 11/7/2019 #38315.)
This bird was seen again today at the Flashes, ringed in 2016 at Marsh Lane Warks I believe? It must like it here.

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Phil Andrews said:

Unfortunately the reserve remains closed with no target date for reopening communicated yet by the Trust. As some of you may be aware the Trust have asked the two volunteer (unpaid) Reserve Managers - Paul Moseley and John Belsey - to keep an eye on the reserve since the commencement of lockdown. Their tasks have included monitoring the livestock for their welfare, deterring anti-social behaviour, undertaking breeding bird surveys, monitoring and adjusting the water level as appropriate, undertaking low-grade maintenance work etc.


Big thanks to Paul & John for doing all this work. It's great that someone is getting collecting breeding records for the reserve: with regard to the Common Terns did you manage to get the Tern rafts out or did the Terns just opportunistically find somewhere on the existing lslands to attempt their breeding? Tremendous breeding record for BH Gulls presumably down to recent management work, weather and lack of disturbance.

Sorry to hear you have been ill Vern hope you are making a good recovery and the same to anyone else who has been unfortunate enough to contract this dammed virus.

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geoffw1946 said:

(From report 11/7/2019 #38315.)
This bird was seen again today at the Flashes, ringed in 2016 at Marsh Lane Warks I believe? It must like it here.

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Dick-E-Dipper said:

Who saw this Gull? I was under the impression the Flashes is closed and off limits,except for the 2 wardens

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Mud Hen said:

So disturbing breeding birds isn't a crime then? Depressing how utterly thick some plods are, especially ones who claim to be birders.

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