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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Upton Warren (12 Viewers)

Early start FLASHES

With a bit of drizzle as I arrived and a NE wind gave me an outside chance of a migrant.
I didn't expect much on the breeding front but I was shocked to see NO sitting Avocets. The three large Avocet chicks are now 24 days old and hopefully they will be able to swim to safety when the fox threatens.
The LRP still persist in trying to breed but I fear they are on a hiding to nothing. Many BHG chicks are now flying but the colony is much reduced this year probably by 40%.
To add to the tale of woe there is a very pungent smell eminating from the strange algal bloom type scum that is forming in bays and channels. I saw coot and mallard feeding in it but the avocet didn't go near it. Hopefully the Trust will identify it and let us know if it's good or bad.
Just as I was to leave for the work party at Moors I found a 2nd summer LITTLE gull amongst the BHG.
This saved the day and added a new bird for my patchwatch challenge 2018.
Species count:
Gadwall 8. Shoveler 2 males. Wigeon male. Shelduck 4. Tufted 30+.
Avocet 29 +3 ch. LRP 4. Lapwing 3.
Little Gull 2nd summer. Herring gull . LBBG 10+ an increase due to lack of defensive aggression from Avocets
Swift 35+.
Redstart singing on barn Sagebury farm.
Reed warbler 5. Cetti's w. Blackcap. Chiffchaff. Warblers were generally quiet as they must be feeding young at present.
 
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Moors

Thanks to all the crew today for helping to launch the rafts and strimming the paths and car park.
I just hope the terns will appear pretty soon.

Species Count Moors:
Little grebe another brood of 4 were along the West side.
A pair of shoveler are leaving it late to breed or possibly the female is taking a break from incubation and chilling for a while. Later I saw the male on his own so maybe;)
The 4 Oystercatcher chicks were all present and lapwing continues to incubate eggs.
Two common terns were seen early am but not afterwards.
Little grebe 4 ads( definitely more). Shoveler pr. Gadwall 4. Shelduck. Tufted 40.
Lapwing 6. Oystercatcher 4+3:1.
Collared dove. Stock Dove 2. Raven.
Green woodp. Great sp woodp. Swift 40+.
House Martin 6

NORTH MOORS:
Little grebe ad +3 chicks right in front of the hide.
Shoveler Male. Coot 2 broods.
Swallow 2.
Whitethroat. Reed w 3. Cetti's w.
There were plenty of damselflys and broad bodied chasers. The whole surface of the pool was swarming with flies.
 
Second summer Little Gull and two adult Med Gulls at the Flashes this evening as per Des; the Little Gull was noted earlier in the day at Hewell Grange.

Gropper still reeling at the North Moors late afternoon.
 
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Photos from new hide today 06-06-2018
 

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Today's highlights:

FLASHES:
Avocet (30) + 3chicks---------LRP (4)
Lapwing (8)------------------- Oystercatcher (2)
Teal (pr)------------------------Gadwall (4)
Shelduck (5)-------------------Wigeon (m)
Shoveler (pr + m)-------------Red Kite. Seen circling with a Buzzard east of the Flashes.
Med Gull/B H Gull-------------Med Gull (2ad). At the Moors this morning.
Lesser Whitethroat------------Little Gull (2s).Noted at 18.15 and flew to the Moors much later apparently.

MOORS:
Hobby-------------------------Common Tern (2).Also seen at the Sailing Pool.
Lapwing (3)-------------------Oystercatcher (1) + 2 ckicks.
G C Grebe (3)-----------------Little Grebe (4)
Gadwall (5)--------------------Kestrel
Shoveler (m)------------------Cetti's Warbler

NORTH MOORS:
Whitethroat (3)---------------Grasshopper Warbler (RWP).Seen and heard at the northern end of the site.
Little Grebe + 3 chicks-------Shoveler (m)
Gadwall (1)-------------------Cetti's Warbler

Des.

Some record shots from today.
 

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Gert and Andy A report from the Moors Pool this morning:

Grasshopper Warbler still reeling at the North Moors, male Pochard, 2 adult Med Gulls, large party of 30+ Long-tailed Hits along the causeway.
 
Hi, hoping someone can help, I am hoping to make a first visit tomorrow as I am going past and hope to have an hour to spare pm, any recommendations as to where about I would be best rewarded with my limited time?

Thanks in advance

Kev


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
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9
Hi, hoping someone can help, I’m hoping to make a first visit tomorrow as I’m going past and hope to have an hour to spare pm, any recommendations as to where about I would be best rewarded with my limited time?

Thanks in advance

Kev


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Things a little quiet as we get into summer, but still Avocet & LRP at Flashes plus recent reports of Med.Gull & Little Gull. Gropper infrequently heard at North Moors.
 
Today's highlights:
NORTH MOORS:

Little Grebe + 3 chicks-----
Des.
.

On Tuesday I observed the Little grebe family for About an hour. One of the chicks was always away from the adult and other two chicks. At one point it was in the
middle of the pool 50 yards away from the rest. But the adult was very attentive to the other two chicks allowing them to ride on her back even though they were far to big for comfort. She also provided them with plenty of fish , however the 3rd chick was totally disregarded and eventually she very aggressively attacked it and chased it off. I really don't know why this is? Maybe it's that she can't provide enough food for 3 chicks alone. Originally there were 5 chicks ...could it be that the other adult is looking after the other 2 chicks and the 3rd chick belongs to that group. I really don't know but I never saw another adult during my observations... anyone got any thoughts. I know coots will kill their young when they beg too vigorously probably cause they can't provide enough food. So perhaps this trait is also inherent with Little grebe???
 
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On Tuesday I observed the Little grebe family for About an hour. One of the chicks was always away from the adult and other two chicks. At one point it was in the
middle of the pool 50 yards away from the rest. But the adult was very attentive to the other two chicks allowing them to ride on her back even though they were far to big for comfort. She also provided them with plenty of fish , however the 3rd chick was totally disregarded and eventually she very aggressively attacked it and chased it off. I really don't know why this is? Maybe it's that she can't provide enough food for 3 chicks alone. Originally there were 5 chicks ...could it be that the other adult is looking after the other 2 chicks and the 3rd chick belongs to that group. I really don't know but I never saw another adult during my observations... anyone got any thoughts. I know coots will kill their young when they beg too vigorously probably cause they can't provide enough food. So perhaps this trait is also inherent with Little grebe???

There was discussion yesterday about the two chicks plus a lone chick which was seen to go behind some reeds and never seen again. I only saw two chicks as my photo yesterday shows.

Des.
 
First visit for a couple of weeks and not expecting too much as we are now in June and the spring passage is sort of at an end...but a male Pochard on the moors was a surprise. The 2nd summer Little Gull from the flashes visited the moors briefly and a Grasshopper Warbler was reported from the North Moors. After an hour or so in the NM hide watching the Little Grebe and it's 2 chicks, I had a wander around the North Moors and the Grasshopper Warbler presented itself very well, reeling at length and giving good views. After lunch it was down to the flashes where again it was much the same as on previous visits but there was a male Wigeon and a pair of Teal. Then at about 3pm the Little Gull dropped onto the flashes...
 

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