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

Upton Warren (16 Viewers)

I have no opinion either way re the trapped gulls but I do have a question. Will the carcass's attract more attention (unwanted) that could have a detrimental effect on the birds that you are hoping not to disturb? I haven't been to the reserve in two years so I have no idea of the layout.
 
Veracocha said:
I have no opinion either way re the trapped gulls but I do have a question. Will the carcass's attract more attention (unwanted) that could have a detrimental effect on the birds that you are hoping not to disturb? I haven't been to the reserve in two years so I have no idea of the layout.
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At any one time there can be four of five BHG carcasses at the Flashes - these are often on the peninsular as sickly birds tend to move away from the main roosting flock.
 
billbox said:
I can't remember the last time I posted it's so long ago,but the decision to leave the trapped Gull chicks has driven me to do so.
If I understand the reasoning behind the decision correctly, it is feared that, if someone goes out to the cage to release the chicks, too much disturbance will be caused to nearby nesting LRP's and Avocets. Surely not!
Was it last year or the year before that Herefords roamed the same area of ground whilst LRP's sat on their nests in the cages and Avocet nests littered the same part of the flashes. When I asked the question "won't the cows disturb the nesting birds", the answer was " not very likely". When two LRP's abandoned their nests the answer was still the same.
There is a massive difference between half a dozen cows wandering around at will and one human being picking his time to approach the cage and release the birds. To not do so is outright cruelty. Come on men; let's, at least, be consistant!
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I don't think it was envisaged the degree to which the cattle would disturb breeding birds and with hindsight (a wonderful thing) some degree of corralling was required. In my opinion the solution installed this year is over-kill and has resulted in a new problem, namely the creation of a plethora of perching posts for Buzzards, corvids and large gulls which has played a large part in the total loss of all Lapwing chicks to date and a number of Avocet young.
 
To respond to the comments re the trapped BHG chicks:

I am in agreement with the course of (in)action being taken. Having seen the result of my taking less than a minute to cage the second LRP, I would be very reluctant to repeat the process given the number of predators around tbat would be only too willing to pick off temporarily abandoned LRP and Avocet chicks and any unhatched eggs of the latter plus any other nests in the area. Unfortunate though the situation is, the wider picture must be taken in to account.
 
Phil Andrews said:
In my opinion the solution installed this year is over-kill and has resulted in a new problem, namely the creation of a plethora of perching posts for Buzzards, corvids and large gulls which has played a large part in the total loss of all Lapwing chicks to date and a number of Avocet young.
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Perhaps it might be a project for a work-party in the autumn to make the fence-posts too uncomfortable for perching?

Peter
 
upstarts1979 said:
MOORS:
GCG 3. Little grebe 8 min.
Shoveler pr. Teal male. gadwall 10 +6 chicks. Tufted 50+
Oystercatcher 5 + 2 chicks (2 days old).. Lapwing 4.
Common tern 12 (4 sitting). Med Gull 3 +2 chicks.
Peregrine. Buzzard 8.
Great spotted woodpecker 2. swift 150.
sand martin 10. swallow. house martin 30.
Sedge warbler 6. Reed warbler 20+ ( more than usual in North moors ). Cetti's 3 poss 4 singing. Blackcap at least 3 broods of young. chiffchaff 2 broods.
song thrush 3 singing. tits many broods of young all around the Moors. Greenfinch. bullfinch. goldfinch.
Reed bunting several broods.

FLASHES :
Shoveler 2. gadwall 4. Shelduck 4. tufted 25.
Avocet 48 (10. broods ) 22 chicks. Oystercatcher 2. lapwing 15 . LRP 5 +chick (19days). Redshank 2.
Common tern 2. Med Gull 2.
kestrel. Buzzard causing havoc. It is perching in oak tree then repeatedly gliding down over the meadow trying to drop on to the nest with 3 freshly hatched avocets. The buzzard was attacked by hundreds of birds including -gulls, avocet, lapwing & corvids.
sedge warbler 4. Reed warbler 4. Whitethroat. blackcap. chiffchaff. song thrush 2.
Reed bunting 5.
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Counts / observations from yesterday differing to John's:

MOORS POOL
An 11th Gadwall on the North Moors (15 across the reserve), 3 Shoveler (an additional male), Otter caught a fish, 1 Grey Heron, 3 LBB Gull, 1 Herring Gull, 1 Greylag Goose

FLASHES
3 Shoveler (an additional male), female Teal, 4 Redshank, 4 Oystercatcher, 10 Canada Geese, 3 Raven + 1 young, 3 Herring Gull, 1 LBB Gull, Garden Warbler singing by steps, 2 Med Gulls (adult + second summer)

SAILING POOL
2 Mute Swan, 16 Greylag Geese, 10 Canada Geese, Egyptian Goose, 4 Coot, 11 Tufted Duck, 6 GC Grebe, Cetti's Warbler, Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat, Green Woodpecker
 
Today's highlights:

FLASHES:
LRP (5) + chick---------------Avocet (min of 47) +10 broods/22 chicks.
Oystercatcher (2)------------Lapwing (9)
Redshank (1)-----------------Shelduck (5)
Gadwall (2)-------------------Shoveler (3)
Med Gull (2 ad)---------------Common Whitethroat
Lesser Whitethroat

MOORS:
Common Tern (10)-----------Lapwing (3)
Oystercatcher (3)------------Gadwall (9) + 6 chicks
G C Grebe (2)----------------Kestrel
Tufted Duck (c60)------------Shoveler (3)
Med Gull ( 1 x 3 cal year) + 2 chicks.

SAILING POOL/ED RES*
G C Grebe (3)----------------Egyptian Goose
Lesser Whitethroat*

Des.
 
Re the two trapped little BH gulls, would it be feasible to release them under the cover of darkness? Just a thought.
A couple of pics of the Med Gull & LRP at the flashes this afternoon.
 

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Andy P reports a new brood of 4 Lapwing on the sewage meadow - hopefully they fare better than the previous young this year.
 
Looks like another late addition to the Spring All-Dayer list - a distinctive second summer large white-headed gull with no feet (!) noted at the Flashes during the evening (also present a few days earlier??) and suspected at the time as being a Yellow-legged Gull was observed in better light at Belvide Reservoir yesterday afternoon where its identity was confirmed as a YLG.
 
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May finished with a total of 107 species, well down on the 116 recorded in April but still the joint best performing May from the limited data set I have. Unfortunately June is a consistently poor month averaging only 90 species - only the four months between November and February have a lower average total.
 

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