Woodchat
Cogito ergo sum
Looks like Grimley's doing very well at the moment. However, I think Upton is just starting to liven up a bit! Cheers:t:
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Upton Warren (65 Viewers)
- Thread starter andythomas
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Looks like Grimley's doing very well at the moment. However, I think Upton is just starting to liven up a bit! Cheers:t:
timmyjones
Well-known member
Went to Upton this afternoon, got the 3 Red-crested Pochard at the far side of the moors from the east hide. Also Little Egret still present looking really nice with its 'egrets' showing well.
Moved over to the flashes where the peregrine still eluded me, other birds of note included 19 Curlew, 1 Grey Wagtail and a female Green Woodpecker.
Unusually a fox walked out across the field to the right and promptly fell asleep in the middle of the field! About 10 mins later a male Pheasant came over to explore and must have got within about 4foot of it! (Photo below)
The RCP's take me to 129 on the Upton Life list and 71 for the year.
(I'll upload my shockingly bad RCP photo just to prove I'm not stringing them
)
Moved over to the flashes where the peregrine still eluded me, other birds of note included 19 Curlew, 1 Grey Wagtail and a female Green Woodpecker.
Unusually a fox walked out across the field to the right and promptly fell asleep in the middle of the field! About 10 mins later a male Pheasant came over to explore and must have got within about 4foot of it! (Photo below)
The RCP's take me to 129 on the Upton Life list and 71 for the year.
(I'll upload my shockingly bad RCP photo just to prove I'm not stringing them
)Attachments
upstarts1979
Well-known member
Went to Upton this afternoon, got the 3 Red-crested Pochard at the far side of the moors from the east hide. Also Little Egret still present looking really nice with its 'egrets' showing well.
Moved over to the flashes where the peregrine still eluded me, other birds of note included 19 Curlew, 1 Grey Wagtail and a female Green Woodpecker.
Unusually a fox walked out across the field to the right and promptly fell asleep in the middle of the field! About 10 mins later a male Pheasant came over to explore and must have got within about 4foot of it! (Photo below)
The RCP's take me to 129 on the Upton Life list and 71 for the year.
(I'll upload my shockingly bad RCP photo just to prove I'm not stringing them
Sorry about this Tim but after you and your Dad left a Little Owl started calling to the right of where the fox was. I came to look for you but you had gone, mind you I made a cup of tea and drank it before I went looking.B
Oh and the pheasant came back and killed the fox....................................only joking.
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upstarts1979
Well-known member
Good explanation Tim ....and its good to see the trust are communicating, it saves a lot of mis-understanding and keeps people informed.
cheers John
Brian Stretch
Well-known member
Yes, it's going to be a tough one to call. Upton will always benefit from the extra observer coverage. Grimley's problem isn't lack of birds, just lack of observers! Although sometimes that's no bad thing..................
A couple more pictures of the RCPs: http://www.uptonwarrenbirding.co.uk/wildfowl_12.html
Brian
__________________________
www.birdingtoday.co.uk
www.worcesterbirding.co.uk
www.westmidlandsbirding.co.uk
timmyjones
Well-known member
Sorry about this Tim but after you and your Dad left a Little Owl started calling to the right of where the fox was. I came to look for you but you had gone, mind you I made a cup of tea and drank it before I went looking.B
Oh and the pheasant came back and killed the fox....................................only joking.
Got a photo to prove that John? :smoke:
Yup at least it explains it well, cause I dare say a lot of people look at it and just think there cutting down the trees unnecessarily!
upstarts1979
Well-known member
Hi Dave yes the Tuesday work party team have done a great job not just this (highlighted)but all the work they have done - can you imagine what it would like without them.
photo of the bramble patch before and after it was cleared 23 Feb 2010 now the new 'open' broadmeadow section of Amy's Marsh. This large bramble area was hosting 2 Foxes that dashed out when work started. Maybe the waders and ducks will have a better breeding season.
Attachments
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upstarts1979
Well-known member
Jason K
Well-known member
I believe Terry Norledge has had a couple of Siskin in the Trees next to Sling Pool at Holt Brian..as he was telling me about them last time I bumped into him at GNW. It was the day we had 3 drake Goldeneye there (so 17th Jan 2010 looking through my notes)
Cheers
Jase
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Brian Stretch
Well-known member
Thanks Jase. It's on the overall Grimley year list, just not on mine.........yet.
Brian
__________________________
www.birdingtoday.co.uk
www.worcesterbirding.co.uk
www.westmidlandsbirding.co.uk
upstarts1979
Well-known member
birding at the Moors today 27th Feb 2010
Dave has mentioned most of the good stuff from this morning. This afternoon the sun came out and there was definately a spring feel about the place. There was a backdrop of Song thrushes song echoeing around the reserve as well as bullfinch, reed buntings and at least two cettis warblers the spring feel being enhanced by the presence of two kingfishers sunning themselves. Lapwings were displaying while surrounded by 400 wintering birds that will be moving off within the next 2 or 3 weeks. Although I didn't count all the wildfowl there were still plenty of Shoveler pochard, tufted and Teal as well as 2 Shelduck, 3 Red crested pochard. The little egret played second fiddle to the RCP and was ignored by the majority of people as it sat 'duck like 'almost sulking on the east bank of the broadmeadow. Curlew, snipe (9) and Teal(c20) fed along the area that was previously bramble. The flock of greylags were fighting amongst themselves hopefully taking over from the canadas. Whilst 4 Buzzards soared above. Many of the adult BHG's were now attaining summer heads. This time of year this species usually moves off to breed elsewhere so I can only assume the flock of c200 many first summers (almost certainly last years upton chicks) is the nucleus of the breeding colony. All in all today gave the impression that this is the prelude to the spring.
Dave has mentioned most of the good stuff from this morning. This afternoon the sun came out and there was definately a spring feel about the place. There was a backdrop of Song thrushes song echoeing around the reserve as well as bullfinch, reed buntings and at least two cettis warblers the spring feel being enhanced by the presence of two kingfishers sunning themselves. Lapwings were displaying while surrounded by 400 wintering birds that will be moving off within the next 2 or 3 weeks. Although I didn't count all the wildfowl there were still plenty of Shoveler pochard, tufted and Teal as well as 2 Shelduck, 3 Red crested pochard. The little egret played second fiddle to the RCP and was ignored by the majority of people as it sat 'duck like 'almost sulking on the east bank of the broadmeadow. Curlew, snipe (9) and Teal(c20) fed along the area that was previously bramble. The flock of greylags were fighting amongst themselves hopefully taking over from the canadas. Whilst 4 Buzzards soared above. Many of the adult BHG's were now attaining summer heads. This time of year this species usually moves off to breed elsewhere so I can only assume the flock of c200 many first summers (almost certainly last years upton chicks) is the nucleus of the breeding colony. All in all today gave the impression that this is the prelude to the spring.
upstarts1979
Well-known member
Craig your year list is increasing have you registered it with Brian stretch, nice account mate.
midlands birder
Well-known member
hey all
twitched the r c pochards earlier........
all 3 were eventually pinned down opposite the hide near a patch of willows(in tims pic), after a bit they moved onto the tern box island......
they stopped here, then at about 5 the birds stareted moving towards us, they veered to the north end passing the hide(in awful light, which explains the pics).......
the egret was NOT seen:-C
but we finally pinned down the OYC for the year tick:-O
a little grebe swam up and down to the right of the hide
2 water rail on the north moors at dusk
MB
twitched the r c pochards earlier........
all 3 were eventually pinned down opposite the hide near a patch of willows(in tims pic), after a bit they moved onto the tern box island......
they stopped here, then at about 5 the birds stareted moving towards us, they veered to the north end passing the hide(in awful light, which explains the pics).......
the egret was NOT seen:-C
but we finally pinned down the OYC for the year tick:-O
a little grebe swam up and down to the right of the hide
2 water rail on the north moors at dusk
MB
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midlands birder
Well-known member
upstarts1979
Well-known member
birding today at the Flashes 27th Feb 2010
The water level was still high at 0.56. so I wasn't expecting too much. As I approached the feeding station a Grey wagtail flew up from the outlet channel this was my 2nd year tick of the day. From the hide water rail again squeezed into the feeding cage, watched by 7 bullfinch and a dozen reed bunting. Down to the main hide there were surprisingly a lot of birds around. Between the 2nd and 3rd Flash were 40+ common snipe well hidden amongst the short grass only seen through the scope. A whistling flock of 48 Teal arrived after an unknown predator flushed everything on the flashes, some of them even landing in the 'secret' pool to the right of the sewage works presumably they had been previously feeding on the swollen Hen brook. An Oystercatcher (3rd year tick of the day) called from the orchard area where many of the curlew and some of the 500 Lawings fed on the saturated ground. Again song thrushes were singing from the hedgerows which drowned out the soft plaintive call of a nearby little owl (my 4th year tick). With LRP already appearing futher south I don't think it will be too long before we get our first one of the year.
Year list now 75
cheers John
The water level was still high at 0.56. so I wasn't expecting too much. As I approached the feeding station a Grey wagtail flew up from the outlet channel this was my 2nd year tick of the day. From the hide water rail again squeezed into the feeding cage, watched by 7 bullfinch and a dozen reed bunting. Down to the main hide there were surprisingly a lot of birds around. Between the 2nd and 3rd Flash were 40+ common snipe well hidden amongst the short grass only seen through the scope. A whistling flock of 48 Teal arrived after an unknown predator flushed everything on the flashes, some of them even landing in the 'secret' pool to the right of the sewage works presumably they had been previously feeding on the swollen Hen brook. An Oystercatcher (3rd year tick of the day) called from the orchard area where many of the curlew and some of the 500 Lawings fed on the saturated ground. Again song thrushes were singing from the hedgerows which drowned out the soft plaintive call of a nearby little owl (my 4th year tick). With LRP already appearing futher south I don't think it will be too long before we get our first one of the year.
Year list now 75
cheers John
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Woodchat
Cogito ergo sum
upstarts1979; Many of the adult [B said:
Hi John,
I went back to the flashes this evening hoping the Little Owl might put in an appearance - but, alas, no sign. The flashes roost comprised 750+ BHG's, 23 Curlews and c350 Lapwings. I was hoping a Common Gull might come in, but no. I noted that PMA had a Raven (in the log book) after I left this morning (which I still need for the year). I'm hoping I can spend most of the day tomorrow.:t:
midlands birder
Well-known member
my upton year list stands on 67 species now......
upstarts1979
Well-known member
H Dave
750 BHG:eek!:
I hope they are not the breeding colony. Don't you think its unusual for this many at this time of year traditionally March saw very few. Do you remember one May all dayer when we hadn't seen BHG until 7.15pm. Good to see the curlew numbers slowly building up.
Have you seen the weather forecast for tomorrow looks good for mid morning to early pm up to 35mph, rain and easterly circulating around low pressure moving up from the bay of biscay. :storm:
cheers john
Woodchat
Cogito ergo sum
Yes I was surprised there were so many for this time of year. When I approached the hide there were c50 in the air catching airborne insects (I noted there were quite a few hatches of non-biting midges today - adding to the Springey feel). A further 350 were already on the deck. Over the next half an hour several large flocks piled in! No other species amongst them - no LBB's even.
wheatearlp
Well-known member
Wildfowl counts from yesterday morning were: Mute Swan 4, Pochard 31, Tufted Duck 19, Shoveler 20, Teal 19, Great Crested Grebe 7, Little Grebe 1 and Cormorant 23.
As we seem to be having a RCP photo-fest I thought I'd attach my offerings. Poor light, distance, crap photographer, etc.
