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Upton Warren (16 Viewers)

On the Moors,
Notable absence of Snipe in front of the East Hide, four flushed from North Moors Path. Goldcrest 4, Nuthatch 2, Coal Tit 1, Cormorant 31, Greylag Goose 32, Kestrel. Passing over 30+ Herring Gull and 60+ LBB Gull and with them 2 Ad Common Gull. GCGrebe 3, Little Grebe 1, Shoveler 15+, teal c30, Curlew 12.

Sailing Pool:
Kingfisher 1, GC Grebe 4, Little Grebe 2.

On the Flashes,
Lapwing 260 and Moorhen 26. No more than 50 BH Gulls. Jackdaws C150.

JS
 
On the Moors,
Notable absence of Snipe in front of the East Hide, four flushed from North Moors Path. Goldcrest 4, Nuthatch 2, Coal Tit 1, Cormorant 31, Greylag Goose 32, Kestrel. Passing over 30+ Herring Gull and 60+ LBB Gull and with them 2 Ad Common Gull. GCGrebe 3, Little Grebe 1, Shoveler 15+, teal c30, Curlew 12.

Sailing Pool:
Kingfisher 1, GC Grebe 4, Little Grebe 2.

On the Flashes,
Lapwing 260 and Moorhen 26. No more than 50 BH Gulls. Jackdaws C150.

JS

Any count on thrushes?
 
Thrushes:

Just SSW (approx 1km from Flashes) from the reserve along the canal from Astwood Bridge were many thrushes at lunchtime today - approx 250 Redwings and 50 Fieldfares feeding on the bushes lining the towpath and dropping into adj fields. Also 2 Raven & 4 Bullfinch.
 
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Wigeon today as per Gareth Morris via BirdTrack.

After a productive early autumn for this species sightings have tailed off for the last few weeks.
 
update from Mors

Relatively quiet. Although in last 5 minutes a bit of movement.with
Little egret 2 shelduck 2. Earlier, common gull ad. shoveler 10 teal 35. water rail 8 along east track and amys. Plenty of thrushes incl 2 mistles. very few snipe on show and more large gulls than of late + raven and that recent rarity a kestrel.
 
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Work Party Flashes - This Sunday

I have just received (below)this from Andy Harris at the Trust
Dear all,
Natural England have insisted that stone or dredgings from channels must not be placed on the water edges or islands at Upton Warren Flashes. Some salt marsh species have declined so much they are only growing on the margins and must not be smothered. After they have made an assessment about the SSSI we may be able to get permission to put stone on islands. When I have more information I will update you. In the mean time please don’t move any stone at the Flashes.
This does not apply at the Moors, where stone can be added to the islands.

Thank you


This was our main task this Sunday, so therefore we have very little other work to do. But I don't want to cancel it completely
The other work involves planting a few scrub plants and a bit of scrub clearing around the feeding station and Hen pool.
I will speak to the Lads to get a consensus of what they want to do.
I will be there come what may, but if you want to text me to let me know what you want to do feel free.
:t:John
 
Birding today on the reserve

Started at the MOORS:
Very quiet at the east hide, with another decline in shoveler numbers. Very few snipe on show, so could well be many more roosting out of sight on the promontory. Water rails were everywhere, with at least 8 calling along the east side. After getting the equipment for the work party, I had a few minutes in the 'Jacob's' hide. Two Little egrets were feeding together in the SW marsh and a pair of shelduck appeared, having previously been on the Flashes. Still plenty of thrushes feeding along the hedgerows.
Species counts Moors:
GCG 3, Little grebe 5, Little grebe 2, cormorant 31, mute swan 3 (pr + juv), greylag 31, shoveler 10 - 12, Teal 32 - 35, tufted 12 -15, shelduck 2, coot 220+, water rail 15+, Snipe 4, curlew 12, lapwing 25, BHG 150, Common Gull ad, Herring gull 15, LBBG 12, kestrel, buzzard 2, Raven, Jay, green woodp 2, great sp woodp, Nuthatch, skylark over, grey wag, fieldfare 40, redwing 65, mistle thrush 2, song thrush 2, cettis w 3 singing,

SAILING POOL: GCG 2, little grebe 2, tufted 4, coot 9.

FLASHES: Teal 23, mallard 20, coot 10, moorhen c35, water rail, snipe 2, JACK SNIPE 2 - both along southern end of 2nd Flash. Lapwing 243, BHG 30, common gull - earlier per Bob O, buzzard 2, Raven, green woodp, fieldfare 12, redwing 25, starling 70+ over north fields, grey wag, pied wag, cettis singing 3rd flash,
 
This was our main task this Sunday, so therefore we have very little other work to do. But I don't want to cancel it completely
The other work involves planting a few scrub plants and a bit of scrub clearing around the feeding station and Hen pool.
I will speak to the Lads to get a consensus of what they want to do.
I will be there come what may, but if you want to text me to let me know what you want to do feel free.
:t:John

Lets crack on with some scrub management around the feeding station - at this rate there wont be water birds to look at in a few years with a reed edged, overgrown shorelined pool ....
 
Not much news about today; the Curlew flock again numbered 13, probably the smallest wintering group on record?

For once the WeBS count coincides with the Flashes work party; not sure I will be adequately able to cover both sides of the reserve so would grateful for any wildfowl / wader counts from the Moors Pool or anyone at the Flashes before the work party commences.

PS Weather looking good for the work party - dry all day with bright sunshine raising the temperature to 8C.
 
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What an afternoon yesterday took 5 car loads to see the SEO`S at Hawling they didn't show till late on was sweating a tad but hey ho they turned up 4 of them preforming for the crowd thanks for your company guys n gals
 
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Saturday morning first thing. Arrived -4 clear conditions. Flashes and surrounding area frosted over the pool itself frozen over except where the geese had been, not thick ice though. Plenty of moorhen and mallard between cuckoo hide and bridge in the stream. Estimated 200 lapwing 100 BHG although several flew from that area along with larger gulls. Only 28 Canadian geese when I got there and judging by the little disturbance to the ice I don't think there would have been many more. The third flash seemed deserted at 715 am. Only other of note 13 curlew counted as they flew off majestically in the early morning sun. Few redwings and fieldfares, fem sparrowhawk, 2 poss 3 green woodpeckers, 2 siskin, several linnets and 2 only goldfinch. Very very quiet. The cattle had frost on them, pics available upon request. Cuckoo hide, chaffinch, tits and a robin on the feeder and not much else. Sailing pool quiet 4 gt crested grebe of note. Ed pool treecreeper heard not seen. Then a coffee in the cafe to thaw out.
 
Hi we came to UW yesterday and noticed lots of people gathering for a trip to, we were told, Prestwood Hill to see short eared owls. On here I see it is Hawling. We would love to see them, can anyone tell us exactly where they are? my email address is [email protected] if you dont want to make it public knowledge.
 
No Vern thank YOU!

What an afternoon yesterday took 5 car loads to see the SEO`S at Hawling they didn't show till late on was sweating a tad but hey ho they turned up 4 of them preforming for the crowd thanks for your company guys n gals

Thank you Vern for arranging everybody into correct cars! Had a great time and it's good to put faces to names! I suppose it was Christine who you are referring to as a gal as I have been told on numerous occasions by certain Upton guys that I'm not a lady I'm just one of you! Lol 8-P
 
Today's work party at FLASHES

A lot of things conspired against us today. Such as the weather, banned from laying shingle and to top it all, the car park was closed until 9.50. However we did finally get to tackle something we have talked about for years. Namely opening up the scrub to the east of the feeding station that runs along the Hen brook. We can now view into the east side of the Hen pool and the scrub on the north side of the brook.
We also planted a scrub mix along the NW corner of the Hen pool, this will screen the entrance to archery field when in the Hen pool hide.
We also started the feeding station.
Although we didn't get the normal quota of vols, those that did turn up worked like trojans and we had more chocolate and biscuits each8-P.
Thanks to Peter E, Timmy J, Craig R, Steve spike, Graham L, Des J, Dave W, Gary P, Mike W, Phil A and me.B :)

Pics 1 and 2 before work
3 and 4 after the work
5. the whole feeding station before work
all viewed from side of 'cuckoo hide' looking NE to right of feeding station
 

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Re - Natural England`s ruling at Flashes

It states "Some salt marsh species have declined so much the are only growing on the margins and must not be smothered"

Would not the churning up of the edges by the cattle have the same detrimental effect?

Dick
 
Hi, I spent the afternoon today in the Water Rail hide, saw plenty of Blue Tits, Great Tits, Reed Buntings, Robins, Dunnocks, Chaffinches, Greenfinches and 2 Bullfinches on the feeders then Little Grebes, Teal, Moorhen, Mallard and Coots close by in the water. A Kestrel also briefly landed on the bird table on the right hand side!

Saw my first Water Rail darting between the reeds too! In fact I got 3 life list birds today, Water Rail, Bullfinch and Fieldfare, bringing my total to 107. Then to finish the afternoon off I had a Kingfisher pose on one of the sticks for a minute. http://i.imgur.com/WVlPjMk.jpg
 

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