Upton Warren (62 Viewers)

Red Kite at the Flashes as per Dave J makes it 81.

House Sparrow for #82

A recount takes us to 83.

Green Sandpiper calling from the roost at the Flashes inches us up to 84.

Spring All-Dayer

The last observer left the reserve at 10pm, ending over 17.5 hours of coverage. Needless to say we didn't add to the last reported update of 84 species (slightly above the long term average) which comprised as follows:

Mute Swan
Greylag Goose
Canada Goose
Shelduck
Gadwall
Mallard
Shoveler
Tufted Duck
Pochard
Little Grebe
Great Crested Grebe
Grey Heron
Little Egret
Cormorant
Coot
Moorhen
Water Rail
Red Kite
Buzzard
Sparrowhawk
Peregrine
Hobby
Kestrel
Pheasant
Red-legged Partridge
Avocet
Oystercatcher
Lapwing
Little Ringed Plover
Snipe
Green Sandpiper
Common Sandpiper
Black-headed Gull
Herring Gull
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Mediterranean Gull
Common Tern
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Green Woodpecker
Wood Pigeon
Stock Dove
Collared Dove
Feral Pigeon
Kingfisher
Swift
Skylark
Pied Wagtail
Grey Wagtail
Yellow Wagtail
Sand Martin
House Martin
Swallow
Blackbird
Song Thrush
Dunnock
Robin
Wren
Cetti's Warbler
Reed Warbler
Sedge Warbler
Blackcap
Garden Warbler
Whitethroat
Lesser Whitethroat
Willow Warbler
Chiffchaff
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Long-tailed Tit
Coal Tit
Starling
Jay
Magpie
Jackdaw
Carrion Crow
Rook
Raven
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
Bullfinch
Greenfinch
Goldfinch
Linnet
Reed Bunting

Statistically the rarest birds were Coal Tit (only occurred previously on 1 Spring All-Dayer), Pochard (2), Red-legged Partridge (2), Red Kite (3) and Med Gull (5).

Likewise the commonest omissions were Mistle Thrush (occurred on 25 previous Spring All-Dayers), Curlew (23), Cuckoo (22), Trecreeper (22) and Redshank (19)

Many thanks to all the participants including Stuart C, Paul C, John B, Mike W, Des J, Dave W, Dave J, Andy A, Andy P, Steve P, Janette L, Phil W, Carl J, Craig J, Tim O, Lloyd E, Graham LaB, Alistair and Gary P; apologises to anyone I have missed having only arrived at 11am :eek!:

Spring All-Dayer

The final scores across the region as far as I am aware were as follows, with a record 23 sites participating:

Ladywalk - 102
Middleton Lakes - 97
Branston GPs - 91
Brandon Marsh - 90
Belvide - 89
Grimley - 89
Upton Warren - 84
Chasewater - 84
Salford Priors - 84
Sandwell Valley - 84
Marsh Lane - 82
Doxey Marsh - 70
Venus Pool - 69
Daisy Farm NR - 65
Earlswood - 64
Morton Bagot - 63
Elmdon Park - 60
Avon Meadows - 58
Halesowen patches - 57
Edgbaston Res - 55
Sutton Park - 51
Fens Pool / Saltwells - 50
Trittiford - 47

Yesterday also saw the emergence of a brood of Greylag Geese with 3 young on the Sailing Pool and the first two Lapwings hatch in the Flashes sewage meadow, one with three young and the other yet unknown.

Fabulous day yesterday. Well done to everyone there.

Phil Andrews said:

The last observer left the reserve at 10pm, ending over 17.5 hours of coverage. Needless to say we didn't add to the last reported update of 84 species (slightly above the long term average) which comprised as follows:

Mute Swan
Greylag Goose
Canada Goose
Shelduck
Gadwall
Mallard
Shoveler
Tufted Duck
Pochard
Little Grebe
Great Crested Grebe
Grey Heron
Little Egret
Cormorant
Coot
Moorhen
Water Rail
Red Kite
Buzzard
Sparrowhawk
Peregrine
Hobby
Kestrel
Pheasant
Red-legged Partridge
Avocet
Oystercatcher
Lapwing
Little Ringed Plover
Snipe
Green Sandpiper
Common Sandpiper
Black-headed Gull
Herring Gull
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Mediterranean Gull
Common Tern
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Green Woodpecker
Wood Pigeon
Stock Dove
Collared Dove
Feral Pigeon
Kingfisher
Swift
Skylark
Pied Wagtail
Grey Wagtail
Yellow Wagtail
Sand Martin
House Martin
Swallow
Blackbird
Song Thrush
Dunnock
Robin
Wren
Cetti's Warbler
Reed Warbler
Sedge Warbler
Blackcap
Garden Warbler
Whitethroat
Lesser Whitethroat
Willow Warbler
Chiffchaff
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Long-tailed Tit
Coal Tit
Starling
Jay
Magpie
Jackdaw
Carrion Crow
Rook
Raven
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
Bullfinch
Greenfinch
Goldfinch
Linnet
Reed Bunting

Statistically the rarest birds were Coal Tit (only occurred previously on 1 Spring All-Dayer), Pochard (2), Red-legged Partridge (2), Red Kite (3) and Med Gull (5).

Likewise the commonest omissions were Mistle Thrush (occurred on 25 previous Spring All-Dayers), Curlew (23), Cuckoo (22), Trecreeper (22) and Redshank (19)

Many thanks to all the participants including Stuart C, Paul C, John B, Mike W, Des J, Dave W, Dave J, Andy A, Andy P, Steve P, Janette L, Phil W, Carl J, Craig J, Tim O, Lloyd E, Graham LaB, Alistair and Gary P; apologises to anyone I have missed having only arrived at 11am :eek!:

Click to expand...

Gavo,

Phil Andrews said:

Yesterday also saw the emergence of a brood of Greylag Geese with 3 young on the Sailing Pool and the first two Lapwings hatch in the Flashes sewage meadow, one with three young and the other yet unknown.

Click to expand...

Also a GCG chick on the back of the female plus another pair nesting at the Moors
4 broods of Mallard in front of Concrete hide.

Phil Andrews said:

The final scores across the region as far as I am aware were as follows, with a record 21 sites participating:

Ladywalk - 100
Middleton Lakes - 97
Branston GPs - 90
Brandon Marsh - 90
Belvide - 89
Grimley - 89
Upton Warren - 84
Chasewater - 84
Salford Priors - 84
Sandwell Valley - 84
Marsh Lane - 82
Doxey Marsh - 70
Venus Pool - 69
Earlswood - 64
Morton Bagot - 63
Elmdon Park - 60
Avon Meadows - 58
Halesowen patches - 57
Edgbaston Res - 55
Fens Pool / Saltwells - 50
Trittiford - 47

Click to expand...

Well done, everyone at Upton. Also my congratulations to the birders of Trittiford. This used to be my local patch when I lived in Hall Green, and I know how difficult it is to see a range of species there; certainly I never got near their total of 47.

Peter

From the reserve yesterday Tim O reported:

FLASHES
28 Avocet (one with an injured / broken leg), 2 Little Ringed Plover, Oystercatcher, 12 Lapwing, 2 Shoveler, 5 Shelduck

SAILING POOL
6 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Mute Swan, 18 Tufted Duck

MOORS POOL
4 Oystercatcher, Common Sandpiper, 2 Pochard, 2 Shelduck, 4 Mute Swan

From the Flashes this morning Andy P reports:

30 Avocet, 14 Lapwing + 4 chicks (1 brood), 4 Little Ringed Plover, 2 Oystercatcher, Common Sand, 3 Shelduck, 2 Shoveler, Gadwall, Med Gull (1st summer), BH × Med Gull hybrid, 2 Lesser Whitethroat

4 Common Sandpiper at the Moors Pool as per Mike W. Also two ringed BHGs - old favourite 24H0 and new bird sporting a white ring with 21L1, ringed in Berkshire.

A few from yesterday morning

Relatively quiet but pleasurable!

Spring All-dayers 1991-2005 & 2008-2019

Following discussion with a couple of birders yesterday, there follow a few stats. to, hopefully, give a little more meaning to the brief info shown on the annual checklist.

In the 27 years the all-dayer has taken place there has been a total, so far, of 137 species recorded.

Of these 45 have been noted in every year: Mute Swan, Canada Goose, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Great Crested Grebe, Grey Heron, Kestrel, Moorhen, Coot, Little Ringed Plover, Lapwing, Black-headed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Stock Dove, Wood Pigeon, Feral Pigeon, Collared Dove, Swift, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Sand Martin, Swallow, House Martin, Pied Wagtail, Wren, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Sedge Warbler, Reed Warbler, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Long-tailed Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Magpie, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Starling, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Linnet, Bullfinch and Reed Bunting.

No great surprises there, but what may be a surprise is the absence in the above list of: Pheasant (missing in '97, '99, 00 & 01), Little Grebe ('09), Cormorant ('99 & '16), Sparrowhawk ('08), Buzzard (not noted until '94 but annually since), Curlew ('12, '16, '18, '19), Common Sandpiper ('18), Kingfisher ('91), Green Woodpecker ('11), Skylark ('05), Mistle Thrush ('05, '19), Lesser Whitethroat ('03, '05), Whitethroat ('91), Willow Warbler ('09, '15), Jay ('08), Rook ('03, '08).

2008 suffered from a lack of coverage (4 participants) as the 'day' was re-instated after a two year absence

Other species noted annually in the last ten years but were scarce or absent in the earlier years: Greylag Goose (4 of 9 years in '90s & 4 of 8 years in '00s), Shelduck (2 of 9 & 6 of 8), Gadwall (4 of 9 & 5 of 8), Water Rail (5 of 9 & 5 of 8), Avocet (in 14 of the last 15 years), Oystercatcher (annually since '99).

Also:
Shoveler seen in each of the last seven years, but only ten of the first 20 years
Ruddy Duck seen in the first 16 years but, unsurprisingly not in the last 11
Peregrine seen twice in the first 11 years but more or less annually since (missing in '03)
Redshank noted annually until '10 but only once since
Med. Gull noted in six of the last ten years but not previously
Cuckoo annual until '11 but absent from '16
Willow Tit seen three times in the first eight years but not since '98
Raven annual since '11 but only twice prior to that
Tree Sparrow four times in the first fourteen years but not since '04
Yellowhammer seen in each of the first four years but only once since

If anyone wants to know anything else let me know

Mike

wheatearlp said:

Following discussion with a couple of birders yesterday, there follow a few stats. to, hopefully, give a little more meaning to the brief info shown on the annual checklist.

In the 27 years the all-dayer has taken place there has been a total, so far, of 137 species recorded.

Of these 45 have been noted in every year: Mute Swan, Canada Goose, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Great Crested Grebe, Grey Heron, Kestrel, Moorhen, Coot, Little Ringed Plover, Lapwing, Black-headed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Stock Dove, Wood Pigeon, Feral Pigeon, Collared Dove, Swift, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Sand Martin, Swallow, House Martin, Pied Wagtail, Wren, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Sedge Warbler, Reed Warbler, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Long-tailed Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Magpie, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Starling, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Linnet, Bullfinch and Reed Bunting.

No great surprises there, but what may be a surprise is the absence in the above list of: Pheasant (missing in '97, '99, 00 & 01), Little Grebe ('09), Cormorant ('99 & '16), Sparrowhawk ('08), Buzzard (not noted until '94 but annually since), Curlew ('12, '16, '18, '19), Common Sandpiper ('18), Kingfisher ('91), Green Woodpecker ('11), Skylark ('05), Mistle Thrush ('05, '19), Lesser Whitethroat ('03, '05), Whitethroat ('91), Willow Warbler ('09, '15), Jay ('08), Rook ('03, '08).

2008 suffered from a lack of coverage (4 participants) as the 'day' was re-instated after a two year absence

Other species noted annually in the last ten years but were scarce or absent in the earlier years: Greylag Goose (4 of 9 years in '90s & 4 of 8 years in '00s), Shelduck (2 of 9 & 6 of 8), Gadwall (4 of 9 & 5 of 8), Water Rail (5 of 9 & 5 of 8), Avocet (in 14 of the last 15 years), Oystercatcher (annually since '99).

Also:
Shoveler seen in each of the last seven years, but only ten of the first 20 years
Ruddy Duck seen in the first 16 years but, unsurprisingly not in the last 11
Peregrine seen twice in the first 11 years but more or less annually since (missing in '03)
Redshank noted annually until '10 but only once since
Med. Gull noted in six of the last ten years but not previously
Cuckoo annual until '11 but absent from '16
Willow Tit seen three times in the first eight years but not since '98
Raven annual since '11 but only twice prior to that
Tree Sparrow four times in the first fourteen years but not since '04
Yellowhammer seen in each of the first four years but only once since

If anyone wants to know anything else let me know

Mike

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Good work Mike.:t:
A couple of facts two firsts for the reserve were also recorded on the Alldayers Roseate Tern and Nightingale.

Re waders could you list the number of these in each year ..I seem to remember at least one day we had double figures and even a possible 14??
John

Nice work Mike - could you just advise on the overall average and that for say the last ten years.

Today!

Moral of today's story is that if you want to see all the birds Andy P and Mike W see get up as early as they do.

I wasn't that late getting to the Flashes and met Andy P on his way out. Assured that the Ist summer med was still there I was resolved to find it. It was probably hiding in plain sight but I'm blowed if I coiuld see it. If any one has a pic of it from the last three days could you post it here or tell me where you have posted it. Thanks- there is a reason.

By half twelve the hide was full to bursting with enthusuiastic and happy visitors. The LRP was routinely being identified as RP. The other LRPs had gone into hiding!
The remaining one looks to have made its nest very close to an existing avocet scrape causing the odd argument.

The med hybrid was also being identified as a genuine med which is understandable given some of the general bird I.D. books. Most I think were happy with the explanation as to why it was a hybrid.


It is now on the Flashes having become disillusioned with the Moors and was busy making up to a BHG. And she mated with a BHG today. Succesfully I think but the attention of everyone in the hide was diverted to a moorhen and its daring theft.


The bird - and I missed this bit- nicked an egg - made a hole in it and proceeded to feed its two chicks. Saw and videoed all that If there is a fortunate side to this the egg appeared not to be developed and yellow yolk dripped from the moorhen's beak. It was only partially used and was left on the island beach for others to finish off. What bird it had come from I'm not sure - it didn't look gull coloured, though was about that size. I can only wonder if it was an avocets egg looking very pale in the sunlight. This took place on the island upstream from the hide so the egg must have come from the hide ground because she took the egg out to the island. The amazing thing was that no bird appeared to take umbrage!


The Canadas have two broods - one on the sewage field and the other at the land between the second and third flash. There is a mallard brood in the first flash. Two shelduck were working up to being friendly on Saturday so with cover being good on the sewage meadows it would be nice to think they bred.

The OYCs on the flashes have a good clutch so fingers crossed and for the lapwing also.Similarly at the Moors. Fingers crossed again.


Sitting in the N.Moors hide the blue tits are doing well and many of the birds on the feeders are taking food away to feed either partners and or young. That said the resident blue tits seem to be finding plenty of grubs etc- nice little juicy green ones!

All in all a couple of good days birding watching interspersed with tidying up my garden.
PHil E

Eaten Egg.

Follow up to that egg. Somebody did suggest it looked like a mallard's egg and looking them up that fits. The shell was empty when the moor hen left it. She went to the trouble of putting it up on the beach and not leaving it to roll around on the water's edge.. Tidy bird?