Phil Andrews
It's only Rock and Roller but I like it
Not a problem Stuart - bit of an added incentive with the Crofts now level pegging (I'm assuming Paul popped down on Sunday for the Smew)
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Upton Warren (62 Viewers)
- Thread starter andythomas
- Start date
geoffw1946
Well-known member
It sure looked like it.
Phil Andrews
It's only Rock and Roller but I like it
Great White Egret still at the Moors Pool; negative news on the Smew.
Phil Andrews
It's only Rock and Roller but I like it
Smew still present on the Sailing Pool early afternoon
upstarts1979
Well-known member
Tuesday's MOORS work party
10 of us today worked in the Sluice channels and BobP and Peter E checja ked out al the bird boxes.
Bob O, Bob P, Bob R, Charles, Janet H, Jim B, John C, Peter E, Ray C, Terry W, Tony B and me B
crew
The channel in front of the west hide next to the Feeding station has become overgrown and silted up. Today we dug out the sides and removed the silt. This was piled up on the west side of the sluice dam.
Also the large hole that has appeared below the feeders, was filled in.
Doesn't seem a lot, but this was back breaking work, so if anyone has got a mini digger could you lend it us for a couple of hours.:smoke:
Water rail should appear in the channels and hopefully an egret or the like will show up soon.
Pics
1. before work
2 after completion
3. close up of hole after filling and channels
10 of us today worked in the Sluice channels and BobP and Peter E checja ked out al the bird boxes.
Bob O, Bob P, Bob R, Charles, Janet H, Jim B, John C, Peter E, Ray C, Terry W, Tony B and me B
crewThe channel in front of the west hide next to the Feeding station has become overgrown and silted up. Today we dug out the sides and removed the silt. This was piled up on the west side of the sluice dam.
Also the large hole that has appeared below the feeders, was filled in.
Doesn't seem a lot, but this was back breaking work, so if anyone has got a mini digger could you lend it us for a couple of hours.:smoke:
Water rail should appear in the channels and hopefully an egret or the like will show up soon.
Pics
1. before work
2 after completion
3. close up of hole after filling and channels
Attachments
Last edited:
upstarts1979
Well-known member
Birding today on the reserve
Moors: plenty of activity on the reserve today. A bit of migration involved wigeon, teal, pochard and coot.
Species count Moors:
Great White egret, little egret, grey heron, Mute swan pr + 2 juvs, GCG, Little grebe 2, cormorant 28, Shoveler 30+, Teal 95, wigeon 8, mallard c50, pochard 18 (12 males), tufted 28, coot 290, water rail 2, snipe 6, curlew 13, BHG, herring gull 5, kestrel, sparrowhawk, buzzard, green woodp, fieldfare 45, redwing 10, mistle thrush, song thrush, Cetti's w 3, redpoll 8, siskin 3, coal tit, grey wag, reed bunting 6,
Sailing Pool:
GCG 12, Little grebe 2, SMEW redhead, tufted 8, kingfisher
FLASHES:
The last 2 hours were spent at the mini estuary that is now the Flashes. The wet muddy shallows are certainly attractive to the dabbling ducks, especially from late afternoon when the mallard and shovelers drop in. The redshank continues to feed in the muddy 'saucer'. The starling roost is in its death throes now with very few birds appearing. A procession of predators flew literally in front of the hide, 1st kestrel then sparrowhawk and finally at 4.39 the Barn owl which headed north dropping into the archery field. The gull roost was also coming to an inevitable conclusion as the cold nights draw closer - but still hanging on. At 4.45 the first green sand dropped onto the main 2nd flash island.
Species count FLASHES:
Teal 105 (c200 total), shoveler 30, mallard 65, greylag 20, canada's 200+ roosted 3rd flash, coot 2, moorhen 30, snipe 12, GREEN SAND 5, redshank, lapwing 450+, curlew 13, Gull roost - BHG 155, common gull 1st winter, LBBG 2, Kestrel, sparrowhawk, buzzard 2, Barn Owl, stock dove 2, jackdaw 120, starling 35, redwing 25, grey wag,
Pics 1. sparrowhawk being mobbed by teal, shoveler and mallard from the safety of the water. The sprawk was walking through the grass hunting for snipe along the promontory.
2. GWE
3. lesser redpoll
Moors: plenty of activity on the reserve today. A bit of migration involved wigeon, teal, pochard and coot.
Species count Moors:
Great White egret, little egret, grey heron, Mute swan pr + 2 juvs, GCG, Little grebe 2, cormorant 28, Shoveler 30+, Teal 95, wigeon 8, mallard c50, pochard 18 (12 males), tufted 28, coot 290, water rail 2, snipe 6, curlew 13, BHG, herring gull 5, kestrel, sparrowhawk, buzzard, green woodp, fieldfare 45, redwing 10, mistle thrush, song thrush, Cetti's w 3, redpoll 8, siskin 3, coal tit, grey wag, reed bunting 6,
Sailing Pool:
GCG 12, Little grebe 2, SMEW redhead, tufted 8, kingfisher
FLASHES:
The last 2 hours were spent at the mini estuary that is now the Flashes. The wet muddy shallows are certainly attractive to the dabbling ducks, especially from late afternoon when the mallard and shovelers drop in. The redshank continues to feed in the muddy 'saucer'. The starling roost is in its death throes now with very few birds appearing. A procession of predators flew literally in front of the hide, 1st kestrel then sparrowhawk and finally at 4.39 the Barn owl which headed north dropping into the archery field. The gull roost was also coming to an inevitable conclusion as the cold nights draw closer - but still hanging on. At 4.45 the first green sand dropped onto the main 2nd flash island.
Species count FLASHES:
Teal 105 (c200 total), shoveler 30, mallard 65, greylag 20, canada's 200+ roosted 3rd flash, coot 2, moorhen 30, snipe 12, GREEN SAND 5, redshank, lapwing 450+, curlew 13, Gull roost - BHG 155, common gull 1st winter, LBBG 2, Kestrel, sparrowhawk, buzzard 2, Barn Owl, stock dove 2, jackdaw 120, starling 35, redwing 25, grey wag,
Pics 1. sparrowhawk being mobbed by teal, shoveler and mallard from the safety of the water. The sprawk was walking through the grass hunting for snipe along the promontory.
2. GWE
3. lesser redpoll
Attachments
upstarts1979
Well-known member
Sailing Centre
A reminder to Birders/togs please respect the property of Aztec. This includes the car parks building, jetties, pontoons and FISHING platforms. Other than the car park and CAFE these facilities are not provided for us, so do not abuse/use them. Especially the latter which were used on Sunday and complaints have been made, irrespective of whether there are fishermen present or not. We are not insured and if you have an accident well dare I say anymore. You won't be suing the Trust thats for sure:C. We have a great working relationship with the Staff at the centre and I think you will agree that they were very accommodating over the last few days during the 'smew' twitch.
There are now gates along all the tracks and paths. There are signs that state No Access other than to AZTEC CUSTOMERS. So please adhere to these requests and stay on the path from the car park to the Flashes, unless using the Cafe.:t:John Belsey
ps Cafe is open from 10 till 5pm everyday, please use it:t:
After a complaint to the WWT, I have been asked by the WWT to add this quote -
areas that are only accessible to Aztec customers are not covered by WWT insurance’
The opinions I make on this forum are my own and nothing to do with the Worcestershire Wildlife Trust.
A reminder to Birders/togs please respect the property of Aztec. This includes the car parks building, jetties, pontoons and FISHING platforms. Other than the car park and CAFE these facilities are not provided for us, so do not abuse/use them. Especially the latter which were used on Sunday and complaints have been made, irrespective of whether there are fishermen present or not. We are not insured and if you have an accident well dare I say anymore. You won't be suing the Trust thats for sure:C. We have a great working relationship with the Staff at the centre and I think you will agree that they were very accommodating over the last few days during the 'smew' twitch.
There are now gates along all the tracks and paths. There are signs that state No Access other than to AZTEC CUSTOMERS. So please adhere to these requests and stay on the path from the car park to the Flashes, unless using the Cafe.:t:John Belsey
ps Cafe is open from 10 till 5pm everyday, please use it:t:
After a complaint to the WWT, I have been asked by the WWT to add this quote -
areas that are only accessible to Aztec customers are not covered by WWT insurance’
The opinions I make on this forum are my own and nothing to do with the Worcestershire Wildlife Trust.
Last edited:
Phil Andrews
It's only Rock and Roller but I like it
Have we ever had 13 GC Grebe on the reserve during December?
Peregrine Trousers
Returning birder after 30 years of hard graft
GWE flew into moors at 07:35 from south
upstarts1979
Well-known member
very difficult Trev. It's hiding in the NE corner behind small islands.
Spoonbill Finder
Well-known member
Smew still on sailing lake mid-morning.
Paul Rhodes
Well-known member
Is the Education Reserve now out of bounds John sorry if I have missed earlier posts.
Paul Rhodes
Well-known member
Marsh Harrier in late 80s took a moorhen Phil, John will know the year on 3rd flash
upstarts1979
Well-known member
Yes Paul it was never really open to birders/togs. Many years ago a few of us were given written permission, but now No Access.B
JohnNest box survey at the Moors
As John Belsey reported on yesterday's work-party, Bob Potter and I drew the much cleaner job of surveying the various nest boxes around the Moors and along the Salwarpe. We found 33 in serviceable condition, comprising 27 boxes of conventional form, 4 of the new treecreeper design, a barn owl box, and a red ceramic globe apparently aimed at wrens.
We looked for nesting material as evidence that they had been used since we spring-cleaned them earlier in the year. Of the conventional boxes 11 had apparently been used, as had the red wren box; the barn owl box had plenty of material but it is currently occupied by squirrels, who presumably brought in the padding; so far no treecreeper box has been occupied (we have yet to inspect the 2 at the Flashes) but we hope that the desired residents will find them and get used to them over the coming months.
Who has been nesting in the conventional boxes? Not surprisingly Tits were seen occupying a couple and we assume they were the main users overall. On only one box was there any sign of an attempt by a bigger bird or rodent to enlarge the entrance hole - and not much at that.
Is there an ideal position for nest boxes? I recently heard a talk by a scientist from Wytham Wood, near Oxford, where, as I am sure you know, they have been carrying out the longest survey of bird behaviour in the world; they have been studying Great Tits for over 60 years and have dozens of nest boxes. The speaker was asked why the birds favoured some boxes rather than others. He replied that he had looked at the 10 most used and the 10 least used, and he couldn't see any pattern or reason. Bob and I, rather less scientifically, thought that the most popular of our boxes were sited at a height of at least 2 metres and faced north or north-west.
If anyone does notice a box being used by birds in the coming breeding season it would be very helpful to hear about it. Obviously we mustn't post details on the forum but if you could let Bob or me know - either in person or by private message - we would be very grateful.
Peter
As John Belsey reported on yesterday's work-party, Bob Potter and I drew the much cleaner job of surveying the various nest boxes around the Moors and along the Salwarpe. We found 33 in serviceable condition, comprising 27 boxes of conventional form, 4 of the new treecreeper design, a barn owl box, and a red ceramic globe apparently aimed at wrens.
We looked for nesting material as evidence that they had been used since we spring-cleaned them earlier in the year. Of the conventional boxes 11 had apparently been used, as had the red wren box; the barn owl box had plenty of material but it is currently occupied by squirrels, who presumably brought in the padding; so far no treecreeper box has been occupied (we have yet to inspect the 2 at the Flashes) but we hope that the desired residents will find them and get used to them over the coming months.
Who has been nesting in the conventional boxes? Not surprisingly Tits were seen occupying a couple and we assume they were the main users overall. On only one box was there any sign of an attempt by a bigger bird or rodent to enlarge the entrance hole - and not much at that.
Is there an ideal position for nest boxes? I recently heard a talk by a scientist from Wytham Wood, near Oxford, where, as I am sure you know, they have been carrying out the longest survey of bird behaviour in the world; they have been studying Great Tits for over 60 years and have dozens of nest boxes. The speaker was asked why the birds favoured some boxes rather than others. He replied that he had looked at the 10 most used and the 10 least used, and he couldn't see any pattern or reason. Bob and I, rather less scientifically, thought that the most popular of our boxes were sited at a height of at least 2 metres and faced north or north-west.
If anyone does notice a box being used by birds in the coming breeding season it would be very helpful to hear about it. Obviously we mustn't post details on the forum but if you could let Bob or me know - either in person or by private message - we would be very grateful.
Peter
Stone Snapper
Warrener till i snuff it
Yes Paul it was never really open to birders/togs. Many years ago a few of us were given written permission, but now No Access.B
Not good for the all dayers then.
