Upton Warren (39 Viewers)

Female Goosander still on the Sailing Pool this afternoon for its seventh day as per Phil W.

Will post some stats re long-staying birds tomorrow morning.

From the East Hide at the Moors this afternoon 3 little egret showing well in front of the hide though one flew off to the northern end at one point- got too close to one of the others. Later one appeared to fly into the area near the Concrete Hide.

Couldn't count the skittish blue tits on the West Hide feeder but it and the surrounding bushes were buzzing with them.

Leaving the West Hide I counted 7 curlews in the field between the A38 and the West Track. Redwings definitely and maybe fieldfare in the surrounding bushes along the track earlier showing well despite the poor light.


Snipe showing well on both sides of the new channel near Pool Island though not at the same time. They swopped sides after the buzzard put everything up. Couldn't find a Jack.


As Phil W. said the female goosander was showing well in the open in the area near the main car park.

Female Goosander from this afternoon in one of the sunnier moments
Phil E

From the Moors Pool this morning Dave J reports:

32 Pochard, 2 Gadwall, 24 Shoveler, 2 Curlew, 16 Snipe

Female Goosander still at the Moors Pool as per Dave J

415 Lapwing and 81 Teal at the Flashes (665 and 122 in total across the reserve respectively)

Spent 2 hours on the reserve earlier from 11-1 and saw 41 species.

Highlights were the female Goosander, 2 Jay over the Salwarpe, a good number of Pochard, large flocks of Redwing with only 1 Fieldfare seen and a hunting Sparrowhawk along the path to the West Hide.

By the way, could anyone tell me whether the annual report for last year is avaliable for purchase yet.

Chris

Not yet Chris - apologises to all. Will get off my @r$e and get it finished early in the New Year.

just a couple of hours with the real Birder Gladys don't think she's lost her eye for a photo in capturing the birds and reserve.Here's 5.

Barn Owl and Little Owl at the Flashes late afternoon as pr Andy P.

here's 3 from me.

Today's WeBS counts courtesy of Dave J:

Canada Goose 7, Coot 45, Cormorant 22, Curlew 2, Gadwall 2, Goosander 1, Great Crested Grebe 7, Grey Heron 2, Greylag Goose 57, Kingfisher 1, Lapwing 665, Little Grebe 6, Mallard 56, Moorhen min of 22, Mute Swan 8, Pochard 32, Shoveler 24, Snipe 16, Teal 122, Tufted Duck 28, BH Gull 137, LBB Gull 9

Work party this Tuesday 11th December

This week at the Moors we will try again to cut a section of reeds along the causeway .
Also paint the interior of the new hide
And re route the SE end of the North Moors path.
Please meet from 8.45 at Moors car park.
John

Speaking to both Steve Taylor and Paul Anthony this afternoon I discovered that the Goosander they saw at the Moors Pool last Sunday afternoon was a drake. This means that the female found next morning by Phil Wood on the Sailing Pool was obviously a different bird. It also means that its stay is one day less than previously reported - 7 days at the moment.

Birder Gladys said:

here's 3 from me.

Click to expand...

Good to see you haven't lost your touch Tim!333

On the reserve today Andy P noted:

SAILING POOL
Female Goosander, 3 Little Egret, 4 Great Crested Grebe, Kingfisher.

FLASHES
530 Lapwing, 11 Curlew, 3 Snipe, Green Sandpiper, 48 Teal, 175 Canada Geese, 56 Greylag Geese

MOORS POOL
Nuthatch along the east track, c300 Lapwing, 19 Snipe, 4 Curlew, 28 Pochard, 18 Teal, 11 Shoveler, 2 Gadwall, 2 Little Grebe.

Today's work party Moors

Thanks to all 18 of the Tuesday crew for a brilliant effort.
Alan D. Andy A. Bob G. Bob O. Bob R. Charles. Dave H. Ian J. Jim B. Julie W. Keith M. Kim W. Paul M. Ray C. Roger . Steve S. Tony B and me

We brush-cut the BLOCK A section of the causeway reed bed. The cuttings were raked up on to a large tarpoline and then dragged to the fire.
If we don't cut and then remove the reeds then in a short period willow scrub will encroach and ultimately destroy the reeds as the area dries out.for those that don't know e have a 3year rotational scheme in the reed bed along the causeway. This section was cut 6 years ago so this is the 3rd time it has been cut. Those that were involved 6 years ago will remember how much leaf litter we had to rake out to get down to the water table. This year we were mostly walking in water throughout. Justifying all that toil and sweat that we endured in those trailblazing days.
The new hide and Feeding Station at the North Moors have been in situ for a year or so now. To lessen the disturbance to birds in front of the hide and the feeding station we have re-routed the trail that starts opposite the chestnut tree. It now arcs further to the SE and today we created a dead hedge/ hurdle fence to mark the border of the path. The old route will overgrow with bramble and thorn bushes in time a dense scrubland will form.
The interior of the hide was painted dark brown that should lessen disturbance to birds in front when people move around the hide.
Vis Mig watchpoint...The causeway has proved to be the ideal spot for carrying out Visible Migration during passage times. Unfortunately the willows growing along the North side are impeding the views. Today we coppiced many willows and alders to clear the view. The willows are also drying out the reeds in this area so we killed two birds so to speak. 8-P
We cleared some of the overgrown channel in Swampy bottom (that runs from the causeway to the north end of the main pool.
The hides were cleared out and swept today

Thanks to all the 'cakers' for their goodies Jim, Roger and Paul.
Pictures of the work on my Twitter site:t: john

Today's birding

MOORS:
Little grebe 2-3. Mute swan 2. Shoveler 19. Teal 30. Gadwall 2. Pochard 16+. Tufted 25+. Coot 35ish
Water rail were very vocal either side of causeway.
Snipe 18-20. Curlew. Lapwing 500-600 throughout work party overhead.
Kingfisher. Great sp woodp.
Fieldfare c120. Redwing 80.
Cetti's w 2.
Reed Bunting several along causeway.

NORTH MOORS:
GCG catching plenty of fish

SAILING POOL:
GCG 4. GOOSANDER fem.

Female goosander discovered from East Hide lurking behind an island on the West side. Sorry I don't know the name of the finder. Swam around for a long time late morning and then settled down on the island to preen and sleep. Not disturbed by marauding buzzard which put up the lapwings.

Lunch timeish treated to an aerial spectacle of golden plover - 24 by my pic- which eventually all landed on what was /is Pool Island.Stayed for quite a while but when the lapwings put up again they decided enough was enough and pushed off. Someone else might know in what direction. Thanks to whoever found them.

Little egrets performed well , kingfisher showed well in the promontory reeds if a little small and I found it! Little grebe also showed well. Pochards about and shovelers too but sorry didn't count them.GCG showing well in North Moors Pool. Thanks to Stuart A for pointing out lots of things especially the flight pattern and call of the fieldfares.
Pics later if I can work out how to size them to fit. Brain on under load at moment.
PHil E

Today's highlights:

MOORS/N MOORS*
Pochard (33)------------------Goosander (fem). Appeared late-morning, presumably from the Sailing Pool.
Teal (29) (2)*-----------------Shoveler (18)
Tufted Duck (22)--------------Gadwall (2)
Curlew (1)---------------------Golden Plover (24)Flew in from the east and spent some time on Pool Island before dispersing and leaving altogether after the Lapwings became skittish.
Snipe (2)-----------------------Lapwing (110)
Little Egret (2)-----------------Kingfisher
Cormorant (24)----------------Mute Swan (2)
Water Rail (1)------------------Cetti's Warbler (1)
Little Grebe (4)----------------Herring Gull (2)
G C Grebe (1)*

FLASHES/SAILING POOL*. Contractors finished work at 16.25.
Curlew (11)--------------------Little Owl. Appeared on the dilapidated barn at 16.00 for five minutes.
B H Gull (c180)----------------Greylag Goose (57)*
G C Grebe (6)*----------------Little Egret (6)*. Roosted tonight.

Des.

Barn Owl hunting at the Flashes between 0710 and 0735 as per Clive Lee.