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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Upton Warren (19 Viewers)

Dave J reports from the Moors Pool:

Snipe, Oystercatcher + 4 young (2:2), 4 Gadwall (+ 6 duckling), 2 Teal, 3 Little Grebe (+ 1 young), 6 Common Tern (+ 2 young)

Dave's full WeBS count to follow later.
 
Today's WeBS count courtesy of Dave J (numbers exclude unfledged young):

Mute Swan 4, Greylag Goose 6, Canada Goose 57, Shelduck 7, Gadwall 6, Teal 3, Mallard 128, Shoveler 4, Tufted Duck 100, Cormorant 1, Grey Heron 1, Little Grebe 3, Great Crested Grebe 5, Wate Rail (not counted) , Moorhen min of 15, Coot 110, Oystercatcher 6, Avocet 43, Little Ringed Plover 5, Lapwing 10, Snipe 1, Black-tailed Godwit 1, Redshank 2, Kingfisher, BH Gull 453, LBB Gull 9, Herring Gull 2, Common Tern 6
 
some from yesterday

spent a pleasant few hours looking for the small stuff. 1.fly 2. fly 3.moth 4 no idea 5. no idea.
 

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and some from today

early start turned out nice eventually. 1. moth 2. cetti's 3. blue tit family 4. mothy fly 5. i should know this coz i used to have loads of ladybird books as a kid, it does look good for a spec savers advert though!
 

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early start turned out nice eventually. 1. moth 2. cetti's 3. blue tit family 4. mothy fly 5. i should know this coz i used to have loads of ladybird books as a kid, it does look good for a spec savers advert though!

1 is diamond back moth which migrants from Europe but seems to be in very good numbers as Portland obs are having 400+ a night. and the ladybirds are harlequins as they can be very variable like you say.
 
Tomorrow we will be doing a bit of maintenance along boardwalks ie cutting overhanging vegetation. This will not be done on the approach to the avocet hide for obvious reasons.
We will also be adding a small section of fox fencing to the left of the east hide.
One of the tern rafts needs a bit of attention so we will be in and out as quick as possible.

Reed warbler nest.. I have been told that a reed warblers nest has been exposed at the Flashes. There is a thought that the vegetation has been trampled to aid views. I will be putting some brash by the nest tomorrow - hopefully it won't be too late to save the chicks. If you do see any active nests please keep your distance and don't move any nearby vegetation. It doesn't take much for predators to find it.:t: john
 
Alan H reports at the Moors Pool this morning:

2 Little Egret, 1 Snipe, 2 broods of Oystercatcher

At the Flashes yesterday morning:

Black-tailed Godwit, Redshank (presumably one also sitting but not seen), Oystercatcher (didn't see chick though), 4 LRP, 2 Shelduck plus 7 ducklings, Shoveler(fem) plus 13/16 ducklings, 16 Avocet chicks (4;4;4;2;1;1), 6 Lapwing chicks (4 in front of hide and 2 in front of sewage works).
 
Reed warbler nest.. I have been told that a reed warblers nest has been exposed at the Flashes. There is a thought that the vegetation has been trampled to aid views. I will be putting some brash by the nest tomorrow - hopefully it won't be too late to save the chicks. If you do see any active nests please keep your distance and don't move any nearby vegetation. It doesn't take much for predators to find it.:t: john

To most people it is a no-brainer that you do not thrash around to find nests. However, what chance is there when last nights episode of Springwatch showed 3 or 4 people, plus a camera crew, doing exactly the same looking for Reed Warbler nests to film.
 
Three Med Gulls (2 second summers and 1 first summer) at the Flashes this evening plus Blackwit as per JTB. Full round-up later.
 
Water Rail hide 7th June

First post here and first visit to Upton Warren and the Moors pool with the camera for two hours this evening 1830 - 2030.

Started at the Water Rail hide got in just before the torrential thunder storm. once that had passed we were treated to very busy feeders with Finches galore.

2 Oyster catchers were seen actively flying out behind the hide, returning with food.

At 1930 we had a brief visit to the v shaped perch right in front if us by a Kingfisher, stayed for about 20 seconds before departing to the left, going out of sight at the very far left end of the pool.

A rat was sighted on the stump under the left feeder around 8pm when we moved to the J&A hide.

Not a lot happening there, just the odd sight of 2 rats under the feeder mixing it with a duck and Moor hen.
 

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MOORS this Morning

GCG 2, Little grebe 8 ads + 1 chick, Shelduck pr, teal pr, gadwall 6 + 6 chicks, tufted 35, water rail, mute swan + 5 cygnets, greylag,
Snipe, oystercatcher 3 ads + 1 chick, Lapwing 8 + 1 sitting, common tern 6 + 2 chicks, Buzzard 4, stock dove, great sp woodp 2, swift 6, swallow 4, house martin 3, cetti's w 3, reed warbler 12 - 15 (6 east side), sedge warbler 6 all west side, lesser whitethroat west track singing, whitethroat southern boundary, chiffchaff 4, song thrush, reed bunting 12 -15 territories.
 
Flashes This Evening

Before the storm the channels in front and either side of the hide were dry with the water at about .42 by the time the storm passed it was about .45 and looking excellent.
It was all about waders today. Dave J and myself were trying to work out where each feeding group had bred. The bottom line is that there are 8 broods totalling 20 chicks.
along meadow shore were 4 lots - 1:1:2:3
in the 'saucer' were another 4 - 4:4:4:1(the oldest chick). The 4 lapwing in front of hide are all now flying as are the two singles in the meadow.
The redshank are also still present.
Species count:
Teal male, gadwall male, shelduck 4 + 7 ch, shoveler fem + 13/14 chicks. mallard 80+ 10 broods, tufted 40, greylag 8.
Avocet 42 + 20ch, Oystercatcher 2 + chick, redshank 2, lapwing 12 + 7 chicks min, LRP 4, black tailed godwit .
Med Gulls 3 - 2x 2nd summer + 1st summer.
herring gull, BHG c550 chicks
common tern, stock dove 20, great sp woodp,
cettis w, reed warbler 8, blackcap, chiffchaff 2,
song thrush, linnet 6, greenfinch.
 
I spent an hour or so at the Avocet Hide this morning. Having seen that yesterday's log book had recorded 16 avocet chicks, my mission was to count them, but I only succeeded in counting 14 to include the older one with the rest all looking about the same size. Each of the broods seem to be sticking to their own little territory, and I think I can see from JTB's post that I hadn't scoured the far shore hard enough! The adults were chasing the LRPs and the shelduck young, but I didn't observe any real problems between the avocets and the BHGs. The BHGs were raucous as usual and I was looking out for their prey items, relieved only to observe a fish and no birds.
 
I spent an hour or so at the Avocet Hide this morning. Having seen that yesterday's log book had recorded 16 avocet chicks, my mission was to count them, but I only succeeded in counting 14 to include the older one with the rest all looking about the same size. Each of the broods seem to be sticking to their own little territory, and I think I can see from JTB's post that I hadn't scoured the far shore hard enough! The adults were chasing the LRPs and the shelduck young, but I didn't observe any real problems between the avocets and the BHGs. The BHGs were raucous as usual and I was looking out for their prey items, relieved only to observe a fish and no birds.
Janette I think the avocet chicks have more to fear from adult avocets. With so many pairs this year there was always going to be problems when it came to chick rearing. Most years there was a staggered breeding season. But this year there is going to be a synchronised hatch spread out over a week or so. This is because the birds started breeding very late due to weather and BHG pressure on nest sites. As the water level is low and the prime channels weren't desilted this year there are very few good feeding areas. Therefore there will be a lot of interaction between neighbouring families. Yesterday chicks were stamped on by other adults. So even with more pairs it won't necessarily mean more chicks . In fact it could be the opposite. With these observations we will be able to emphasise to the Trust the importance of them making the right decision on future management of the Flashes. :t:john
 
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Observation of avocets

Janette I think the avocet chicks have more to fear from adult avocets. With so many pairs this year there was always going to be problems when it came to chick rearing. Most years there was a staggered breeding season. But this year there is going to be a synchronised hatch spread out over a week or so. This is because the birds started breeding very late due to weather and BHG pressure on nest sites. As the water level is low and the prime channels weren't desilted this year there are very few good feeding areas. Therefore there will be a lot of interaction between neighbouring families. Yesterday chicks were stamped on by other adults. So even with more pairs it won't necessarily mean more chicks . In fact it could be the opposite. With these observations we will be able to emphasise to the Trust the importance of them making the right decision on future management of the Flashes. :t:john


Thank you John, that's very helpful to know what else to look for on my next visit. Bird behaviour is fascinating! :t:
 
An extended visit today...

North Moors 0630-0730
Greylag (1)
Canada Goose (1 adult plus 12 cygnets on trail at north end...came out of trees!)
Teal (1 pair)
Tufted (1 male)
Heron (1)
Cettis (1)
Chiffchaff (4 or 5 singing)
Sedge Warbler (3)
Reed Warbler (3 singing)
Blackcap
Starling (1)
Song Thrush (1)

Moors 0730-1030
Mute Swan (2 plus 5 cygnets)
Shelduck (2)
Little Grebe (2)
Great Crested Grebe (2)
Coot (75)
Oystercatcher (2)
Lapwing (3)
Snipe (1)
Common Tern (4)
Collared Dove (1)
Kestrel (1)

Flashes 1100-1430
Avocet (35+ and 12 visible chicks)
LRP (3)
BT Godwit (1)
Med Gull (2)
Redshank (1 visible)
Linnet (2)
Water Rail (pair plus 7 chicks)

Link to video of Water Rail
https://mobile.twitter.com/ambrose_andy/status/740557954760511489
 

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