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

Upton Warren (20 Viewers)

Short visit today to the Flashes. Egyptian Geese not at all fazed by masses of activity on the Sailing Pool and stayed close to the beach with all the kids. Nice to see the Redshank and 3 chicks. Highlight for me were a pair of Lesser Whitethroats on the track down to the Avocet Hide, but not lucky enough to get a photo of those.
 

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Pics from Today at Flashes

Remember I only have a bridge camera.8-P
The shelduck family in Tern raft.
the first brood of tufteds
redshank chicks
 

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6am start at Flashes.
After counting all the chicks I set about looking for migrants but only teal and green sand.
After an hour the female redshank started regularly perching on the roof of the hide and alarming to the chicks. Initially I thought this was to keep an eye on them. But then she dropped down to the ground with the chicks literally up against the hide. Then the chicks moved towards the Fox fence while the female had now gone on to the fence behind the hide. It become obvious that she was leading them out BUT how would they get through 1 inch mesh. We'll however they did it they were soon 'outside'. I was now resigned to the fact that we wouldnt be seeing them again. I had a quick look across the field but no sign. Foxes are always stalking this area as well as crows and magpies so I feared the worse. But a short time later Rob G phoned to say that they were at the top of the mowed transmitter field behind the hide. A few minutes later the female was alarm calling behind the hide. She had brought the chicks back and they on the path to the lower hide. They were trapped and we're trying to get under the hide:eek!: So I thought I would assist by catching them and putting through the downstairs window. Unfortunately they didn't appreciate this and scampered along the boardwalk ooops.
Anyway to cut a long story short, they eventually found there way under the wooden screen fencing through bramble, blackthorn climbed over nettles and then we're confronted by the 'double' fox fencing to the left of the hide. Unfortunately unlike the right side that they went out of this was double meshed and frantically the female was egging them on she was perched on the posts close bu. We could actually see them trying to get through but failing each time. Fearing the worse we were helpless to do anything. But against the odds we saw the grass parting further along on the Flashes side of the fence and yes it was one of the chicks. The female somehow communicated this with her calls and what seemed like an age at last the other 2 chicks got through. Hopefully they will soon be fat enough not to try this again . And why did they do it in the first place.
But all well that ends well:t:

The grass wasn't as free on the other side. Was great watching them, an education. On the way out I saw 2 Great spotted Woodpeckers on the abseiling tower, 3 buzzards and a common tern over the sailing pool if any of that is at all relevant.
 
Dave J reports from the Flashes this morning:

38 Avocet (+ 20 young), 1 Redshank (+ 3 young), 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Curlew, 48 Lapwing, 3 LR Plover, 4 Oystercatcher (+ 1 young), 2 Med Gulls (both second summer), BH x Med Gull hybrid, 2 Shelduck (+ 7 young), 2 Shoveler (+ 13 young), 2 Lesser Whitethroat.

2 Egyptian Geese still on the Sailing Pool
 
Hybrid that Yvonne found

Two second summer Meds

Adult molting med with silver ring
 

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From the Moors Pool Dave J reports:

7 Common Terns + 6 young (2:2:2), Gadwall (+ 2 young), 2 Mute Swans (+ 5 young), 2 Teal, 3 Tufted Duck broods. 105+ Common Spotted Orchids
 
some from a week or two back

blue tit fledgling, cetti's parent, redshank, lapwing and the bhg.
 

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a short visit this aft

just had a pleasant few hours up flashes great to catch up with the redshanks, sorry to end on a sad note though, tim still hasn't seen a red kite!!
 

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6am start at Flashes.
After counting all the chicks I set about looking for migrants but only teal and green sand.
After an hour the female redshank started regularly perching on the roof of the hide and alarming to the chicks. Initially I thought this was to keep an eye on them. But then she dropped down to the ground with the chicks literally up against the hide. Then the chicks moved towards the Fox fence while the female had now gone on to the fence behind the hide. It become obvious that she was leading them out BUT how would they get through 1 inch mesh. We'll however they did it they were soon 'outside'. I was now resigned to the fact that we wouldnt be seeing them again. I had a quick look across the field but no sign. Foxes are always stalking this area as well as crows and magpies so I feared the worse. But a short time later Rob G phoned to say that they were at the top of the mowed transmitter field behind the hide. A few minutes later the female was alarm calling behind the hide. She had brought the chicks back and they on the path to the lower hide. They were trapped and we're trying to get under the hide:eek!: So I thought I would assist by catching them and putting through the downstairs window. Unfortunately they didn't appreciate this and scampered along the boardwalk ooops.
Anyway to cut a long story short, they eventually found there way under the wooden screen fencing through bramble, blackthorn climbed over nettles and then we're confronted by the 'double' fox fencing to the left of the hide. Unfortunately unlike the right side that they went out of this was double meshed and frantically the female was egging them on, while she was perched on the posts close by. We could actually see them trying to get through but failing each time. Fearing the worse we were helpless to do anything. But against the odds we saw the grass parting further along on the Flashes side of the fence and yes it was one of the chicks. The female somehow communicated this with her calls and what seemed like an age but eventually the other 2 chicks got through. Hopefully they will soon be too fat not to try this again . And why did they do it in the first place??
But all well that ends well:t:

Rob Guest's pic of just how far the redshank chicks went yesterday morning. The grass definitely wasn't green on the other side of the ' fox-fence'
 

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just had a pleasant few hours up flashes great to catch up with the redshanks, sorry to end on a sad note though, tim still hasn't seen a red kite!!
I must point out that I haven't seen a Red Kite at Upton this year:-C and I'm not bitter in any way8-P .
This afternoon Sailing pool. Egyptian goose 2( 1 flew to the flashes) Common tern 2, Kingfisher.
Flashes. Finally seen the Redshank chicks with adult flying over to the transmitter field,Avocets,LRPs,common sand, Kesteral,Buzzard putting up the BHG's,Med Gulls.
Photos 1 Egyptian kite ;) 2 Chiff Kite ;) 3 Red Kite chick ;) 4&5 Red Kite shank in field :-O
 

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Matt (fuzeare) has just had a Red kite fly east over the Flashes. Also all 3 Redshank chicks ok

...it was flying west...away over the transmitter field and Webbs:t:....and new for my PWC!!

...other stuff around at flashes this morning...

Sparrowhawk very high heading east!
3 Ravens, 85 lapwing, 3 LRP, 1 Egyptian (1 still on sailing pool), 3 Oycs (1 young), 2 Meds

...got some photos of Med taking off from having had a morning wash....it shakes it head that much that its head appears to be on upside down in one of the photos...
 

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Tuesday work party

Tomorrow we will continue maintenance on the paths and tracks.
Also we will be going out on to the Moors pool. The anchor on one of the rafts has come loose and we will be going out to repair it. Hopefully this should be sorted by 10 am. Sorry for any inconvenience.
 
Moors today

Generally quiet a few warblers singing and more feeding young. The common terns were doing well. The oldest chicks are both flying withe 4 other chicks growing well. Another bird is sitting. A hobby was mobbed by the terns as it hunted dragonflies. The family of 4 Oystercatcher were joined by 4 adults. Two lapwing 1 a juv were the only other waders present.
Broods of tufteds were up to 6 with 1-8. young numbering 29. in all. Three otters flushed the waterfowl to the southern end. Counts were gadwall 3. mallard 120 tufted 37 adults. coot 130+ chicks. little grebe 8. GCG 3. .
Also kingfisher . Green woodpecker juv.
8 Swift dropped in to drink ahead of the rain clouds. Sand martin 4. starling 11
 
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North Moors

Heard little grebe last two visits so checked out for any sign of breeding - no sight or sound. A few reed warblers singing and others feeding young. Two broods of coot (1 in seasonal pool).
counts: Mallard 12. coot 6. raven. nuthatch. Cetti's Warbler. reed warbler 7. sedge warbler. blackcap. chiffchaff 3. bullfinch. Reed bunting 2.
 

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