Upton Warren (32 Viewers)

RuberyBlue · Mar 2, 2015

Many thanks for the warm welcome yesterday. A nice relaxed morning with occasional lower back spasms ;-) I can now rest up for 6+months until the next Sunday work parties start. See you all around, although I won't remember any names, except yours Tracey.

Tardebigge Birder · Mar 2, 2015

20 Avocet at the Moors this morning

Janette55 · Mar 2, 2015

Just bought doughnuts for tomorrow's work party. Looking forward to seeing the crew.

Phil Andrews · Mar 2, 2015

Tardebigge Birder said:
20 Avocet at the Moors this morning

The March record count for Avocet is 31 (achieved last year); with such numbers this early in the season, combined with the increased phragmites around the Flashes shoreline and a ban on work to the islands, things could get a little crowded ..... Needless to say the first victims in the squeeze for space will be those less aggressive potential breeding waders such as Lapwing and LRP.

upstarts1979 · Mar 2, 2015

Phil Andrews said:
The March record count for Avocet is 31 (achieved last year); with such numbers this early in the season, combined with the increased phragmites around the Flashes shoreline and a ban on work to the islands, things could get a little crowded ..... Needless to say the first victims in the squeeze for space will be those less aggressive potential breeding waders such as Lapwing and LRP.

Think positive kid, you've had too much sun in Dubai8-P
Nick Barlow on the Flashes has had 21 Curlews this afternoon but only 2 avocets not sure why they are visiting the Moors so much. Maybe peregrine activity.

upstarts1979 · Mar 2, 2015

RuberyBlue said:
Many thanks for the warm welcome yesterday. A nice relaxed morning with occasional lower back spasms ;-) I can now rest up for 6+months until the next Sunday work parties start. See you all around, although I won't remember any names, except yours Tracey.

And that was an easy session yesterday8-P
thanks for helping out Paul B

John

upstarts1979 · Mar 2, 2015

Janette55 said:
Just bought doughnuts for tomorrow's work party. Looking forward to seeing the crew.

got cake but not doughnuts

:eat:
cu Tomoz:t:

Phil Andrews · Mar 2, 2015

upstarts1979 said:
Think positive kid, you've had too much sun in Dubai8-P
Nick Barlow on the Flashes has had 21 Curlews this afternoon but only 2 avocets not sure why they are visiting the Moors so much. Maybe peregrine activity.

Will sadly bet you £50 that LRP will be lost as an attempted breeder within five year unless there is a change in the management of the Flashes :eek!::-C

geoffw1946 · Mar 2, 2015

Phil Andrews said:
The March record count for Avocet is 31 (achieved last year); with such numbers this early in the season, combined with the increased phragmites around the Flashes shoreline and a ban on work to the islands, things could get a little crowded ..... Needless to say the first victims in the squeeze for space will be those less aggressive potential breeding waders such as Lapwing and LRP.

Why wasn't the phragmites cut? I was talking to one of the WWT people some months back (Andy Harris?) who said it was supposed to be cut by the roving volunteers.

wheatearlp · Mar 2, 2015

geoffw1946 said:
Why wasn't the phragmites cut? I was talking to one of the WWT people some months back (Andy Harris?) who said it was supposed to be cut by the roving volunteers.

Geoff - sadly cutting phragmites only serves to invigorate the growth, which is not really what we want. What is needed is a realistic long-term approach to eradicating phragmites across much of the area at the Flashes, especially around the second flash shore-line and to prevent it spreading into and across the field in front of the sewage works. The cattle experiment, whilst having had a very beneficial effect on the grassland areas (no mowing required yesterday|

|) had no effect on the phraggy. EN (or NE?) are reluctant to allow chemical treatment, which leaves excavation as, in my opinion the only viable quickish solution. We could of course leave the reed-bed to its own devices and hope it dries out through lack of management. However this would lead to colonisation by scrub and, eventually, trees - also not desirable. There is a suggestion from EN that lowering the water-levels would help, but I'm not overly convinced unless they have case studies that support this.

upstarts1979 · Mar 2, 2015

Phil Andrews said:
Will sadly bet you £50 that LRP will be lost as an attempted breeder within five year unless there is a change in the management of the Flashes :eek!::-C

I would agree with that though Phil, but its up to the powers that be to get it right. I should think they want the same outcome as we do, but we are a bit less patient, but more enthusiastic than they are. After all it was us that resurrected the place, but we will still be there once we get over this knock back. You never know, with a bit judicious tweaking and a magic wand it could be even better.B

shhh · Mar 2, 2015

wheatearlp said:
Geoff - sadly cutting phragmites only serves to invigorate the growth, which is not really what we want. What is needed is a realistic long-term approach to eradicating phragmites across much of the area at the Flashes, especially around the second flash shore-line and to prevent it spreading into and across the field in front of the sewage works. The cattle experiment, whilst having had a very beneficial effect on the grassland areas (no mowing required yesterday||) had no effect on the phraggy. EN (or NE?) are reluctant to allow chemical treatment, which leaves excavation as, in my opinion the only viable quickish solution. We could of course leave the reed-bed to its own devices and hope it dries out through lack of management. However this would lead to colonisation by scrub and, eventually, trees - also not desirable. There is a suggestion from EN that lowering the water-levels would help, but I'm not overly convinced unless they have case studies that support this.

is there a possibility that cutting and covering the areas with black plastic sheets would be a viable short term option?

i think it's been tried with some success elsewhere

jon

binus1963 · Mar 2, 2015

RuberyBlue said:
Many thanks for the warm welcome yesterday. A nice relaxed morning with occasional lower back spasms ;-) I can now rest up for 6+months until the next Sunday work parties start. See you all around, although I won't remember any names, except yours Tracey.

told you didn't i, welcome aboard see you again down there on less strenuous business. :t:

upstarts1979 · Mar 3, 2015

moors update. little egret 4... avocet 20.

Janette55 · Mar 3, 2015

Another good turnout for another fun work party at The Moors today. We shovelled more shingle and ferried it across the water for island repairs. A flock of 20 avocet circled overhead. Other highlights included 4 little egret and 4 oystercatcher. Also pochard, shelduck, little grebe, great crested grebe and shoveller. A sparrowhawk flushed a flock of snipe out too. All rounded off with cake. Only a couple more work parties to go before the nesting season, but new volunteers are always welcome if you're free next Tuesday.

Bob O. · Mar 3, 2015

Weasel airborne.

This isn't Upton but you have to see this:- http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-31711446
:t::t:

upstarts1979 · Mar 3, 2015

Tuesday work party

Today was the final phase of shingling - Pool island. We moved approx 3 tonnes of shingle and boulders by boat.
The boulders were barrowed (a convoy of 3 wheelbarrows on several journey's) from the NE corner of the North Moors, a feat in itself. The boulders were placed around the west end of the island, to shore up against future erosion. The new shingle was laid on the east section south side (see pic 2).
The willows on the north side of the fox fence were cut back. This is for 2 reasons, 1-to improve the view to the north and 2 most importantly to stop the area drying out. This area was favoured by the Bittern last year but was totally overgrown this year.
Thanks to the 17 of us for a great day.
Bob O, Bob P, Bob R, Charles, Dave H, Janette, Jim, John C, Jonathon, Neil, Paul M, Peter, Ray C, Roger, Terry W, Tony B, and me and Peter E in mind

Pics
1. The east side of 'pool island before shingle laid.
2. After shingle laid
3. The whole pool island
4. view north from east hide, after willows removed
5. cake day before.....no after pics nothing to show:eat:

upstarts1979 · Mar 3, 2015

Birding at the Moors

Janette has mentioned most things so I will just the numbers.

GCG 5, Little grebe 6 (a lot of "trilling"), Cormorant 18, shoveler 38, Teal 20, gadwall 6 (3 pairs), tufted 30, Pochard 9 (6 males), shelduck 10, snipe 25, Oystercatcher 6 ( 2 from Flashes), Avocet 20, Green sand seasonal pool, Raven 2, kingfisher, stock dove, green woodp, cettis w, fieldfare,

upstarts1979 · Mar 3, 2015

Birding at the FLASHES

Stayed with Janette till 6.30pm to do the roost.
The usual 11 curlews were roosting in the 'delta' when another flock of 10 joined them, the recent arriving migrants. It would appear that the 2 flocks are feeding separately. Avocets were prospecting and lapwings semi displaying. A pair of Ravens are nest building in the smallest transmitter mast.
Species count FLASHES:
Teal 47, shoveler pr, shelduck 10 same as Moors, coot 20, Little egret, Curlew 21, lapwing 123, avocet 20, oystercatcher 2, snipe 3, green sand 1 came in 6.28pm, BHG 600 roosted, Kestrel, buzzard 2, raven 2, wood pigeon 450, grey wag roosted in reeds, pied wag 11 over, redwing 3,

wheatearlp · Mar 3, 2015

shhh said:
is there a possibility that cutting and covering the areas with black plastic sheets would be a viable short term option?

i think it's been tried with some success elsewhere

jon

Jon - EN are saying what can and cannot be done with regard to the phragmites. Not sure what their stance may be on this method, but you'd need a couple of acres of black plastic 😱

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