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Upton Warren (35 Viewers)

Phil Andrews said:
Red-backed Shrike Lanius collurio

A number of visitors today asked about the status of Red-backed Shrike at Upton Warren. Hostorically the species was widespread in Worcestershire in the nineteenth century but last bred in the county on the Malvern Hills in 1962. In modern recording times there have been four records: There have been three records:-

11th September 1966 - male (Paul Hyde)
18th June 1977 - male at the Moors Pool (Arthur Jacobs, Roger Maskew)
3rd October 1999 - juvenile at the Flashes (Jim Roberts et al)
14th September 2015 - female at the Flashes (Phil Wood, Andy Pitt)

Unfortunately little is known about the historic 1966 record. The second sighting and the first since Upton Warren became a reserve, a full spring male, was seen in the field alongside the track to the Moors farm house and barn conversions. The 1999 bird was found during the first work party of the 1999/2000 programme and stayed just the one day, from its discovery at 3:00 pm until dusk, giving just reward to those work party regulars who frequently give up their time to help develop the reserve – in total 40 to 50 birders managed to see the bird. John Belsey’s description of the bird published in The Birds of Upton Warren 1999 was as follows:-

Size: An inch or so bigger and heavier, with a proportionally larger, more rounded head than a nearby Reed Bunting and appearing “bull necked”.
Plumage: Its head was mid-brown with fine crescent markings, more predominately on the forehead (best seen when close to). From a distance a facial mask was apparent, formed by darker brown feathers on the lores and ear coverts. The nape, coverts, mantle and remiges were all fairly uniform mid-brown, liberally scattered with obvious small dark and pale crescents, being more extensive on the wing coverts. The tail was fairly long and frequently cocked, being mid-brown with a brighter base and rump that appeared to have a chestnut wash and darker crescents. The under-parts appeared to be a buffish off-white colour with brown crescents on the upper flanks, the rest appearing uniform and clean. An obvious long, broad white crescent separated the head from the shoulders.
Bare parts: The eyes were dark brown. The bill was dark brown at the tip with a pale yellowish base. At times it fed in a flycatcher fashion, hovering and darting to catch bees and other insects.
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I spoke to Paul Hyde yesterday, I didn't realise he had found that one in 1966. I will ask him next time I see him.
 
Spoonbill Finder said:
Little Stint & 2 Blackwits still at Flashes; also 2 Wheatear in ploughed field above first flash (Trevor J).
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Also at Flashes: mute swan 3 ads, Teal 70, shoveler 50+, these returned soon after the work had finished. Avocet, snipe 3, common sand, water rail, kestrel, peregrine, siskin 2 over, grey wag 2, lesser whitethroat 2, sedge w 2, reed w 2, this evening at the scrub by the bridge was a good gathering of c15 chiffs, goldcrest, blackcap and lesser whitethroat and cetti's w,

MOORS: Little egret, little grebe 12, barnacle, teal 12, gadwall, lapwing 120, snipe 3, little stint from Flashes, siskin 6,
 
Half way through September and the month's list has progressed nicely to 103 species; with a fair wind there is a chance of reaching the 115 species recorded in April. Potential additions in the remaining 15 days include (year ticks in bold):

Shelduck, Pintail, Mandarin Duck, Pochard, Marsh Harrier, Oystercatcher, Golden Plover, Grey Plover, Curlew Sandpiper, Greenshank, Jack Snipe, Med Gull, Yellow-legged Gull, Tawny Owl, Little Owl, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Skylark, Rock Pipit, Redwing, Whinchat, Spotted Flycatcher, House Sparrow, Brambling, Lesser Redpoll, Yellowhammer
 
roost up to 8 o'clock flashes, 1300c BHG,155 large gulls mainly LBBG and juv on the water as we left another 50 to 70 circled above, 1 Baltic gull pointed out to me Thanks, good number of lapwing, 17 Curlew, Avocet, 2 green sand calling.
Sailing pool on the way up 5 grey wagtail on blue and red canoes and a green sand calling on way back.
 
Birder Gladys said:
roost up to 8 o'clock flashes, 1300c BHG,155 large gulls mainly LBBG and juv on the water as we left another 50 to 70 circled above, 1 Baltic gull pointed out to me Thanks, good number of lapwing, 17 Curlew, Avocet, 2 green sand calling.
Sailing pool on the way up 5 grey wagtail on blue and red canoes and a green sand calling on way back.
Click to expand...

Hi Tim - who was with you for the roost?
 
conditions today

At present the winds are NE and seem to be strengthening, mid afternoon it should be raining. Best of luck to anyone going down today.:t:john. don't forget to post or and text your find;)
 
Quiet Day at Upton, some disturbance at the flashes as Trust Volunteers constructed Cattle Pen.

1. Mute Swan 4 Ad. 1 Cygnet on Moors Pool; 2. Canada Goose 200 Moors;3. Greylag Goose - 29 on the Moors Pool and later over the flashes; 4. Mallard ; 5. Gadwall 4 on Moors; 6. Shoveler - 35 on the Moors and later at the Flashes;7. Teal 50+ Flashes; 8. Tufted Duck 2 Sailing Pool + 25 Moors; 9. Coot; 10. Moorhen;
11. Water Rail singles heard Flashes and Moors; 12. Great Crested Grebe -3 Ad + 2 well-developed young at the Sailing Pool: 13. Little Grebe; 14. Cormorant; 15. Grey Heron 6 Moors; 16. Little Egret - 1 catching Dragonflies on the Moors Pool; 17. Pheasant; 18. Buzzard; 19. Sparrowhawk 1 Sailing Pool, 1 Moors; 20. Kestrel;
21. Avocet - 1 adult with injured leg lingering at the Flashes + 5 Migrants; 22. Lapwing 130+;
23. Green Sandpiper - 1 at the Flashes; 24. Snipe 1 Flashes; 25. Curlew - 18 at Flashes;
26. Black-headed Gull - 900 in the Flashes roost; 27. Lesser Black-backed Gull - c20 in the Flashes roost;
28. Herring Gull - 2 in the Flashes roost; 29. Wood Pigeon; 30. Stock Dove; 31. Great Spotted Woodpecker;
32. Pied Wagtail; 33. White Wagtail: 34. Grey Wagtail 2; 35. Meadow Pipit 1 Flashes; 36. Sand Martin 50+ migrating South at Flashes this evening; 37. House Martin; 38. Swallow steady passage of migrating swallows all day; 39. Wheatear 4 Ploughed field behind flashes; 40. Blackbird; 41. Robin; 42. Dunnock; 43. Wren
44. Cetti's Warbler; 45. Sedge Warbler 3 Flashes; 46. Lesser Whitethroat 2 Flashes; 47. Chiffchaff nos
48. Long-tailed Tit; 49. Blue Tit; 50. Great Tit; 51. Starling; 52. Carrion Crow; 53. Raven - three around BBC Towers; 54. Jackdaw; 55. Magpie; 56. Greenfinch10+ Moors Feeders; 57. Bullfinch 2; 58. Linnet; 59. Goldfinch
60. Reed Bunting
 
Cheers for the above John - a far better service than we get from Des ;)

Which side of the reserve was the White Wagtail on - been a bit since we have had an autumn record. Strange that one of the cygnets has disappeared having got to this age.
 
Phil Andrews said:
Cheers for the above John - a far better service than we get from Des ;)

Which side of the reserve was the White Wagtail on - been a bit since we have had an autumn record. Strange that one of the cygnets has disappeared having got to this age.
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On the Flashes at around 17.30: took a couple of poor record shots which I attach. No sign of the Little Stint 10.30-12.15, 17.00-18.20.
 

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With no news for the reserve today, here is a quick update on several notable sightings:

Wheatear
The four birds present yesterday in ploughed fields to the north of the Flashes was the highest count since five were reported at the Flashes on the 2nd August 2010.

Swift
A bird over the Moors Pool on Monday (14th) was the latest since one was seen over the Moors Pool on the 25th September in 2004.

Little Stint
The recent juvenile was present for six days, the longest staying individual since September 2008 when one bird was present at the Flashes for six days and another for eight days.
 
Phil Andrews said:
With no news for the reserve today, here is a quick update on several notable sightings:

Wheatear
The four birds present yesterday in ploughed fields to the north of the Flashes was the highest count since five were reported at the Flashes on the 2nd August 2010.

Swift
A bird over the Moors Pool on Monday (14th) was the latest since one was seen over the Moors Pool on the 25th September in 2004.

Little Stint
The recent juvenile was present for six days, the longest staying individual since September 2008 when one bird was present at the Flashes for six days and another for eight days.
Click to expand...

2 on Monday then, one flew towards the masts over the Hen pool as I 'walked' towards the hide :smoke:
 

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