Upton Warren (17 Viewers)

3 Wigeon at the Moors Pool this morning as per Gert

Dave J reports 1+ Rock Pipit at the Flashes: one low ➡ South East at 07.45 and then one on deck briefly 08.41 to 08.43 then flew South.

Phil Andrews said:

On reading Paul Bowerman's excellent Severnside Birds website - http://www.severnsidebirds.co.uk/ - one statistic I realised that we have never captured is a comprehensive total for each month of the year. I will pull this together over the next few days but in the meantime do people wish to guess the correct order the 12 months fall in (highest list first)? One guess per person with a small prize for the correct answer.

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My guess Phil
1. May. 2 August 3. April. 4 September. 5 October. 6 March. 7 July. 8 June. 9 November. 10 January. 11 December. 12 February . 😊john

Dave J also reports from the Flashes this morning:

1 Avocet, 3 Green Sandpipers, 3 Wigeon briefly, 15 Meadow Pipit, Redpoll, 2 Redwing, 8 Siskin, 10 Skylark, 4 Swallow.

Strangely after the earliest ever Fieldfare in early September there have been no further reports

At the Moors Pool late morning Dave J had:

3 Wigeon, Gadwall, Pochard, 2 Meadow Pipit, 4 Redpoll, Redwing, 2 Siskin, Coal Tit, Chiffchaff, 2 Mistle Thrush

Seen on moors this morning. Are these some kind of White Fronted x Canada cross? one had a grey bill the other an orange one.

Many thanks
GC.

Visited the Moors and Flashes from 9am till approx 1.30pm today and recorded a total of 38 species.
I started my day by taking nearly an hour to wander along the nature trail and past Arthur's seat - cettis were calling and species seen included male blackcap, long tailed tits, buzzard and jay.
From the East Hide, species included snipe, curlew, wigeon, pochard, teal, shoveller and little grebe. On leaving the hide and approaching the gate near the houses, I was reliably informed that a flock of almost 20 little birds were Siskin.
From Arthur's Hide - kestrel, reed bunting, dunnock.
The Flashes seemed very quiet in comparison. The lone avocet continues to provide another species tick.

GaseousClay your pictures look like

1 - Canada Goose x Greylag Goose
2 - Greylag Goose x Lesser White Fronted Goose

Here's a link to a web page for Hybrid Geese hope it helps

http://www.gobirding.eu/Photos/HybridGeese.php

Abbeybirder said:

GaseousClay your pictures look like

1 - Canada Goose x Greylag Goose
2 - Greylag Goose x Lesser White Fronted Goose

Here's a link to a web page for Hybrid Geese hope it helps

http://www.gobirding.eu/Photos/HybridGeese.php

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Surely the second bird also has a Canada influence with dark neck and pale cheek?

Just saying what I thought they were going by photographs seen on the net.

I was wondering if there were any sights on the net that cover hybrid birds of all species any help would be great.

Barn Owl this evening at the Flashes as per Craig

Craig had 3 colour ringed 1st winter BHG'S in the roost tonight which had increased to 1750.
1st - white ring TTU5. Polish
2nd -yellow ring ETAR......
3rd -yellow ring 2KXN

Phil Andrews said:

Dave J also reports from the Flashes this morning:

1 Avocet, 3 Green Sandpipers, 3 Wigeon briefly, 15 Meadow Pipit, Redpoll, 2 Redwing, 8 Siskin, 10 Skylark, 4 Swallow.

Strangely after the earliest ever Fieldfare in early September there have been no further reports

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was the fieldfare the earliest to arrive or the last to leave!!:-O

upstarts1979 said:

Craig had 3 colour ringed 1st winter BHG'S in the roost tonight which had increased to 1750.
1st - white ring TTU5. Polish
2nd -yellow ring ETAR......
3rd -yellow ring 2KXN

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1st - white ring TTU5 (Polish scheme http://cr-birding.org/node/2842) - first sighting at Upton Warren
2nd - yellow ring ETAR (Belgium scheme) - first noted by Craig on 04/10/2015
3rd - yellow ring 2KXN (Lee Valley scheme) - first noted by John Sirrett on 07/10/2015

Upping our game

This autumn has seen an exceptional movement of YELLOW-BROWED WARBLERS Phylloscopus inornatus into Britain. The movement commenced in September with huge numbers in the Northern Isles (55+ on one day on Fair Isle, 160+ on one day in the main Shetland archepeligo) followed by further waves along the east coat and "trickled down" of already arrived birds. This is now resulting in records closer to home with sightings in south Wales, Shropshire, Leicestershire, Gloucestershire and yesterday the West Midlands (Willenhall :eek!

Yellow-browed Warbler is a regular autumn migrant to Britain on migration from its breeding grounds in the taiga of north and west Siberia, central Asia and north-west India to their wintering grounds in southern India and south east Asia. The species occurs from late September onwards predominately along the east coast, with several records of over-wintering birds. There are two records for Upton Warren:

8th October 1986 - The Flashes - Steve Whitehouse et al
30th November to 26th December 2003 - Education Reserve - Gordon Greaves

The 1986 record was the first for both the county and the West Midlands region, and formed part of a large national influx on the east coast and the Isles of Scilly. The bird was located by call in the trees below the transmitter masts to the south of the Flashes, remaining present for several hours before departing east, flying over the third Flash as it did so. The 2003 record was the county’s fourth; Andy Warr's excellent photo is attached below. It was originally located by call in willows along the River Salwarpe and remained for a further 26 days, frequenting both its original location and, later in December, an area of birch and willow in the Education Reserve. The increased birding activity in the Education Reserve during this time also produced records of birds such as Woodcock and Treecreeper that may otherwise have gone unrecorded. The annual report for the West Midland Bird Club stated that the bird was present until the 27th December.

The description that accompanied the 1986 bird in the West Midland Bird Club Annual Report No.53 (1986) was as follows:

“First detected by its distinctive ‘tsill-eep’ call, this bird spent the afternoon in a fairly thick hawthorn hedgerow and adjoining oak trees. A tiny and compact phylloscopus warbler with a short, fine bill and fawn coloured legs. Upperparts were a bright greeny base colour with a yellowish hue. Broad creamy wing bars were formed by pale tips to the greater coverts, with a secondary, smaller wing bar along the tips of the median coverts visible on at least one wing. Remiges and retrices bright greeny coloured with a yellowish tinge. Underparts silvery white with a strong yellow wash, especially on sides of breast and throat. Crown bright greenish, but no paler crown strip visible. Slim but bold dark line through eye, bordered above by a bold and fairly long, creamy supercilium. Ear coverts greenish grey. Eye dark. The bird was seen to hover once or twice and was quite active when visible, but remained concealed in hedge and oak canopy for quite long periods”.

In terms of the West Midlands region records are broken down as follows:

Worcestershire - 7 (most recently March 2015 at Sedgeberrow sewage works)
Warwickshire - 2
West Midlands - 6
Staffordshire - 9

With decent numbers of Chiffchaff still on the reserve and several large roving parties of mixed tit species it is well worth checking through every small bird flitting around and keeping an ear open for the distinctive call.

John reports from the Flashes this morning:

Male Stonechat, Yellowhammer, 5 Redpoll, 6 Raven (4 high flyers and 2 residents), 3 Grey Wagtail, 2 Skylark, Meadow Pipit, 2 Cetti's Warblers singing, Water Rail, 2 Green Sandpiper, 15 Curlew, 1 lonely Avocet.

Also 6 Swallows through

First hour today from Moors car park to was hide via North Moors - Siskin 20-25, Goldcrest, Song Thrush, Raven, two singing Cetti's, Meadow Pipit and 11 Skylarks heading north. On Moors so far Shoveler 96+, Wigeon 1, Snipe 4 & Kingfisher.

Hopefully this link works, someone put a drone up around the mast last week. nearly interesting.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1BMRfuEVIiw

Gull-wise at the Flashes John reports:

Yellow-legged Gull (4th winter), 2 Common Gull (first winter and second winter), 1000 BH Gull, 30 Herring Gull

Thanks to Phill and Abbybirder for the responses re Hybrid geese.