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Upton Warren (17 Viewers)

A couple of photos from today's visit to the Flashes.
 

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Interim update from JTB at the Moors Pool:

4 Little Egret
3 Pochard
2 Lesser Redpoll
6 Jack Snipe flushed from Broadmeadow area
Chiffchaff singing along the Salwarpe
 
Sorry to be extremely off topic, but you guys seem to know a lot and the Gloucestershire forum seems quite dead...but does anyone know if the Short Eared Owls are still at Hawling? I don't get to get out much and wouldn't want it to be a wasted trip, thanks!
 
Sorry to be extremely off topic, but you guys seem to know a lot and the Gloucestershire forum seems quite dead...but does anyone know if the Short Eared Owls are still at Hawling? I don't get to get out much and wouldn't want it to be a wasted trip, thanks!

Hi Chris I'm not the best outside Worcestershire but I found this on the RSPB
SORRY just noted the date,on that tag not best with net either.
 
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Today's work party at MOORS

The good weather helped the 16 of us complete 2 weeks of work in one.

1. cleared the main Broadmeadow island and the two smaller 'scrape' islands.
2. strimmed part of the promontory including the bramble on the east side. unfortunately the west side will need a more dramatic remedy to control it.
3. cleared the remaining willows in the 'hook' and piled them up to form a scaffold for the large bramble patch close by.
4. placed a tray of shingle on top of the sand martin bank.
5. removed more willows and alders from around the Broadmeadow.
6. cleared more of the river salwarp log jam & removed 100's of plastic bottles.

Thanks to : Bob O, Bob P, Bob R, Charles, Janet, Jim, John C, Jonathon, Paul M, Peter E (welcome back ;)), Peter, Ray C, Terry W, Tony B, Tony H and me

Pics
1. the cleared islands
2. the scrape north
3. the scrape south
4. the sand martin bank with shingle tray in amongst the grass roof
 

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Sorry to be extremely off topic, but you guys seem to know a lot and the Gloucestershire forum seems quite dead...but does anyone know if the Short Eared Owls are still at Hawling? I don't get to get out much and wouldn't want it to be a wasted trip, thanks!

Not sure if anyone is now reporting them, Gloster Birder stopped 6+ weeks ago. Saw them myself on 15th February, can't find anything post 17th February in a brief search on the net.
 
Sorry to be extremely off topic, but you guys seem to know a lot and the Gloucestershire forum seems quite dead...but does anyone know if the Short Eared Owls are still at Hawling? I don't get to get out much and wouldn't want it to be a wasted trip, thanks!

Still there on Sunday March 1st......
 
Birding at the reserve today:
The good weather and 16 degrees made it feel like spring during the day, but the temperature this evening dropped dramatically to 4 degrees. So still a couple of weeks before 'real' spring is here.

Moors:
GCG 5, little grebe 6, greylag 16, cormorant 12, shoveler 38, teal 12, gadwall 4, shelduck 5, pochard 3 males, tufted 55+, water rail 4 calling from different areas, little egret 4, jack snipe 6 - flushed before work started, common snipe 12, oystercatcher 4, lapwing 25, BHG 200, buzzard 4, green woodp, redwing 2, song thrush 2, cettis 2, chiffchaff, reed bunting at least 5 males singing,

North Moors:
Gadwall pr, shoveler pr, teal 5, mallard 2, tufted pr, coot 2, mistle thrush singing,

Sailing Pool: GCG 2 , little grebe, mallard 22, tufted pr, coot 8.

Flashes:
An increase in the BHG's roosting brought in an adult Med Gull. The low water level is slightly low and a lot of mud is now exposed, ready for any early waders.
Little egret - perched on the oak tree by feeding station, Teal 19, mallard 45, shelduck 4, tufted 2, coot 15+, mute swan, avocet 16, lapwing 5 ( a male flight displaying), curlew 20, snipe 8, oystercatcher 2, green sand, BHG 1900 roosted, Med Gull adult roosted,

a,
 
Birding at the reserve today:
The good weather and 16 degrees made it feel like spring during the day, but the temperature this evening dropped dramatically to 4 degrees. So still a couple of weeks before 'real' spring is here.

Moors:
GCG 5, little grebe 6, greylag 16, cormorant 12, shoveler 38, teal 12, gadwall 4, shelduck 5, pochard 3 males, tufted 55+, water rail 4 calling from different areas, little egret 4, jack snipe 6 - flushed before work started, common snipe 12, oystercatcher 4, lapwing 25, BHG 200, buzzard 4, green woodp, redwing 2, song thrush 2, cettis 2, chiffchaff, reed bunting at least 5 males singing,

North Moors:
Gadwall pr, shoveler pr, teal 5, mallard 2, tufted pr, coot 2, mistle thrush singing,

Sailing Pool: GCG 2 , little grebe, mallard 22, tufted pr, coot 8.

Flashes:
An increase in the BHG's roosting brought in an adult Med Gull. The low water level is slightly low and a lot of mud is now exposed, ready for any early waders.
Little egret - perched on the oak tree by feeding station, Teal 19, mallard 45, shelduck 4, tufted 2, coot 15+, mute swan, avocet 16, lapwing 5 ( a male flight displaying), curlew 20, snipe 8, oystercatcher 2, green sand, BHG 1900 roosted, Med Gull adult roosted,

a,

A couple of additions to the Flashes list: Gordon pointed out a peregrine on a transmitter mast, and by the steps Brian and I saw a treecreeper going from the conifers to the oak tree beside the boardwalk.

Peter
 
MOORS WATER LEVEL's

At present the level is slightly higher than it would normally be at this time of year, but only by 2cm.
The main reason for the high level is to ensure that the water table is sufficiently high enough to keep the reed beds 'wet'. Low water was maintained throughout the autumn and winter so that the heavy machinery wouldn't sink, when the rejuvenation work was carried out.
The recent work on the pool island and scrape shingle island has enabled us to maintain higher water , as the islands are now taller.
The small island in front of the east hide was built in 1996 when the water levels were much lower. But now the reeds are much more extensive and require higher water to maintain a good quality of reed. This means that this island will only be exposed at low water in the autumn.

Water levels during early spring are usually at 0.76, but with the new bittern channel we must maintain a higher level. The islands can now cope with this, so bear with us as we are experimenting to see how the new workings 'bed in'.
pic of today's level = 0.78
 

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Tomorrow at the FLASHES!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hi John,
Tomorrow I will be accessing the Flashes to re-install the monitoring equipment – from 11am.
This shouldn’t take long but will undoubtedly cause some disturbance.
I’ll stick a poster up in the hide this afternoon but could you please also post on the bird forum.
Kind regards,
Peter Case
Water and Wetlands Officer

jUST READ THIS, SENT THIS FROM THE TRUSTU
 
Today's highlights:

MOORS:
Little Egret (4)-------------------Barn Owl reported by Steve Poole who saw one fly past Lifestyles at 12.30 pm.
Oystercatcher (4)----------------Snipe (3)
Lapwing (6)----------------------Shelduck (4)
Gadwall (4)----------------------Shoveler (44)
Pochard (3)----------------------Teal (13)
Tufted Duck (36)----------------Cormorant (42)
Little Grebe (4)------------------G C Grebe (4)
Mute Swan (2)-------------------Peregrine
Sparrowhawk--------------------Canada Goose (2) showing characteristics of the race B. c. occidentalis, Dusky Canada Goose.

FLASHES:
Avocet (27)-----------------------Curlew (20)
Snipe (3)--------------------------Oystercatcher (2)
Lapwing (18)----------------------Teal (25)
Shelduck (4)-----------------------Raven (2)
Mute Swan (2)---------------------B H Gull (c1200)

SAILING POOL/ED RES:
Chiffchaff--------------------------G C Grebe (6)
Tufted Duck (10)

NORTH MOORS:
Buzzard (3)------------------------Teal (3)
Mute Swan (2)

Des.
 
Today's highlights:

MOORS:
Little Egret (4)-------------------Barn Owl reported by Steve Poole who saw one fly past Lifestyles at 12.30 pm.
Oystercatcher (4)----------------Snipe (3)
Lapwing (6)----------------------Shelduck (4)
Gadwall (4)----------------------Shoveler (44)
Pochard (3)----------------------Teal (13)
Tufted Duck (36)----------------Cormorant (42)
Little Grebe (4)------------------G C Grebe (4)
Mute Swan (2)-------------------Peregrine
Sparrowhawk--------------------Canada Goose (2) showing characteristics of the race B. c. occidentalis, Dusky Canada Goose.

FLASHES:
Avocet (27)-----------------------Curlew (20)
Snipe (3)--------------------------Oystercatcher (2)
Lapwing (18)----------------------Teal (25)
Shelduck (4)-----------------------Raven (2)
Mute Swan (2)---------------------B H Gull (c1200)

SAILING POOL/ED RES:
Chiffchaff--------------------------G C Grebe (6)
Tufted Duck (10)

NORTH MOORS:
Buzzard (3)------------------------Teal (3)
Mute Swan (2)

Des.

The attached link may help those unfamiliar with this sub species http://www.oceanwanderers.com/CAGO.Subspecies.html
 

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