Upton Warren (130 Viewers)

[Phil Andrews]

Phil,
One for you, a ringed Avocet at the Flashes today. I think the brass ring is '88A' but this as clear as I can get it.:t:

hi Bob
this bird was pointed out to me by Dave Jackson a couple of weeks ago its been named "Dutchy" I think he said it was ringed in Holland, I'm sure Phil can give us its past and resent history.

Hi Bob - I believe this is the regular ringed bird although the white leg ring in now discoloured.

A colour-ringed bird with white ring "64" on its left leg and a gold ring on its right leg was noted from the 30th April 2016, forming one of the breeding pairs. It was originally ringed on the 4th September 2008 in Zwarte Hann, Netherlands. It was subsequently recorded at Blacktoft Sands RSPB, East Yorkshire on the 8th May 2009 and at Halsham, East Yorkshire on the 3rd June 2013 before being recorded at several sites in the Worcestershire in 2014 - Clifton Pits on the 18th, 19th and 22nd April and again in early May, the Moors Pool on the 7th May as well as at Lower Moor during the same period (it could potentially also be the colour-ringed bird distantly observed at Middleton Lakes on the 30th March and 9th April 2014). Last year it was noted on a number of dates from the 7th April and formed half of one of the breeding pairs which hatched four young hatched from the left hand of the first Flash island of which three fledged.

 

[Phil Andrews]

The first 2 hours were spent on the North Moors.
From here I moved to the East hide doing survey work along the east side of Moors. If anyone was on the west side and noticed any warbler activity could you let me know.
North Moors :
Little grebe calling so could be breeding. Water rail. tufted 4. Reed warbler 9. Sedge warbler 3. Cetti's w. chiffchaff 3. Mistle thrush. song thrush 2.

Moors :
GCG. little grebe 2 ads and 2 chicks on Broadmeadow pool. Shoveler 4. Teal pr. Gadwall 6+only 2 chicks. interestingly there are only 3 broods of Mallard numbering 12 birds. If you compare this to one brood of 13 half grown chicks in just 1of the 10 broods st the Flashes, then there is something patently wrong. It's not for me to say but the otter might be putting off breeding birds . With Tufted Duck soon to emerge we will have a clearer picture. Either way there is nothing that can be done.
Oystercatcher 4 ads and 4 ch (2:2). Lapwing 8 -1 still sitting. Snipe. Common tern 6 2 lots of 2 chicks. kestrel.
Green woodpecker. swift 6. swallow 5.
Cetti's 2. Reed warbler 6 east side. treecreeper. as the breeding season progresses so do the appearance of nest rain jays 3 sightings is half of what I have seen all year.
later received news of red kite and common sand.

On paper, with record breaking numbers of Tufted Duck present throughout the spring, it should be bumper breeding season so this species will be good barometer -I take it mink can be ruled out as potential culprit?

With respect to Oystercatchers, has the first brood now fledged John?

 

[Phil Andrews]

Early morning update from JTB at the Flashes:

4 Black-tailed Godwit, 5 Little Ringed Plover, 2 Med Gulls (both second summer)

 

[Phil Andrews]

Early morning update from JTB at the Flashes:

4 Black-tailed Godwit, 5 Little Ringed Plover, 2 Med Gulls (both second summer)

A third Med Gull (a full adult summer plumaged bird) has just dropped in to make three birds.

 

[wheatearlp]

With respect to Oystercatchers, has the first brood now fledged John?

On Thursday four Oyks briefly circled flashes and headed back to Moors. I took this to be the family party from Moors.

 

[binus1963]

thoughts on things

the otter i saw thursday was causing absolute havoc it was working its way along the edge of the reed bed and actually going inside, the ducks/coots were very edgy and were spooked 4/5 times with no sigh of any reason why. also i presumed you new about the two meds as i photographed them same day.also i'm assuming the second pic is a water vole but not 100% taken last weekend.

 

[Phil Andrews]

the otter i saw thursday was causing absolute havoc it was working its way along the edge of the reed bed and actually going inside, the ducks/coots were very edgy and were spooked 4/5 times with no sigh of any reason why. also i presumed you new about the two meds as i photographed them same day.also i'm assuming the second pic is a water vole but not 100% taken last weekend.

With ears like that I would say Brown Rat

 

[binus1963]

With ears like that I would say Brown Rat

it was cropped a bit but the nose looked quite blunt maybe just the angle.

 

[upstarts1979]

On paper, with record breaking numbers of Tufted Duck present throughout the spring, it should be bumper breeding season so this species will be good barometer -I take it mink can be ruled out as potential culprit?

With respect to Oystercatchers, has the first brood now fledged John?

The Oystercatcher chicks are now 36 days old and can fly. But not yet fully fledged.

 

[upstarts1979]

A very early 5.30 am Start.
Water level is looking good at 0.45 but this is still a bit lower than we would ideally want.


Not really expecting any migrants I concentrated on mapping out the Avocet breeding zones. There were 8 broods totalling 20 chicks 7th.
Today there were 9 broods. The 9th brood hatched in meadow 1 chick but female is incubating the rest of the clutch. Th8th brood hatched in meadow on 7th 3 chicks have moved to the 2nd Flash east shore right of Oak tree. Unfortunately only 2 chicks survived the journey. That leaves 3 along the meadow/ gully shoreline. The other 4 broods are in the saucer and delta.
The Lapwings are doing well all 4 are now flying in the delta..this is not that common for all chicks to fledge. The 2 singles in meadow are both flying but still protected by parents. The 3 other meadow birds moved to the area just left of Oak tree. This is an ideal muddy zone for chick rearing. Although I didn't see any u young my experience of watching adults reaction gives me no doubt that young are there. All these 4 broods are 43-41 days old. They should all be safe fingers crossed. One of the 3 new chicks seen last week still survives along 3rd Flash and is 9 days old. It has hardly grown since last week and the first 3 weeks are critical to its survival. Another brood should hatch anytime in the meadow.
Oystercatcher chick is doing well. Redshank should hatch within next 2 days hopefully.

Migrants an adult Med Gull dropped in early morning joining the 2 x2nd summers. Still 4 Blackwits. 4 teal. Swift 80plus.

10 gadwall flew out of the 3rd Flash. All 7 Shelduck chicks and 4 adults. 4 shoveler didn't see the chicks.
Survey news at least 11male Reed bunting singing or on territory. 3 song thrushes singing.
news on the reed warblers nest that had been exposed on Monday. I lifted the trampled nettles and supported them with cut hawthorn branches. Today I watched the adults perch on the hawthorn prior to taking food to the chicks.

 

[Peregrine Trousers]

news on the reed warblers nest that had been exposed on Monday. I lifted the trampled nettles and supported them with cut hawthorn branches. Today I watched the adults perch on the hawthorn prior to taking food to the chicks.

I saw this happening yesterday with a feed every 5 mins or so

 

[Phil Andrews]

2 Egyptian Geese briefly at the Flashes as per Dave J, the seventh ever record for the reserve.

Also 42 Avocet, 2 Mediterranean Gull (both second summer), 4 Black-tailed Godwit then flew off, 3 LR Plover, 5 Teal.

 

[Phil Andrews]

Dave J further reports on the position with young birds at the Flashes:

19 Avocet in 8 broods (4:4:4:2:2:1:1:1), 6 Lapwing (1:4:1), 8 Shoveler (originally 21), 7 Shelduck, 1 Oystercatcher.

The 4 Black-tailed Godwit returned; now 5 LRP.

 

[Phil Andrews]

Dave J reports from the Moors Pool:

4 Black-tailed Godwit from Flashes, Snipe, 3 Teal, 37+ Common Spotted Orchids

 

[upstarts1979]

From yesterday the Hybrid and proper Med Gull (adult)

 

[Birder Gladys]

Egyptian geese on shingle island moors

 

[Birder Gladys]

lots going on this weekend,good to see so many people enjoying the wildlife.question for next week will the LRP nest survive? Also will the Buzzard hunt so many BHG chicks it won't be able to take off.8-P

 

[Peregrine Trousers]

Any news on the Redshanks?

 

[upstarts1979]

Adult Redshank still hanging around. I hope they hatch pretty soon . I won't be caging any LRP nests until the redshank have hatched .
Tonight at Flashes:
Shoveler fem +13. chicks. 4 curlew came into roost.
The water rail chicks performed well in front of Hen pool all 7 still ok. Please open shutters very quietly otherwise they will spook.

Also 10th brood of Avocet now 22 chicks.
At Moors : on main raft the recent brood of 2 chicks is now 3.
Egyptian goose was my 120th species of the year.

 

[Peregrine Trousers]

A brief early morning visit to check out the Redshanks...but none to be seen...heavy rain probably kept them on nest. LRP nest was abandoned with only 2 eggs and no sitting bird. A pair of Black-Tailed Godwits at Flashes and another pair at Moors (photos). Still 7 Shelduck young.