Upton Warren (138 Viewers)

[Phil Andrews]

Habitat management at the Flashes

One "advantage" of so long between visits is that changes are a little more obvious rather than incremental. I left the Flashes today with two main observations.

(1) Overall the water levels were OK given the conditions (another week of weather like this may change that!!). However the lack of dredging in the channels - particularly the "keyhole" on the foreshore and the "delta" to the right of the hide - means that prime feeding areas are either dried out or turned to a thick sludge. Should consent be granted by the Trust / Natural England this now probably requires a mechanical solution rather than doing it by hand.

(2) Our old friend the reedbeds! Views into the third Flash are now totally lost with the two reedbeds virtually meeting at the former beach area between the second and third Flashes. However, of even greater concern was two blocks of reed - not isolated stems - now on the foreshore; one to the left of the hide and the other to the right which is spreading from the secondary fox fence into the delta. Not only will this see the degradation and forthcoming loss of these channels as feeding areas for both passage birds and family parties but it will also create a barrier preventing the viewing of other areas. Again the encroachment has gone too far to attempt to tackle by handle - if chemical treatment is not permitted then again a digger is required to take out a significant chunk of ground to capture all the rhizomes. This may be a bit brutal and ugly and require some reshaping of the foreshore but it will be the old way to remove this over-growing threat.

 

[Phil Andrews]

Please that next Wednesday (27th July) the Trust will be using the East Hide at the Moors Pool between 10 and 12 for a family birdwatching activity and visitors are requested to avoid using the hide during this period.

 

[Phil Andrews]

Late news of a Sandwich Tern at the Moors Pool on the 8th May, an Arctic Tern at the Flashes on the 2nd June and a Red Kite at the Flashes on the 24th June.

 

[John Layj]

Having reached the half-way point of the month the July list has struggled to 77 species (I suspect a number of the commoner species simply haven't been reported). Potential additions for the remainder of the month include (year ticks in bold as always):

Pochard, Little Egret, Cormorant, Red Kite, Pheasant, Ringed Plover, Whimbrel, Ruff, Wood Sandpiper, Common Gull, Yellow-legged Gull, Little Gull, Black Tern, Arctic Tern, Sandwich Tern, Collared Dove, Grey Wagtail, Yellow Wagtail, Stonechat, Whinchat, Wheatear, Mistle Thrush, Lesser Whitethroat, Common Whitethroat, Garden Warbler, Willow Warbler, Treecreeper, Nuthatch, Rook, Jay, Chaffinch, Yellowhammer

Collared Dove at Sailing Centre this evening.

Young LRP doing fine and mother still sitting.

LRP (7 + chick)
Redshank (1 + 3)
Green Sandpiper 5
Common Sandpiper 2

 

[UW82]

Today's highlights

FLASHES:
Green Sand(8)----------------Common Sand (3)
Lapwing (45)------------------Redshank (1) + 3 juvs
Curlew (17)--------------------Avocet (22) + 24 juvs
Oystercatcher (1)-------------LRP (8) inc 4 juvs + 1 chick with three eggs to hatch.
Teal (1)------------------------Shoveler (3)
Shelduck (2 juvs)--------------Sparrowhawk

MOORS:
Gadwall (7)---------------------Shoveler (1)
Little Grebe (2) + 3 chicks-----G C Grebe (2)
Mute Swan (2) + 5 juvs--------Oystercatcher (5)
Lapwing (5)---------------------Coot (150)
Common Tern (8) + 3 young

SAILING POOL :
Common Sand------------------Kestrel
Egyptian Goose (2)

Des.

 

[Phil Andrews]

MOORS:
Gadwall (7)---------------------Shoveler (1)
Little Grebe (2) + 3 chicks-----G C Grebe (2)
Mute Swan (2) + 5 juvs--------Oystercatcher (5)
Lapwing (5)---------------------Coot (150)
Common Tern (8) + 3 young

What was the makeup of the 7 Gadwall Des?

 

[wheatearlp]

What was the makeup of the 7 Gadwall Des?

Apparently they use Clinique 😉

 

[UW82]

What was the makeup of the 7 Gadwall Des?

Ignoring Mike's attempt at humour, it was a family party.

Des.

 

[Phil Andrews]

Ignoring Mike's attempt at humour, it was a family party.

Des.

I always try to although I am concerned by his detailed knowledge on the subject. Wonder if this was "our" family party or from elsewhere?

 

[UW82]

I always try to although I am concerned by his detailed knowledge on the subject. Wonder if this was "our" family party or from elsewhere?

Without one of the birds holding a placard indicating their life history, it's impossible to say. My attempt at humour.

Des. :smoke:

 

[Phil Andrews]

Without one of the birds holding a placard indicating their life history, it's impossible to say. My attempt at humour.

Des. :smoke:

It's about as good as Mike's .......

 

[upstarts1979]

Chris T informs that there is still only 1 LRP chick. other eggs are probably infertile. 1's better than 0:t:

 

[UW82]

It's about as good as Mike's .......

I thought better of you Phil. To be compared with Mike's level of humour is depressing. ��

Des.

 

[wheatearlp]

Chris T informs that there is still only 1 LRP chick. other eggs abandoned. 1's better than 0:t:

Not abandoned, adult still sitting as I type. Whether they're infertile is another matter. Nothing much new to report this evening, the Ringed Plovers had departed before I arrived. Best I can offer is an adult Common Gull in the smallish roost. Kingfisher on both Sailing Pool & Flashes, broods of 1 & 2 Tufted on SP, juv L.Grebe on SP, 18 Curlew on Flashes all else much the same.

 

[israel]

Not abandoned, adult still sitting as I type. Whether they're infertile is another matter. Nothing much new to report this evening, the Ringed Plovers had departed before I arrived. Best I can offer is an adult Common Gull in the smallish roost. Kingfisher on both Sailing Pool & Flashes, broods of 1 & 2 Tufted on SP, juv L.Grebe on SP, 18 Curlew on Flashes all else much the same.

Still sitting on and off when i was there Mike but should have had more hatched young by now.Would love to be wrong.

Chris. T.

 

[wheatearlp]

Still sitting on and off when i was there Mike but should have had more hatched young by now.Would love to be wrong.

Chris. T.

Suspect they're infertile Chris, more than a couple of days between hatchings would be unusual. Fingers crossed but I'm not expecting anything. One advantage is that the chick does regularly go back into the cage when trouble us about 😊

 

[israel]

Suspect they're infertile Chris, more than a couple of days between hatchings would be unusual. Fingers crossed but I'm not expecting anything. One advantage is that the chick does regularly go back into the cage when trouble us about 😊

Agree Mike,when i texted J. T. B. I did use the expression possibly infertile as opposed to abandoded.
Chris.

 

[Phil Andrews]

Not abandoned, adult still sitting as I type. Whether they're infertile is another matter. Nothing much new to report this evening, the Ringed Plovers had departed before I arrived. Best I can offer is an adult Common Gull in the smallish roost. Kingfisher on both Sailing Pool & Flashes, broods of 1 & 2 Tufted on SP, juv L.Grebe on SP, 18 Curlew on Flashes all else much the same.

Other sightings yesterday from the Flashes courtesy of Mike, Paul Rhodes, Trev Jones and Paul Anthony:

8 Green Sand, 5 Common Sand, 50 Lapwing, Redshank + 3 young, Water Rail on second Flash, 2 Ringed Plovers dropped in 4:30ish (looks like they moved on quickly), 900 BH Gull.

2 Egyptian Geese, 113 Canada Geese and 6 Common Tern at the Sailing Pool

 

[Phil Andrews]

One "advantage" of so long between visits is that changes are a little more obvious rather than incremental. I left the Flashes today with two main observations.

(1) Overall the water levels were OK given the conditions (another week of weather like this may change that!!). However the lack of dredging in the channels - particularly the "keyhole" on the foreshore and the "delta" to the right of the hide - means that prime feeding areas are either dried out or turned to a thick sludge. Should consent be granted by the Trust / Natural England this now probably requires a mechanical solution rather than doing it by hand.

(2) Our old friend the reedbeds! Views into the third Flash are now totally lost with the two reedbeds virtually meeting at the former beach area between the second and third Flashes. However, of even greater concern was two blocks of reed - not isolated stems - now on the foreshore; one to the left of the hide and the other to the right which is spreading from the secondary fox fence into the delta. Not only will this see the degradation and forthcoming loss of these channels as feeding areas for both passage birds and family parties but it will also create a barrier preventing the viewing of other areas. Again the encroachment has gone too far to attempt to tackle by handle - if chemical treatment is not permitted then again a digger is required to take out a significant chunk of ground to capture all the rhizomes. This may be a bit brutal and ugly and require some reshaping of the foreshore but it will be the old way to remove this over-growing threat.

Some poor phone photos from Monday to illustrate the above:

Picture 1
The near meeting of established oak tree redhead and the southern second Flash reed-bed (itself only a few years old). Effects are four-fold:
(a) Loss of views into the third Flash - can remembering ticking Long-tailed Duck on this body of water
(b) Loss of wader feeding area - up to a few years ago this used to be the favoured area for Green Sand with often 6 birds feeding along this stretch. Only one wader family (Avocet) uses the large stretch. Perhaps less obvious is the loss in the winter of feeding areas for Common and Jack Snipe who prefer more open ground with juncas; we had some of our lowest Snipe numbers this winter.
(c) Future loss of loafing areas - the third Flash is often used by birds resting up, particularly Lapwing and Curlew. The continued spread of reeds will deprive them of this opportunity.
(d) Loss of breeding areas - the gap between the second and third Flash was a favoured location of Lapwing. Even now birds still attempt on the cut areas, only to be pushing out after a few weeks by the rapidly growing reeds

Picture 2
The newly established reeds just to the left of the hide on the foreshore, threatening the "keyhole" channel and views of the channel left of the hide. This channel affords some of the best, closest views in the West Midlands of feeding waders, including this week the Redshank family whilst at least two Avocet broods regularly frequent this area

Picture 3
The ongoing spread of the southern second Flash reedbed. This has now swamped all the previous areas of sedge and juncas and has jumped the secondary fox fence to threaten the foreshore to the right of the hide, including the "delta". Again this area regularly holds two family parties of Avovet whilst the delta itself previously was another favoured location of Green Sand and Snipe in the autumn; its enclosure by reeds and silting up both leading to its degradation.

I'm not quite sure what can be done about the issue in the first photo if the powers to be are wedded to not using chemical treatment. Cutting seems to only promote future growth the following season, the increasing of the water level has limited effect, the lowering of the water level only provides further opportunities to the extent to expand, grazing has a slight impact on newer growth but comes with a host of management issues and I suspect removal through digging out could damage the balance of water and salinity between the second and third Flashes.

However physical removal through digging out the affected areas remains a real option for the situations shown in the second and third photos but only if the Trust moves swiftly (something it is not renown for) to tackle the problem before it gets too big to handle. It would mean some reshaping of the foreshore but this could be combined with the desilting of channels which could back-fill some of the removed areas.

 

[upstarts1979]

Agree Mike,when i texted J. T. B. I did use the expression possibly infertile as opposed to abandoded.
Chris.

Soz Chris you did , amended original :t: