Upton Warren (13 Viewers)

[Peregrine Trousers]

Not been down for couple of weeks so time to do some hard hours birding...couldn't believe how much stuff has grown and bloomed...especially the fields of rape...overcast and rain for a couple of hours then warmed up with plenty of sun...

Moors 0645-1030 & 1600-1730

Blackcap (1f , 1m)
Cettis (3 or 4 singing)
Chiffchaff (several across the reserve)
GC Grebe (2 + 10 on sailing lake)
Little Egret (2)
Little Grebe (5+)
LRP (2...probably from flahes)
Oystercatcher (6 at 5pm)
Pochard (1m)
Sand Martin (several groups of 20-40)
Shelduck (5)
Shoveler (c35)
Snipe (25+)
Tufted Duck (45+)

Flashes 1100-1600

Avocet (40+)
Curlew (3)
Grey Plover (1)
Little Egret (1)
Med Gull (2)
Red Kite (1 flyover)
Rook (2 in north field)

...6 new for PWC2017

 

[Phil Andrews]

JTB updates early morning from the Flashes:

Grey Plover, adult Med Gull, 2 Curlew, 9 Shelduck, 6 Teal, 40+ Avocet, 6 Oystercatcher, Snipe, Green Sand, 14 Lapwing

 

[Spoonbill Finder]

Male Wheatear for a few minutes at Moors Pool this morning.

 

[Spoonbill Finder]

Swallow at Moors Pool.

 

[Worcestershire Wildlife]

Shooting on adjacent land at the Flashes.

Preventing disturbance at Upton Warren is essential so we have been taking advice from Natural England. The current method of pest control is legal. With the help of our wardens we will be monitoring the situation of both the pest control and the nesting/breeding stages of the birds and will take further action if required.

 

[Worcestershire Wildlife]

Update March 31 Police are now involved and visited the landowner.

 

[Worcestershire Wildlife]

Update March 31 Police are now involved and visited the landowner.

 

[upstarts1979]

Today at Flashes

An early start 6am.
Just about getting light but the dawn chorus was in full flow.
The Grey Plover was feeding in the Meadow but wasn't endearing itself to the breeding Lapwing. Shortly after it spent time near the waters edge, where it continuously called . It did a short fly round and returned to the meadow. At some stage after 7.30am it sneaked off never to be seen again.
Plenty of activity involving breeding birds and especially from the 18 lapwings present. There are at least 6 sitting birds and others scraping and displaying. Avocet continue to be at record numbers and muscelling in on to the BHG islands. As the day warmed up a group of 9 buzzard soared together .
My first blackcap of the year sang in harmony with a cetti's and little grebe at the Hen pool. The latter part of my day was spent in the company of West Mercia Police. Hopefully that situation has now been resolved.

Species Count FLASHES :
Little grebe. Teal 44. Shoveler 8. gadwall 12. Shelduck 9. tufted 6. greylag 4. mute swan pr.
Grey plover. LRP 3. Lapwing 18. Avocet 44. oystercatcher 6 (9 total). Curlew 2. snipe 5. Green sand.
Med Gull 2ads.
Buzzard 9. kestrel. peregrine.
raven 2. rook 12. stock dove c20.
Skylark 3 in North fields. Cetti's Warbler. blackcap 2. chiffchaff 3. Linnet 3. song thrush 3.
Reed bunting 10.

Sailing pool :
GCG 13-14. little grebe pr. gadwall pr.

Phil Dave J had treecreeper today

 

[Spoonbill Finder]

400+ large gulls in the Flashes roost this evening including 1 fine looking adult Yellow Legged Gull. Of the rest about 80% were LBBGs.

 

[Where Bird]

Med Hybrid am at Flashes

Med gull hybrid at Flashes this am. The red eye ring is just visible and the last little bits of white are disappearing from the hood around the eyes.

The proper Med may be having a frustrating love life but this bird is quite happily paired up with a BHG. On all our visits it has been spending a lot of time on the island near the fence to the left of the main hide.
Phil

 

[Where Bird]

Some talk of an odd BHG at Slimbridge today. I think we have better ones than them! Been photographing them for the last four years here and there! Are they really aberrant or hybrid? Serious question and so far I haven't had a suitable explanation.

1 set of "those" BHGs
2 Med with BHG in background
3 Med with black nape less extended. Is that another Med in the background - can't see the tail because of the barbed wire?

For Brian S. if you're reading this - cryptically D.I.Y easy to tighten hand tight - back in business.

Phil

 

[binus1963]

Red Kite over the Flashes as per Phil Wood

i hope tim saw it!!

 

[Birder Gladys]

i hope tim saw it!!

thank you for thinking of me funny thing is I passed Phil on the boardwalk up the Flashes on my way home,you can guess how much I laughed when I saw the forum 1 hour later , today I spent a few mins looking up at the sky, never seen so many BUZZARDS but I will spare you the bad photos.

 

[Phil Andrews]

March closed with a monthly list of 95 and the year list advanced to 103 species.

The list of potential additions in April is long and mouth-watering:

Garganey, Hobby, Osprey, Marsh Harrier, Sandwich Tern, Common Tern, Arctic Tern, Black Tern, Greenshank, Whimbrel, Ruff, Black-tailed Godwit, Bar-tailed Godwit, Sanderling, Turnstone, Common Sandpiper, Wood Sandpiper, House Martin, Swift, Cuckoo, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Yellow Wagtail, Willow Warbler, Reed Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Grasshopper Warbler, Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat, Garden Warbler, Yellowhammer

 

[Phil Andrews]

JTB reports 2 Med Gulls and a new record count of 45 Avocet at the Flashes

 

[Phil Andrews]

Willow Warbler singing at the Sailing Pool as per JTB

 

[Gert Corfield]

Swallow, Sand & House Martin all at Moors

 

[Phil Andrews]

Swallow, Sand & House Martin all at Moors

First House Martin of the year as far as I am aware :t:

 

[Phil Andrews]

JTB updates from the Flashes:

12 Teal, 3 Shoveler, 2 Little Egret, 6 Gadwall, 6 Shelduck, 3 Curlew, 45 Avocet, 3 LR Plover, 10 Snipe, 28 Lapwing

Barnacle Goose at the Moors Pool - the third addition to the year list today

 

[Phil Andrews]

From the Moors Pool Mike W and Dave J report:

Adult Mediterranean Gull briefly, Barnacle Goose, 3 Swallow, 2 House Martin, 2 Willow Warbler, Meadow Pipit, Pochard, Coal Tit, Treecreeper