Upton Warren (129 Viewers)

[Phil Andrews]

Grasshopper Warbler at the Moors Pool south of the East Hide as per Carl J.

 

[Julie50]

Warblers!

Warblers everywhere today!

 

[Julie50]

Whitethroats!

There were also a number of whitethroat infront, to the right, of the East Hide. They were moving fast but at least 5!

 

[Phil Andrews]

The Oystercatcher sitting on the Broadmeadow Island have hatched 2 chicks as per Andy P.

Med x BH Gull hybrid at the Flashes as per Dan Northside

 

[upstarts1979]

There were also a number of whitethroat infront, to the right, of the East Hide. They were moving fast but at least 5!

Hi Julie these are reed warblers B john

 

[Phil Andrews]

Some notable sightings from Mike W at the Flashes yesterday evening:

LAPWING
No sign of the brood in the sewage meadow but two newly emerged families - 3 chicks from the bird sitting close to the secondary fox fence to the right of the hide and at least 2 from the bird sitting close to the shingle patch straight out from the hide

John - was it only ever one brood of 4 in the sewage meadow?

AVOCET
After several days of 35 birds being present, numbers have increased again to 37. Amongst the newcomers is a ringed bird - yellow flag with black code "D3" on its left leg and a plain yellow flag on its right leg. Initial investigations by Mike suggest this is a British ringed bird and Mike will obtain fuller details. This is particularly pleasing after the non return of our regular ringed bird, white "64".

 

[Phil Andrews]

Mike has now got a return on the ringed Black-headed Gull sporting white "21L1" that was present at the Flashes on the 6th May 2019:

15/06/2013 - Hosehill Lake, Berkshire (ringed in the nest)
23/06/2013 - Hosehill Lake, Berkshire
24/06/2013 - Hosehill Lake, Berkshire
26/06/2013 - Hosehill Lake, Berkshire
27/06/2013 - Hosehill Lake, Berkshire
28/06/2013 - Hosehill Lake, Berkshire
02/07/2013 - Hosehill Lake, Berkshire
04/07/2013 - Hosehill Lake, Berkshire
05/07/2013 - Hosehill Lake, Berkshire
06/07/2013 - Hosehill Lake, Berkshire
24/06/2014 - Bowling Green Marsh, Topsham, Devon
04/05/2015 - Marsh Lane Nature Reserve, Berkswell, West Midlands
23/10/2015 - Camel Estuary, Cornwall
16/01/2016 - Camel Estuary, Cornwall
13/04/2019 - Marsh Lane Nature Reserve, Berkswell, West Midlands
06/05/2019 - Upton Warren NR, Worcs

 

[Phil Andrews]

Mike has also got a return on the Black-headed Gull sporting white "24N0" (not to be confused with the more regular "24H0"); its another Hosehill bird:

08/06/2014 - Hosehill Lake Gull Island, Berkshire (ringed in the nest)
02/07/2014 - Hosehill Lake LNR, Berkshire
20/07/2016 - Prospect Park, Reading, Berkshire
20/05/2017 - Upton Warren NR, Worcs
17/04/2019 - Upton Warren NR, Worcs
27/04/2019 - Upton Warren NR, Worcs

 

[Phil Andrews]

Black-headed Gull sporting leg ring white 26V7 has proven to be YET another Hosehill bird:

17/06/2017 - Hosehill Lake, Berkshire (ringed in the nest)
19/04/2019 - Upton Warren NR, Worcs

12 different ringed Black-headed Gulls have now been recorded at Upton Warren so far this year; the record was 13 birds in 2016.

 

[Phil Andrews]

From the Moors Pool this morning Andy P reports:

Otter briefly in front of the West Hide, 3 Pochard (2 males + 1 female), 1 Little Ringed Plover

 

[Phil Andrews]

Just to put this week's movement in context:

Sanderling - first record since 28th May 2013
Little Tern - first spring(ish) record since 4th June 2014
Bar-tailed Godwit - first spring record since 26th April 2014
Greenshank - largest spring occurrence since the record equalling flock of 13 on the 10th May 2016
Black Tern - largest spring occurrence since up to 7 birds were present on the 11th/12th May 2016

I will say the next bit really really quietly BUT if the forecast turns out as predicted then the next ten days could be very interesting. From Monday there are a run of warm easterlies up until next weekend with overcast, drizzly conditions from Saturday through to Tuesday with the wind remaining of an easterly persuasion which should ground birds on the move. This will bring us into the window of passage from the likes of Temminck's Stint, Wood Sandpiper and Red-necked Phalarope amongst others; for once it looks like spring passage wont have finished at the end of April!

 

[Phil Andrews]

From the Flashes this morning Dave J reports:

38 Avocet, Common Sandpiper, Mediterranean Gull (first summer), 4 Little Ringed Plover, 2 Oystercatcher, 7 Shelduck, 4 Shoveler, Gadwall

 

[upstarts1979]

Some notable sightings from Mike W at the Flashes yesterday evening:

LAPWING
No sign of the brood in the sewage meadow but two newly emerged families - 3 chicks from the bird sitting close to the secondary fox fence to the right of the hide and at least 2 from the bird sitting close to the shingle patch straight out from the hide

John - was it only ever one brood of 4 in the sewage meadow?

AVOCET
After several days of 35 birds being present, numbers have increased again to 37. Amongst the newcomers is a ringed bird - yellow flag with black code "D3" on its left leg and a plain yellow flag on its right leg. Initial investigations by Mike suggest this is a British ringed bird and Mike will obtain fuller details. This is particularly pleasing after the non return of our regular ringed bird, white "64".

Lawing
Yes just one brood in meadow...the chicks were down from 3 in the morning to 2 last thing. They were not seen at all on Wednesday. However they reappeared on Thursday having spent the 'lost time' hidden probably in the long grass in front of sewage works. On Friday I was hoping to see them but a no show. The female however was acting as if they were still present, she was chasing off corvids and kept returning to the area where I last saw the chicks.
The brood of 1 seen in southern area of 2nd Flash 4thMay has not been seen subsequently.

 

[upstarts1979]

Just to put this week's movement in context:

Sanderling - first record since 28th May 2013
Little Tern - first spring(ish) record since 4th June 2014
Bar-tailed Godwit - first spring record since 26th April 2014
Greenshank - largest spring occurrence since the record equalling flock of 13 on the 10th May 2016
Black Tern - largest spring occurrence since up to 7 birds were present on the 11th/12th May 2016

I will say the next bit really really quietly BUT if the forecast turns out as predicted then the next ten days could be very interesting. From Monday there are a run of warm easterlies up until next weekend with overcast, drizzly conditions from Saturday through to Tuesday with the wind remaining of an easterly persuasion which should ground birds on the move. This will bring us into the window of passage from the likes of Temminck's Stint and Red-necked Phalarope amongst others; for once it looks like spring passage wont have finished at the end of April!

It would be nice to have a 'classic May' for spring migrants:t:

Phil could you post the weather maps for last Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday...it would be worth keeping it for posterity as well as for future predictions.
For those interested in Migration
Its important to look further afield regarding the weather ie Europe and around UK ...locally weather is important ie heavy persistant rain but its more about where the birds set off from in the first instance. If the conditions are correct ,( right time of year good trailing southerly winds and plumage in good condition with plenty of body fat) they migrate. In the case of waders they probably set off from west Africa. They set off along the east Atlantic flyway heading north to Greenland, Arctic and Northern Europe. If the weather is good they could probably fly for a few days none stop (especially Bar T Godwit) . If the weather changes they can be thrown off course and if they are over the UK and heavy rain occurs generally in the morning they will be forced down. There must have been literally thousands of birds passing over involving mostly estuarine species moving through western Europe on a broad front.
These conditions could occur in a weeks time and nothing happens . Its all about when the birds are migrating. This years 'fall' is later than other years..when Mid to late April is the time for these classic falls to occur.
Either way these times are few and far between and its what gets us out at the crack of dawn ( unless you are looking after Grandkids in my case). It really is an exciting event and one to be witnessed in the field.
Oh well theres always next year 8-P

 

[Julie50]

Hi Sorry I thought they were whitethroat, this one looks like one. But on second look, looks like a reed!

 

[wheatearlp]

Black-headed Gull sporting leg ring white 26V7 has proven to be YET another Hosehill bird:

17/06/2017 - Hosehill Lake, Berkshire (ringed in the nest)
19/04/2019 - Upton Warren NR, Worcs

12 different ringed Black-headed Gulls have now been recorded at Upton Warren so far this year; the record was 13 birds in 2016.

This one is breeding at the Flashes

 

[wheatearlp]

Some notable sightings from Mike W at the Flashes yesterday evening:

LAPWING
No sign of the brood in the sewage meadow but two newly emerged families - 3 chicks from the bird sitting close to the secondary fox fence to the right of the hide and at least 2 from the bird sitting close to the shingle patch straight out from the hide

John - was it only ever one brood of 4 in the sewage meadow?

AVOCET
After several days of 35 birds being present, numbers have increased again to 37. Amongst the newcomers is a ringed bird - yellow flag with black code "D3" on its left leg and a plain yellow flag on its right leg. Initial investigations by Mike suggest this is a British ringed bird and Mike will obtain fuller details. This is particularly pleasing after the non return of our regular ringed bird, white "64".

Only one brood in sewage meadow as far as I know

 

[Phil Andrews]

AVOCET
After several days of 35 birds being present, numbers have increased again to 37. Amongst the newcomers is a ringed bird - yellow flag with black code "D3" on its left leg and a plain yellow flag on its right leg. Initial investigations by Mike suggest this is a British ringed bird and Mike will obtain fuller details. This is particularly pleasing after the non return of our regular ringed bird, white "64".

We have had a very speedy initial response regarding the above colour flagged Avocet.

It was ringed on the 16th June 2018 at Nosterfield LNR, North Yorkshire. It was seen four times at Alkborough Flats, Lincolnshire (a known staging site for Avocet which winter further south in East Anglia where white 64 had also been recorded) and then in early April 2019 it was reported from Goldcliffe Ponds in South Wales.

 

[Peregrine Trousers]

Just to put this week's movement in context:

Sanderling - first record since 28th May 2013
Little Tern - first spring(ish) record since 4th June 2014
Bar-tailed Godwit - first spring record since 26th April 2014
Greenshank - largest spring occurrence since the record equalling flock of 13 on the 10th May 2016
Black Tern - largest spring occurrence since up to 7 birds were present on the 11th/12th May 2016

I will say the next bit really really quietly BUT if the forecast turns out as predicted then the next ten days could be very interesting. From Monday there are a run of warm easterlies up until next weekend with overcast, drizzly conditions from Saturday through to Tuesday with the wind remaining of an easterly persuasion which should ground birds on the move. This will bring us into the window of passage from the likes of Temminck's Stint, Wood Sandpiper and Red-necked Phalarope amongst others; for once it looks like spring passage wont have finished at the end of April!

I recall Sanderling on 18th May 2016

 

[upstarts1979]

Hi Sorry I thought they were whitethroat, this one looks like one. But on second look, looks like a reed!

Another reed warbler Im afraid..reed warblers do have Whitethroats. :t: