Upton Warren (96 Viewers)

[upstarts1979]

Maintenance Work Tuesday 6th August

This Tuesday a number of jobs could be carried out .. depending on how many volunteers turn up.
Brush cutting along west track.
Trimming the viewpoint along the west track
Resetting Outlet sluice so just a trickle is flowing.
Please meet at Moors 8.45 ish
Cheers John

 

[wheatearlp]

Pretty much as you were at the Flashes, the only surprise being a Barn Owl that caught prey just to the right of the Flashes hide at about 21.05.

 

[Phil Andrews]

The pair of Little Ringed Plover that have patiently sitting at the Flashes hatched at least 2 young yesterday - hopefully they will be more successful that their brood earlier in the year.

 

[Phil Andrews]

At the Flashes this morning Andy P reports:

6 Little Ringed Plover + 3 chicks now, Wood Sandpiper, 6 Green Sandpiper, 2 Common Sandpiper, Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Dunlin, 27 Avocet, 17 Lapwing, Shelduck juvenile, 2 Little Grebe juveniles, 5 Teal.

 

[Phil Andrews]

Female Redstart at the Flashes as per Andy P.

 

[Phil Andrews]

At the Moors Pool late morning Andy P reports:

Green Sandpiper 3, Common Sandpiper, Lapwing 50, Common Tern, Gadwall 10 (including 6 juveniles), Shoveler 4, Little Grebe 2, Great Crested Grebe, Kingfisher, Sparrowhawk 2, Kestrel.

Coal Tit on the North Moors feeders.

 

[Phil Andrews]

2 Little Egret at the Moors Pool early evening as per Mike W.

 

[Phil Andrews]

From the Flashes early morning JTB reports:

Little Ringed Plover 5 + 3 chicks, Black-tailed Godwit, Green Sandpiper 12 (big influx overnight), Common Sandpiper 3, Dunlin 4, Avocet 32 min, Curlew 15, Wood Sandpiper, Lapwing 91, Teal 6, Shelduck juvenile, Little Grebe.

 

[Phil Andrews]

From the Moors Pool this morning Andy P reports:

1 Green Sanipper, 2 Common Sandpiper, Black-tailed Godwit flew over south (joined the bird at the Flashes), 2 Common Tern, Kingfisher

 

[Phil Andrews]

Wheatear dropped into the Flashes mid morning plus juvenile Redstart in far hedgerow behind the hide.

 

[Burberaj]

Wheatear

Wheatear dropped into the Flashes mid morning plus juvenile Redstart in far hedgerow behind the hide.

Pictures of the Wheatear at The Flashes this morning. Tufted duck with ducklings at The Moors.

 

[Phil Andrews]

Now 3 Redstarts at the Flashes plus House Sparrow.

 

[John Sirrett]

Attached a list of the moths recorded at Upton Warren on 26 July. The Gothic was a new moth for the reserve.

 

[Phil Andrews]

An highly unseasonal immature Goldeneye at the Moors Pool as per Andy P.

 

[Birder Gladys]

just some pics from this evening.
pic 4 . has 5 different Waders beat that.

 

[Phil Andrews]

An highly unseasonal immature Goldeneye at the Moors Pool as per Andy P.

Needless to say this is the first August record of Goldeneye; indeed it is the first record outside of the period October to May.

 

[Phil Andrews]

From the Flashes this morning Des reports:

Wood Sandpiper, Black-tailed Godwit, 4 Dunlin, 5 Green Sands, 3 Common Sandpiper, 2 Little Ringed Plover chicks still.

No sign of the Goldeneye at the Moors Pool.

 

[upstarts1979]

Another full day at the Reserve

At 5am it was still dark due to the overcast rainy conditions.
This scuppered any chance of seeing the Barn Owl.
My first priority was to check that the LRP chicks were all present which they were. At 3 days old they have a long way to go however the lack of juvenile BHG in the saucer/spit area might give them a bit more of a chance.
Waders were seemingly everywhere and especially Green sands. With the water at the limit of 0.4 there were plenty of hidden ditches and shallows to feed in..After cpunting 12 at least, 3 of them got up as a group called and flew off high to the east. The numbers have been augmented by several Juveniles. A blackwit came in from the north continuing the flow of this speciesthrough the reserve this autumn. With heavy showers due I hoped for more migrants and I wasn't to be disappointed. With more dunlin, avocet, common tern, teal, swift, redstart and a wheatear appearing.
In between showers I checked out the scrubby areas between the avocet hide and the archery field. It was very disappointing with very few warblers especially noticeable was the poor showing of blackcap. Normally this species is abundant, if not visible their regular "chacking" is a feature of late summer but I only recorded 3 birds. Song thrush was absent and maybe along with many other garden birds they are keeping their heads down in thick cover as they moult after an arduous breeding season.
More worryingly though is the complete absence of swallows I have only seen one in my last visits.
I also checked the dung heap in the field below the 'left hand mast'. This has become a focal point for many passerines recently drawn in by the insects associating with it. Today at least 2 redstarts were here as well as Lesser whitethroat, chiffchaffs and several un-identified warblers. It might worth checking it out from 9-2pm when the light is favourable. I'm sure we will have a chance of a flycatcher or similar in that area. Another redstart was seen in the near hedgerow.
A juv Wheatear posed on the gate by the 3rd Flash and shortly afterwards it was in front of the hide. It was last seen at 7.45pm again in front of hide.
At 3.15 I received a call from Vic and April stating that someone had told them he had seen a Goldeneye on the Moors pool. Unfortunately it had disappeared when they looked for it. Anyway Andy P went over a bit later on and refound it an immature bird and a first for the spring/ summer at the Reserve. This was my first of the year and a bonus to boot.
I returned to the FLASHES for the roost .
There were many birds arriving to roost or feed as in the case of the duck. Mallard numbers had vadtly grown from the mornings total. It appeared to my eyes thst there was an invertebrate hatch and all the duck species were busy feasting on it. The BHG roost was larger than the previous week. The insect hatch wasn't confined to the 2nd but all 3 Flashes which were swamped by feding gulls and waders as well as the ducks.
I was about to leave on what was a great birding day with 70 species at the Flashes alone, when I noticed a commotion involving BHG and a mallard. The Bhg's were attacking the duck when I noticed the Mallard running off with what looked like a piece of bread. Unfortunately the female LRP's reaction confirmed my concern that this was one of her 3 chicks !!!! Luckily the other 2 escaped and now that it was almost dark they settled under their mom for the night.

SPECIES COUNT FLASHES:-
Little grebe 2 juvs. Greylag 3. Little egret. Grey heron.
Teal 21(many on 3rd Flash mostly hidden behind reeds). Shoveler 12 juvs. Gadwall 4. Mallard 280. Shelduck juv. Tufted 3 ads 3 broods 1:3:1.
Coot 20-22. Moorhen 30-34. Water rail 1st and 3rd Flash.
Avocet 32. Wood Sand (8th day). Green sand 12 (am) 8(pm). Common sand 4. Lapwing 91. Curlew 15. Dunlin 4. LRP 5(3 juvs +2 chicks). Blackwit 2.
Common tern 10 roosted. BHG 540 roosted. LBBG over not allowed to settle by Avocets. Herring Gull.
Peregrine juv. Sparrowhawk. Kestrel. Buzzard ad+juv.
Stock dove 65. Green woodp. Kingfisher. Raven. Jay. Swift 10 south.
Sand martin 3. House martin 50+.
Wheatear. Redstart 3. Grey wag. Pied wag 3.
Starling 40. Lesser whitethroat 2. Whitethroat. Blackcap 3. Reed warbler 5. Cetti's w female calling. Chiffchaff 8.
Greenfinch pr. Goldfinch 35. Linnet 6. Bullfinch
House sparrow called from hedgerow behind hide.
Reed bunting 5+.

SAILING POOL:-
GCG 6. Tufted 2 poss 3 broods.
Common sand.
Common tern 7.

MOORS:-
Goldeneye imm.

 

[Phil Andrews]

2 Black-tailed Godwit at the Flashes early evening plus Redstart as per Andrew Parker

 

[UW82]

Today's highlights:

FLASHES:
Wood Sand----------------Avocet (28)
Dunlin (4)-------------------Green Sand (5)
Common Sand (4)----------LRP (2ad)(3juvs)(2 chicks)
Lapwing (53)----------------Curlew (11)
Black Tailed Godwit (2)-----Shelduck (juv)
Teal (8)----------------------Shoveler (4)
Little Grebe (juv)------------Kestrel
L Whitethroat (MJI)---------Redstart (juv/fem)(MJI)-in the transmitter field hedgerow.
House Martin (c20)

MOORS/N MOORS*
Green Sand (2)--------------Common Sand (2)
Avocet (juv)------------------Common Tern (ad+juv)
Swift (4)----------------------Sparrowhawk (2)
Water Rail (2)----------------Little Grebe (juv)
Cetti's Warbler---------------Coot (56)
Cormorant (5)----------------Tufted Duck-3:2:1 broods
Shoveler (2 juvs)*-----------Little Egret (2)-3 reported.
Gadwall (2m)+ (2f)+ 6 juvs

Des.