Upton Warren (101 Viewers)

[Phil Andrews]

From the public footpath south of the Moors Pool as part of his daily exercise yesterday Jared reports:

Adult summer Little Gull, Arctic Tern, all 3 hirundines, Reed and Sedge Warblers, Willow Warbler singing in the Education Reserve and a male Yellow Wagtail flew over.

Strictly no access to the reserve still.

 

[Birder Gladys]

old photos.
1 Oak Tree
2 lack of water
3 to much reed

 

[Where Bird]

Old pics

old photos.
1 Oak Tree
2 lack of water
3 to much reed

Thanks Tim for all your old pics. Much appreciated . Any chance of dates for them, particularly this last set. I find them fascinating not only for the subject but for all the "silent witness" info that they provide. Your old seat for example, in an earlier post, showing a very clear pic of the state of the hedge which can be compared with a newer pic.

I did like the perched bird in your reed pic. Did a double take the first thought was that it was a rarity even a vulture from the pose! I guess its a very dark LBBG!

Pic must be pre cattle and resulting fencing and it is interesting to compare the foreground with newer pics. Also from my point of view the apparent changes I can see with regards the sewage works - buildings and hedging. For me all this adds to the history of the site.
Keep up the good work.

Good to follow your tweets - know the area a little.

Stay safe.

Phil E

 

[geoffw1946]

Thanks Tim for all your old pics. Much appreciated . Any chance of dates for them, particularly this last set. I find them fascinating not only for the subject but for all the "silent witness" info that they provide. Your old seat for example, in an earlier post, showing a very clear pic of the state of the hedge which can be compared with a newer pic.

I did like the perched bird in your reed pic. Did a double take the first thought was that it was a rarity even a vulture from the pose! I guess its a very dark LBBG!

Pic must be pre cattle and resulting fencing and it is interesting to compare the foreground with newer pics. Also from my point of view the apparent changes I can see with regards the sewage works - buildings and hedging. For me all this adds to the history of the site.
Keep up the good work.

Good to follow your tweets - know the area a little.

Stay safe.

Phil E

I would say the 3rd picture was taken in Sept. 2012 and it's an Osprey (I bet not many have been seen to land there).
Photo 2 Not much water :- That's how it used to look in the good old days 70's and 80's when there was a 1st and 2nd Flash and plenty of waders.

 

[Where Bird]

Tweets

Following on from the last post I should thanks Tim in particular for keeping this site alive.

With all or many of the regulars tweeting away with their new lockdown patch counts it has been fascinating following them. The wonders of tweeting quickly still elude me. Whilst I have a "modern" mobile I still suffer from finger trouble. Ah well|||:S|

Before this lockdown we were seeing reports of blackcaps at UW. Can't remember the first report but my thought was that it was late compared to those in my garden.
One tweeter mentioned on April the 3rd that reports should be coming in of blackcaps in the area . What I take to be northish of UW.

I know that one or two others have commented on the presence of these birds in the same region.

A surprise for me because far from just arriving in my garden in Worcester in April, the first female blackcap - a regular- was back by 30-12-19 and was still around in January2020
Felt sorry for it -with the weather being so mild the pyracanthus berries were out and eaten by a number of male blackbirds in particular, before she arrived.

The first time I saw the male - a very reclusive and secretive bird was not until 11 02 20. Not to say it wasn't around earlier.
So by April despite me trying to spend more time watching for them they had both apparently moved on. Even wildlife cameras set up on the usual haunts including feeders didn't pick them up.

Changing weather patterns generally, but is there a local north south divide I wonder. In the very old "good old days" I remember one boss taking me to task for not turning up to work because I was snowed in. "No snow here!" he said . A little later on I drove to work, only find that that around the Finstall area the snow was very deep. I did eventually make it into work. He only had to walk down they road. Who couldn't get in because of the snow!!?

Phil E

 

[Where Bird]

Geoff

Thanks Geoff for the Info. Must admit that an osprey didn't really cross my mind. Sept 2012 was about three months before we started to visit The Flashes

https://www.birdsofpooleharbour.co.uk/osprey/osprey-webcams/

The above link was given to me recently and for osprey fans is well worth visiting.
Do read all the info. I'm told between 8 and 10 a.m. is a good time to catch the female on the nest. Not there when I just looked and its raining.

Phil E

 

[Where Bird]

Tim's Osprey

Okay its raining and I don't do gardening in the rain!|=)|

Tim hope you don't mind - took the liberty of running your pic through Elements and cropping it to see what the osprey looked like.

In my defence of not recognising it- it is looking straight at the camera|:$|

For those of you with time on your hands it is worth looking at Tim's original pic to see how many birds you can see and identify. Don't look to me - I can't count and if I had my way birds would come with name tags:eek!:
Phil E

 

[Birder Gladys]

Sorry for not answering sooner. I lifted these old photos from disc's so no idea of dates. I'm only a juvenile at Upton so all photos in the last 11 years.
No problem about altering photos l was pointing out the reed trouble with that pic

 

[Where Bird]

This and That

Thanks Tim - if you're only a juvenile I must be in my infancy ish - only served eight years.

Today is my rest day a day of sitting down. Been wandering around the tweeters again.
The only real link with UW I guess are the smallish birds that can be found there all appear in my garden. The more common ones!!

For Andy P who shares the same skies as me just caught up with your tweets again. Going back a little you mentioned seeing a house sparrow in your garden. Come past my house and listen .The sound of chattering sparrows and munching beaks is loud enough normally and in these quiet times absolutely deafening.

As for longtailed tits you asked where they are. In my garden in small visiting marauding flocks eating and admiring themselves - see pics

Pics of the male and female blackcap also. All these pics were taken mid Feb2018 when I had more time. Today its grab shots just to record I have seen them. Have had the pleasure of most birds, with the exception of the blackcaps, bring their young to visit. The Longtailed tits visited last week.

Thanks for tweeting what you see overhead. I do see much of these but only fleetingly so its nice to see them identified. The jungle- sorry garden- is taking all my time. Suppose I could fit one of those energetic cameras on the top of my head while I'm working.

Size is always relative and I'm not always sure what I see but from my garden I noted a large gull LBBG or GBG in the vicinity of the old Barbourne Brewery recently. And when its there and the light is good I can see that BoP clearly albeit very distant.

And finally might be tempted out to see those whitethroats in particular.


Regards to all
Phil E

 

[Bob O.]

A few pics

1. The rare bird took longer to show than he expected.
2. The lost channels 2012
3. Old barn before collapse 2014
4 and 5. the Moors.
:t::t::t:

 

[Where Bird]

Richard's friend always brought a smile to my face.|8)|
The 2013 pic of the Moors from the East Hide is stunning and more so because of the light bringing clarity to the water - the foreground island is visible through the water. Interesting also for the reminder how vegetation grows ! Shows how much work has been done by the volunteers to bring it back to a similar level recently

Thanks for posting these Bob.

No prizes but you may all want to indulge in captioning the attached pic. Seen recently near me.
Brings new meaning to the phrase social distancing!

For the technically curious the big blog hanging from the owls - yes there are two back to back - are four bells usually found hanging around the necks of cats!

For anybody who has not yet checked out the Poole Harbour osprey she laid an egg yesterday but with no mate it is thought to be infertile. She may have had a brief mating elsewhere but for the whole story check out the web site. Interesting reading and viewing.

Phi lE

 

[Where Bird]

Happier Days

From the North Moors Hide last year on the 4th May Spring All Dayer|=)|

Phil E

 

[Anguis]

For a selection of webcams try this link

https://birdcams.live/?fbclid=IwAR19AxgLhZKjGKVcpnjpG1eaDC0BN-spDhsBbA-X_yBOGrscXKbc9Fbp5BY

I'm still stuck in this country and longing to be back in Romania

 

[Phil Andrews]

The Spring All-Dayer on Saturday 2nd May in its revised format of concentrating on a list of recorded across the WMBC region produced a very creditable total of 134 species, six more than the combined 2018 total. Clearly more birds would have been added if many of the reservoirs and wetland reserves such as Upton Warren had been accessible and people had been able to get up onto the North Staffs Moors. Here's hoping that the Covid pandemic and associated restrictions will have eased in time for the timetabled Autumn All-dayer on Saturday 5th September to proceed in the usual format.

Please note all information was supplied in confidence; do not enquire about any specific details!

 

[Birder Gladys]

The Spring All-Dayer on Saturday 2nd May in its revised format of concentrating on a list of recorded across the WMBC region produced a very creditable total of 134 species, six more than the combined 2018 total. Clearly more birds would have been added if many of the reservoirs and wetland reserves such as Upton Warren had been accessible and people had been able to get up onto the North Staffs Moors. Here's hoping that the Covid pandemic and associated restrictions will have eased in time for the timetabled Autumn All-dayer on Saturday 5th September to proceed in the usual format.

Please note all information was supplied in confidence; do not enquire about any specific details!

Nice job Phil 👍

 

[Phil Andrews]

The Spring All-Dayer on Saturday 2nd May in its revised format of concentrating on a list of recorded across the WMBC region produced a very creditable total of 134 species, six more than the combined 2018 total. Clearly more birds would have been added if many of the reservoirs and wetland reserves such as Upton Warren had been accessible and people had been able to get up onto the North Staffs Moors. Here's hoping that the Covid pandemic and associated restrictions will have eased in time for the timetabled Autumn All-dayer on Saturday 5th September to proceed in the usual format.

Please note all information was supplied in confidence; do not enquire about any specific details!

Subsequent sightings of Redwing and Greenshank also emerged for Saturday; also a Nightjar which was taken into care the previous day.

 

[Phil Andrews]

Please keep an eye out for colour ringed Common Terns, ringed by the West Midlands Ringing Group at Marsh Lane NR. They have metal BTO on the right leg and a black colour ring with white engraving on the left leg. Even if the code on the ring cannot be read, please report the bird to WMRG.

 

[Sarahrea]

My cousin informs me he spotted an Otter making light work of a Chubb in the brook that runs along side the moors today. Not jealous at all!!!!

 

[Phil Andrews]

For the avoidance of doubt here is the latest update from the Trust as 11th May 2020

"We’d like to thank everyone for respecting the closure of our car parks and nature reserves. Like you, we’ve been taking every opportunity that we can to stay connected to doorstep wildlife - the nature in our gardens and on our local exercise routes. Where it’s been essential to do so our reserves staff and volunteers have been checking our reserves and we’re delighted to report that wildlife seems to be doing well in our absence – with many birds foraging and nesting close to paths that they’d previously have avoided due to human visitors.

Following the announcement by Government on Sunday 10th May, it remains important to maintain social distancing. Coming out of lockdown won’t be easy – either for us or for the wildlife that has now got used to a quieter life. For the Trust and our nature reserves the following is really important.

The health and wellbeing of our staff, volunteers, neighbours and our visitors is of paramount importance. It is not possible to socially distance on many of the paths through our nature reserves.It is important that the wildlife on our nature reserves can be protected once nature reserves are open. More birds than even before, for example, will be nesting close to paths and it is important that they have the opportunity to continue their breeding season undisturbed.

Because of this, we will be taking a phased approach to opening our nature reserves from the end of May. We will announce what the arrangements will be on Tuesday 26th May, following the Bank Holiday weekend. This will give us a chance to ensure that the re-opening of our nature reserves takes into account both the safety of people and our wildlife as well as to have in place the staff and plans to ensure visitors are using the site considerately.

Public footpaths remain open*. Please stick to these paths and observe the social distancing rules at all times.

Thank you for your co-operation."

* Just a reminder that there are no public footpaths on or across the reserve.

As one of just two WWT reserves with hides I think we need to steel ourselves that Upton Warren may be one of the last sites to re-open.

 

[Dick-E-Dipper]

Phil &John)
Will Wardens/Volunteers be able to put out the Tern Rafts, with permission of the Trust. As they are normally put out at the end of May.

With reference to the above, with birds nesting close to footpaths, I have been informed that two pairs of--------`s are nesting close to a public space at Middleton for the first time, and that they also might defer opening for the same reason.

Richard