Upton Warren (2 Viewers)

[luckyosprey4]

Theres a Great White Egret at Sandwell Valleys Swan Pool, just thought I'd let you all know.

Chris

 

[Phil Andrews]

Theres a Great White Egret at Sandwell Valleys Swan Pool, just thought I'd let you all know.

Chris

Can you please shoo it down to Upton Chris?

 

[luckyosprey4]

Can you please shoo it down to Upton Chris?

I will try Phil but I think the boats going about on the lake will provide a better service than what I can!!!

 

[upstarts1979]

Another Med Gull at The Flahes this evening, when JR49 found a 1st winter bird at 6.15pm
B John

 

[upstarts1979]

mowing at the Flashes and the impact on Shovelers

Thursday 4th Oct and possibly Friday (5th), there will be mowing of the wetter areas around the Flashes. Unfortunately this will cause most if not all the birds to vacate the Flashes. I will try and find out from Neil (the contractor) what time he plans to start and finish. Weather permitting, the same will occur on Friday, as soon as I hear more details I will let you know. If anyone goes to the Moors, could you specifically count the shovelers. The reason for this is : I am currently assessing the impact on this species, of disturbance from, cattle grazers incursions, insect trap inspection, mowing and work party's,etc.
This species is very susceptible to any disturbance and not too many years ago numbers on the Moors reached national importance (which is 1% of the UK winter population, this being 120 birds). However those totals have not been reached for a while. We are not sure if it is mostly as a result of a decline in its food supply or other factors. During September and October the birds traditionally would roost at the Moors during the day and fly to the flashes each evening to feed. From November the food supply at the Flashes diminishes and the flock then stay all day at the Moors. Here they would stir up their food in large tight gyrating flocks. This spectacle has sadly declined over recent years and we are trying to work out why?
All the monitoring of their totals goes towards solving the mystery. The totals this year are heading in the right direction, so to get a fuller picture, numbers need to be monitored daily. Thanks in anticipation of your help.B John

 

[upstarts1979]

Mowing Times

The mowing will start at 9am tomorrow Thursday and finish at 5pm. The rationale being (from the Trust) is to improve the wader habitat and improve viewing from the hides.

 

[rollingthunder]

Nice shot of the Kingfisher, looks like a juv/1w (dark breast band).

If anybody from Stourbridge is interested there is an Ad-type Barnacle Goose:eek!: on the pool @ Mary Stevens Park in with Ca250 Canada Geese - looks OK, presume the same bird as reported at Withymoor/Lakeside a week or so ago......

Laurie:t:

 

[John Sirrett]

The 1w Med Gull JR spotted coming in tonight had a single metal ring on its right leg, not one that could be read unless you had the bird in the hand. I thought most Meds were colour ringed these days? MJI thought it might be the bird that was at Earleswood last night.

Of interest around the reserve today two late migrants. A Sand Martin and a Reed Warbler both on the flashes. A roost of 70 Pied Wagtails also on the flashes.

Around the Canoe Pond feeders this morning a Coal Tit, and feeding on the adjacent elder berries a 2 male and fem/imm Blackcap. Also a Lesser Redpoll there, and 4 more around the Moors. Logged 61 species in all.

JS

 

[Phil Andrews]

The 1w Med Gull JR spotted coming in tonight had a single metal ring on its right leg, not one that could be read unless you had the bird in the hand. I thought most Meds were colour ringed these days? MJI thought it might be the bird that was at Earleswood last night.

Of interest around the reserve today two late migrants. A Sand Martin and a Reed Warbler both on the flashes. A roost of 70 Pied Wagtails also on the flashes.

Around the Canoe Pond feeders this morning a Coal Tit, and feeding on the adjacent elder berries a 2 male and fem/imm Blackcap. Also a Lesser Redpoll there, and 4 more around the Moors. Logged 61 species in all.

JS

Some good sightings there John - cant recall the Pied Wag roost reaching those sorts of levels for a good number of years but they seem to have had a decent breeding season given the frequency that juveniles have been sighted.

 

[upstarts1979]

The 1w Med Gull JR spotted coming in tonight had a single metal ring on its right leg, not one that could be read unless you had the bird in the hand. I thought most Meds were colour ringed these days? MJI thought it might be the bird that was at Earleswood last night.

Of interest around the reserve today two late migrants. A Sand Martin and a Reed Warbler both on the flashes. A roost of 70 Pied Wagtails also on the flashes.

Around the Canoe Pond feeders this morning a Coal Tit, and feeding on the adjacent elder berries a 2 male and fem/imm Blackcap. Also a Lesser Redpoll there, and 4 more around the Moors. Logged 61 species in all.

JS

Hi John
Interesting about the pied wags on sunday they were at 12/15, Yesterday 20+ .
What numbers of BHG roosted
B John

 

[Phil Andrews]

Hi John
Interesting about the pied wags on sunday they were at 12/15, Yesterday 20+ .
What numbers of BHG roosted
B John

These numbers are still significantly short of the reserve's record count of Pied Wagtail; taken from The Birds of Upton Warren opus:

"The maximum count for the reserve was 300 birds roosting at the Moors in late September 1991, whilst 250 birds were recorded on dates in both 1987 and 1988 in similar roost situations."

 

[upstarts1979]

Jay's

Several posts on the Norfolk thread have mentioned seeing lots of Jays especially on the coast. The posts are inferring or at least hinting that these are migrants|:S|
There has been an influx at upton recently as well, but I personally think they are just moving out of the woods for the winter rather than a miss influx from Europe. Any thoughts:smoke:

 

[steve_zodiac]

When I was walking back to the car park lastnight there were a few bats flying near the end of the boardwalk. Any idea what species these might have been?

 

[John Sirrett]

Tonight BH Gull Roost - JR recond that it was the biggest roost he had seen this year with to quote him "well over 1000 gulls"

JS

 

[Phil Andrews]

Several posts on the Norfolk thread have mentioned seeing lots of Jays especially on the coast. The posts are inferring or at least hinting that these are migrants|:S|
There has been an influx at upton recently as well, but I personally think they are just moving out of the woods for the winter rather than a miss influx from Europe. Any thoughts:smoke:

I was two singles on Monday after which isnt much to get excited about number wise but they were flying much higher than Jays I normally encounter at Upton.

 

[steve_zodiac]

There were a few Jays on Walton hill tonight, more than usual.

 

[upstarts1979]

poss yellow legged gull

This species is not as straight forward as some people claim. Yesterday I picked up a dark Herring gull type bird amongst a small number of large gulls. I personally think it was a Yellow legged gull, but there was a lot going on so I thought I would post it on here tonight.
a series of pretty rank pics showing it in different lights and angles.
It was always at least 2 shades darker than all the Herring gulls close by and mid way between these and the LBBG's. There are pale LBBG (and integrades of graellsii and intermedius ) and dark Herrings (Argenteus), so it is really a mine field.
Pic 1. shows bog standard Herring and LBBG the bird in question is above the greylag
pic 2 the bird is in front of the 2 LBBG
pic 3. shows a LBBG with pinkish legs
pic 4. shows the birds greyish/yellow legs.
The variation in large gulls is phenomenal and a minefield trying to split all the races/species. To think there were no more than 30 large gulls on show.

 

[Phil Andrews]

John - I believe this is the same bird that I had at the Moors Pool on the afternoon of Saturday 15th September; the mantle shade looked good at the time but I was thrown by the mucky yellowy / greyish / greenish leg colour and worried by the extent of streaking on the nape.

 

[midlands birder]

This species is not as straight forward as some people claim. Yesterday I picked up a dark Herring gull type bird amongst a small number of large gulls. I personally think it was a Yellow legged gull, but there was a lot going on so I thought I would post it on here tonight.
a series of pretty rank pics showing it in different lights and angles.
It was always at least 2 shades darker than all the Herring gulls close by and mid way between these and the LBBG's. There are pale LBBG (and integrades of graellsii and intermedius ) and dark Herrings (Argenteus), so it is really a mine field.
Pic 1. shows bog standard Herring and LBBG the bird in question is above the greylag
pic 2 the bird is in front of the 2 LBBG
pic 3. shows a LBBG with pinkish legs
pic 4. shows the birds greyish/yellow legs.
The variation in large gulls is phenomenal and a minefield trying to split all the races/species. To think there were no more than 30 large gulls on show.

Would agree the mantle shade looks good for the species from the pics with both LBBG and H Gull in (Closer to H gull in shade than LBBG). Is this an acurate representation of the bird in the field john?
The grey/yellow legs, and the streaked head/nape would all show signs of imaturity, but ive never seen a YLG with such dense head streaking at this age (4cy?).
Also, the bill doesnt look heavy enough for me..
Just my opinions
Nots sure which way to sway:smoke:
MB

 

[Phil Andrews]

Nots sure which way to sway:smoke:
MB

Given these larus are such a minefield, probably best to sway out of the way Craig! I did consider a 4cy but would have thought that the mantle would not look so complete and neat? I hate gulls! 8-P

One to ping over to the ID forum?