Upton Warren (123 Viewers)

[upstarts1979]

Section E

The A team :smoke:tackled this section
This area runs east off the west track, where the dead willow stands behind the hedge, 50 yards along the path from the gate.
This area is much drier than section A, and already has the first signs of scrub around it. Today we cut the reeds and again burnt the dead stems, we attempted to burn the reeds in situ without success. So we had to cut the whole, rake up the cuttings into a pile to burn. Ideally this area needs to be dug out to prolong the reed viability but for the time been we will have to rake it up. Although saying that, just us walking around today churned up the ground creating wet puddles. By the end of next week when we will be raking up the old debris the area should be quite wet.
Many thanks to all 12 of the crew today, I think everyone could see the potential benefit of this work.B john
Pics
1. Before work as viewed from the west track.
2. the area during the work
3. Vern the burn having fun
4 the area after work with Welsh Steve overseeing the fire

 

[upstarts1979]

A couple of shots of a Shoveler (immature?) that caught our eyes after the work party as it was diving right under the water to feed while all the others were 'whirlpooling' Unusual behaviour?

1. The diving Shoveler
2. The diving Shoveler behind others.

Rob

Hi Rob
This is very unusual behaviour for this species and I have only seen it once before on the reserve.
Over the last few weeks I have seen up to 4 birds feeding in this manner. Prior to diving they fan the wings out and push them back just before they submerge. During their diving bouts the birds swim low in the water with their wings drooping. This gives the birds the appearance of having blue flanks , but is in fact their blue (male) forewing grey on the females. They feed in this manner only in the one area, that being between the lagoon and main shingle island.

 

[ADRIANS PHOTOGRAPHY]

Great work done by the tuesday work party today I would like to say thank you to the work party for putting in the time and effort so we can ALL enjoy the reserve again thank you

 

[forgetfulelephant]

The A team :smoke:tackled this section
This area runs east off the west track, where the dead willow stands behind the hedge, 50 yards along the path from the gate.
This area is much drier than section A, and already has the first signs of scrub around it. Today we cut the reeds and again burnt the dead reeds, we attempted to burn the reeds in situ without success. So we had to cut the whole area and pile it up to burn. Ideally this area needs to be dug out to prolong the reed viability but for the time been we will have to rake it up. Although saying that, just us walking around today churned up the ground creating wet poodles. By the end of next week when we will be raking up the old debris the area should be quite wet.
Many thanks to all 12 of the crew today, I think everyone could see the potential benefit of this work.B john
Pics
1. Before work as viewed from the west track.
2. the area during the work
3. Vern the burn having fun
4 the area after work with Welsh Steve overseeing the fire

I don't remember any of us being cruel to poor little dogs! 8-P


Rob

 

[Sy V]

... creating wet poodles...john

I thought dogs were banned!

JTB

You have mail...

 

[upstarts1979]

birding at the Moors today

As the Flashes hide is being worked on I spent the whole afternoon after the work party until dark at the Moors.
Before the work a large group of c450 thrushes flew east to west, mostly fieldfare with a good number of redwing with them. Around the west hides goldcrests continued to be present in good numbers. After the work the rain started and got quite heavy subduing much of the passerine activity, but not before a couple of meadow pipits and a few redpoll flew over. The cettis called twice and then at 3pm it gave a prolonged trill. This trill is not the alarm trill but the one that is usually the prelude to the full song. Unfortunately it didn't sing but it did give good views in the reed/sedge bed behind the large ground feeder.
There could well be more birds around, I heard a bird in this area on Sunday, or it could well be very mobile.
I moved on to the east hide for the last hour, from here I could see plenty of ducks on the Broadmeadow pool. A flock of c400 pre-roosting starlings circled prior to roosting in the reeds but the attack from a sparrowhawk put them off the idea. Even such a small flock can form some amazing shapes with their twisting and turning. Just before dark the snipe left their daytime roost and flew off high in all direction to feed at unknown sites. A single Jack snipe however flew low and landed on the pool island to feed. The teal and shoveler flocks flew off to feed at the Flashes, whilst the diving duck and coot all roosted on the west side against the reeds.
Species counts at the Moors
GCG 5, Little grebe heard, cormorant 12, greylag 23 came into roost at dark. Mute swan 4 (pr + 2 juvs), Wigeon 6, shoveler 65, teal 50, pintail imm mal, Pochard 4, tufted 20, coot 220, water rail 8 - 10 min, snipe 30+, jack snipe, lapwing 150, Herring gull, Sparrowhawk, kestrel, buzzard 2, kingfisher, great sp woodp 2, fieldfare c400, redwing 50, starling 400+, redpoll5, siskin, meadow pipit 2, Cettis Warbler, coal tit, goldcrest 5,
B John

 

[upstarts1979]

I thought dogs were banned!

JTB

You have mail...

just being posh8-P a hybrid between pools and puddles, didn't you know that.

 

[upstarts1979]

I don't remember any of us being cruel to poor little dogs! 8-P


Rob

oops8-P I was working like a dog as were all of us:t:

 

[upstarts1979]

Dear all,

the work on the Avocet hide is progressing well. On Saturday work on the lining and windows commenced. On Monday the fine weather allowed work to start on the roof, which may be completed today. The contractors will then continue with the lining and windows as the week progresses.

Nick Briggs will start work on the board walk on Thursday.

This is an update from the Trust, re Flashes hide

 

[Sy V]

Having taken the mickey out of John's toilet roll plan he asked me to come up with something to keep in the records and to post this. I think it shows how (almost constantly) wet the area is.
Kudos to the Tuesday work party, they never fail to impress!

 

[upstarts1979]

Having taken the mickey out of John's toilet roll plan he asked me to come up with something to keep in the records and to post this. I think it shows how (almost constantly) wet the area is.
Kudos to the Tuesday work party, they never fail to impress!

What was wrong with my original8-P
that is great Sy gives a true perspective on where we were working today A and E B john

 

[forgetfulelephant]

Having taken the mickey out of John's toilet roll plan he asked me to come up with something to keep in the records and to post this. I think it shows how (almost constantly) wet the area is.
Kudos to the Tuesday work party, they never fail to impress!

That's a good view Sy. :t: Mind you it looks a lot bigger when we are trying to cut & rake it!

Rob

 

[upstarts1979]

some very encouraging news on a previously regular bird at the reserve.
But I will let Des UW82 tell you about it later.

 

[J_Caswell]

some very encouraging news on a previously regular bird at the reserve.
But I will let Des UW82 tell you about it later.

Lets hope it is the Bittern

 

[Sy V]

John

What macro lens have you got again?

 

[upstarts1979]

Lets hope it is the Bittern

sorry mate, not yet but there are a around you never know.:t:

 

[upstarts1979]

John

What macro lens have you got again?

which John you on about:smoke:

 

[J_Caswell]

John

What macro lens have you got again?

Hi 100mmf2.8 is usm

 

[Bob O.]

some very encouraging news on a previously regular bird at the reserve.
But I will let Des UW82 tell you about it later.

The suspense is killing me! Would it be the bird that sang in Verns pocket yesterday? Clue....CW.....:t:

 

[Stone Snapper]

The suspense is killing me! Would it be the bird that sang in Verns pocket yesterday? Clue....CW.....:t:

might be herd the male singing and tony e has a pic of the female cetti`s warbler