Upton Warren (14 Viewers)

[Birder Gladys]

cettis singing out in the open along east track,its Marys old friend easy recognisable with red and white rings on its legs,made up for missing the Otter by mins.

 

[Phil Andrews]

Interesting paper highlighted by the BBC regarding changing patterns of wintering wildfowl: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-22484907

Will try to dig out some Upton stats over the last 30 years to see if this overall trend is replicated locally.

 

[Phil Andrews]

Interesting paper highlighted by the BBC regarding changing patterns of wintering wildfowl: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-22484907

Will try to dig out some Upton stats over the last 30 years to see if this overall trend is replicated locally.

Starting with Goldeneye, there has been a slight downturn in terms of number of records, peak counts and probably most marked (and significant) the number of days present each year. Does anyone have the annual reports for 1995 and 1996 to complete the data?

 

[forgetfulelephant]

Some pics of the aggressors mentioned above by John. Good to see you today John, Vern & Roger.

View attachment 442216 View attachment 442217 View attachment 442218

Lovely actions pics Lou. :t:



Rob

 

[Phil Andrews]

The statistics back up the gut reaction that Goosander have actually become more common in recent years (again does anyone have the number of days present in 1995 and 1996?):

 

[Phil Andrews]

And finally Tufted Duck. Data is a bit more limited as monthly / half monthly counts only started being recorded in the annual report in the late 1990s. I have therefore tracked the peak counts each year for the four months between November and February; numbers have actually increased in recent years:

 

[John Layj]

It's officially spring

I saw my first damselfly of the year today, this female Large Red on the Salwarpe. Also saw a couple of Orange Tips, not my first of the year, but still a handsome fly.

 

[wheatearlp]

Starting with Goldeneye, there has been a slight downturn in terms of number of records, peak counts and probably most marked (and significant) the number of days present each year. Does anyone have the annual reports for 1995 and 1996 to complete the data?

Phil,

1995
Goldeneye - 6 records of six birds, although two were present together on a couple of days.
Goosander - 6 records of 9 birds
Tufted Duck - max.of 44 during the year (in April). Wintering max numbers - Jan (10), Feb (10), Mar (20), Oct (12), Nov (16), Dec (26)

1996
Goldeneye - 9 records of 13 birds (although one was on 26/5)
Goosander - 11 records of 23 birds (although one was in April)
Tufted Duck - max of 40 during the year (in July). Wintering max.numbers - Jan (17), Feb (19), Mar (23), Oct (25), Nov (15), Dec (8)

 

[Phil Andrews]

1995
Goldeneye - 6 records of six birds, although two were present together on a couple of days.
Goosander - 6 records of 9 birds
Tufted Duck - max.of 44 during the year (in April). Wintering max numbers - Jan (10), Feb (10), Mar (20), Oct (12), Nov (16), Dec (26)

1996
Goldeneye - 9 records of 13 birds (although one was on 26/5)
Goosander - 11 records of 23 birds (although one was in April)
Tufted Duck - max of 40 during the year (in July). Wintering max.numbers - Jan (17), Feb (19), Mar (23), Oct (25), Nov (15), Dec (8)

Cheers Mike - are you able to advise on how days Golden and Goosander were present in the two missing years (haven't stripped out the non-winter records)

 

[forgetfulelephant]

I saw my first damselfly of the year today, this female Large Red on the Salwarpe. Also saw a couple of Orange Tips, not my first of the year, but still a handsome fly.

Nice work John, haven't seen any Dragons or Damsels yet. :t:


Rob

 

[John Layj]

Nice work John, haven't seen any Dragons or Damsels yet. :t:


Rob

Thanks Rob. The Large Red is usually the first to appear, maybe late April in a good spring (i.e. not 2013).

 

[John Layj]

Couple of crumby record shots of a Greenshank at the Moors this evening.

 

[Phil Andrews]

Couple of crumby record shots of a Greenshank at the Moors this evening.

Anything else of interest John?

 

[John Layj]

Anything else of interest John?

A handful of lapwings, otherwise just species that have been regularly reported over the last few days.

 

[Phil Andrews]

Having looked at John's Flickr account I need to revise the monthly total for April upwards to 119 with the inclusion of a Little Owl on Hobden Hall Farm chimney

Edit: John has kindly pointed out to me that whilst uploaded onto Flickr on 30/04/2013, the photo was actually taken last autumn. April's list is back down to 118 :-C

 

[ADRIANS PHOTOGRAPHY]

Hi all made a different day of it today no camera as I wanted to break 60 species seen (not including the species I could hear only) in a day for a change, arrived around 7.05am and straight to the sailing pool had a good hour and a bit here and managed to see my first Common Tern of the year just by the entrance to the Flashes on the sailing pool.

Also saw 26 Swallow and 3 Sand martins (cheated by counting them while they rested on the wires by the outdoor barb Q) and on my return from the Flashes also managed to see a small flock of House martins flying over.

On my way to the Flashes just at the bottom of the steps from the Sailing pool I could again hear a Grasshopper warbler but still couldn’t see it (I will one day), nothing much to report from the flashes other that the dreaded Red Fox was on the prowl again (outside of the fence perimeter).

I noticed a vast increase in the amount of insects in the air which brought the Swallows in close, also saw my first Fantail dove for the year on the roof of the farm to the right of the Avocet Hide, tried really hard to search out the Little owl but with no success so maybe next time.

Back to the Sailing pool and to my surprise there were now 2 Common Tern and 2 Artic Tern I also managed to see a Lesser Whitethroat, Willow Warbler & Chiffchaff.

Now onto one of my favourite places the Salwarpe Nature Area just off the A38 this place just gets better and better now with the lush green covering of both the ground and many of the trees, the dead trees on the ground and the brambles which make this place very interesting to stay and watch for a while managed to see Blackcap, Great spotted woodpecker, Buzzard & many Reed buntings.

On to the Moors now where again there was not much to report different than I did on Thursday but did walk the North Moors again and came across Treecreeper, Grasshopper warbler (heard), Garden warbler (heard) & a pair of Yellowhammer the male sitting on top of the second viewing screen as you walk from the car park towards the entrance from Lifestyles (looking towards the refurbished island) the female was on the ground just in front of the screen.

So did I pass the 60 species seen in my challenge yes with the help of one or people many thanks to you all.

I did manage to put some new faces to names on the forum and would like to say it was great to meet you and have some good banter, also I think we can ALL see the difference that the WORK PARTIES (Tuesday’s & Sunday’s) & OTHERS have made to the reserve with all their hard work and may we all reap the benefits a great big THANK YOU to you all

SPECIES SEEN TODAY –

SAILING POOL –

Blackbird, Mallard, Black headed gull, Magpie, Robin, Wood pigeon, Swallow (26), Sand Martin (3), Canada goose, Common tern (2), Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, Carrion crow, Coot, Greylag goose, Grey heron, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Dunnock, Starling, Artic tern (2), Willow warbler, Lesser whitethroat, Chiffchaff, Lesser black backed gull & House martin

FLASHES POOLS –

Feral Pigeon, Carrion crow, Long tailed tit, Reed bunting, Blackbird, Wood pigeon, Reed warbler, Robin, Jackdaw, Chaffinch, Mute swan, Tufted duck, Black headed gull, Avocet (25), Lapwing (2), Little ringed plover (4), Dunlin (1), Moorhen, Shelduck (5 on pool 8 in fields behind and to the side of the pool - total 13), Common sandpiper (1), Canada goose, Coot, Whitethroat, Chiffchaff, Oystercatcher (2), Magpie, Stock dove, Linnet (6), Goldfinch, Swallow, Lesser black backed gull, Pheasant, Swift, Dunnock, House martin & Fantail dove

SALWARPE WALK THROUGH –

Carrion crow, Blackbird, Wood pigeon, Blackcap, Great spotted woodpecker, Buzzard, Dunnock, Blue tit, Chiffchaff, Wren & robin

MOORS POOLS –

Canada goose, Moorhen, Swallow, Sedge warbler, Treecreeper, Tufted duck, Mallard, Greenfinch, House martin, Bullfinch, Blue tit, Sand martin, Blackbird, Reed bunting, Magpie, Cormorant (2), Black headed gull, Aylesdale duck, Coot, Chaffinch, Water rail, Yellowhammer, Dunnock, Oystercatcher (2 pair), Mute swan, Kestrel, Gadwall (1 pair), Greylag goose (7), Shoveler (1pair), Great tit, Chiffchaff, Pied wagtail Canada/greylag hybrid (georgie), Lesser black backed gull (2 ad 2 f/s), Ross’s goose, Herring gull (2), Long tailed tit, Little ringed plover, Common gull (1), Green woodpecker, Common sandpiper, Grey heron, Jackdaw & Lapwing (1 pair)

SPECIES HEARD –

Cettis warbler, Grasshopper warbler & Garden warbler

Total for today around 71 species and 3 heard but not seen

Just a quick question I have noticed (even I have started doing it) on a lot of threads on here and other forums that we have started to put Greenfinch, Bullfinch, Goldfinch, Woodpigeon all as one word names and not two does anyone know why?

 

[John Layj]

Just a quick question I have noticed (even I have started doing it) on a lot of threads on here and other forums that we have started to put Greenfinch, Bullfinch, Goldfinch, Woodpigeon all as one word names and not two does anyone know why?

Adrian, good to see you today.

As for the question, I have a bird guides going back to the 1920s and the names are consistently shown as one word, e.g. Bullfinch, so I'm not sure where the idea of two words came from.

 

[lesser kestrel]

not seen by me but a redshank reported on the Flashes mid afternoon.

 

[Phil Andrews]

Hi Adrian - by Fan-tailed Dove I presume you mean Collared Dove?

Birding is full of wonderful naming conventions; most finches (certainly all British ones) roll the name into one eg Goldfinch, Chaffinch etc. Wood Pigeon can be spelt either way (I prefer the former to Woodpigeon which appears to be the formal version). Hyphens are also liberally spread around ie Black-headed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull etc.

As guardians of the list and the official "bird namers", I attach the BOU's latest version of the British List which English and Latin names: http://www.bou.org.uk/thebritishlist/British-List.pdf

PS That's a record count of Shelduck for Upton Warren! :t:

 

[UW82]

not seen by me but a redshank reported on the Flashes mid afternoon.

Rarer than a Lesser Kestrel these days!

Des.