Upton Warren (29 Viewers)

[PeterE]

Anyone looking for them - there are usually 2 broods totaling 7 on or near the shore line opposite the hide and one to the far left (sometimes out front) and one far right - that's been the pattern over the last few days anyway - unless one's been predated of course..

Apologies for the false alarm due to my carelessness. There were 9, and they were where Gert suggested.

Mea maxima culpa,

Peter

 

[Whoever]

Question to the photographers here:
I'd like to get me a beanbag for my camera, but don't know
1. where to buy it nor
2. should it be an unfilled one which I can fill myself with rice or an already filled one with polysomething
3. should it be waterproof
Thanks in advance,
Daniel

 

[upstarts1979]

Question to the photographers here:
I'd like to get me a beanbag for my camera, but don't know
1. where to buy it nor
2. should it be an unfilled one which I can fill myself with rice or an already filled one with polysomething
3. should it be waterproof
Thanks in advance,
Daniel

Hi Daniel
I would send Rob forgetfulelephant, a PMB

 

[Woodchat]

Planktonic Food

Yesterday, when I took a water sample from the north shore of the 1st flash for the salinity survey, I also noted that the sample contained 5 Daphnia per 100ml.

Last year, a sample taken on the 14th May contained 13 Daphnia per 100ml.

Tiny creatures, such as these, are likely to be good indicators as to the general productivity of the flashes ecosystem because they underpin the higher trophic levels in the food-chain. I think there is little doubt that there is less food available this year cf. 2011 and this could be one of the factors limiting the Avocet numbers, for instance.

With any luck, it will bounce back next year.

 

[Phil Andrews]

Yesterday, when I took a water sample from the north shore of the 1st flash for the salinity survey, I also noted that the sample contained 5 Daphnia per 100ml.

Last year, a sample taken on the 14th May contained 13 Daphnia per 100ml.

Tiny creatures, such as these, are likely to be good indicators as to the general productivity of the flashes ecosystem because they underpin the higher trophic levels in the food-chain. I think there is little doubt that there is less food available this year cf. 2011 and this could be one of the factors limiting the Avocet numbers, for instance.

With any luck, it will bounce back next year.

Thanks for counting out the little daphnia Dave - useful to have some concrete evidence to back up our assumptions regarding the state of this year's food source.

 

[Pull43]

Bean Bags

Question to the photographers here:
I'd like to get me a beanbag for my camera, but don't know
1. where to buy it nor
2. should it be an unfilled one which I can fill myself with rice or an already filled one with polysomething
3. should it be waterproof
Thanks in advance,
Daniel

Hi Daniel

I would look on the Wildlife Watching Supplies web site or Wex Photographic web site (under the heading of supports). I personally would purchase an unfilled bag and fill it with Bird Seed or something similar. It is possible to fill the bag with polyballs which reduces weight, but does not give quite as sturdy a platform than seeds would. If you don't have a big heavy lens to support the polyballs will do you proud. Whatever you buy be sure to put a teather cord on it so that you don't have it fall out of the hide window. I wouldn't think it needs to be waterproof if you use polyballs but if using seeds it may be useful.

Regards

Simon P :eat:

 

[J_Caswell]

Question to the photographers here:
I'd like to get me a beanbag for my camera, but don't know
1. where to buy it nor
2. should it be an unfilled one which I can fill myself with rice or an already filled one with polysomething
3. should it be waterproof
Thanks in advance,
Daniel

I purchased o bag from Dean Lewis Bean Bags,it was filled with polystyrene beans,a very well made bag but i thought the beans seemed to move slightly.just as you pressed the shutter,I then had a bag given to me from Bob[Bob the Birder],this is filled with corn or rice,i think,This is a more stable combo,but is a lot heavier, a tripod is the answer but sometimes not practical in some circumstances.Have you tried a momopod?

 

[Whoever]

Thanks for your advice everyone! Just went for the big waterproof one from camerabeanbags.co.uk. Now if only the weather changes...

 

[Grayman]

Great White Egret Chicks

Great News
Natural England confirms a third great white egret chick

http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/about_us/news/2012/120612a.aspx

One day maybe Upton Warren.


Graham Martin

 

[upstarts1979]

Spent all of my 6 hours at the Flashes today. Had a good chat with the 'cafe' man, so watch this space for future announcements. Oh and yes it is open to us all, some people are not aware of its presence. I will get a price list and put one in each hide.
Monitored water levels which had risen to 0.47 today and took remedial action in light of the next few days 'wet' forecast. I don't know if the Wednesday crew are about tomorrow, but if we get heavy rain could somebody note the water level and post on here or text me B . It is important that we don't lose water needlessly or on the other hand flood out the place, it is a very fine line between success and failure, so any assistance is invaluable at this time.
The 9 Avocet chicks are doing well, but the size difference is very noticeable between the 4 broods that were hatched within 3 days of one another. Not surprisingly the 2 single chick broods are 'giants' compared to the brood of 4, while the brood of 3 are midway between both. A few more waders today including our first 'Returning - autumn' wader Green Sandpiper. Also today were 8 LRP, lapwing, oystercatcher and at least 1 poss 2 curlews were heard but not seen.
several BHG chicks are now flying, whilst an adult herring and a few marauding LBBG ran the 'Avocet gauntlet' while others have learned to circumnavigate the Flashes completely. A couple of common tern popped in for a few minutes, as did a female gadwall. Other duck included a pair of Shelduck, a male shoveler, at least 50 mallard and chicks and 12 tufted. The afternoon warmed up and buzzards were all around as were 25 swifts and numerous reed warblers sang from every reed bed. 30 sand martin and 10 house martin fed low above the lagoons. A steady flow of linnets dropped in to feed on the salt plants, I think they are local breeders moving to different feeding zones throughout the day, so it is impossible to quantify the actual numbers involved.

 

[Phil Andrews]

The 9 Avocet chicks are doing well, but the size difference is very noticeable between the 4 broods that were hatched within 3 days of one another. Not surprisingly the 2 single chick broods are 'giants' compared to the brood of 4, while the brood of 3 are midway between both.

I too noticed this on Sunday - I wonder if it says something about the food source in the near channels where we have undertaken all the de-silting / spit enclosing work compared with the untouched far shore?

 

[UW82]

Spent all of my 6 hours at the Flashes today. Had a good chat with the 'cafe' man, so watch this space for future announcements. Oh and yes it is open to us all, some people are not aware of its presence. I will get a price list and put one in each hide.
Monitored water levels which had risen to 0.47 today and took remedial action in light of the next few days 'wet' forecast. I don't know if the Wednesday crew are about tomorrow, but if we get heavy rain could somebody note the water level and post on here or text me B . It is important that we don't lose water needlessly or on the other hand flood out the place, it is a very fine line between success and failure, so any assistance is invaluable at this time.
The 9 Avocet chicks are doing well, but the size difference is very noticeable between the 4 broods that were hatched within 3 days of one another. Not surprisingly the 2 single chick broods are 'giants' compared to the brood of 4, while the brood of 3 are midway between both. A few more waders today including our first 'Returning - autumn' wader Green Sandpiper. Also today were 8 LRP, lapwing, oystercatcher and at least 1 poss 2 curlews were heard but not seen.
several BHG chicks are now flying, whilst an adult herring and a few marauding LBBG ran the 'Avocet gauntlet' while others have learned to circumnavigate the Flashes completely. A couple of common tern popped in for a few minutes, as did a female gadwall. Other duck included a pair of Shelduck, a male shoveler, at least 50 mallard and chicks and 12 tufted. The afternoon warmed up and buzzards were all around as were 25 swifts and numerous reed warblers sang from every reed bed. 30 sand martin and 10 house martin fed low above the lagoons. A steady flow of linnets dropped in to feed on the salt plants, I think they are local breeders moving to different feeding zones throughout the day, so it is impossible to quantify the actual numbers involved.

Re water levels John. Will do.



Des.

 

[Phil Andrews]

Interesting to read Steve Nuttall's comments on the Belvide blog regarding the increased success in Lapwing breeding this year due to the presence of a ploughed area on the north shore. I will try to pop over to Belvide soon to see if there are any hints that we can adopt at Upton (or perhaps one of our neighbouring landowners ...)

 

[upstarts1979]

Interesting to read Steve Nuttall's comments on the Belvide blog regarding the increased success in Lapwing breeding this year due to the presence of a ploughed area on the north shore. I will try to pop over to Belvide soon to see if there are any hints that we can adopt at Upton (or perhaps one of our neighbouring landowners ...)

my sentiments too Phil, Marsh Lane too has a great area of plough and 'game' crop where good numbers of lapwing have bred. Something we will have to discuss for the near future.
:t:

 

[upstarts1979]

Re water levels John. Will do.



Des.

Thanks Des. The weather looks better for tomorrow, but it won't hurt to drop it a little as Thursday/Friday looks wet. I will be there Friday anyway.B john

 

[rollingthunder]

Thanks for your advice everyone! Just went for the big waterproof one from camerabeanbags.co.uk. Now if only the weather changes...

And, if it does'nt - you made the right decision in buying the waterproof one

Laurie:t:

 

[rollingthunder]

I too noticed this on Sunday - I wonder if it says something about the food source in the near channels where we have undertaken all the de-silting / spit enclosing work compared with the untouched far shore?

Would the silt not contain a reasonable amount of organic material that would be useful to whatever organisms spp like Avocets feed on? Can a sample(s) not be analysed to ascertain whether it is a good idea to retain rather than remove all or a % of this material?

Just a couple of thoughts, i'm not a biologist......

Laurie:t:

 

[Phil Andrews]

Would the silt not contain a reasonable amount of organic material that would be useful to whatever organisms spp like Avocets feed on? Can a sample(s) not be analysed to ascertain whether it is a good idea to retain rather than remove all or a % of this material?

Just a couple of thoughts, i'm not a biologist......

Laurie:t:

Perhaps I should be using the phrase "regrading" or "reprofiling" rather than de-silting. Nevertheless the recent build up of silt in these channels (particularly close to the hide) means that - prior to our work - they were prone to drying out very quickly the moment the water level was anything less than completely full, resulting in no feeding habitat at all. The large, more developed chicks are feeding in the areas where we have intervened whilst the slower growing chicks are on shorelines untouched by the work parties (but for one of the broods, in area heavily encroached by phragmites). Unfortunately I suspect taking a water / mud sample from the far side of the Flashes this time of year would cause considerable disturbance.

 

[UW82]

Water level 0.45 John.

Des.

 

[UW82]

Water level 0.45 John.

Des.