wheatearlp
Well-known member
All-dayer – Saturday 7th September
This will be the 15th (almost) Annual All-Dayer at Upton.
The first, in 1996, was a very laid-back affair, with only about half-a-dozen of us taking part. Such was the unparalleled excitement that at least three of us decided on an impromptu work-party for a couple of hours in the early afternoon at the Moors Pool feeding-station. Nevertheless we did manage a reasonably creditable 76 species for the day. Things continued to tick along, without being spectacular in terms of numbers, for the next 9 years until enthusiasm waned completely - not entirely unconnected with Upstarts two-year absence from the scene. Even after the re-instatement of the spring all-dayer, it was still another year before things progressed to undertaking another in the autumn. This was probably due to, as Phil has mentioned, the autumn being less eagerly anticipated than the spring event with its promise of arriving summer visitors in full song. However that is not to say there haven’t been any good birds noted over the years as last year’s Osprey testifies.
The date span of the autumn all-dayer is 1st-14th September, depending on concensus as the time approaches, but is now usually the first Saturday in the month. The highest day total was 86 in 2010, the date that year being the 4th.
Over the years we have recorded 120 species and, although I’m loathe to say it, without failing to add to the overall list in any one year. The full list of species noted can be seen on the attached checklist, which shows the number of years out of 14 that each species has been recorded and the year it was last recorded.
Other highlights? 1998 - Knot, Wood Sandpiper & Black Tern; 1999 - Marsh Harrier; 2001 - Little Stint; 2002 - Curlew Sandpiper; 2003 - Black-necked Grebe & Tree Sparrow; 2004 - Avocet (before anyone says anything – it is at this time of year); 2010 - Little Egret; 2011 - Redstart; Black Tern; 2012 - Cuckoo (again – time of year).
This will be the 15th (almost) Annual All-Dayer at Upton.
The first, in 1996, was a very laid-back affair, with only about half-a-dozen of us taking part. Such was the unparalleled excitement that at least three of us decided on an impromptu work-party for a couple of hours in the early afternoon at the Moors Pool feeding-station. Nevertheless we did manage a reasonably creditable 76 species for the day. Things continued to tick along, without being spectacular in terms of numbers, for the next 9 years until enthusiasm waned completely - not entirely unconnected with Upstarts two-year absence from the scene. Even after the re-instatement of the spring all-dayer, it was still another year before things progressed to undertaking another in the autumn. This was probably due to, as Phil has mentioned, the autumn being less eagerly anticipated than the spring event with its promise of arriving summer visitors in full song. However that is not to say there haven’t been any good birds noted over the years as last year’s Osprey testifies.
The date span of the autumn all-dayer is 1st-14th September, depending on concensus as the time approaches, but is now usually the first Saturday in the month. The highest day total was 86 in 2010, the date that year being the 4th.
Over the years we have recorded 120 species and, although I’m loathe to say it, without failing to add to the overall list in any one year. The full list of species noted can be seen on the attached checklist, which shows the number of years out of 14 that each species has been recorded and the year it was last recorded.
Other highlights? 1998 - Knot, Wood Sandpiper & Black Tern; 1999 - Marsh Harrier; 2001 - Little Stint; 2002 - Curlew Sandpiper; 2003 - Black-necked Grebe & Tree Sparrow; 2004 - Avocet (before anyone says anything – it is at this time of year); 2010 - Little Egret; 2011 - Redstart; Black Tern; 2012 - Cuckoo (again – time of year).
John
