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Upton Warren (16 Viewers)

Please note that the entry arrangements to the Sailing Centre car park have altered on recent weeks. There is no longer a pedestrian gate and the vehicular gate will open officially at 9am (it may open slightly earlier) and closes at 8pm. As a result access to Flashes is only possible between these times. This is a permanent arrangement; not Covid related. These times move from 9am to 4pm between 1st October and 31st March.
 
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Thanks Phil - is the Moors car park still 24 hr - I don’t mind the walk! And will need some gentle exercise following my isolation!
 
Sightings from this morning from Public Footpath at the Flashes and paths only at Moors - note - some sightings from Sagebury Farm footpath included where stated.

Avocet circa 30, Black-headed Gull, Blackbird, Blackcap (2 Flashes, Blue Tit, Buzzard (1, Canada Goose, Carrion Crow, Cetti's Warbler (3) with fledgling to Hedge along Public footpath, flashes, Chiffchaff (2), Common Sandpiper (1) Flashes, Common Tern (4)Plus 2 chicks at the flashes, Coot, Dunnock, Gadwall (2), Goldfinch (22), Great Crested Grebe (2), Great Spotted Woodpecker (1)One in orchard Sagebury farm, Great Tit, Green Sandpiper (3)Flashes, Green Woodpecker (1), Greenfinch (3)Sagebury Farm, Grey Heron (1), Greylag Goose, Herring Gull, House Martin, House Sparrow (2)From Sagebury farm by church, Jackdaw, Jay (1), Lapwing (8) Flashes, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Lesser Whitethroat (2)Hedge public footpath flashes. Pair adults with 3 juvs feeding together, Little Egret (1)Flashes, Little Grebe, Little Ringed Plover (2), Long-tailed Tit, Magpie, Mallard Mistle Thrush (2)Sagebury farm, Moorhen Mute Swan, Oystercatcher Moors, Raven (1, Redstart (1)Calling at Sagebury farm, Reed Bunting, Reed Warbler, Robin, Rook, Sedge Warbler, Snipe (1)Flashes, Song Thrush, Starling, Stock Dove (1), Swift (15), Tufted Duck with 2 broods at Moors and 1 brood, possible combined with others at Flashes, Whitethroat (1)North Moors, Woodpigeon, Wren
 
I understand their is a bit of a to do about early and late access to the Flashes and that even some of the ultra faithful Trust groupies have finally seen the light. Is there any reason why an access point could not be created from the southern public footpath accessed across the transmitter field. Some vegetation clearance along a short existing track, some screening and a new gate would probably do it. Somewhat further to walk but should be no problem to the “serious” birders. Security might be more of a problem which is why access through Aztec is still the better option. Could somebody who is still engaged with the Trust propose this alternative.
 
Kimbo52 said:
I understand their is a bit of a to do about early and late access to the Flashes and that even some of the ultra faithful Trust groupies have finally seen the light. Is there any reason why an access point could not be created from the southern public footpath accessed across the transmitter field. Some vegetation clearance along a short existing track, some screening and a new gate would probably do it. Somewhat further to walk but should be no problem to the “serious” birders. Security might be more of a problem which is why access through Aztec is still the better option. Could somebody who is still engaged with the Trust propose this alternative.
Click to expand...
Kim,
Driving past past the Aztec site recently I did notice the new security gate and wondered where the pedestrian access was. From your post there is obvious concern amongst the birding community .
May I make the following comments .
When the Flashes were purchased the original access was via the footpath and the field boundary along side the Transmitter Field. There was, as I understand it, no other access.

I was a member of the WCNT as it was in the early days, but never visited UW. Visited the Ed Reserve and the Sailing Lake instead. One of the journals I have has a piece about the neighbouring field owners - unspecified - being concerned about the damage being done to the edges of their fields. In the early days there were no paths as such and when the weather produced muddy conditions the "tracks"" were bypassed. Ultimately paths and boundary fences were improved to an extent but.....

Several years ago I met, purely by chance, the gentleman who ran the Outdoor Centre from I believe the beginning . An interesting conversation. To him I was just an ordinary visitor. Sufficient to say I was told it was he who offered the access through the Outdoor Centre site. He believed it was mutually beneficial and if it were to be kept open for twelve years the access path would become a right of way.

Some ten years ago on re-joining the now WWT I noted that the access point to the Flashes had changed to the present (now gated cattle related ) steps ,from the open access through the gate way at the end of lake. I guess then through the archery field. (Prior to the construction of the Hen brook Hide and small pools perhaps ?) I have an old map dating back to the times when the Ed. Reserve was in operation.
At that time I did mention to wardens that the access path from the footpath through to the hide was being used by both dog walkers and increasingly D o E groups taking a shortcut through to the Centre. I was assured it wasn't a problem but subsequently a large metal gate/ fence was put in place to stop any further access except for those doing Trust maintenance. The dog walkers just used the Transmitter Field.

So there is a pathway there which could be opened. Security not withstanding some means of means of parking for example would need to be agreed with Webbs perhaps. It is a long walk from the Moors !
I offer these thoughts purely as back ground The Trust and I have a good relationship but it is based on mutual respect. I can be as critical as complimentary and I do listen to their problems. The outside problems have to be heard to be believed. It is not all of their making. Beyond that I will say no more except that there is much that can be done, but I've outstayed my welcome at UW.

Regards and best wishes
Phil E
 
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Where Bird said:
Kim,
Driving past past the Aztec site recently I did notice the new security gate and wondered where the pedestrian access was. From your post there is obvious concern amongst the birding community .
May I make the following comments .
When the Flashes were purchased the original access was via the footpath and the field boundary along side the Transmitter Field. There was, as I understand it, no other access.

I was a member of the WCNT as it was in the early days, but never visited UW. Visited the Ed Reserve and the Sailing Lake instead. One of the journals I have has a piece about the neighbouring field owners - unspecified - being concerned about the damage being done to the edges of their fields. In the early days there were no paths as such and when the weather produced muddy conditions the "tracks"" were bypassed. Ultimately paths and boundary fences were improved to an extent but.....

Several years ago I met, purely by chance, the gentleman who ran the Outdoor Centre from I believe the beginning . An interesting conversation. To him I was just an ordinary visitor. Sufficient to say I was told it was he who offered the access through the Outdoor Centre site. He believed it was mutually beneficial and if it were to be kept open for twelve years the access path would become a right of way.

Some ten years ago on re-joining the now WWT I noted that the access point to the Flashes had changed to the present (now gated cattle related ) steps ,from the open access through the gate way at the end of lake. I guess then through the archery field. (Prior to the construction of the Hen brook Hide and small pools perhaps ?) I have an old map dating back to the times when the Ed. Reserve was in operation.
At that time I did mention to wardens that the access path from the footpath through to the hide was being used by both dog walkers and increasingly D o E groups taking a shortcut through to the Centre. I was assured it wasn't a problem but subsequently a large metal gate/ fence was put in place to stop any further access except for those doing Trust maintenance. The dog walkers just used the Transmitter Field.

So there is a pathway there which could be opened. Security not withstanding some means of means of parking for example would need to be agreed with Webbs perhaps. It is a long walk from the Moors !
I offer these thoughts purely as back ground The Trust and I have a good relationship but it is based on mutual respect. I can be as critical as complimentary and I do listen to their problems. The outside problems have to be heard to be believed. It is not all of their making. Beyond that I will say no more except that there is much that can be done, but I've outstayed my welcome at UW.

Regards and best wishes
Phil E
Click to expand...
Excellent post Phil. Look forward to seeing you and Kim and others in the hides again where I’m sure this will be the subject of further discussion. You are of course right that the Trust do not hold all the cards here in making access happen before 9am - the land is owned by Worcestershire County Council and leased to the Sailing club and any formal rights of access have to be properly agreed & documented. In the meantime John has a great working relationship with the sailing club manager who has already said that people can use the car park if the gates are open before 9. You may recall that in reality pre COVID the gates where open we’ll before the times advertised anyway so I’m not sure how much of an issue this is.
I accept that people will have their views and use cancelling membership as illustrating their frustration. My worry is the Trust is the only organisation to do good things (albeit imperfectly at times, but then no one is perfect thank god) for conservation in Worcestershire and effectively defunding them (another one of those new fangled political words) is only going to damage that, so I genuinely hope that people will reconsider and not turn against our own.
cheers
Gert
 
Gentlemen, The history of Flashes access arrangements provided by Phil is interesting.
However the current issue of reduced access due to the installation of the type of gates that Aztec have chosen has upset the pre COVID status quo whereby pedestrians could access the Flashes at will, but not park in their car park outside of Aztecs core opening hours. Yes the published times are variable and generally wider than the stated times depending on the vagaries of the activity centre activities. This has not prevented people being locked in in the past. The issue I believe affects a minority of the members that are left, but certainty is what should be achieved. Firstly while it could be argued that Aztec does have an obligation to facilitate 24/7 access to Trust members it has no obligation to provide parking for those who wish to visit, at any time. Whilst Mark is a very accommodating individual he must have had good reasons for installing the current style of gates. Did the Trust know this was going to happen ? What, if any measures did the Trust take to negotiate an outcome that both provided Aztec with extra security and facilitated continued access for members outside its erratic opening times. Many of us have been in the hide at the published evening closing time and had to deal with the uncertainty of guessing wether the published time might be extended because we did not want to leave. What input has John had in his de facto role of Reserve Manager to achieving a solution ? On the question of continued support of the Trust, this particular issue is the latest through the period of the pandemic which has in my view been a public relations disaster. No need to rehearse again the wholly inadequate 2 hour opening sessions twice a week. Better than nothing I have heard. How accepting we have become of shoddy service. The annual subscription is viewed differently by different people. To some it is simply a donation and as such the donors seem happy to accept whatever the Trust does or more importantly doesn’t do. To others like myself it constitutes a theoretical contract in the sense that I am a paying customer who expects the Trust to work for me in doing, for example,what is necessary to keep the reserve open when it has been legal to do so by putting in place the required measures and allowing responsible adults to choose wether to visit or not. As has been said before countless other similar organisations have achieved this without mass outbreaks of COVID being attributed to their sites. The perception, that the Trust does little to dispel, is that they are at best unreasonably risk averse or at worst simply don’t care enough about it’s members to maintain access for them whenever possible. If you take the latter view why would you not vote with your feet. UW is unique and cherished by many of its visitors. My belief now, is that to the Trust UW is just any other reserve in its portfolio and that they neither know or care about the passion that is generated by regular and committed visitors who simply can’t comprehend the Trusts obvious diffidence.
 
No idea. Maybe take it up with the trust, Aztec & Worcester County Council if you haven’t already. From Twitter I see they are in discussions to resolve the access issue, which I suspect will get sorted.

Anyway, I’m not commenting anymore on this issue but like many am immensely looking forward to getting back in the hides tomorrow morning. If others are happy to put sightings on here than I will also for those who can’t or won’t use Twitter. Looking forward to seeing the birding regulars again.
 
Sightings from this morning. Good to be back! The new Cuckoo hide at the Flashes is superb - well done to the Trust.

Avocet (25)
Black-headed Gull
Blackbird Blackcap (2)Family party on north moors
Blue Tit
Buzzard (1)
Canada Goose (30)Sailing pool
Carrion Crow
Cetti's Warbler (1)
Chiffchaff
Common Sandpiper (4)Flashes
Common Tern (2)1 flew through at moors Pair at Flashes with 2 fledglings flying now
Coot
Cormorant
Curlew (1)1 Juvenile at flashes
Dunnock
Feral Pigeon
Gadwall (3)
Goldfinch (9)
Great Crested Grebe (2)Plus one juv at moors
Great Spotted Woodpecker (2)
Great Tit
Green Sandpiper (11)Flashes
Green Woodpecker (1)
Greenfinch
Grey Heron (3)2 at moors
Greylag Goose (10)Sailing Pool
Herring Gull (1)
Hobby (1)Moors - hunting and perched up early for over an hour
House Martin (10)
Jackdaw
Jay
Kingfisher (1)Moors showing well in front of East hide
Lapwing (23)
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Linnet (2)Flashes
Little Grebe (2)
Little Ringed Plover (3)
Long-tailed Tit (2)
Magpie
Mallard
Moorhen
Mute Swan (2)
Pied Wagtail (yarrellii)
Reed Bunting
Reed Warbler
Robin
Rook
Sedge Warbler
Skylark
Song Thrush
Sparrowhawk (1)Male at moors
Starling (25)
Stock Dove
Swift (20)Over Moors
Teal (1)Flashes
Tufted Duck 4 broods at moors
Water Rail (1)Moors
Whitethroat (2)With juv on north moors
Woodpigeon
Wren
 
Thanks to Gert for the report and the news about the new hide. One day I may get to meet you and put a face to your name. Presently I'm trying to keep on top of my garden as well as keeping "my" birds happy and fed!

Thanks also to Gert and Kim whom I have met, for their comments after my last post. I have learned much, not least at long last how to interrogate Twitter. An eye opener though not entirely unexpected. Enough for the moment.

Anyone concerned about the footpath access at the Flashes may have noted my comment about 12 years being the time to establish right of way as told to me. However looking through some reputable sites, 20 years seems to be the current figure quoted. Which ever please note the following:-

The 1987 Birds of Upton Warren is the first to apparently contain the appropriate maps for The Moors and The Flashes. The Flashes map clearly shows access from the car park at the entrance and through the County Council site.
Confirmed if you like by an article in the in the Jan 1989 WCNT journal about the long and patient queue from the car park to the hide to see the least sandpiper. What did I miss !

Note that in those days there was no roundabout - Webbs had an in gate roughly there and an out gate before that where the goods entrance is now. .( Noted as if travelling from the south.)
Getting out from Webbs could be quite an experience if turning right! For a long time travelling that road daily I never realised that there was a turn through the hedge as it were to get into the Outdoor Centre. - until that is I started visiting the Ed Reserve. As an adult I might add! Makes me feel as old as I look!

In those days I remember the cottages, though the garage did not impress itself upon my memory. Not sure when the Pit Stop and lorry park arrived but I do recall in the late 70s certainly the yellow machines of the plant hire firm all lined up behind the hedge where the lorry park is now .According to the Ed. Reserve manager, one Alan Shaw , an amazing guy, they were most helpful to the Ed Reserve people. For any newcomer who may have heard mention of said reserve it is the area between the north shore of the sailing pool and the River Salwarpe further up the road. Whilst it had a paid warden it was originally set up by local teachers as a teaching hands on nature base for children. Sadly politics with a large and small p saw its eventual demise.

Phil E
 
With regard to the grand ‘opening’ of the reserve and carrying of cards / permits etc. Another option is to become a member of another Trust and give them your money and still have access through the wildlife trusts reciprocal arrangement. A lot of disgruntled birders actually live in the West Midlands county so joining the Birmingham and Black Country WT would achieve both aims. As regards the service i sent an enquiry to the Trust about 16 months ago, right at the start of the PlannedPanic / PingDemic requesting a few minor details about another reserve - to date not even an acknowledgement never mind a reply. Even the most basic of websites can usually generate an auto-response informing you that it has been received and will be dealt with in due course.

Despite all that it is good to see the place finally open as it gives a lot of pleasure to folk. I do not visit much but have recently become a Grandfather and said grandchild is at Stoke Heath so it would be silly not to kill 2 birds with one stone ;-)

Good birding -

Laurie :cool:
 
Yes, a few people have done this as a way of venting whatever gripe is currently popular. Ironically, and talking to a few people on reserves, this happens with other trusts as well. For example when we lived on the South coast briefly, there were complaints about lack of grazing on Waltham Brooks and some members did not renew with the Sussex Wildlife trust but joined others. Similarly, the Norfolk Wildlife trust seems to be the arch enemy for some in that part of the world and a similar practice happens there. Ultimately, I suspect it all evens itself out and the practice of ‘cancelling’ trusts becomes a bit pointless. But if it makes people feel better and they feel they have achieved some form of retribution then I guess it has some merit for them.

A fascinating post Phil re the history around the reserve and also look forward to meeting you.
 
Agreed Gert but we are where we are and people can feel that in this World of unresponsive Wildlife Trusts and controlling algorithms that what they do with their money is still something that is ‘theirs’ ;-)

Yes - thanks Phil, interesting stuff.

I look forward to bird notes and records resuming on this thread as it allows detail that is not found i feel on social media.

Good birding -

Laurie :cool:
 
Sightings from a 2 hour visit this afternoon.

In addition to the below, Andy Pitt reports from the Flashes this morning 11 Green Sandpiper, Peregrine and 2 Garden Warbler at the Flashes

Photo of the view from the new Cuckoo hide on the Flashes attached. It’s very good and produces additional sightings from areas not visible from the main tower hide.

Avocet (21)
Black-headed GullNumbers at flashes now significantly reducing
Blackbird
Blue Tit
Buzzard (1)Over Moors
Canada Goose
Carrion Crow
ChiffchaffTwo juvs at the Flashes by tower hide
Collared Dove (4)
Common Sandpiper (4)Flashes
Common Tern (4)Adult Pair with two juvs at flashes still
Coot
Cormorant
Curlew (1)Juv at Flashes again
Dunnock
Gadwall (2)
Goldfinch (25)
Great Crested Grebe (2)2 Adults & one juvenile at moors still
Great Spotted Woodpecker (1)
Great Tit
Green Sandpiper (8)
Green Woodpecker (1)
Greenfinch
Grey Heron (2)
Greylag Goose (21)Sailing pool
House Martin
Jackdaw
Jay (1)
Kingfisher (1)Hovering & fish catching front of East hide Moors
Lapwing (22)Numbers across both sides of the reserve
Lesser Black-backed Gull (3)
Linnet (2)Flashes
Little Egret (2)1 each at Flashes and moors
Little Grebe (2)Moors
Little Ringed Plover (3)
Long-tailed Tit
Magpie
Mallard
Moorhen
Mute Swan (4)
Pheasant
Pochard (1)
Reed Bunting
Reed Warbler
Robin
Rook
Sedge Warbler
Starling
Stock Dove (6)
Swift
Tufted DuckSeveral broods still at the Moors
Woodpigeon
Wren
tempImagexFV2g8.png
 
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Great news regarding the reopening of the reserve- whilst the trust has its faults UW will always be special to me as the place where I began birding in earnest and I hope to be back soon. If I remember correctly, the last time I was in a hide on the reserve was back in March 2020 for the Kittiwake although I have been along the public footpaths for the Brent Goose and Bonaparte's Gull respectively since then. Let's hope for some good return wader passage in the coming weeks and months.

Chris
 
rollingthunder said:
With regard to the grand ‘opening’ of the reserve and carrying of cards / permits etc. Another option is to become a member of another Trust and give them your money and still have access through the wildlife trusts reciprocal arrangement. A lot of disgruntled birders actually live in the West Midlands county so joining the Birmingham and Black Country WT would achieve both aims. As regards the service i sent an enquiry to the Trust about 16 months ago, right at the start of the PlannedPanic / PingDemic requesting a few minor details about another reserve - to date not even an acknowledgement never mind a reply. Even the most basic of websites can usually generate an auto-response informing you that it has been received and will be dealt with in due course.

Despite all that it is good to see the place finally open as it gives a lot of pleasure to folk. I do not visit much but have recently become a Grandfather and said grandchild is at Stoke Heath so it would be silly not to kill 2 birds with one stone ;-)

Good birding -

Laurie :cool:
Click to expand...
Congrats Laurie on your new grandad status.
Can I respond on your two main points:-
I had cause to send an email to the Trust through "enquiries @" thinking what I considered to be urgent need for advice on badgers would be passed on. No response. In fairness ALL the other organisations either referred me to FAQs or similar and I could not, because of Lockdown, make any direct contact. Ultimately I found an amazing badger lady who not only put my mind at rest but educated me into the lives of badgers. The "problem" did resolve itself though in the meantime I had an amazing month of nights last year badger watching.
I am afraid I did send a tart email to the "enquiries@" and did receive an apology of sorts. Mutter Mutter! But that was one blip , frustrating though it was at the time.

I too, also hope that people will now begin, like Gert to put on lists , sightings, and pics , both of the birds and the place. I was saddened, even before Lockdown that people were beginning to post everything to their twitter sites. Okay ease and immediacy of posting is a boon and yes this site did need an overhaul- which it has had. With little but vitriol being posted here over Lockdown it was following twits, sorry twee, or nothing . In the end I chose nothing because I need to live my life and not that of other people just to find out about Upton Warren. There is only so much I can take- children , bottles of beer, petitions rants etc etc!:);):eek:

But seriously this has been an amazing site and has been a fund of continuing historical reference material - all in one place and easily open to interrogation. The loss of any info during Lockdown, written or visual is sad. There are many who don't know individuals' accounts even of the more regular birders and so miss out. Spare a thought for them whether or not they use Twitter themselves.

Best wishes.
Phil E
 

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