-
Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.
Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
Upton Warren (12 Viewers)
- Thread starter andythomas
- Start date
upstarts1979
Well-known member
What are you saying about Rob, Trev:-O
oops, Trev do you really want to mention your team:smoke:
UW82
Well-known member
Today's highlights:
MOORS:
No sign of the Bittern this evening.
Gadwall (pr)-------------------Pochard (10)
Shoveler (4)------------------Teal (19)
Tufted Duck (15)--------------Lapwing (58)
Snipe (8)---------------------Cormorant (27)
Herring Gull (5)----------------L Redpoll(4)
Siskin (4)---------------------Little Grebe
G C Grebe (2)-----------------Cetti's Warbler 'trilling' in front of the east hide.
Kestrel.
FLASHES:
Curlew (11)-------------------B H Gull (60)
Des.
MOORS:
No sign of the Bittern this evening.
Gadwall (pr)-------------------Pochard (10)
Shoveler (4)------------------Teal (19)
Tufted Duck (15)--------------Lapwing (58)
Snipe (8)---------------------Cormorant (27)
Herring Gull (5)----------------L Redpoll(4)
Siskin (4)---------------------Little Grebe
G C Grebe (2)-----------------Cetti's Warbler 'trilling' in front of the east hide.
Kestrel.
FLASHES:
Curlew (11)-------------------B H Gull (60)
Des.
lesser kestrel
Well-known member
It isn't what is there but what isn't. Just doesn't seem to be many 'winter' thrushes around. Haven't seen that many fieldfares at Upton Warren other than the roost. Likewise redwings. Saw a flock of 30 in a local park today but where have they gone?
Read that mistle thrush numbers are on a downward spiral and song thrushes have declined by 65%. So many parkland and back garden birds just disappearing. Saw a treecreeper. Made my day. As good as yesterday's Jack snipe. That was special.
Wonder in ten, twenty years hence we'll be talking about thrushes the same way we lament the decline of yellowhammers, corn buntings, tree sparrows, both species of partridge?
Read that mistle thrush numbers are on a downward spiral and song thrushes have declined by 65%. So many parkland and back garden birds just disappearing. Saw a treecreeper. Made my day. As good as yesterday's Jack snipe. That was special.
Wonder in ten, twenty years hence we'll be talking about thrushes the same way we lament the decline of yellowhammers, corn buntings, tree sparrows, both species of partridge?
Last edited:
Phil Andrews
It's only Rock and Roller but I like it
On Sunday around 6/7 Fieldfare fed just left of the seasonal pool at the Moors whilst 30+ Redwing were in the hedge along the path at the Flashes opposite the Hen Pool.
Woodchat
Cogito ergo sum
I think most of the local thrushes must be around my local patch - 100's of Fieldfares and Redwings most weeks (probably >500 of each), often 6+ Mistle Thrushes too - peak count 15 - so perhaps not so bleak if you look at the wider picture. I find that the winter season is often a case of 'feast or famine' - with large areas devoid of some species and in other areas there is abundance - probably in response to localised feeding opportunities. Yellowhammers, too, are localised - being scarce in the Droitwich area but pretty plentiful just a few miles to the east of there (Saleway, Himbleton, Huddington and Grafton Flyford areas).
No-one can argue about the parlous state of the populations of Corn Buntings, Tree Sparrows and Grey Partridges, however. :t:
forgetfulelephant
Well-known member
I've been in meetings all day with my legal team & you will be hearing from them shortly Trevor! :-O:-O:-O
Rob
forgetfulelephant
Well-known member
While I share your concern re declining bird nos there have been nos of Fieldfare/Redwing around UW. I had a mixed flock of 30-40 a couple of days back. It seems to me that one of the reasons for them not staying around so much is the largely failed berry crop this winter. To say that 'It's not about what's there but what isn't' is very negative & a bit of a smack in the mouth for all of the work that is put in not only to keep what IS there but to bring new species or species that no longer visit back. You seem to be saying it doesn't matter what's done or what birds etc turn up it's all for nothing! Well I for one think it is all about what's there & I think many, many members & visitors might just agree!
Rob
ADRIANS PHOTOGRAPHY
Well-known member
I for one feel that it IS what is there that matters as if it’s NOT there then how can we miss it (why not travel to the reserves that have these species), I love watching the basic garden species as unfortunately in time some of these species WILL go the way of the tree sparrow and become very rare to see.
So I intend to enjoy them while they are about, I would love to see all the rarer species at the Warren maybe one day I will see a mega but until then here’s hoping
If the Warren had all the rarer species or the species that AREN’T there every time you went then it would become very boring very quickly as the challenge would have gone from this wonderful hobby we all enjoy participating in.
I for one appreciate all the work that is done around the reserve as without this work the future would be very bleak indeed and any chance of these so called not there species would without doubt never return to the reserve and the species that currently frequent the reserve would in time disappear then people would have something to moan about
Keep up the good work and thank you
So I intend to enjoy them while they are about, I would love to see all the rarer species at the Warren maybe one day I will see a mega but until then here’s hoping
If the Warren had all the rarer species or the species that AREN’T there every time you went then it would become very boring very quickly as the challenge would have gone from this wonderful hobby we all enjoy participating in.
I for one appreciate all the work that is done around the reserve as without this work the future would be very bleak indeed and any chance of these so called not there species would without doubt never return to the reserve and the species that currently frequent the reserve would in time disappear then people would have something to moan about
Keep up the good work and thank you
upstarts1979
Well-known member
Hi Paul
Most early springs(early to mid March) large numbers of winter thrushes gather in and around the old orchard at the back of the Flashes. Here they feed on worms and soil based invertebrates and roost in the vicinity of the sewage works. It is a traditional pre migration gathering, occurring in varying numbers. With numbers of winter thrushes lower than normal, it will be interesting to see how many birds show up this spring.
There were unprecedented 'falls' of thrushes on the east coast in October 2012, during extreme weather conditions. Unfortunately there were also massive casualties and this could have had an impact on our wintering numbers.
Let's wait and see.B
Johnalso re song and mistle thrushes: can't speak for other places, but there is a very healthy number of song thrushes around the Moors at the moment and I'm talking about singing birds. I have also seen more mistle thrushes this year than in the last 5 years or more. So don't give up yet, there's still chance we can keep em. Chill mate, positive thinking works wonders
Last edited:
upstarts1979
Well-known member
Paul (lesser kestrel ) comes on the work parties so he does contribute to the future prosperity of the reserve, oh and he is one of the wardens as well. He is just peed off that the villa won the other day.8-P:-O he'll get over it when Blues win the premB
ADRIANS PHOTOGRAPHY
Well-known member
We all have our problems mine is I'm a red fan mu that is
keithr
Relapsus resurgam
Thought Moseley played in Blue........:-O :-O :-O
Man U - mmm - you must be one of the nearest to the ground....
Keith :t:
ADRIANS PHOTOGRAPHY
Well-known member
@Keith don't believe the myth, I'm still closer than most Liverpool fans are to thier home ground.
Back to birding can't make my usual thursday visit the carer who does thursday's so I can have time off is unwell so will be thier over the weekend hopefully
Back to birding can't make my usual thursday visit the carer who does thursday's so I can have time off is unwell so will be thier over the weekend hopefully
rollingthunder
Well-known member
IMO the arrival and distribution of continental Winter thrushes is not an exact science. Numbers, annually are variable and will, by and large be governed by food available and the weather conditions where they breed. They don't move for the fun of it. I don't know what the pollinating conditions for their Winter food on the continent was last Summer but over here May was cold and wet and this meant a lot of our 'berry-bearing' species remained unpollinated leading to a huge reduction in the amount of food available whether it be Hawthorn, Sloe, Viburnum or exotic Cotoneaster for Thrushes or Rowan for Waxwings etc.
I have had the odd party around here this Winter but i am not surprised as there is no food, my local patch of railway which has lots of habitat of all the species required in a 'normal' season (whatever that is) was almost berry-less. If parties are around they seem to be quite mobile as the bushes that have some berries are exhausted very quickly.
Just my thoughts and observations......
Laurie:t:
I have had the odd party around here this Winter but i am not surprised as there is no food, my local patch of railway which has lots of habitat of all the species required in a 'normal' season (whatever that is) was almost berry-less. If parties are around they seem to be quite mobile as the bushes that have some berries are exhausted very quickly.
Just my thoughts and observations......
Laurie:t:
I remember an unproductive vist to Upton this time last year. After I left I drove down Swan Lane. One of the Fields there had RedWings, Fieldfares and mistle Thrushes totalling well over 100. Superb sight.
I think because Upton is watched pretty thoroughly most days by some very good birders, it gets the 'pips' squeezed out of it so to speak. I think this can lead to a degree of over expectation sometimes.
This time of year is probably as stale as it gets on most local patches, and a few hours visiting is unlikely to really bag you a good bird ( if thats what ticks your box so to speak)
For me birding at this time of year is a challenge in different ways, trying to think how to get the most from a birding fix in the limited time available,without travelling miles, but sometimes for me that can just be observing or enjoying whats about,getting some excercise, and being satisfied recording the species and behaviour at this particular time.
If you visit Upton often enough, you will see great birds, because the work done to maintain a certain habitat will hopefully attract it, and if something is there it will probably get found !
Just think, in a few weeks, Avocet,LRP, Stonechat,Chiffchaff,Wheatear, and Sand Martin all possible :t:
Mark
Last edited:
rollingthunder
Well-known member
It's not just the effect on the birds. The weather last 'Summer', particulary May had a marked effect on the local apples that a friend and i collect in Oct/Nov for cider-pressing. The previous year we made 2,000 pints:eek!:, this year we just about pressed 400:C
It's a tough old life in the Midlands, shortage of Cider AND crap birding
Laurie:t:
It's a tough old life in the Midlands, shortage of Cider AND crap birding
Laurie:t:
rollingthunder
Well-known member
St Valentines Day.........
For all you Romantics out there (new and old) and birders....
Here's a link to a blog i follow on Etymology (no, not the study of insects by dyslexics).
I did'nt know that SVD was associated with the amorous intentions of birds and first described by Chaucer. Below is the link and another to the SV Wiki page...
Have fun and if you are cooking for the bride (as i am, NO day off for me) make sure it's not overcooked and becomes a 'St Valentines Day Massacre'....
Laurie:t:
http://blog.inkyfool.com/2013/02/chaucers-valentine.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Valentine's_Day
For all you Romantics out there (new and old) and birders....
Here's a link to a blog i follow on Etymology (no, not the study of insects by dyslexics).
I did'nt know that SVD was associated with the amorous intentions of birds and first described by Chaucer. Below is the link and another to the SV Wiki page...
Have fun and if you are cooking for the bride (as i am, NO day off for me) make sure it's not overcooked and becomes a 'St Valentines Day Massacre'....
Laurie:t:
http://blog.inkyfool.com/2013/02/chaucers-valentine.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Valentine's_Day
Woodchat
Cogito ergo sum
Most of the winter thrushes on my patch (and, as I say, there are lots of them) are to be seen feeding in the open fields - particularly the setaside / stubble, untilled rape fields and wet pastures. There are a few haws and hips left in the hedges but they are becoming depleted.
forgetfulelephant
Well-known member
Very wet on the reserve this am. R. Salwarpe within a foot of it's banks & Hen Brook is in places just below the old boardwalk! I think it probably peaked last night but take care. Paths are very wet & muddy (Welly order). Henbrook hide in accessible (bridge under water).
Oyk on the Moors.
Rob
R
Oyk on the Moors.
Rob
R
Similar threads
