Upton Warren (24 Viewers)

[IvanS]

little stint, common sandpiper, green sandpiper, ruff and the ruff with one that I'm not sure about in front of it - will post another shot of it in a moment

 

[IvanS]

this is the one I'm not sure about

 

[PeterE]

Today's Work Party

Unusually today's activities were solely for the benefit of human visitors rather than the birds. Access and visibility were improved all around the Moors: on the road between the A38 and the car-park the hedgerow was cut back and overhead branches lopped, the car-park surround was trimmed, the NM trail was tidied-up and the approaches to the viewing screens cleared, and three large willows by the Concrete and West Hides were given a severe short-back-and-sides.

Those brush-cutting, clipping, sawing, lopping, and climbing trees were Paul, Bob P, Charles, Janet, Jim, John C, Ray, Terry, Tony and myself.

Peter

 

[Phil Andrews]

this is the one I'm not sure about

Dunlin Ivan

 

[IvanS]

Dunlin Ivan

thanks Phil - I should have known after spending the weekend on the coast photographing small waders!

 

[Stone Snapper]

little stint & common sand from today

 

[Phil Andrews]

Tuesday 1st September 1300-1700

MOORS POOL
4 Gadwall, 3 Shoveler, 3 Wigeon, 300 Mallard, c45 Tufted Duck, 22 Greylag Geese, 240 Canada Geese, 2 adult + 2 young Mute Swan, 1 Little Egret, 7 Grey Heron (bit of an influx), 9 Cormorant, 2 GC Grebe, 15 Little Grebe, 190 Coot, 15 Moorhen, Water Rail, juv Common Tern, adult LBB Gull, adult Common Gull, third summer Herring Gull, c300 BH Gull dropped in (feeding in fields to the NW of the Moors Pool), 20 Lapwing, 3 Snipe, 3 Raven, GS Woodpecker, 2 Jay, 6 Buzzard, Treecreeper in North Moors, Kingfisher, plenty of hirundines but no Swift

SAILING POOL
Adult + juv Common Tern, 1 adult + 2 young GC Grebe, c40 Mallard, 3 Tufted Duck, 1 Moorhen, 12 Coot

FLASHES
Just a flying visit - juv Little Stint, 1 Dunlin, 1 Avovet, 2 Ruff, 2 Common Sand, 3 Green Sand, 5 Curlew, 20+ Shoveler, 50+ Teal, c20 Moorhen, GS Woodpecker.
Earlier Ringed Plover (as per Andy Pitt) and Redstart (as per Terry Hinett)

 

[Phil Andrews]

And at 4:50pm. Please note management work is being undertaken at the Flashes with the likelihood of disturbance high; would suggest anyone wishing to see the stint should get there before 9am

Announcement on the Trust website:

"Sept 2nd & 3rd, 9am-5pm - Site visits to assess The Flashes & forthcoming construction of a cattle pen will be undertaken. Grazing is important for keeping the low vegetation waders and some wildfowl require. We apologise for any inconvenience if your viewing is disrupted."

Personally I think Steve Nuttall and his Belvide crew have slipped the Trust a tenner to ensure that as many waders as possible disappear before the All-Day Birdwatch on Saturday .... :-C Will be very disappointed if nothing actually happens on site re grazing until well into the autumn.

Whilst I am on the subject of things that grind me gears ..... blackerberrying. Upton Warren is a nature reserve for the preservation of wildlife; it is not an open market stall to fill up tupperware containers and plastic bags full of tasty berries. This late summer / early autumn bonanza is vital for birds fueling up prior to leaving for the winter southwards (eg the Sylvia warblers) or those how have just arrived from more northerly climates (thrushes, robins etc); it is also a useful windfall for our smaller mammals. If you do see anyone engaging in this activity please challenge them in an educational manner; it is private property after all.

 

[Spoonbill Finder]

No sign of Little Stint at Flashes this morning.

 

[wheatearlp]

No sign of Little Stint at Flashes this morning.

Any sign of work or surveying?

 

[UW82]

Any sign of work or surveying?

AH et al spent an hour from 09.30 walking the area by the third flash to the reedbed by the first flash:cattle related.

Des.

 

[Steve Nuttall]

Announcement on the Trust website:

"Sept 2nd & 3rd, 9am-5pm - Site visits to assess The Flashes & forthcoming construction of a cattle pen will be undertaken. Grazing is important for keeping the low vegetation waders and some wildfowl require. We apologise for any inconvenience if your viewing is disrupted."

Personally I think Steve Nuttall and his Belvide crew have slipped the Trust a tenner to ensure that as many waders as possible disappear before the All-Day Birdwatch on Saturday .... :-C Will be very disappointed if nothing actually happens on site re grazing until well into the autumn.

Hi Phil LOL

There's hardly any waders about to scare off anyway. Just 1 Ringed Plover, 1 LRP and 7 Common Sandpiper at Belvide today.
I think we're up a certain creek without a paddle regarding our passage waders these days. I hope I'm wrong, but there's been a steady decline for several years now.:-C

 

[upstarts1979]

Hi Phil LOL

There's hardly any waders about to scare off anyway. Just 1 Ringed Plover, 1 LRP and 7 Common Sandpiper at Belvide today.
I think we're up a certain creek without a paddle regarding our passage waders these days. I hope I'm wrong, but there's been a steady decline for several years now.:-C

Hi Steve, I'm just back from Menorca and as always browsed through your site ....NO waders you say:eek!: more in a week than we've had all year::-C
Tactics - giving us false hope8-P
text you Saturday mate:t: john

 

[UW82]

Today's highlights:

FLASHES:
Dunlin (2)--------------------Ruff (3). 2 present all day, but they flew north at 18.50 and were seen to drop into
the Moors. A third bird flew from the direction of the 3rd flash at 19.25
onto the 2nd flash.
Green Sand (4)--------------Common Sand (1)
Curlew (19)------------------Snipe(1)
Lapwing (c100)--------------Wigeon (1)
Gadwall (3)------------------Teal (c50)
Shoveler (20+)--------------Raven (4)
Kestrel-----------------------Peregrine
Kingfisher--------------------Cetti's Warbler
Stock Dove (c130)-----------Greylag Goose (30)
Common Tern (juv)----------Avocet (1)
B H Gull (c500)

MOORS:
Hobby------------------------Reed Warbler (2)
Cetti's Warbler (2)-----------Water Rail
Cormorant (3)---------------G C Grebe (1)
Duck numbers were complicated by disturbance at the Flashes, but there were Gadwall, Shoveler and Teal present plus a Wigeon which I assume was the Flashes bird.

SAILING POOL:
Goldcrest---------------------Common Tern (Ad)
G C Grebe

Des.

 

[Phil Andrews]

No Sedge Warbler, Willow Warbler or either Whitethroat? Didn't note any of these yesterday.

 

[Phil Andrews]

Today's highlights:

FLASHES:
Dunlin (2)--------------------Ruff (3). 2 present all day, but they flew north at 18.50 and were seen to drop into
the Moors. A third bird flew from the direction of the 3rd flash at 19.25
onto the 2nd flash.
Green Sand (4)--------------Common Sand (1)
Curlew (19)------------------Snipe(1)
Lapwing (c100)--------------Wigeon (1)
Gadwall (3)------------------Teal (c50)
Shoveler (20+)--------------Raven (4)
Kestrel-----------------------Peregrine
Kingfisher--------------------Cetti's Warbler
Stock Dove (c130)-----------Greylag Goose (30)
Common Tern (juv)----------Avocet (1)
B H Gull (c500)

I will need to go away and have a rifle through my records but I think this is a new record count for the reserve of Stock Dove

 

[wheatearlp]

Autumn All-dayer

For those of you interested in such things on a personal level, I've attached a check-list for use on Saturday.

 

[Phil Andrews]

I will need to go away and have a rifle through my records but I think this is a new record count for the reserve of Stock Dove

Can confirm that 130 is a new record count of Stock Dove, beating the previous peak of 116 noted at the Flashes on the 24th November 2013.

 

[UW82]

Can confirm that 130 is a new record count of Stock Dove, beating the previous peak of 116 noted at the Flashes on the 24th November 2013.

John Sirrett should take credit for counting the birds, the vast majority of which were on wires north east of the Flashes.

Des.

 

[wheatearlp]

Very quiet this evening 19.00-20.30. Avocet, Common Sandpiper and Dunlin still present but no Ruff. Only LBBGs in the roost with BHGs, but there were 24 adults and six juveniles.

Things looked far more interesting in the log-book, assuming that these sightings were from today - Osprey over, Redshank and Wheatear.