Upton Warren (4 Viewers)

[Bob O.]

As of this FEBRUARY we no longer have FREE FOOD.
:t:john

How about a nice letter, on trust letterheaded paper, from Andy to Webbs asking for sponsorship?
Got to be worth a go!:t::t:

 

[Phil Andrews]

First summer Med Gull at the Moors Pool

 

[Phil Andrews]

A very ragged looking Red Kite slowly drifting north over the Flashes as per Dave J.

 

[Rob_S]

How about a nice letter, on trust letterheaded paper, from Andy to Webbs asking for sponsorship?
Got to be worth a go!:t::t:

Good call.

Failing this, how about crowdfunding? I'm sure there are plenty of folks who'd happily donate a small sum.

 

[Phil Andrews]

Monday 23rd April 0915-1530

Birding was hard work on the reserve today with a surprisingly keen south-westerly wind and several degree knocked off the temperature. Things were just warming up with the discovery of the Med Gull when I was called away as the wife had locked herself out of the house, meaning I missed the Red Kite :eek!: :-C

SAILING POOL
11 Canada Goose, 2 Greylag Goose, 4 Great Crested Grebe, 12 Tufted Duck, 8 Coot, 1 Moorhen, Swift, Cetti's Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat on west side.

FLASHES
4 Little Ringed Plover (Dave J later had 5), 2 Oystercatcher, 41 Avocet, 13 Lapwing (no sign of any chicks), 2 Mute Swan, 10 Canada Geese, 6 Shelduck, Mallard brood on the third flash (LBB Gull took at least one duckling), 1 Teal (male), 5 Shoveler, 2 Gadwall (pair), 8 Tufted Duck, 9 Coot, 7 Moorhen, Lesser Whitethroat behind hide, Rook, possible Garden Warbler sang brief from hedge adjacent to the Hen Brook bridge.

NORTH MOORS
2 Mute Swan, 2 Shoveler (pair), 6 Tufted Duck, 1 Coot, 1 Little Grebe, Lesser Whitethroat in north-west corner.

MOORS POOL
2 Mute Swan, 2 Greylag Geese, 42 Canada Geese, 4 Gadwall (3 male + 1 female), 5 Shoveler (4 male + 1 female), 50 Tufted Duck, 19 Coot, 5 Moorhen, 1 GC Grebe, 6 Little Grebe, 1 Grey Heron, 4 Lapwing, 4 Oystercatcher, 3 Common Term, first summer Mediterranean Gull, 1 Herring Gull, 6 LBB Gull, Willow Warbler on east side, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, Peregrine viewable on the masts, Swift.

Whilst the wind has an westerly element for the rest of the week, hopefully the rain due tomorrow and Wednesday will drop in something new.

 

[Birder Gladys]

popped in for an hour this evening, LBBG's giving grief to the BHG's, and a bit of head nodding from the Shelducks. Plus Mute Swan landed in mud.:eek!:
1 oh no I didn't.
2 this is going to take some cleaning.
3 don't think anyone saw me.
4 better get off this.
5 never happen.

 

[Spoonbill Finder]

Birding was hard work on the reserve today with a surprisingly keen south-westerly wind and several degree knocked off the temperature. Things were just warming up with the discovery of the Med Gull when I was called away as the wife had locked herself out of the house, meaning I missed the Red Kite :eek!: :-C

SAILING POOL
11 Canada Goose, 2 Greylag Goose, 4 Great Crested Grebe, 12 Tufted Duck, 8 Coot, 1 Moorhen, Swift, Cetti's Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat on west side.

FLASHES
4 Little Ringed Plover (Dave J later had 5), 2 Oystercatcher, 41 Avocet, 13 Lapwing (no sign of any chicks), 2 Mute Swan, 10 Canada Geese, 6 Shelduck, Mallard brood on the third flash (LBB Gull took at least one duckling), 1 Teal (male), 5 Shoveler, 2 Gadwall (pair), 8 Tufted Duck, 9 Coot, 7 Moorhen, Lesser Whitethroat behind hide, Rook, possible Garden Warbler sang brief from hedge adjacent to the Hen Brook bridge.

NORTH MOORS
2 Mute Swan, 2 Shoveler (pair), 6 Tufted Duck, 1 Coot, 1 Little Grebe, Lesser Whitethroat in north-west corner.

MOORS POOL
2 Mute Swan, 2 Greylag Geese, 42 Canada Geese, 4 Gadwall (3 male + 1 female), 5 Shoveler (4 male + 1 female), 50 Tufted Duck, 19 Coot, 5 Moorhen, 1 GC Grebe, 6 Little Grebe, 1 Grey Heron, 4 Lapwing, 4 Oystercatcher, 3 Common Term, first summer Mediterranean Gull, 1 Herring Gull, 6 LBB Gull, Willow Warbler on east side, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, Peregrine viewable on the masts, Swift.

Whilst the wind has an westerly element for the rest of the week, hopefully the rain due tomorrow and Wednesday will drop in something new.

The 2 Lapwing chicks were still visible on the meadow at the back of the second flash this afternoon but were disappearing behind the reed bed to the left of the sewage works at times.:t:

 

[Phil Andrews]

Early morning at the Flashes JTB reports:

Common Sand 2, LR Plover 6, Avocet 34, Lapwing 12 plus the two chicks still, Oystercatcher 2, Shoveler 8, Shelduck 4, Med Gull first summer.

 

[Phil Andrews]

Whimbrel at the Moors Pool early afternoon before flying towards the Flashes as per Alan H.

 

[Phil Andrews]

Ringed Plover dropped into the Flashes as per JTB.

 

[Gavo]

Wood Warbler Phylloscopus sibilatrix

Wood Warbler is an uncommon breeder in Britain’s deciduous woodlands of the north and west, wintering in tropical Africa. It breeds in limited numbers in Worcestershire, being on the edge of its distribution, with a small population in the Wyre Forest and occasional birds in the woods around the Malvern Hill and its surrounding areas. The species has been recorded as a scarce visitor during spring passage at Upton Warren, with possibly as many as 22 records:-

27th June 1965 (Bill Oddie)
Spring 1971 - undated
Spring 1972 - undated
5th May 1979
29th April 1984
27th April 1985 - male - Moors Pool
14th August 1986
20th August 1986
26th June 1988
22nd August 1988 - juvenile
31st August 1988
21st May 1991 - male - Broadmeadow, Moors Pool (Richard Harbird)
29th April 1995 - male - Education Reserve (Roger Hill & Rob Wardle)
12th September 1995 - Moors Pool (Nick Moore)
24th to 26th April 1996 - male - Moors Pool
27th to 28th April 1996 - male - Education Reserve
5th to 7th May 1996 - male - Education Reserve (John Belsey & Mike Wakeman)
12th May 1996 - male - Education Reserve
22nd to 23rd April 2000 - male - River Salwarpe
27th April 2000 - male - River Salwarpe (Dave Walker)
14th April 2009 - male - Sailing Pool (Phil Andrews)
21st April 2018 - male - North Moors (Paul Croft)

There may be some duplication of records, particularly with the series of singing male Wood Warblers recorded in 1996 around the Moors Pool and the Education Reserve. However the two birds were definitely present in late April 2000 by the River Salwarpe along the public footpath opposite the Swan Inn were confirmed by Dave Walker as different individuals, being differently marked. The dates, which are concentrated around the last week in April, suggest that most of these records relate to birds newly into the area on migration.

Unfortunately the series of records in 1996 and 2000 did not translate into this species being a regular summer migrant to the reserve - the overall decline of the species and lack of access to the most likely habitat in the Education Reserve both being factors. With virtually all the records relating to singing males with their attractive shivering trill; one can only speculate how many silent females may have slipped through the reserve undetected. Observers should carefully consider identification when encountering bright yellow phylloscopus warblers in the late summer and early autumn given the occasional presence of juvenile Willow Warblers on the reserve and a number of seasoned observers suggest that several of the five late summer / autumn records may actually refer to misidentified Willow Warblers with reports of inland Wood Warbler scarce on return passage.

Cheers Phil, very interesting, some good points re females and juv Willow Warblers. It’s a shame access to the ed reserve is limited, I often wonder what slips through undetected ☹️

 

[wheatearlp]

Cheers Phil, very interesting, some good points re females and juv Willow Warblers. It’s a shame access to the ed reserve is limited, I often wonder what slips through undetected ☹️

To be fair it's a good question... although unanswerable 😉 A few decent things over the years - the aforementioned Wood Warblers, Golden Oriole, a few Woodcocks, Firecrest &, eventually, the Yellow-browed Warbler. Also decent views of Garganey, Hobby & Lesser Pecker, Goshawk roosted once and that's all I can come up with without reports & notes.

 

[UW82]

To be fair it's a good question... although unanswerable 😉 A few decent things over the years - the aforementioned Wood Warblers, Golden Oriole, a few Woodcocks, Firecrest &, eventually, the Yellow-browed Warbler. Also decent views of Garganey, Hobby & Lesser Pecker, Goshawk roosted once and that's all I can come up with without reports & notes.

Pied Fly's.

 

[wheatearlp]

Pied Fly's.

True - I found one of them, plus a Redstart 😝

 

[Phil Andrews]

Wasnt one of the Hoopoe records on the "heath"? That area also looks good for Wryneck.

Have had Waxwing in the trees behind the garage.

 

[Gavo]

As I suspected some cracking birds mentioned, was there once an Siberian Chiffchaff or am I making that up?

 

[Phil Andrews]

I recall a Siberian Chiffchaff was reported during the YBW's near month long stay; I dont remember if it was accepted or not though.

 

[UW82]

I recall a Siberian Chiffchaff was reported during the YBW's near month long stay; I dont remember if it was accepted or not though.

There was a Hoopoe on the"heath" and the Sibe wasn't accepted.

Des.

 

[upstarts1979]

FOX fence & New Hide

Thanks to all the crew today for sorting out the two above jobs.
The final curtain for the new hide...literally placed at the top of the new porch doorway to cut out unwanted light when door is opened.

After 2.5 hours watching a fox systematically remove eggs from the BHG colony in the first flash reeds , mallard and goose eggs in the southern flashes area, I Finally watched it go through the fence. A team of us checked and repaired the East section of the fence and the hole was patched up.
Thanks to all 10 of the crew today:t::t:john

 

[upstarts1979]

Highlights of the day

Final tally Flashes :- Teal male. Shelduck 5. Shoveler 8. Common sand 6. LRP 6. Ringed plover. Snipe 3. Avocet 40. Oystercatcher 2. Lapwing 12 +2chicks. MED Gull 1st summer. BHG 800.

Sailing pool 2 little egret roosted.

MOORS WHIMBREL (not seen by me😣). Snipe. Swift

North Moors:- Whitethroat