Upton Warren Nature Reserve Diary

Having moved from Staffordshire to Worcestershire recently I had been musing (or rather sulking) to the effect that there wasn't a reserve close to me to call my own patch. Unpacking one of the many boxes I came across a book of reserves and places to go and whilst thumbing through the pages I noticed 'Upton Warren' with a feeling of 'that rings a bell'. It rang a bell because Upton Warren is in fact about 8 minutes away from our new home which means that I do have a very local patch to frequent.

The past week or so I have been making the most of occasional good weather and the fact that I have the reserve on my doorstep by going there almost daily early in the morning and in the early evening. One of the pleasures of the recent visits has been that on almost every occasion a Kingfisher has settled in the reeds in front of the one hides carrying out 6 or 7 dives a visit and offering really good views of a creature that most of the time would only be seen as a vivid electric blue flash as it speeds past.

It is interesting getting to know the little area of the reserve that I have claimed as 'my patch' to watch as well as noting the guaranteed residents to be seen at the moment. The aforementioned Kingfisher has a routine which I am getting to know which means that at least once on every visit I get to see it. The Grey Heron (4) all have their own resting and fishing spots and I can pretty much guarantee that at least two of them will be in one of several locations around the pool. The Ruddy Duck with it's marvellously blue bill is normally around and has become my mascot for the reserve and the first that I look for when arriving, the Grey Heron acting almost as pool guardians on every visit as they stand erect and proprietorial or hunched up neck pulled down like grumpy old men. The Greater crested Grebes are always in evidence and it is a pleasure to watch their interactions heads wagging form sire to side. The Black Headed Gulls are the bullies of the area mobbing the Grey Herons and the Mute Swans unmercifully wheeling and diving in arcs like a swinging axe. The Blue Tits, Reed Bunting, Reed Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Long tailed Tits and friends have been keeping the reed areas alive with comings and goings when all else is quite as well as a colourful visit from a Bullfinch and a fleeting visit from what I think was a Buzzard landing right in front of the hide kill still fresh in its talons. The Water rail has also made a fleeting visit before silently disappearing back into the reeds. Last night even saw a young fox in front of the hide chasing the 6 young Mallard that were there.

As yet I haven't managed to see the Cuckcoo, although I can certainly hear it most evenings and whatever Simon King might do to attract one my efforts at imitating the call certainly do not work! The Barn Owl is still elusive as well as indeed are many others that are noted down in the hide log. One item that has certainly caught my eye from this log is the mention of Otter sightings in the area and comments made in casual conversation with others that frequent the reserve to the same effect. Something to look forward to if I am indeed lucky enough to catch a glimpse. But even the ordinary is good to watch, Forty Five Canada Geese coming in to land for the night last night, swooping in in formation and circling before touchdown like Lancasters coming back to base with the Greater Crested Grebe popping up from under the water to only disappear down again like submarines scoping the horizon and the newly fledged family of seven Blue Tits that chase and dart around the trees and bushes.

Of course it's not all birds, a stroll along the river and along the paths running through the undergrowth reveals a lot more than out feathered friends as you might imagine and I am not just talking about the endless clouds of midges.

But while talking of midges that inevitably leads the subject around to bats and that of course means that we will be out and about with the bat detector at some point in the future as the area is ideal for Daubentons and Pips. I think that 'Mrs Creek' has been getting rather frustrated that we haven't been out and about with the bat detector of late and she has been spotted lurking by the back door on past evenings with the bat detector in hand as a bat detecting fix, which has even yielded some results with her picking up '45' Pips flying over the garden on their way to their feeding grounds.

All the photographs included in this entry have been taken over the last week at the Upton Warren Nature Reserve Worcestershire - (Some of them were even in forcus!).

Comments

[Jan Pearce 27 Sabrina Drive Bewdley Worcs DY12 2 RJ]

We are the WI art group for Worcestershire We would like to know if it would be possible for some of our ladies to spend a day painting at The Mere Nature reserve Upton Warren. We would need access to a toilet and somewhere to park cars. If there were any other venues we could use wewould be very interested. Many Thanks Jan Pearce.