An early morning visit to my local patch of Upton Warren Reserve on the Moors side and the first out and about recording for some time.
It was a rather overcast and damp feeling morning but I decided to make a short 15 minute 'In Search of Wildlife' recording and after sending the resident rabbit population scurrying for cover along the path I was rewarded for my troubles with three Kingfisher almost immediately on entering the hide.
Since the feeders are back in action with seed being put into them the smaller birds are more numerous directly in front of the hide and this morning saw a number of Blue Tits and a solitary Bullfinch, the first Bullfinch that I have seen for some time at the reserve. A Jay also flew past the hide within a few minutes of my settling down for the mornings birding.
The previous evening saw little other than large numbers of Black Headed Gull, Mallard and Coot (over 250 Black Headed Gull and a larger number of Mallard than usually seems to be the case with over 120). The Gull all cleared off just a few minutes before we called it a night leaving the water looking rather empty in comparison to before they made their move. However we were treated to two young fox playing and gambolling in the newly cleared area to the Hobden Hall Farm side of the reserve (South). It's rather amazing how quickly the local residents will make use of changes in the landscape around them, the area was previously dense with foliage. As the evenings are now pulling in and of course the rather miserable weather we are having at present doesn't help, the light quite quickly failed and we found ourselves having to head for home earlier than we would have liked to leaving the foxes at their play.
A rather laid back little 15 minute recording here as it was rather early.
Click to Play or right click to download - 'In Search of Wildlife Upton Warren - Moors'
The short early mornings birding turned up the following (details from previous visits can be found here > 2008 Birding List)
07-08-08 Upton Warren - Moors
Moors (AM - Cloudy, dull, damp and fresh - brightening to end of visit)
Kingfisher 3 (Pair flying along far edge of water [Brickhouse Farm side] right to left [South to North]) - Single Kingfisher 3 visits to reeds to R/H side in front of hide (West) perched on water depth marker and overhanging stem nearside bank - several dives) - Bullfinch 1 (Caged feeder in front of hide) - Blue Tits 3 (Caged Feeder in front of hide) - Greater Crested Grebe 4 - Jay 1 (Flew directly in front of hide right to left [South to North]) - Tufted Duck 2 - Common Tern 3 plus 1 young - Coot 90 - Moorehen 2 - Black Headed Gull - Mallard 71 - Lapwing 2 - Cormorant 2 - Grey Heron 2 - Pochard 1 (Centre Island East) - Canada Geese
Top left - Bullfinch from this morning. Bottom right - Black headed Gull from the previous evening.
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