On two fairly lengthy early morning visits to Upton Warren this weekend I took the opportunity to record a 30 minute audio as I walked around the Reserve.
I take you from the Northern Moors part of the reserve from the carpark to the West hide, along the linking pathway between the two parts of the reserve crossing the River Salwarpe in the process and down onto the Flashes part of the reserve, returning back to the Moors this time along the pathways to the East hide.
Rather than spend a lot of time in the hides during the recording I took the opportunity to look at the different aspects of the reserve from the deep wild fowl inhabited water of the Moors, the heavily tree lined pathways allowing good opportunities for Dragonflies, Butterflies, small birds and mammals to the shallow saline areas of water and mud banks of the Flashes providing good habitat for waders such as Sandpiper, Snipe and Curlew.
Click to Play or right click to download - 'In Search of Wildlife - Upton Warren - Audio Tour'
The reserve provides plenty of opportunities to see many different species of wildlife. It isn't all about the birds which may be a presumption of anyone who hasn't visited a reserve such as this. The reserve teams with wildlife from many species of butterfly such as Gatekeeper, Small Copper and Large White to Dragonflies such as Hawkers, Banded Demoiselle, Broad Bodied Chasers and Common Darter.
Mornings and evenings allow good opportunities for seeing mammals such as Rabbit, Fox, Water Vole and if you are lucky you may see an Otter. Evenings bring out the bats such as Common Pipistrelle and Daubentons.
Birds aren't confined to the water; the hedgerows and trees are full of small birds such as Green Finch, Gold Finch, Wren, Long Tailed Tit, Great Tit and Bull Finch among others and views over the fields provide good opportunities for seeing raptors such as Kestrel, Sparrow Hawk and Buzzard.
Two firsts for me this weekend at Upton Warren.
This weekend proved to be a rather good weekend for myself as very early Saturday morning (around 7am) I spotted a Grey Plover on the small islands of the Moors pool which was later also verified by a number of other people on the reserve after the tip off from myself.
I also had my first view of the Little Owl which is normally to be seen by the farm to the South of the main Flashes hide.
Obviously to anyone who regularly visits the reserve the species to be seen and the habitats of the reserve will be well known, but to anyone who hasn't maybe visited a reserve before I hope the audio will be informative and of interest.
I hope to revist the reserve with the recording equipment in around a months time to record a seasonal update looking at what has changed on the reserve and updating you on what Migrants the reserve has seen in the meantime.
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