Upton Warren 12/08

We took our good friends Wendy & Tim to Upton on Wednesday this was a first time visit for them, hopefully it won't be the last. However the day didn't get off to a great start as we 'saddled up' at the sailing centre car park, I realised I had left my camera in the living room at home. I felt decidedly strange without it, but never mind, you have to look on the bright side I could concentrate on looking for birds and having a chat.

We toddled down to the flashes and I have to say the water level was very low, keeping the birds a distance from the hide which was a shame. The two Avocet families were still there and the Little Ringed Plover youngster was showing quite well at times, now I wished I had my camera!

Three Curlew were sunning themselves in the grass on the far shore which was nice plus a few Green Sandpiper were about as well, a first for the year for us I think. I cursed not having the camera again when a Snipe proceeded to wade nicely in the open to the left of the hide and again when a pair of Linnet landed in front of the hide. Thankfully we hadn't forgotten the coffee that calmed me down.

After a good hour or so we walked back and popped over to Webbs for a bite to eat before heading over to the Moors Pools. We visited all the hides over the course of the afternoon. A highlight was the single Barnacle Goose not a year first, but a first for us at Upton. We had a flashing glimpse of a Kingfisher but it didn't stop and a brief view of a Water Rail playing hide and seek in  front of the concrete hide.

Another highlight was a Hobby being driven off by a Common Tern parent over the other side of the moors it was a very good day all in all with plenty of birds seen and good company.

Upton list for the day:
Avocet
Barnacle Goose
Black-headed Gull
Blue Tit
Bullfinch
Buzzard
Carrion Crow
Common Sandpiper
Common Tern
Coot
Cormorant
Curlew
Dunnock
Gadwall
Goldfinch
Great Crested Grebe
Great Tit
Greater Canada Goose
Green Sandpiper
Green Woodpecker
Greenfinch
Greylag Goose
Hobby
House Martin
Kingfisher
Lapwing
Linnet
Little Grebe
Little Ringed Plover
Magpie
Mallard
Moorhen
Mute Swan
Pied Wagtail
Reed Bunting
Rock Dove / Feral Pigeon
Sedge Warbler
Shoveler
Snipe
Stock Dove
Teal
Tufted Duck
Water Rail
Willow Warbler
Woodpigeon