Back to Upton Warren

So as promised in an earlier post we went back to Upton, although it took us longer than expected with weather, decorating and a few other things getting in the way.

Our main objective was to see the Redshank chicks at the Flashes and the mission was accomplished with one in particular being quite bold and showing well,

the other two were much more skittish and only showed briefly as did the parents.

The two reported Egyptian Geese at the Sailing Pool were also quite accommodating,

It was nice to see the Avocets doing so well, with the youngsters really growing fast and now totally independent, although we didn't count them there are a reported 25 juveniles almost ready to depart.

The Black-headed Gulls had become a bit quieter than our last visit 4 weeks ago, like the Avocets, the chicks are looking very grown up now, although as with the Avocets there are still a few really young chicks about. The majority though were taking a well earned rest,

Elsewhere at the Flashes there were plenty of Lapwing, Canada Geese, 3 Greenshank, a few Common Sandpiper and a pair of Little Ringed Plover brooding I think 4 eggs, but wasn't sure, only had a quick look whilst the parents did a change over. I was surprised to see a Moorhen with whatt must be a second brood though:

We decided to pop over to the Moors Pools to finish off the afternoon in the vain hope of Otters or Kingfisher, as usual neither showed for us this time out. Tina did catch a glimpse of a Water Rail, which I missed taking some poor photos of a Little Grebe family, I just couldn't get the light right with the shine on the water,

to make up up for it we did get some great views of both Reed and Sedge Warbler, normally they don't hang around long enough to either to get a proper look or even a photograph, you normally just see them flit in the reeds or zoom around a disappear down into the reeds as soon as they land.
So here are a few pics, I wish they had been closer but then a photographer is never satisfied!
Reed Warbler:

Sedge Warbler:

We had the pleasure of a Tufted Duck creche sail by, a single adult female with circa 30 chicks in tow, I was surprised that the Lesser Black-backed and Herring Gulls nearby ignored them, especially with a few of the chicks wandering off from the main group, they would have made a nice snack for a Gull.
A few of the 30.

With chicks to feed the Common Terns were busy fishing and occasionally came close enough for us to have a better look,

There was plenty of other bird activity and sometimes it's nice to give the more common birds a spotlight:
A shy Great Tit,

 Dunnock,

 Herring Gull,

 Blue Tit,

 Cygnets,

 Reed Bunting,

 and Bullfinch

So a lovely peaceful afternoon at the Warren, there weren't many other birders about, that can be really nice sometimes, just to sit and enjoy with no other distractions. We stayed about three and a half hours and totalled 42 species, not a huge number but really enjoyable.