An afternoon at Upton Warren

We had a few hours free last Thursday so popped down the M5 to spend some time at Upton. We started at the Moors, going to the 'new' hide at the North Moors first, where we joyfully watched a female Great Spotted Woodpecker collecting food from the feeders and feeding her 'young lad' up in a nearby tree.
Waiting patiently....

 Food delivered (behind the branch of course!)

A Chiffchaff showed well for us, the first we have seen this year, although we have heard many!

Also at the North Moors a Common Tern was perched for a while,

with a Grey heron wandering past in the background.

As we left the hide a Buzzard did a fly over.

We walked on up to the Lapwing Hide, where a Great Crested Grebe was paddling around,

and a Whitethroat paused for a moment with a snack before taking it to its youngsters.

There were plenty of Tufted Duck, Mallard and Black-headed Gull, a couple of Terns were seen on the rafts, also two Oystercatchers showed on one of the islands, along with the usual suspects but unusually no Cormorants were seen.

We stayed here about an hour before walking back to the car and driving over to the Flashes, this was to get our Avocet fix:

There is a huge age range in the Avocet chicks, from pretty much adult to recently hatched a good year we think.

It was nice to see some Shelduck ducklings too..

Even the Black-headed Gull young were interesting, although Tina can't stand the noise that the BHGs constantly make.

There were plenty of other young around, with the Oystercatcher 'family' coming reasonably close to the hide:

So that will do for now. Another wonderful time at Upton, with plenty going on, lots of little dramas being played out. All it needs is a bit of patience and a great reserve managed by a great Wildlife Trust.

Metal Birds at RAF Cosford

Yes it's that time again, swapped feathers for metal and went to Cosford Airshow, here are a few highlights....................

Red Falcon Parachute Team,

Birmingham University Air Squadron (Grob Tutor)

RAF: Shorts Tucano,

RAF: Typhoon

Boeing Stearman,

RAF: Chinook

Navy Wings: Hawker Sea Fury,

Global Stars: Extra EA300

Army Air Corps: Apache

Danish Air Force: SAAB T-17

RAF: Battle of Britain Memorial Flight

BBMF: Supermarine Spitfire Mk. LF.IXe

BBMF: Avro Lancaster

BBMF: Supermarine Spitfire Mk. PR.XIX,

DH Rapide,

BAC Jet Provost & Strikemaster,

Pitts Special,

The Red Arrows,

Messerchmitt 109

Belgian Air Force: Augusta A109,

Swiss Air Force: F-18 Hornet,

DH Chipmunk,

Czech Air Force: Aero L-159 & Supermarine Spitfire Mk. PR.XI

Westland Whirlwind,

Augusta A109E,

German Navy: Lockheed P-3 Orion,

Czech Air Force: SAAB Gripen

and only at Cosford Air Show can you get a Steam Engine as well!