FoPL Readers Corner: Upton Warren

In fantastic Spring sunshine I paid a visit to The Christopher Cadbury Wetland Reserve at Upton Warren near Droitwich. It is managed by the Worcestershire Wildlife Trust and therefore free to all members of any other county wildlife trust. Blessed with a fine cafe and plenty of hides it is a great day out

My reason for visiting was to see two species that are not easy to see in Shropshire – Avocet and Little Ringed Plover. The other notable feature is a very active – and noisy – Black-headed Gull colony

There are reed-beds and plenty of scrubby areas to attract the smaller birds and some well-placed feeders providing great viewing and photographic opportunities

Apart from the Avocets and Little Ringed Plovers the only other summer visitors that had arrived were Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps with a pair of Barn Swallows overhead

So here are some of my photos from the day

Now here’s a thing. A drake Gadwall with the white speculum and chestnut wing patch ...?

But wait: what’s that with him? a duck Mallard.

If we look closely there is the hint of a white neck ring and chestnut collar.

A fine study of the bird.

And in real close-up we see the bill is not all-black but has some orange marks. What is that all about? Frankly I don’t know but I suspect there is a small percentage of Mallard genes in this hybrid. Strange because one very strong Mallard gene seems to produce the curly tail in drake off-spring and this bird showed no hint of that.

The drake Tufted Ducks were having trouble with the slight breeze that sprang up.

Certainly a bad-hair day (though some TV personalities seem to want to emulate this as ‘fashion’).

This immature Cormorant did nothing apart from some desultory preening.

A Little Grebe in Summer plumage apparently looking for inspiration in the heavens.

One of a number of Buzzards in the area. Surprisingly the gulls took no notice of it. Whether that will change once they have eggs and chicks ...

Fresh out of the water to scavenge under the feeders we can see the ‘water-line’ of wet feathers. I still think they are stupid feet but I suppose they serve a useful purpose.

Avocets are so elegant so there will be many shots.

Here we see a bird feeding with the characteristic sweeping motion.

They even look elegant standing on one leg.

A bit of a dispute ...

A lot of a dispute as two pairs charge. Very delicate bills.

And a single on the warpath?

Probably not – it has diverted for some food.

This rather over-enlarged shot is included to show the ring on the bird’s right leg: part of the on-going monitoring programme.

And a pair flying off (note the gull behind is a first-summer bird that has not acquired the black on the head and still has brown in its wings).

Sadly all the Avocets soon flew off to the far side to deeper water and where there are no hides. This distant pair are practising for the synchronised drowning award.

The normally strident calls from the several pairs of Oystercatchers present were drowned by the noise of the gulls. This bird seemed to have a split personality and thought it was a Turnstone.

The Little Ringed Plovers were not at all cooperative staying well away from the hides. Even though it is, appropriately, wading through mud we can see the yellow legs that separate this species from the slightly larger (Great) Ringed Plover. The prominent yellow eye-ring is almost impossible to see here.

We do not see Black-headed Gulls in full breeding plumage much at the lake these days. By the time they start to return in mid-June the feathers will be faded and worn. So here is a noisy adult passing by.