Blorenge and Upton Warren

Marmora's Warbler, Blorenge, Gwent

Tree Pipit, Blorenge

The view down the valley from the car park at Blorenge

Juvenile Black-headed Gulls at Upton Warren

Green Sandpiper, Upton Warren

Young Avocet, Upton Warren

Juvenile Magpie begging mum for food at the Moors Pool, Upton Warren

and mum staying well clear!

Female Mallard, Upton Warren

Robin, Upton Warren

The Moors Pools at Upton Warren

Fox at Upton Warren. I only managed a quick pic of this fox before it vamooshed into the trees. The interesting bit is that the animal was over 800 yards away when I digiscoped it - how technology has advanced!

Little Ringed Plover incubating in protective cage at Upton Warren. This is what is called conservation management and is probably a significant reason why I spotted at least 10 adults there. Do you think the lesson would be lost on Pennington?

Another of the ten....

Convoy of Canada's

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Trying to catch up a bit now, however last Monday morning started with the usual visit to HGF. Usual stuff, however a Ringed Plover was present this morning. Next stop was Rixton to check on the terns. As soon as I parked up I heard the Lesser Whitethroat singing away in its usual spot- I am now wondering whether this bird has managed to find a mate? It's been rattling away for quite a while now and LW's are supposed to go silent after a couple of weeks. But then again the Pennington bird hasn't either. Maybe it just enjoys singing. Anyway the tern chicks were doing well with one parent on guard - amazing how well and how quickly they have grown. As I drove off up Moat Lane a male Bullfinch was perched in the middle of the road and was none too keen on shifting. Just afterwards a Buzzard burst out of the trees to the right and flew right across the road in front of the car just like a Sparrowhawk. Forgot to mention too that last week a Kestrel flew across Moat Lane pool carrying a small bird.

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I was working away again for the next few days and this gave me the opportunity for an evening divert to Blorenge for the Marmora's Warbler. Stunning area, however my map reading skills nearly put paid to the visit. I followed the instructions and parked by the mast and walked back down the hill and wondered why I was all alone. Eventually a passing birder told me I was on the wrong side of the hill!!! Having driven down the other side and parked in a small car park I got out to hear a birder comment that he had been there for over an hour and seen bugger all. I walked over to the wall and immediately a small brown job plummeted out of the sky and into the bracken. It was the Marmora's. It showed briefly, then flew across the road and hunkered down into a hollow and was not seen again for over an hour.

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Interesting bird the Marmora's Warbler. Bit like a Dartford Warbler and has a dry, rattling song which could be heard periodically. Only the 6th British record of a bird which is normally resident on Corsica and Sardinia. After a while the bird "woke up" and began its usual circuit, showing well from time to time but only appearing at the top of vegetation briefly before dropping out of sight. Very difficult to digiscope.

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The area looks stunning with fantastic views and fantastic birds. The supporting cast was headed by Whinchats - I saw at least five and a couple were relatively showy. A few Tree Pipits were also present (I spotted at least 3) while a pair of Stonechats, a Cuckoo and a family of Ravens completed the line up. Cracking birding!

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The next evening I was staying down the road from Upton Warren so I spent some time at the flashes. Nothing unusual, however an enjoyable evening in the sunshine nonetheless. At least 10 Little Ringed Plovers were flitting around on what is a relatively small pool while up to 8 Avocets fed in the shallow water. A couple of Curlews dropped in and a Green Sandpiper seemed to appear from nowhere. A Garden Warbler and two Green Woodies plus a Common Tern over the boating line were also seen. One of the hides here is located virtually inside a reedbed and I spent some time in it watching out of the window where a small area of flattened reeds seemed to attract the resident birds including Reed and Sedge Warblers and a couple of Water Rails.

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At dust I had a recce to the Moors Pools at Upton Warren - essentially a separate reserve just like the Morecambe complex is separated from Leighton Moss. There was nothing much doing and the visibility was poor so I headed off to bed. Only problem was I couldn't sleep (something which leaves me a wreck for days afterwards) and thus I stood on the road between the pools at 03:45 listening to the dawn chorus. Amazing - I don't do this often enough and the noise was almost deafening but sublime at the same time. I spent quite a while simpling absorbing the sounds and not really bothering trying to identify individual species. Sometimes I think we analyse things too much. I never knew there could be so many Reed Warblers singing in a reed bed.

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I then wandered over to a stilted hide which overlooks the pool and just watched the birds go about their daily routine. A Kingfisher briefly apppeared and another Green Woody, while at least 11 Common Terns were shoehorned in amongst the Black-headed Gull colony here. Plenty of the usual waterfowl too and three singing Cetti's Warblers. It seemed all too soon before I had to go to work, however I thoroughly enjoyed this early morning visit.