The Bigg Bird Forum

[Drachenfach]

Worcestershire, being a landlocked county, would not feature highly on most birders' 'lists of places to see good waders'. How wrong they are!

Upton Warren is owned and run by the Worcs Wildlife Trust It's based around a sequence of saline pools, formed due to underground salt reserves, and it attracts all sorts of things, including the odd rarity. Most of the records end up on this site, which also has some good maps of the area.

The reserve is split into two halves- the moor pools to the north, and the flashes to the south.

The moor pools are deep, fringed with thick stands of reeds. Whenever I've visited the place has been heaving with Great Crested Grebes, which are some of my favourite birds. Other speciailities include Cormorants, BH Gullst this time of year, masses of swifts and swallow, with some fabulous views as they skim over the water. Masses of sedge warblers in the reeds, the odd Cetti's bellowing away, and the Bitterns are there when I am not. Several nice, well-kept hides, with great views of the terrain.

The flashes are arguably more spectacular, being shallow saline pools, pocked with dozens of little islands that passing waders just can't resist. For the last few years Avocets have bred there- about 14 birds on the site this year, comprising two successful broods. There are always a few Redshank, resident Lapwings, nesting LR Plovers, and an ever-changing parade of ducks.

Winter and passage migration sees a much greater range of waders, mainly small sandpipers, with the odd yank dropping in, and the occasional wrecked seabird.

My life list has gone up by 25% since finding this place. I cannot reccommend it highly enough, and entrance is free to members of any county wildlife trust (which i also highly reccommend).

[Pete]

not somewhere I've been but sounds good. And as I'm in the area next week

Its called the Christopher Cadbury reserve at Upton Warren these days.

http://www.worcswildlifetrust.co.uk/index.php?section=places%3Areserves&reserveid=365

[Drachenfach]

Yes, that threw us as well, since the signs on the reserve don't really mention that.

If you are going, I reccommend the maps on the Worcestershire birding site as being the best to get you there, and remember the reserve is in two halves.

Have you been to Grimley workings or Bittell Reservoirs? They're both county hotspots for rarities, though I haven't yet had a chance to go, I believe the details are on the birding site as before.

[Pauline W]

I know this is an old post but I just had to recommend it too. I last visited in August this year and was lucky enough to see a bittern. I didn't get any pictures of it but other people in the hide did, they had posh cameras and digiscopes. I did get photos of a little egret, lapwings, sandpiper etc. Well worth a visit.

[BCBIRDER]

Sorry to flag an old thread but just to let you all know will be visiting this place (Upton Warren) today 11th May 2012 and will update on return looks a great little place .

[Pauline W]

Have a great day