Description
The Christopher Cadbury Wetland Reserve at Upton Warren may be small but it boasts a wide variety of birds, particularly waders. It's divided into two parts by a boating lake, with the Moors Pool to the north and The Flashes to the south, with 2 branches of the River Salwarpe running through it.
The Flashes has breeding Modronoga Sabljarka and wintering Veliki Pozviždač, plus many more species that might show up on spring and autumn passage. Regulars include Mala Prutka, Crnokrila Prutka, Kulik Blatarić, Žalar Cirikavac, Krivokljuna Prutka and Crnorepa Muljača. Rarer species include Pršljivac, Bijeli Žalar, Kameničak, Riđa muljača, Prugasti Pozviždač, Prutka Migavica Mali Žalar and Krivokljuni Žalar. Even Least Sandpiper, Trobojna liskonoga, Tankokljuna liskonoga, Vlastelica, Pectoral Sandpiper, Sijedi Žalar and Blistavi Ibis have occurred. A pair of Brkata Sjenica were seen in November 2019. A Sivi Sokol is often present and may be seen perching on one of the radio masts.
The Moors Pool attracts more wildfowl and has breeding Crvenokljuna Čigra, Oštrigar, Trstenjak cvrkutić, Trstenjak Rogožar, Svilorepa and Močvarna Strnadica. Sokol Lastavičar is present in summer and passage may bring Eja Močvarica, Bukoč and Crna Čigra, while one or two Bukavac might appear in winter.
Both areas have breeding Kulik Sljepčić, Vivak and Crvenonoga Prutka, as well as Šljuka Kokošica and Mala Šljuka in winter. Also, the Riječni Galeb roosts may feature a Crnoglavi Galeb or a Mali Galeb and have even hosted Američki crnoglavi galeb and Frenklinov galeb in the past.
Details
Access
By car: Take the M5 and leave at junction 5, taking the A38 going north through Wychbold and the village of Upton Warren. When you reach the roundabout, take the third exit into the two car parks by the boating lake (signposted Aztec Adventure).
The Flashes car park (on the right) closes at 8 p.m. in summer and 4 p.m. in winter. The Moors car park is always open. Permits costing £3 per person, are required for entry into the reserve for non-members of the Wildlife Trust, and these can be bought from the cafe by the boating lake. The entrance to the Flashes is at the other end of the lake and the entrance for the Moors Pool is further up the A38.
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