Monday, June 15, 2009

Goosander chicks update


Nice to meet Jeff Cox at Elland GP and sorry to say we could not find them. It took until this weekend to re-locate them and also caught them this morning and all 5 young are growing fast but due to the overgrown river bank they are difficult to find so only managed one decent shot. All the usual are down at the pits including 1 Cuckcoo, 6 Bullfinch, Pair of Grey Wagtails feeding 4 young but on my walks only 2 broods of Coot from 14 pairs and 3 broods of Moorhen from 12 pairs and only 8 broods of Mallard from approx 50/60 pairs, has anyone else noticed a lack of young birds this year.

6 comments:

Jeff Cox said...

It was good to meet you too Mike and thanks for showing me around EGP, as although I've been a few times before I haven't had the benefit of a local to tell me what's where and where to go for the best birding. Much appreciated.

Thanks goodness the chicks are still there and that none have been lost yet....but do you really mean yellow wag or do you mean grey?

Mike Henshaw said...

Brain gone should be Grey

Steve Blacksmith said...

Mike wrote grey, Jeff.

This is the first breeding of Goosander in Calderdale. I have been predicting it, as they were staying longer each year.
They can be persuaded to use nest boxes I believe; this would make us unpopular with the anglers.

Another duck which nests in tree hollows and boxes is Mandarin. Anyone fancy putting a box up for them on the Ryburn this winter, if they're still around?

Jeff Cox said...

Hi Steve - see Mike's comment above yours. We all slip every now and then and Mike quite rightly went back and edited his entry so the historical record is correct.

Nick Carter said...

If only this was the historical record, I'm afraid posting on here doesn't guarantee your records are included in the Bird Club's annual report, Nick doesn't take them off the blog.

Anyone wanting a copy of the recording software the Club uses e mail me and I can put a disc in the post.

Jeff Cox said...

Good point Nick. What I should perhaps have said was "blog archive record" as being a new member I use the Find facility in my web browser to search for birds in the archive records.