Moorhen more to like each time...

10 Mar 2012

With all the exotic and rare birds we have had knocking about of late it struck me that we have neglected to acknowledge the common - but often no less attractive or appealing - fare that are the reserve's bread and butter. The humble moorhen is just one such example.

Since my early days as a feeder of Swanpool Lake's waterfowl en route to my nursery school in Falmouth, moorhens have been a familiar sight. It is said that familiarity can breed contempt but this was never the case between the moorhen and me, however they (and their common or garden contemporaries) did begin to fade into the scenery as more noteworthy birds entered the slowly expanding consciousness.

I can distinctly recall my reawakening to the charm and comedy of these humble little fowl and have ever since held them in the very highest regard. A few years ago Damon and I (respectively), were excavating the old paths to Radipole’s fishing swims and taking the rubble to the Orchid Meadow to create a new vehicular access path. One particular moorhen, (I was convinced it was the self same bird every time) was taking advantage of the feeding opportunities availed by the excavation procedure and was a constant companion throughout the days it took us to load and move these structures. Each time the dumper was laden and I was gearing up to dump-truck the rubble and slop, I would have to check to see the wheels were clear of our opportunistic chum.

Many were the times I would rumble off down the path guided by the moorhens red beacon-like head and hilarious, massive-footed lope. Eventually having repeatedly checked left and right he would reluctantly fly off to one side, but each time upon my return, he was back in situ pecking at the disturbed ground beside Damon’s digger and the process would begin anew.

Before this time I had never appreciated how unusually comical the moorhen was, but there is more to them than a comedy shuffle. They have been observed displaying signs of intelligence and even tool use – not unlike the birdie brainiacs of the corvid clan. Scientists studying them have witnessed an incubating moorhen use a sheet of polythene as a cape during heavy rain to protect her and her un-hatched chicks and then remove it when the rain abated.

What is more it is the usually the female moorhen that fights for the right to mate with the male, putting them way ahead of humankind in the inter-gender wars. Over any given spring she will fight with more and moorhens... whether or not that is a good thing however, I am not equipped to comment, but what I will say is that humble, bumbling moorhen is too often overlooked and - to my shame - I was guilty of this until I recaptured the light!