Odds & Sods 2021

How nice to have a heronry on your doorstep. It always amazes me how ungainly Herons manage to nest in trees but they seem to be very proficient at doing so. Lovely photos against beautiful blue skies. Looking forward to see how the breeding season progresses

I agree Tony they look quite cumbersome birds but most seem proficient with nest building and raising their chicks

Unknown said:

Looking forward to see how the breeding season progresses

I'm really pleased we have these herons just fifteen minutes walk away on the same parkland and the good thing here is that they do WeB's counts and the managing parkland company take their responsibilities for both parkland maintenance and especially wildlife protection quite seriously and have recently fenced in a large area on the far side of the mere to protect and encourage the waterfowl and reed bed specialists so walkers, kids, dogs etc,  do not gain access to the far edge of the mere which gives wildlife the habitat and peace to breed.   Apparently they used to even have bittern here many years ago so will concentrate on reed beds, new ones in the hope reed buntings, warblers, etc., have a safe haven in the years to come.   It will take time but it is so interesting to hear how much emphasis they put on the environment and the wildlife that inhabits the parkland and meres.   I have got to know some of the lovely people that work in various management rolls and I will be allowed to use a bird hide on site which is a real bonus and gives a bit more peace and quiet to watch the birdlife in a "cocoon" away from ramblers, dog walkers that also use the parkland.   I told them I wouldn't be much good helping with Wetland Bird surveys as I don't have a fraction Seymouraves talent,  let alone good enough eyesight at the moment to see and count the various birds  lol  but I will jot down in the book they will leave in the hide anything I manage to see.       Hopefully, I will get to see the success of the heronry and in the years to come see the new plans of reed beds coming to fruition and welcoming many more reed bed specialists and other birds.     Today I did see a pair of Great Crested Grebes in courtship mode although only as far as the head shaking but no weed collection.    With weather good for a few days I will head back a few times and see if the grebes are still there and keep check on the heronry.       

Super pics Hazel, love the passing of the twig...so sweet

Hazel, Lovely pics of your local Herons--thanks. That is wonderful news about the attempts at your local mere and parkland to encourage and protect birds, and it is equally great that you will be using the bird hide there. Between you and Mike, I imagine you will see lots of birds, and as you know, some other posters here will identify any you do not (although I suspect that you know far more than you think you do!) Looking forward to your further photos and reports.

Thanks Ann, is is exciting that we can use the bird hide (via lock code ! ) To be honest it will take a long time to get the reed beds matured but the area is very well managed and with the perimeter fencing it will help keep folk away from possible breeding areas. The main inhabitants (depending on time of year) we've seen are Tufted Ducks, Wigeon, Shoveler, Moorhen, G.C.Grebe, Mandarin (largest breeding group in NW), Canada Geese, G.Heron, Mallards, Goosander. Smaller birds around the edge are Goldcrest, Long-tailed Tits, Blue, Great, Coal Tits, Robin Dunnock, Wren, Blackbird plus Crows, Jays.and Kingfisher briefly.  There are Common Buzzards, Rooks,Tawny Owls and I believe Barn Owls can be seen on adjacent farmland. We have seen a vole, usual grey squirrels ! and foxes. There must be many more wildlife species at different times of day and night. Maybe I should ask for an Osprey platform Ann !!!

That is a wonderful list, Hazel. You could use that spot as your patch for next year's Big Garden Bird Watch. Lol about the Osprey platform! Perhaps one day if there is sufficient fish supply nearby--an Osprey pair with 2 or 3 chicks can consume 400 or 500 or more fish in a season. The chances of any Osprey settling where you live are minimal for the foreseeable future unless they start a translocation programme there because Ospreys tend to nest near-ish to other Ospreys. That is because a successful Osprey nest indicates that the food supply nearby is excellent! You may know that is why conservationists like Roy Dennis lobbied for and finally received permission to translocate juvenile Scottish Ospreys to Rutland Water (stocked with fish every year) in the late 1990s and early 2000s and why he is translocating White-tailed Eagles to the Isle of Wight and he and/or his colleague Tim Mackrill is/are translocating more Scottish Ospreys to the Poole Harbour area--specifically to speed up the expansion of Ospreys in the UK. That is a noble goal and has been successful at Rutland Water and within about a 30 mile radius, although there are still far too few nests there. The birds presume that the area where they fledged is 'home', not the area where they hatched. Male Ospreys tend to return to their natal/fledging area to breed when they are ready to do that while female Ospreys tend to range far further afield from their natal nest to breed. And there are a few birds who have not read the textbooks and males who nest far from home, etc. For example, one male Osprey from a nest in west Wales had a nest in the Netherlands.

Don’t see so many birds at once & most r a bit too far for decent photos as they prefer the protected side of the mere away from the footpath & in the now protected zone but it is a list of possibilities. The heronry is interesting so will see how many nests are built on this limited space on the island.
Interesting osprey facts, thanks.

Lovely shots of the mini heronry. Great to have your "own" hide to use so close to home.

Went back today and also checked out the bird hide !      A lot of birds quite distant as it's a huge mere but lots of tufted ducks, the G.Crested Grebes were still there along with lots of Mallards, Canada Geese ......

This is the view from the hide (seats 4 comfortably as long as you don't need 2 metre distancing for non-bubbles  ! ) the hide is placed at one end of the mere so has a great view.

the only birds that came close were the Mallards  !!      the drakes are looking quite spectacular in their breeding plumage

Canada goose.

I had to go further along the mere to get a decent sighting of the G.C,Grebes who were courtship bonding but without bouquets of weed ! 

love the casual foot up in the air  !! 

someone doesn't like photographers    LOL      

and the rookies nest looking slightly better ..........but still a long way to go ! 

and most likely the male on guard duty ........