Popped by the pools on my way home this evening and was treated to the depressing, though doubtless increasingly familiar, sight of an almost bird-free zone.
Yep, the Easter holidays have begun. I'm just glad that I was at work and didn't have to witness the 'fun' being had...
So, in summary - no wildfowl bar 3 mallard and just a few coot and couple of moorhen. 1 lapwing on the island.
On the plus side a long-eared owl was showing brilliantly, hunting in the fields, and passing by almost at arms length.
Today's other good news came from my other local patch at Morecambe and my daily pre-work amble down the Stone Jetty rewarded me with a sub-adult osprey which gave a fine display as it passed over heading north at 8.40am. The local gulls were less impressed...
Late news....
Report of the garganey pair on Freeman's Pools late morning - anyone have details?
Jon
Welcome to Aldcliffe & Freeman's Wood, Lancaster - an area of the Lune Estuary in Morecambe Bay, North Lancs.
4 comments:
The second time I've been forced into to sounding gloomy over this Freemans Pools situation Jon a real worry and as far as I'm concerned reality rules and the reality here is that there's a big problem.
The LRP were mating this morning at just after eight a brilliant and encouraging sight but.....'Holiday Havoc' oh dear.
Pete.
Hi, situation wasn't too bad this afternoon with 9 gadwall on the pool, 2 goldeneye on the lower pool, 18 shelduck on the island with 2 oiks and a displaying lapwing. There are also a couple of visible coot nests around the margins. Maybe this area needs high fencing in the gate areas but I think the locals will still get in.
Maybe I was being a little hasty in assuming that the lack of birds was due to disturbance? In my experience, the only time there's a mass clearout like that is when a number of people are at the site. The odd dog or couple of teenagers strolling around the edges don't tend to flush everything and well, the school holidays have just begun...
Good news about the LRPs Pete.
I watched the Conder Pool pair doing the same last year Jon but frustratingly never saw any evidence of breeding success, but like most places the pool has many hidden area's (thank goodness) and I have always maintained two options. 1) they bred and the young never showed. 2) they were predated which is more likely that the former.
Pete.
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