Having been stuck in doors with my sore back still, I though I'd attempt another walk to get out of the house. The last one was a killer on Friday, but it does seem to have calmed down and with the sun out yet gain this afternoon I just had to try a short walk.
So it was off to Liden Lagoon and a chance this time to see the Great Crested Grebes on the nest. And sure enough a quick scan across the water revealed the female sitting quiet still on her raft of twigs whilst the male was off catching small fish close to the bank just off the bottom island. The female would occasionally get off the nest and have a short swim. She never ventured far and was constantly swimming back to have a look into the nest.
The Great Crested Grebes and a very attentive female!
What was quite noticeable as I walked around the Lagoon was that quite a few Canada Geese had paired up and I counted at least 5 pairs. On the top island an unattended nest revealed at least 2 eggs in one of the nests. In fact it wasn't just the Geese but there were also Moorhens paired up and at least 3 pairs of Coot. One bird that hadn't paired up yet though was a female Tufted Duck and she had two suitors continuously following her around.
One of 2 drakes trying to attract the attention of the female
I did wonder whether there was any frogspawn about, but I couldn't find any, but I did come across a dead Frog lying belly up at the bottom of the lagoon just in front of the observation area. it's difficult to say what the cause of death was, but I know when they are mating they can suffocate fish, so is it possible this individual died in the act of courtship. We shall never know.
I'm assuming this is a dead Frog and not a Toad!
A Chiffchaff was heard singing from the bottom island and though I could hear it, I failed to locate it. A few large gulls came down to bathe and comprised of 2 pristine plumaged adult Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 1 adult and 2 3rd winter Herring Gulls. As you can probably guess I do like gulls. Where I used to live in Shropshire my local water was brilliant for Yellow-legged Gulls, Caspians and Iceland Gulls. So I'm always on the look out for them even at the Lagoon.
3rd winter Herring Gull
3rd winter Herring Gull
10/10 for entry. Hardly a splash.
3rd winter Herring Gull and an adult Lesser Black-backed Gull
A pair adult Lesser Black-backed Gulls
On take off the legs are quite a distinct yellow.
Unfortunately there was no sign of the Redpolls from last week but I did hear a Bullfinch on the island and there were at least 3 Goldfinches feeding in the Alders.
Close to the car park a Small Tortoiseshell Butterfly was basking in the sun and in the shade I came across a bed of Violets. Which species I'm unsure of, possibly Hairy Violet.
Small Tortoiseshell butterfly
Violets. But which species.
Possibly Hairy Violets, but there again they
could be Sweet, Common Dog-violet or Early Dog-violet.
could be Sweet, Common Dog-violet or Early Dog-violet.
Birds recorded: 2 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Mute Swan, 22 Canada Goose, Mallard, 3 Tufted Duck (2 drake and a duck), 8 Moorhen, 5 Coot, 3 Herring Gull, 2 Lesser Black-backed Gull, Wood Pigeon, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, 1 Chiffchaff, Long-tailed Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, 2 Rook, 3 Carrion Crow, 2, Jackdaw, 12 House Sparrows, Chaffinch, 3 Goldfinch and 1 Bullfinch.
Mammal: Grey Squirrel
Amphibians: 1 dead Frog
Insects: Small Tortoiseshell Butterfly and a Bumblebee sp.