A Chilly Lagoon

With a little bit of time to myself, I managed a quick trip to Liden Lagoon around 4:00pm, just as the sun was setting. I think I made it just in time as it was quite surprising how dark it got once the sun dipped below the horizon.

The Swans were the first to greet me and were quickly followed by a few Canada Geese and Mallard. The Swans have obviously grown to associate humans with free handouts, which unfortunately was the undoing of the cob, when it was killed by two dogs back in July. The juvenile Swans are doing really well now and you can just see the white feathers coming through.

The pen and her 3 offspring seemed to be doing well, and are certainly unafraid of approaching humans.

My walks are always clockwise around the lagoon and from the car park close to Barnmoor Close, I headed off past the Swans towards the A419 and at the overflow I heard a bird I've not come across for awhile and it was a Coal Tit. It was also here that I had a great view of the sun going down over the water, and as I found out a bit further along the east bank, it was getting quite dark that I needed my Flash to photograph two Shaggy Ink Caps, Coprinus comatus in the undergrowth.

From the northeast corner where the water flows out of the lagoon, the sun just dropping away behind the trees.

A pair of Shaggy Ink Caps in the undergrowth.

Before long these two will autodigest and as they deliquesce, the tightly packed gills separate and curl back, allowing spores to float out into the air. The end result is a black gooey mess. If I remember I will try and go back in a few days and have a look at the aftermath.

As I got down to the southern end of the lagoon a Sparrowhawk was dive bombing a Carrion Crow. Normally it's the other way round. When it got really close it veered off and landed in a tree whilst the Crow just carried on its way. Really bizarre! By the time I got to the tree the Sparrowhawk was also gone.

At this end of the Lagoon there were a good 20 or so Canada Geese, a few Mallard, Coot and Moorhen. The Tufted Duck were more or less between the two islands and as I started to count them, it was quite apparent that their numbers were well down from my last visit, with just 20 birds. However as I looked back up the water there was another big party of 20 birds, so 40+ wasn't too bad.

Tufted Duck, one of just over 40 on the Lagoon.

A Grey Heron flew over the lake and was being harassed by a Carrion Crow, later I came across it by the overflow, but taking a photo of it in the darkness was never going to happen.

A Grey Heron is silhouetted against the darkening skies...

He's not alone as this Carrion Crow is fast catching him up

And then follows the Heron down to the waters edge.

From the start to finish of my walk it was quite noticeable that a lot of Pied Wagtails were heading off to roost towards the North West. In fact I would say that there was a good 40+ that passed overhead. Other highlights were a Bullfinch calling from the south island, and Goldcrests, Long-tailed Tits, Blue Tits and Great Tits heading off to roosts in the hedgerows.

And then finally the moon came up over to the east and with the Swans in the foreground and the light really fading, I left the Lagoon to the wildlife.

The moon comes up as the Swans carry on patrolling the water.

Almost a Full Moon. Tomorrow night it will be a Full Moon and will known as the “Beaver Moon” or the “Frosty Moon.” It rises around sunset and sets around sunrise; this is the only night in the month when the moon is in the sky all night long. The rest of the month, the moon spends at least some time in the daytime sky. More on this Here

Birds recorded: Grey Heron, 4 Mute Swan, 21 Canada Goose, Mallard, 40+ Tufted Duck, Sparrowhawk, Moorhen, Coot, 15 Black-headed Gull, 4 Lesser Black-backed Gull, Wood Pigeon, 40+ Pied Wagtail, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Goldcrest, Long-tailed Tit, Coal Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Rook, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Starling, House Sparrow, Chaffinch and Bullfinch.