Swan Lake

At the end of the year it's pretty normal for juvenile Mute Swans to be persuaded to leave the sanctuary of their birthplace and it's usually the cob that has the task of chasing the youngsters off the pool, to seek new waters and hopefully new mates. Unfortunately this year, things didn't quite work out like that at Liden Lagoon. Back in July the cob was set upon by two dogs and never survived its injuries. So instead the 3 youngsters have been swimming around with mum, and enjoying the freedom of the water. That is until recently, when a pair of adults arrived and have now decided that the lagoon would be a good place for them. Unfortunately for the resident pen this could very well end her time at the lagoon, after a good number years raising cygnets here.

I was only at the Lagoon for an hour or so but in that time the new arrivals had separated the juveniles cornering one of them behind the fallen Willow in the South-east corner. Later the cob forced the resident pen and her youngsters up onto the bank. Only time will tell, but I think they will be leaving soon.......................

Mum and the youngsters look nervous........

With good reason, as a newly arrived cob and his mate decided that the lagoon is theirs for the taking.

The first task was to separate one of the youngsters and force him into a corner.......

The youngster managed to escape, but having joined mum, was forced along with his siblings to leave the pool and make their way onto the bank.

The new arrivals seem quite pleased with their efforts and stop to have a preen.

Also on the water were 2 Canada Geese with a further 10 on the bank plus 40+ Tufted Duck with at least 15 females, the latter so difficult to count when they keep diving. A Great Crested Grebe was new in and was in winter plumage. Choosing to sleep close to this years nest, between the two islands. Other water birds were Moorhens, Coots with males squabbling, Black-headed Gulls, a 1st winter Lesser Black-backed Gull, 2 adult Herring Gulls, a lot of Mallard and a Grey Heron on the north island.

Eight of the 10 Canada Geese that decided to have a wonder around the Lagoon.

A Great Crested Grebe has a nap.

Two adult Moorhens and a 1st winter juvenile on the bank.

This male Coot was very aggressive to other males as they approached his mate.

I'm beginning to think these two adult Herring Gulls are very much "resident" birds as often or not they are always here.
In the hedgerows were a few Blackbirds, a small flock of tits, mainly Long-tailed Tits with a Goldcrest tagging along. Across the A419 a Buzzard was preening himself on top of a tree, which made for interesting viewing as his "third eyelid" – a nictitating membrane, was quite visible at times. As he sat there preening the call of a few Jackdaws caught my attention and as I looked round there were a good 51 birds in a flock plus a Carrion Crow, heading east over the lagoon.

A Buzzard keeps an eye out across the fields before preening himself.

Birds like this Buzzard have moveable upper and lower eyelids, just like humans. But birds also have a "third eyelid" – a nictitating membrane which is located between the cornea (the membrane covering the eye surface) and the upper and lower eyelids. This thin, moveable membrane is used for protecting, lubricating, and cleaning the eye. The upper eyelid moves when a bird blinks. The lower eyelid closes when the bird is sleeping. The nictitating membrane opens and closes from left to right, while the upper and lower eyelids move up and down to open and close.
Birds Recorded: 1 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Grey Heron, 6 Mute Swan (2 Adults + Resident Pen and her 3 juveniles), 10 Canada Geese, 44+ Mallard, 40+ Tufted Duck, 1 Buzzard, 12+ Moorhen, 10+ Coot, 20+ Black-headed Gull, 2 Herring Gull,  Lesser Black-backed Gull, Wood Pigeon, Dunnock, Robin, 4 Blackbird, 1 Song Thrush, 1 Goldcrest, Long-tailed Tits, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, 5 Carrion Crow, 51 Jackdaw, 12+ House Sparrow, Chaffinch and Goldfinch.

Also see 1 Grey Squirrel.