New Arrivals!! 2014

Unfortunate news from the pond, the swans have drawn a blank!! My next door neighbour managed to sneak a look in the nest yesterday while the swans were occupied feeding. The nest was empty but emitting a disgusting stench!!! It was not unexpected as the female has been off the nest for the last week and the male seems intent on rebuilding it. I have also noticed that the female has been continually preening and it would not surprise me if there has been some form of infestation in the nest that affected both the swans and the eggs. I do not know if swans produce a second clutch if the first one fails however I do not think the nest would be suitable although the male seems to disagree! Sadly these things happen in nature.
On a brighter note, the 13 ducklings are still around and the 5 moorhen chicks are quite grown up which means the parents have started on a second brood with the female on the nest, so more moorhen chicks soon!! There was also an appearance from a female tufted duck and I am not sure where she came from!!



The 5 moorhen chicks in a huddle!



A rapidly growing moorhen chick



An unexpected visitor, a female tufted duck.




SM

Oh what a shame Safariman, it does sound like an infestion of some sort. Swans will lay another clutch, if the eggs are predated, although its starting to get a bit late, and that nest doesn't sound suitable as you say. Great news on the Ducklings, and Moorhens, with more to come. Its strange how these surprise visitors turn up suddenly, out of nowhere, but a nice surprise all the same. Thanks for the update, and pics

WS

That is sad news Safariman, I wonder if the nest got so infected because of the hot weather. If you had been watching Springwatch, once the Bluetits fledged the nest, Chris Packham collected the nest and sent if off to be analysed for the amount of parasites in it and it was really surprising to see how many there where and all the different types, it was quite creepy really and it must have made those little birds itch, so yes I too wonder if the swans nest had a really bad infestation. Lets hope both the swans are ok and they manage to rid themselves of any little hangerons!!! and fingers crossed they do lay again but using the same nest could be courting disaster.

How lovely do those little Moorhen chicks look, they grow into such different birds don't they from when they are in their early days, the photo's are lovely and also the Tufted Duck, what a beauty, I wonder if she will stay around.

Pleased the 13 Ducklings are all doing ok.....lets hope there will be a second successful brood of little Moorhens.

littlewid-x-

That's sad news Safariman, but there must be a good reason. Good news about the ducklings and the Moorhens.

Lai

Quick update from the pond.
All13 ducklings still around but it is now very difficult to tell them apart from the adults. They still tend to keep together so form quite an intimidating group particularly when there is any food around and they now squabble among themselves.
The 5 moorhen chicks are also progressing well and the parents are now incubating their second brood so expect to see some more chicks anytime soon.
The swans have moved off the pond completely and probably gone back on the rive, so will now have to wait until next year to see if they return and try to breed again.

SM

  for the update Safariman. Good to know all 13 are thriving but a shame about the swans. Lovely that you'll have a second brood of Moorhens.

Lai

 SM the Mallard Ducklings have done fantastic to get through to this stage hopefully they will all be OK now. Also the 5 Moorhen chicks, and hopefully more on the way. Thanks for the update
WS

Update from the pond.
The moorhens have produced a second brood of 6 new chicks to add to the original five!!! All are doing well and the older chicks are helping mum and dad feed the newcomers. It is fascinating to watch as the parents will often give food to the older chicks who then go and feed it to the young ones. It makes life a lot easier for the parents with 5 additional helpers. The new chicks are already well habituated and happily leave the sanctuary of the pond to come and scavenge for food accompanied by their older siblings. I also noticed today that the older chicks were engaged in mutual preening and appeared to be taking any bugs or parasites off their siblings plumage something I have not seen before. I have been very lucky this year to be able to study the lives of the moorhens at close quarters.
I would imagine that the parents may well decide on a third brood before the summer is out.
I think all the ducklings are still around although it is now almost impossible to distinguish them from the adults. The other morning there between 25-30 mallards plus all the moorhens waiting outside my neighbours front lawn hoping to be fed!!
A few pics of the activity this morning.



Parent and older chick feeding the new arrivals.



Feeding time.



Not very pretty but they are rapidly becoming my favourite water birds!!



The older chicks mutually preening







Happy family relaxing together!!


SM

 You certainly have been lucky this year SM, a Moor Hen population explosion. I would never have associated birds like this doing mutual grooming, and feeding something that must be quite rare I think in such an extended family in the bird world. It must have been really fascinating to see. Great news on the Mallards also, it's a wonder your neighbour can get out of the front door with that crowd waiting outside. Thanks for the photos, and update

WS