About 15 mins from where I live there is a beautiful canal full of these guys, moorhens and a few other species.
This female calmly sat on her nest yawning, feeding and re-sculpting while I watched. Interestingly, when a dog came close to the water, she would pull weeds up over the single egg that nestled on the floating nest as if to hide it - fascinating behaviour.
Sadly, many people allow their dogs to jump into the water and disturb the breeding birds. Fair enough- they are used to walkers but when a big hairy animal sinks your house, it becomes a bit unfair.
The canal is litter with allochthonous debris so no chance of clean water but I hope to return and see the parents plus, at least, one chick.
Another pair had 4 chicks further up the canal, all of which seemed to be feeding well. That was very encouraging.
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4 repliesThis female calmly sat on her nest yawning, feeding and re-sculpting while I watched. Interestingly, when a dog came close to the water, she would pull weeds up over the single egg that nestled on the floating nest as if to hide it - fascinating behaviour.
Sadly, many people allow their dogs to jump into the water and disturb the breeding birds. Fair enough- they are used to walkers but when a big hairy animal sinks your house, it becomes a bit unfair.
The canal is litter with allochthonous debris so no chance of clean water but I hope to return and see the parents plus, at least, one chick.
Another pair had 4 chicks further up the canal, all of which seemed to be feeding well. That was very encouraging.
1/400th, f8, ISO 500, Tripod, molehills
Lee
Thanks for sharing
Austin
Fran