Archives: November 2006
Mon Nov 27, 2006
Ok so there are...
OK so they are still 7 Dabchicks :) I saw all 7 today, 1 'pair' at Cogglesford Mill corner and 5 between the leisure Centre and 'Quackers', at a guess these 5 are 2 parents and 3 youngsters as they all seemed reasonably happy with the others being nearby.
On a more negative note, it looks like Mink droppings have been found in the Mill again, they do at least look a few weeks old which hopefully means they have moved on again. If they are still around then it is a very bad sign for the rest of the Slea wildlife.
Terry
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Sun Nov 19, 2006
Getting closer...
I am getting closer to the Kingfisher (or should I say '1 of the Kingfishers') :) This one is a female as the lower mandible is orange. She was on a twig just upstream from Cogglesford Mill, however although still 'shy', she does now sometimes let people walk by on the opposite bank path without taking flight, which is where I was to take this. Even with a 400mm lens she is still not that big in the frame and I think this is the closest I will get to a Kingfisher unless I am in a hide somewhere.
Only saw 5 dabchicks today, so it is 'weeks' since I have seen 7 and am wondering again if only 6 remain.
Terry
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Fri Nov 17, 2006
Best yet...
Still not near enough but this is my best Kingfisher so far...
... he was just upstream of Cogglesford, a place where I have never seen one perched before. I know this is a 'he' because the underneath of the bottom mandible is black where a female is orange.
I saw 6 Dabchicks but 'heard' another one, but I still havnt SEEN 7 for a long time.
Terry
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Mon Nov 13, 2006
A close encounter...
I had a close encounter today.... with a KINGFISHER :) I saw the Kingfisher on a branch at least 150 feet way and stood still while I worked out how to get closer without it seeing me. I needed had bothered because it then flew from the branch upstream in my direction, keeping still and watching it I was 'gob smacked' when it landed on a branch only 15 feet away, giving me great views of it perched there. I wanted to take a photograph but knew any movement would probably scare it away. so I keep still just taking the view in for 20-30 seconds before I started to very slowly raise my camera, I got it to about chest level and then the Kingfisher flew away. Although a little 'miffed' that I didnt get a photograph I am still very pleased to have seen the Kingfisher at close quarters, certainly closer than I have ever seen one perched before.
Also saw 6 Dabchicks and no swans.
Terry
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Sun Nov 12, 2006
I am seeing the...
I am seeing the Kingfishers quite a lot lately, not just past Cogglesford but also along the stretch between Quackers and the LC Bridge. This is one of them near Cogglesford today, not a very good photo but I couldnt get very near before he flew off...
No swans again but saw 6 of the Dabchicks.
Terry
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Mon Nov 06, 2006
I am convinced...
I am convinced that there are only 6 Dabchicks between the Hub and Cogglesford Mill. Over a number of days I have wandered up and down for relatively long periods and have only seen 6, and if I make the assumption that only a 'pair' of adult Dabchicks make the 'funny laugh' greeting sound, I think there is a pair of adults near the Cogglesford bend (they have been there for some months) and a 'pair' of parents that reared this years youngsters. Today I saw 2 Dabchicks at Cogglesford bend and 4 Dabchicks together near quackers, 2 made the 'laugh' so I think they are the parents and the other 2 are their youngsters. All this is just an educated guess but I think it is more than likely to be true. So what has happened to the other youngster and the lone adult that was also around ?
The swans tend to come and go, they were here this morning. When they first arrived on the Slea, the cygnets didnt seem to realise that people were throwing bread for them to eat, they just totally ignored it, but the adults certainly knew it was food. I personally think that the probable reason for this is that they were hatched/reared somewhere mainly away from man so didnt realise that food was being thrown to them. The cygnets have quickly learned that free food is good and take it as eagerly as the parents now.
Terry
COMMENT 11/10/2006
Hi, Terry just to update you I saw 7 Dabchicks today both going up and down river but have seen nothing of the swans for a few days.
Regards Graham
Thanks Graham, that is very interesting, its nice to know 7 are still around. I havnt seen the swans for a few days either.
Terry
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Thu Nov 02, 2006
I have not seen...
I have not seen many Dabchicks lately, today I spent a long time looking up and down and managed to see 6. I do not think that I would have missed 2 Dabchicks given the time I spent looking for them so my personal feeling is that at least the 'eighth' Dabchick has gone, perhaps there are still 7 but I would like to see all 7 just to put my mind at rest about the 'seventh'. Five were up near the Hub today which is the most I have seen there all at one time.
The swans were not around at first and then I saw them overhead, all 5 landed but 3 of them landed right in front of me but there was too much tall vegetation to get a shot of them landing.
I did see some Goldfinches on the teasle...
Terry
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