Archives: January 2006
Mon Jan 30, 2006
Swans have gone again...
I have not seen the swans for the last 2 days, I would love to know where they go to ?
I saw 3 coots on the Slea today, I am not sure if another coot has arrived or one from the pond in Lollycocks field is investigating the river, I will keep an eye out and try to see what is going on.
The moorhens are really getting quite aggresive with each other as they get territorial and fight for their 'bit' of the Slea.
For quite a while I have also only seen 2 dabchicks (Little Grebes) and hope that at least they will be staying.
Terry
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Fri Jan 27, 2006
At least....
At least the 2 Swans are back on the Slea today. I also saw 2 coots on the Slea but only one on the pond, however the other one could have been hiding in the reeds.
I complained to the Environmental agency (EA) today regarding their work clearing the Slea down stream from Cogglesford. They have removed nearly all the branches overhanging the river so that the Kingfishers have almost nowhere to perch and look for fish. The EA said they would stop the operatives doing any more work until someone goes out there to have a look but the damage is already done. The only thing that we came up with was to temporarily 'plant' some branches into the side of the river giving the Kingfishers perching options, I do know that although this sounds a little bit of a weird thing to do that it should work as Kingfishers readily take to new perching opportunities.
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Tue Jan 24, 2006
The canoeist really did a good job...
The canoeists really did a good job of scaring the swans away from the Slea as they have still not come back :(
There are FOUR coots, 2 on the Slea and 2 on the pond in Lollycocks field. Unlike yesterday the 2 on the Slea were not near each other, 1 was at Cogglesford Mill and the other was on the bend by Lollycocks field. I wish I knew how to recognise male and female coots so I could see if there was any chance of them becoming breeding pairs ?
UPDATE: 1 of the coots on the Slea keeps having a go at the other 1 who runs (paddles) away quickly, does this mean it is 2 males ? I have never seen the 2 coots on the pond having a go at each other so does this mean they are a pair ?
One of the Swans at Cogglesford that the canoeists scared away...
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Mon Jan 23, 2006
Canoeists and then coots...
About 5-6-7 canoeists were on the Slea yesterday, about 50 ducks were in the air presumably scared off by the canoeists, and the 2 swans also had to take to the air to get away from them and they have not returned yet either. It seems to me that this sort of activity on a very thin and shallow river like the Slea disrupts the wildlife more than necessary, surely the canoeists would get more enjoyment of paddling up (say) the Witham where they have much more room and wouldnt scare the wildlife to have to make a forced getaway from them.
Wandering upstream from Cogglesford Mill this morning and I saw the coot on the Slea, as usual he (?) paddled towards me because he knows I will probably throw him some brown bread. I then saw a coot on the pond in Lollycocks field and just thought the other one would probably be in the reeds out of sight. On my return I saw TWO coots on the Slea, going back to the pond there I saw only one again. I am convinced in my own mind (but obviously have no proof) that the coot I fed on the Slea was the one that has been there since Autumn, he was with this other coot that was a little smaller than him so I am assuming it is a female and they were looking in some reeds as though they were looking for a nesting sight. So what has happened, has 1 of the coots come over from the pond or has another coot flown in. The other explanation could be that the 2 coots from the pond have gone over to the Slea and then the Slea coot went over to the pond but I personally doubt that. However the one thing I cant seem to believe is that the Slea Coot has taken a mate and started to look for suitable nesting sights within a day of meeting ??? but I do not know much about the life cycle of a coot so perhaps a little reading is in order. I will keep an eye out to see if I can fathom out what is actually happening.
I saw a Long Tailed Tit also this morning which is the first I have seen at Cogglesford this year.
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Sat Jan 21, 2006
Fight...
I have been told by reliable sources that on Wednesday there was a fight between 4 swans on the Slea. Apparantly 2 swans flew in while the 2 swans that have been here for a couple of weeks were still 'in residence' and a fight broke out. I am assuming that the 2 'in residence' swans won the battle (as is the usual outcome - but by no means a dead cert) but I did not get near enough to the 2 swans at the Hub today to try and identify them, this could also be very difficult as it can obviously be quite hard, without a marked difference, for us humans to tell one swan from another, its a good job swans are better than us at identifying another swan - LOL
I also saw this little fella a couple of days ago near the bend at Cogglesford...
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Thu Jan 19, 2006
Another arty...
Another try at an arty blur image of a black headed gull in Lollycocks field...
No swans this morning but they might just be having an 'away day', 2 coots still on the Pond and 1 on the Slea.
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Wed Jan 18, 2006
We have 3 coots...
We now have 3 coots, 2 are on the Lollycocks field pond and 1 on the Slea itself. I dont actually know, but I am hoping that the 2 on the pond are a pair who may nest there ?
Terry
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Tue Jan 17, 2006
Trying for an...
Not much happening today so I was trying for an 'arty' Black headed gull...
I noticed that there was a coot on the pond in Lollycocks field, so either we now have 2 coots (1 on the pond and 1 on the Slea) or the 1 on the Slea took a little journey when I wasnt watching, I will try and keep an eye out to see if we have 1 or 2.
The swans have been away once or twice over the last few days but have always come back and the Red Crested Pochard is making his way back towards the Hub after his few days excursion to Cogglesford, yesterday he was outside the leisure centre and today near New Street Bridge.
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Sat Jan 14, 2006
The swans...
The swans were on the Slea on Wednesday and Thursday so I wondered if they would stay a while, but they were gone on Friday. This morning (Saturday) they were not on the Slea to begin with but later on I saw 2 swans land on the water near the Leisure centre, I was half way to Cogglesford Mill and going the wrong way to go and see if they looked like the same 2 from Wednesday/Thursday but I would imagine so. If they are still here tomorrow I will try and get a good look at them :)
The Red Crested Pochard was near the Leisure Centre, I also saw 2 little grebes along with the coot, many moorhens and lots of Mallards. The Kingfisher (I have been told there may be as many as 3 ?) was seen perched on a branch overhanging the Slea but flew off when it saw me, I must remember the 'bins' so that I can view it from a reasonable distance and hopefully not scare it away, but there again the Slea has people walking up and down it all the time so I do not expect to observe the Kingfisher for any lenght of time before someone comes by and disturbs it.
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Thu Jan 12, 2006
Please do not laugh...
Please do not laugh - LOL - but this is my best EVER shot of a Kingfisher, taken today on the Slea. I know its not very good but I normally just see a blue blur going up/down the river but this time it was perched, I was getting a little nearer and taking a shot when someone else came by and it scarpered, but I will try again :)
I also saw 2 swans at the Hub, they looked like the 2 from a few days ago so perhaps they are having a second look at the Slea, the biggest problem as I see it is that between the weir just above the Hub and the weir at Cogglesford Mill there is no where to nest which is free from people walking their dogs.
I went back again this afternoon and got a bit better one, still not very good as it is really small in the full frame version.
I think these are 2 different Kingfishers but they are both females as the underneath of their bottom bill is orange, males are black.
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Wed Jan 04, 2006
The last time I saw swans on the Slea was...
The last time I saw swans on the River Slea was today :) before that it was back in October. I saw the 2 swans at 'Quackers' and they slowly made their way down to Cogglesford Mill, I believe they are a different pair to the 2 intruders that were here in October because they had bigger 'knobs' above their beaks. While near the Leisure centre one got out of the water and had a look around a large tuft of grass, I got the impression it was seeing if it was an acceptable nesting site. After being at Cogglesford Mill for a few minutes they flew off so we are swanless again :(
The 2 swans at Cogglesford today.
I also saw 2 dabchicks (little grebe's) and the coot, the Red Crested Pochard is also now being a bit adventerous as he was also at Cogglesford yesterday and today, previously I have only seen him the Hub.
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Sun Jan 01, 2006
Good start to the new year...
I have been trying for a couple of months to get a shot of 'Blackie' with Cogglesford Mill Out Of Focus in the background, so I am thinking it is a good start to the new year that I finally managed to get the shot I wanted and on New Years Day :)
The shot I have been trying for....
Terry
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