There is a dead male mallard near Cogglesford Mill with obvious injuries to its neck, I hate to say this but again I personally think the most likely cause is a dog. If it is I wish that the small percentage of dog owners that let their dog chase the ducks would go into the fields to let their dog off the lead and keep it on the lead when near the river. A duck is the same as us in that it only has 1 life and it has a hard enough time surviving from day 1 without man making it even more difficult by being unreasonable, after all I think the law states that a dog should be under control at all times.
I will get all the bad news out of the way first… I think a lot of people already know this, but I only found out today, that Les Gostick died sometime in the last year (I am not sure when). Les single handed took on the authorities, and won, to make them maintain the river Slea otherwise it would now be dried out 
It is only because a pump from a water hole now puts water into the Slea that we have a river at all – Les will be missed.
Now the good news, again I am probably behind most people but I have been told that there will be no Water Weekend (WW) this year, the wildlife will now have a better chance of staying alive because I am totally convinced that last year WW was responsible for the deaths of at least 3 baby Moorhens. Sadly I believe that the decision not to have a WW will be reviewed in a years time, I just hope the committee eventually decide to abandon it altogether.
I said yesterday that we have a baby Coot, well we actually now have 2 and 1 egg still in the nest. The 2 Moorhen families are still ok and I saw all 5 and 7 babies respectivly today.
I am also please to say that I saw 1 lone duckling near to where 1 was split from its family yesterday. Mum and the others are still on the pond in Lollycocks field but I do believe (although I have no way of knowing for sure) the 1 that was lost survived the night so as long as it keeps ward overnight for a while and it can keep out of other ducks way, it may survive, I hope so.
Here is a mallard taking off from the Slea a year or so ago,
Terry