Life On The Slea (LOTS) » 2010

Last post for 2010

admin — Fri, 31 Dec 2010 19:15:17 +0000

Last post for 2010, this week I saw all three of the Dabchicks so lets hope a pair stay to breed during 2011, also the pair of swans were on the Slea but I didn’t see the ‘singleton’.

Just another image from my garden to finish off the year, one of my favourite birds and this species is sadly in decline but nobody knows why…

The Starling, Just look at those AMAZING colours…

One from the garden…

admin — Mon, 20 Dec 2010 15:04:29 +0000

One from the garden today… yes its near the Slea – LOL
Goldfinch

A good day…

admin — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 16:25:24 +0000

A good day on the Slea today Firstly I saw all 3 swans, a pair near the Hub and a loner past the Leisure Centre, so they are still around. Then I saw 2 kingfishers, the first landed directly on the opposite bank to where I was, I didn’t move to get my camera out because I knew the Kingfisher would fly off so I just stayed motionless and had a comparatively long time to enjoy the experience. That Kingfisher flew upstream and then another one came out of a small tree close by and flew downstream. On the way back I saw 2 Dabchicks, both upstream of the Leisure Centre but not together.

Today I saw…

admin — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 16:04:59 +0000

Today I saw 3 swans and 2 Dabchicks on the Slea. 2 swans were together and seemed to be a ‘pair’ and the other one on its own further upstream. All three swans are obviously used to man as they have no fear in coming close if someone has something for them to eat

Blackbird eating berries up near Cogglesford Mill…

No picture but….

admin — Fri, 26 Nov 2010 16:52:22 +0000

No picture but just a quick post to say that this morning there were 2 Dabchicks between the Leisure Centre and Cogglesford Mill, also a Mute Swan was swimming up and down. Allan told me that the other day he saw 2 Kingfishers together and then another one flew by making 3 in total

Ok I might not….

admin — Sun, 31 Oct 2010 18:36:32 +0000

OK I might not live on the banks of the Slea but I am not that far away so here is a garden visitor that I do not want to hang around too long as it might end up eating all my other birds…

.. yes its a Sparrowhawk.

I have been told…

admin — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 18:24:05 +0000

I have been told that the Dabchicks had 2 babies of which I believe only 1 survived, it was well into September when they hatched so any row boats on the Slea during August would have destroyed the nest/eggs and drive away the adults. This is PROOF that the breeding season on the Slea extends through August and well into September.

I might as well show a photograph while I am posting this, its from a recent trip to photograph Bears during the Salmon run and these 2 cute cubs (that I nicknamed ‘the delinquents’) kept coming toooooo near to us and had to be gently ‘repelled’ – thay only wanted to play with us though

Did they say…

admin — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 11:30:23 +0000

Did they say “By doing it during the summer holidays the nesting should have finished.” —– Well I have just been told that 1 pair of the Dabchicks have started to nest and its half way through August – it will be well into SEPTEMBER before any eggs hatch, so if boats do come on the Slea then the baby Dabchicks will not hatch as the they will either be destroyed by a rower and/or the adults will abandon the eggs. This is the proof that “By doing it during the summer holidays the nesting should have finished.” is COMPLETELY WRONG but it probably will not make any difference as the people who authorise and run the boats will probably never know

August 20th 2008 and these baby Dabchicks were still in the nest which as you can see is just weeds ontop of the water, would they survive rowing boats ?

God help the Dabchicks if they nest…

admin — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 16:19:20 +0000

God help the Dabchicks if they nest…

http://www.sleafordstandard.co.uk/news/Couple-to-set-up-rowing.6430017.jp

..note the last sentence..

“By doing it during the summer holidays the nesting should have finished.”

… when we have had Dabchicks nesting on the Slea they have ALWAYS nested during AUGUST, for example in 2008 this post…

http://www.lifeontheslea.co.uk/wp/?p=420

..shows that on August 15 the last Dabchicks had only just hatched and in 2007 this post…

http://www.lifeontheslea.co.uk/wp/?p=136

…shows the Dabs were still in the process of nesting halfway through August and this…

http://www.lifeontheslea.co.uk/wp/?m=200708

shows that Moorhens can also still be nesting nest 2/3 way through August.

So I do not believe they are correct when they say “”By doing it during the summer holidays the nesting should have finished.” — do you ???

If this goes ahead I believe that some wildlife will be killed just for a bit of fun on a rowboat, especially as it probably means that the boats can be hired by someone who has NEVER rowed before so there is a GREAT chance that they will bash into reeds etc which is exactly where Dabchicks, Moorhens and Coots like to nest

Good and Bad News

admin — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 09:41:37 +0000

The good news is that apparently there were TWO pairs of Dabchicks on the Slea this morning, if they both stay there could be a lot of fighting as they are reasonably close together.

The BAD news is that I have been told that someone has asked permission to have 2 ROW BOATS on the Slea between the Hub and the Mill, I assume this is for a commercial ‘passenger’ ferry – I really worry for the wildlife (especially Moorhens, Coots and Dabchicks) if this goes ahead because I am sure the oars and wash will destroy their nests The Slea is TOO NARROW for boats. A rowing boat and oars will almost touch BOTH banks in places and this is also exactly also the places where Moorhens. Coots and Dabchicks prefer to build their nests because these are the only places with reeds. I also wonder if the reeds will be removed to make way for the boats