Last years successful breeding pair, H23 & H24 have been usurped and chased off the pond in Grovesnor Park, Chester. They've been seen on the nearby river Dee with young so I'm not sure whether they were actually chased off or if they decided the river was better breeding habitat. I feel its the former as last time we went to ring them H23 was calling from inside a holly tree and H24 was nowhere near the pond while new male patrolled its edges. The new pair are unringed and have already successfully reared 4 full grown young and have recently hatched a 2nd brood.
Various things, included a dislocated shoulder, have prevented me from getting down there but we managed a trip recently and managed to catch one of this years juveniles from the resident pairs 1st brood. They’ve already hatched the 2nd brood and we watched the older chicks feeding their younger siblings.
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H27 -the 1st of this years new cohort |
Once we've caught one Moorhen we usually find the others become very suspicious and stay away from the traps. However, we generally persevere for a little longer and this time had the bonus of catching a drake mallard just entering eclipse. A ringing tick for Ursula.
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