a moorhen count

20.05.08
a clutch of moorhen chicks are being raised near the aquifer,
east of the main bridge across The Mere.
Safety seems assured by the nearby straw rolls
and the netting that holds them together.

However, the herons are after them.

I counted four chicks and witnessed two heron attacks.
All survived, but for how long I wonder?


on the prowl

look carefully and you may just count all four chicks

feeding time

anting

11.05.08
a female blackbird "anting".
This behaviour is part of many a bird species cleaning regime.
An ants nest is upset, the ants attack the perpetrator
with formic acid, this kills mites etc.
A dust bath or wash then finishes the job.

14.05.08
a young heron, something of a regular in the last few weeks.
There is something primeval and fascinating about these birds . . .

Fauna

A heron goes in for the kill! There's been one on duty on the mere for a few days.

I imagine it's all the fish that attract the heron. The mere is teeming with them. Just stand on the bridge for a few seconds and you'll see plenty. They're hard to photograph though!

The butterfly meadow is coming along brilliantly with a variety of butterflies seen across the site. Here's a Speckled Wood.