A Quick Break

With a chance to get out of the house for an hour I thought I'd have a quick walk around Liden Lagoon. It was a bit gloomy and grey; very typical of a November's day. The sun did try to come out but it was very brief.

As normal I parked up by Barnmoor Close and walked clockwise around the water. The first thing I came across as I walked down to waters edge were the juvenile Swans doing a bit of synchronised diving whilst mum was looking on. When they came back up to the surface they had great clumps of weed in their beaks, whilst to my left a Black-headed Gull was having a right old dispute with a Coot. Whatever it was about neither were prepared to back off until the Coot got a peck and swam off towards the bank with the Black-headed Gull paddling furiously in pursuit. After a few metres the gull flew off. Who know's what that was about!

Synchronised diving by the juvenile Mute Swans, whilst mum watches on with a huge clump of weed in her beak.

A Coot and a Black-headed Gull square up to each other. Whatever it was about the Coot got a peck on its head for its troubles!
Further around towards the A419 embankment I came across two Grey Squirrels, separated by the stream between them, though I don't doubt they swing across the branches to get to other side.

A Grey Squirrel keeps a wary eye on me.

Along the far bank a couple of anglers were trying their luck. The water is getting quite cold now and a lot of fish are starting to slow down their metabolism, as these anglers were finding out, though they were getting a few line bites which keeps the interest going. In the wood here I came across a Sowbread, Cyclamen hederifolium in full flower.

Sowbread, Cyclamen hederifolium in full flower.

As I approached the mid point between the islands a "white" bird on the water caught my eye and as it turned sideways, it turned out to be my first Goosander of the Winter. In fact as I walked around the bottom end of the water there were a further 4 birds, two drakes and two females. That wasn't all either as there was also a Cormorant swimming in amongst them, giving the water a good "stir" which in turn got 3 Herring Gulls very excited, with the prospect of free nosh.

Many years ago I witnessed 40 Cormorants working a reservoir in Shropshire pushing small fry up onto the surface. Not only did this interest the local gulls, but a Carrion Crow also joined in by literally skipping along the surface picking off small fish. Quite bizarre!

Two of the 3 drake Goosander at the lagoon today.

And one of the two female Goosanders

The Cormorant gives himself a good wash....

before lifting himself up onto the pontoon.....

too dry off his wings.

By the time I got around to the path proper on the west bank, a few Tufted Duck flew in to bump the numbers up to 10 and there was quite a bit of interest by these ducks plus the 30+ Mallard and Black-headed Gulls up at the north end of the lagoon. Whether it was to do with Mute Swans foraging on the bottom of the lagoon and releasing food to the surface, I don't know, but there was a lot of birds at this end of the lagoon. 

Four Tufted Duck, could be two drake and two females. However I think this is 2 adult drakes, a female and an immature drake (centre). Very difficult at this time of year with juveniles mixed in with adult birds. A lot easier to tell apart when they've finished moulting.

As I made my way back to the car a pair of Siskins flew towards the north island, my first this Winter or is it still Autumn! These were joined by 5 Goldfinches which were also heading for the Alders. At the car a Goldcrest called and I somehow got a shot of him as he peered over the branch. Just sheer luck, next shot he was gone!

Okay not the best shot of a Goldcrest, but often or not you only get one chance to photograph them and on this occasion I waited and hoped he would move up to this spot. He did and this is the result of what is a very busy bird.

Birds Recorded: 1 Cormorant, 1 Grey Heron, 4 Mute Swan (1 adult + 3 juv), 6 Canada Geese, 30+ Mallard, 10 Tufted Duck, 5 Goosander (3 drake + 2 female), 12+ Moorhen, 9+ Coot, 30+ Black-headed Gull, 3 Herring Gull, Wood Pigeon, 2 Grey Wagtail, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, 3 Goldcrest, 1 party of Long-tailed Tits, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Carrion Crow, 4 Starling, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, 2 Siskin and 5 Goldfinch. 

Also 2 Grey Squirrels.