Its been about a week since last visited the patch. Things started well there today with a Greenshank on Ferry Lane Lake, which was new for the year. However, at Mons Pool, the water levels were right up, covering all but the very highest parts of the largest islands - everything else was swamped. So not only was there zero wader habitat, but the various nests I'd been keeping an eye on (at least 3 Coot and a Great Crested Grebe) were nowhere to be seen, drowned out. Goodness knows how many other nests in the marginal vegetation have been lost too. Not good.
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| Lots of water, drowned nests, no waders |
Added to this was some pretty pointless partial mowing of the verges on Carlton Ferry Lane; thankfully, the vast majority has been left untouched - although who knows for how long. And I also noticed that quite a few of the ashes on site were looking pretty sickly, with very thin crowns. Whether there just very late coming into leaf, or it's something more sinister (i.e. Chalara) remains to be seen.
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| A verge, cut wider that the width of the actual road. Pointless. |
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| Sick looking ashes |
So all in all, it was a slightly depressing visit - although a purring Turtle Dove brightened things up towards the end. I must go and check Meering to see if there are any there this year.
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| A Turtle Dove (honest) |
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