Tuesday 4 August 2015

Tuesday 4 August

This evening's visit to the patch can best be described as quiet.

So I am particularly grateful to Jim Winsper and John Coombes who have independently contacted me to suggest the same identification for the big fish. It is a Grass Carp which is a native of south-east Asia but is often introduced into pools to munch away at the vegetation. As a herbivore (can fish be herbivores?) it is exonerated as a potential culprit in any reduction in dragonfly larvae in the pool.

Anyway, back to this evening. Just before I turned into the access road at Netherstead I noticed a brood of Tufted Ducks on the small pool on the opposite side of the road.


The original brood at the other end of the site was down to two ducklings and no sign of the parent at the weekend, so it will be interesting to see if these birds gain better protection from their mother.

Apart from that, the Teal count has tripled (there are now three!), and Green Sandpipers number at least seven, and possibly 10. I saw four on the main pool, which I accidentally flushed, and then six on the flashes, followed by one back on the main pool as I walked back.

I said it was quiet.

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