Wet and Weird Wetlands

It was a dark, cold and drizzly morning at times at North Cave Wetlands, which will be obvious from the quality of the selection of photos in the post. Just after leaving the car it was obvious a large flock of greylag geese had just landed in the reserve, their calls still nervous and loud, maybe family groups reuniting after being separated and the members of the flock assessing the situation. From the viewing platform, I could watch the flock, probably numbering over a thousand individuals, slowly calming down. I scanned the flock for other species or unusual individuals. The Black Swan that often visits the site was with the them, and also at least three GreylagxCanada hybrids. I couldn't see other species, but there was an unusual leucistic individual. There were many Lapwings and Little Grebes today, I don't think I've ever seen so many of the latter in the reserve. A few Wigeon and many teal too.
 Swallows, House Martins and Sand Martins flew about, reminding me that we are in migration season and they soon will be gone.
 In Island Lake there were many Snipe, scattered about, Shoveler and more Lapwing. I walked on the path by maize field by the road, where i came across a few fairy circles made from fungi growing on the grass making  a circular pattern. On the large patch of rosebay willowherb, a few Reed Bunting played hide and seek, although in general they were quite curious and let me approach quite closely (top shot).
 The couple of unexpected wintry surprises were a Short-eared owl, a species I hadn't seen in many years, flying high over the fields north of the reserve. I didn't have very long views as the hawthorn hedge got in the way, but its large head and long broad wings were very apparent. I only managed a very poor blurry shot. Then while watching a mixed flock of Long-tailed, Blue and Great Tits I heard siskin calls and there they were. The Siskins at the same time that a Migrant Hawker hung from the same alder tree was something I don't see every day either.
 From Crosslands hide I watched four Little Egrets feeding, a distant Greenshank and a Ruff. There was not much else.
 One of the highlights was finding an Elephant Moth Caterpillar on rosebay willowherb by the Butterfly Path, they are fantastic beasts. The rain then started to pick up, reminding me that it was time to go home for a warm lunch.

Leucistic greylag

Black Swan

CanadaxGreylag hybrid

Grey Heron

Two Snipe and sleeping Teal at Island Lake

Kentish Snail crossing spider web

Fairy ring by maize field

Record shot of Migrant Hawker resting on alder, surprisingly given the weather, it was flying about a few moments earlier.

Siskins about to fly to the alders by the north path

One of three very quiet Chiffchaffs

An extremely poor shot of a Short-eared Owl flying over fields N of the reserve

Ruff

One of four Little Egrets

This large Elephant Hawkmoth caterpillar sat quite exposed on Rosebay Willowherb

Resting Sand Martins

Meadow Pipit

For today's bird list click here.

The wintering Greylag flock

The Greylag flock at Pearson Park has been up to 94 strong this winter. The flock size varies, though, some days, there are just one or two individuals, others many more. I believe groups move between East Park and Pearson Park, as I have seen some distinctive individuals, which I call 'White Head' and 'White Chest' in both places, sometimes on the same day. As spring approaches, males become more aggressive toward other geese and the flock splits up into pairs which will settle in suitable breeding areas. Greylags are found year round at East Park, but they don't breed at Pearson Park so they only turn up occasionally in the summer.
During February, I have photographed the flock in all weathers, so I thought I'd share a selection of photos.

There was snow on the 4th and the geese moved to under the trees to feed on the grass. A kind lady with a well behaved dog threw some seed at them, but the Common Gulls descended 'en masse' to grab it before the geese had the chance to register what was going on (above)

Foraging on the snowed grass.

If you look a geese for a while, it doesn't take long to realise that individuals are attached to each other. There are pairs and families which include the pair and the young produced the previous year. The group above, probably a family, marched nervously towards the water close to each other as a large dog on the loose approached. 

This inquisitive individual was part of a family of seven, who took full possession of the bread we were delivering and didn't let any other goose approach. This is a young one, still not quite one year old, note the greyish tip of the bill, or nail, which is still black in some young ones.

Families are quite successful fending off pairs. Several individuals in this family had very orange legs, which I wonder if it is a sign of being healthy.

The young one was quite chuffed of having fended off the pair at the background.

Came back in an aggressive posturing.

This individual has a distinctive flap on his belly.

Does anybody want some seeds?

Sometimes even geese need some peace and quiet. This one sat on the grass while the whole flock was some distance away being feed by people.

It is not too difficult to tell male and female geese apart. Males are heavier, taller and they have a more robust head. However, females can suffer higher mortality during incubation, and if the sex ratio is male bias male-male pairs are not unusual.

On the 10th of February we had thick fog. I counted 94 goose early in the morning grazing on the grass.

 This year the flock often includes a Canada goose, which I call 'Confused' who was probably brought up by Greylags, as it is attached to them...

...and 'White Head'

Here is 'Confused' again. He seems attached to three individuals. The source of this interspecific attachment may originate from her being adopted as a very young gosling by a pair of greylag defending their own young from her Canada parents and the gosling becoming imprinted to the greylag family. Canada seem to have longer term family attachment than Greylag, so she might still travel with their adoptive parents.