KELPIE has ventured out again

[haggis]

Good drive down ( 220 miles in just under 4 hours ) and decided to set off rather than spend a night in the marina charging the batteries on shore power. Plan is down the Shroppie and back up the T & M  which will be a lot longer than we have gone for a few years. 

Saw my first goslings and cygnets today but no moorhen chicks. In fact I didn't see any adult moorhens either which is odd as this stretch used to have lots of them.

Lovely weather just the same as we have been having at home.

[ditchcrawler]

Not seen signets yet or Coots seen duck, geese and moorhen chicks

[haggis]

It's the absence of adult moorhens which surprises me. That is usually a sign that Mr mink has moved in but there are plenty of ducklings which wouldn't be here if the mink was around. I have another couple of weeks to find moorhen chicks. They are such gorgeous wee things ! 

[cuthound]

Saw our first cygnets this year at Alvecote Marina yesterday and today the proud patents brought them to our mooring to show us.

[ditchcrawler]

1 hour ago, cuthound said:

Saw our first cygnets this year at Alvecote Marina yesterday and today the proud patents brought them to our mooring to show us.

Looks better than some years 

[cuthound]

12 hours ago, ditchcrawler said:

Looks better than some years 

 

Yes, since last year they are a new pair.

 

The previous incumbents had 9 cygnets the first year we lived here, them about 1 less each year until 4 years ago when they didn't have any, so presumably get less fertile with age. Then there was a year without swans before this pair moved in.

 

Both are very friendly (by swan standards ) and have often climbed out into our garden to stretch their legs. The female does a little wiggle of excitement when she sees my wife, because my wife always feeds her and she is so tame she will eat out of her hand,

[Francis Herne]

Coots are nesting every 50 yards along the Old Main Line as usual. A lot of them are hatching now. Two or three duck families also. Pair of Canada geese with 9 goslings at Titford Pumphouse.

[haggis]

Met a boat, Summer Wine, at middlewich locks this morning and they are heading for Preston Brook as the lady lived in the house which is now Albions for 10 years. I got the impression they are just going there for nostalgic reasons 

Edited May 7 by haggis

[junior]

4 hours ago, haggis said:

Met a boat, Summer Wine, at middlewich locks this morning and they are heading for Preston Brook as the lady lived in the house which is now Albions for 10 years. I got the impression they are just going there for nostalgic reasons 

Do you mean our house? Can't think of anywhere else up here called Albion, but I used to have the boat Albion, which coincidentally moors at the other end of the tunnel from us. 

[haggis]

Yes, she lived in the house you live in now. Sorry I got mixed up with Albion which I knew was your boat and Junior! I was trying to recall your name and remembered that you used to drive Albion, the coal boat. 

Put it down to advancing years 😄

[junior]

3 minutes ago, haggis said:

Yes, she lived in the house you live in now. Sorry I got mixed up with Albion which I knew was your boat and Junior! I was trying to recall your name and remembered that you used to drive Albion, the coal boat. 

Put it down to advancing years 😄

Ah that's interesting, I wonder if they will come and say hello. Also I wonder how far back they go. The chap who had the house before us lives not far away on a boat (not called summer wine) so I doubt it's him, and before that Jim Taylor was here when working for BW. 

[haggis]

The chap didn't say. Just that the lady steering lived there for 10 years . We didn't get as far as exchanging names although I did take a note of the boat name in case you see them .

[junior]

6 minutes ago, haggis said:

The chap didn't say. Just that the lady steering lived there for 10 years . We didn't get as far as exchanging names although I did take a note of the boat name in case you see them .

Will keep an eye out. 

[cuthound]

On 06/05/2025 at 19:57, cuthound said:

Saw our first cygnets this year at Alvecote Marina yesterday and today the proud patents brought them to our mooring to show us.

 

Another visit to our moorings tonight by our tame swans. They don't panic when we feed their cygnets.

 

We are so lucky to live here. It is a pity some to**er emptied his grass cuttings into the cut.

 

 

[haggis]

Lovely. You are so lucky 

Stil not seen any moorhen chicks but I was a bit distracted today working ,17 locks 😃

[cuthound]

1 hour ago, haggis said:

Lovely. You are so lucky 

Stil not seen any moorhen chicks but I was a bit distracted today working ,17 locks 😃

 

No I haven't seen any moorhens this year either and there are far fewer ducks about. I blame bird flu.

[haggis]

Oh, I should have thought of bird flu affecting moorhens. I know it has virtually decimated the swan Population on   Middlewich..

[haggis]

Still no moorhen chicks ! Saw several adults who shot into the undergrowth where presumably the  chicks were but I did see one nest so perhaps they haven't hatched on the Shroppie  yet. They are very secretive birds at this time of year  and the chicks rely on food from their parents for several weeks. Unlike ducklings which zoom around catching flies as soon as they hatch

We have been playing leapfrog for a few days with " Forever in Blue Jeans " and I can't get that Neil Diamond song out of my head 

 

[PCSB]

We've seen plenty of Moorhen chicks, lower T&M, Coventry & Brum & Fazeley canals.

[ditchcrawler]

Heard my first cuckoo of the season today up the Thames 

[haggis]

Ok, hopefully I'll see them soon then I can stop staring at the undergrowth looking for them 😃

[jam]

On 10/05/2025 at 15:47, haggis said:

Ok, hopefully I'll see them soon then I can stop staring at the undergrowth looking for them 😃

There were a few in Gnosall about a week or so ago. The parents were coming up to the towpath and grubbing about, taking their findings into the bushes on the oposite side to feed the chicks. I should imagine by the time you get there they will have grown a little.

Edited May 11 by jam

[ditchcrawler]

Not seen a single Coot on the upper Thames so far 

[haggis]

11 hours ago, jam said:

There were a few in Gnosall about a week or so ago. The parents were coming up to the towpath and grubbing about, taking their findings into the bushes on the oposite side to feed the chicks. I should imagine by the time you get there they will have grown a little.

We came through Gnosall yesterday and only saw adults. I think the chicks are still being kept in the undergrowth. Turning onto the  Staffs  and Worcester soon so I'll keep looking. After we find the nearest moorings to Morrisons 😃

10 hours ago, ditchcrawler said:

Not seen a single Coot on the upper Thames so far 

I've seen a few, but not many. Ducks seem to be king on the Shroppie with ducklings zooming around catching flies 

[cuthound]

Saw our first duck with ducklings this year. She had 8.

 

I wonder how many will survive?