Coot nesting in lock gate

[magnetman]

Spotted this yesterday

 

I went through the lock as did other boaters and we did not actually disturb the nest so I suppose its OK?

 

I was a little concerned I may have broken the law which prevents interfering with wildlife but as the coot seemed to be happy with it so was I.

 

At least it was one of the bottom gates! I did once see some ducklings in the same sort of place on the top gates of a lock at Berkhamsted and as it filled they did not seem to go anywhere I guess they were sitting ducks

 

Anyway what do we think of the legal status of passing through this lock.

Sorry about title typo - stupid fone !!!

And as my 6 year old daughter said "that nest is rubbish"

[Athy]

Marvellous - and how nice that the cootlets will get changes of view to stimulate their interest in their surroundings. "Ooh look, that wall is getting closer...ooh no, it's going away again...ooh look, here it comes again" etc.

 

Are you sure it's a coot? From your snap, it looks more like a moorhen.

Edited June 27, 2016 by Athy

[dmr]

There are nesting boxes fitted to some gates on the K&A and at least one of these is occupied by a family of grey wagtails.

 

...............Dave

[Jess--]

there's a pair of tits at braunston top lock (nesting in the life ring)

 

 

 

 

[Athy]

Lovely - and their wee birdie brains must be thinking "How nice of those big creatures to give us such cosy housing". I'm sure that the robins which nested in the casing of our garden tap three years ago held a similar view.

[Ray T]

Coot:

 

 

Moorhen:

[Athy]

...and what attractive birds they are, too, thanks for posting such clear pictures. The one in the lockgate nest does look more like a moorhen, I reckon.

[Flyboy]

It's quite common to see nests in lock gates. At Chester Northgate Staircase locks in May there were several pairs of pigeons nesting in the metal lock balance beams at the mitre end. I've also seen what could have been either Swallows/Swifts or Martins nesting in the gates on the Bosley flight on the Macc.

[magnetman]

Marvellous - and how nice that the cootlets will get changes of view to stimulate their interest in their surroundings. "Ooh look, that wall is getting closer...ooh no, it's going away again...ooh look, here it comes again" etc.

 

Are you sure it's a coot? From your snap, it looks more like a moorhen.

I see what you mean - it seems to have a red beak in the photo but at the time i thought it was a coot.

 

This is possibly due to the fact there are so many coots around this area. They are very aggressive. I've seen a couple of fatal coot fights outside the boat. and very few moorhens about generally. I suppose that could explain the nesting site - getting away from the ruddy coots !!

there's a pair of tits at braunston top lock (nesting in the life ring)

 

 

 

 

I wonder what the legal status is if someone was attempting to drown in the cut and you were planning to chick the lifering to them?

 

. edit as other bit is a new topic

Edited June 27, 2016 by magnetman

[Captain Pegg]

I wonder what the legal status is if someone was attempting to drown in the cut and you were planning to chick the lifering to them?

That's a great way to annoy the spelling police - throw in one that makes a cracking pun.

 

Anyway I suspect the law would have no issue with you using either the lock or the life ring for their legitimate purposes. I am sure the law doesn't prioritise avian life over human life in the latter case.

 

JP

[Athy]

That's a great way to annoy the spelling police - throw in one that makes a cracking pun.

 

 

I liked it too - in fact I have shelled out a greeno.

[Martin Megson]

And just to confuse matter Coot chicks have red beaks which then fade.

 

[Athy]

Those must be new hatchlings - they look as if their eyes are hardly open.

But for sheer aaaaaahhh factor cuteness they can't rival moorhen chicks which are absolutely gorgeous little jet-propelled balls of black fluff.

[Greylady2]

Nice :-)

[Martin Megson]

Those must be new hatchlings - they look as if their eyes are hardly open.

But for sheer aaaaaahhh factor cuteness they can't rival moorhen chicks which are absolutely gorgeous little jet-propelled balls of black fluff.

Very true. They don't so much swim as run over the water.

[Theo]

Coot:

 

 

Moorhen:

Beautiful pictures Ray. Where did they come from?

[Jerra]

Earlier in the year there was a Grey Wagtail feeding young on Heart Break hill the Cheshire Locks as we went down. The adult sat quietly on the paving while I operated the gates (with its beak full of insects). As I moved away it flew down to the nest which I hadn't noticed before.

 

As the birds weren't disturbed I doubt it was/is against the law.

[Ray T]

Beautiful pictures Ray. Where did they come from?

 

The RSPB site: http://www.rspb.org.uk/discoverandenjoynature/discoverandlearn/birdguide/name/g/greatcrestedgrebe/index.aspx

 

Look for the "Browse others" a little way down.

 

Can't think why I chose a Great Crested Grebe?

 

You have an answer to Boating Buddies question on another forum, no not THAT one.

Edited June 27, 2016 by Ray T

[AndrewIC]

There were grey wagtails nesting in a steel bottom gate on the Llangollen last year. As I came out of the lock a cluster of beady eyes was looking back at me from the ledge inside the heel post!

[Athy]

As I came out of the lock a cluster of beady eyes was looking back at me from the ledge inside the heel post!

Those blasted CART checkers are everywhere.

[Lesterboy]

For some years Grey Wagtails nested in the lock gates of the Watford flight(northants). If they had two broods first they would nest in the left hand gate then later in the right hand gate. They were behind the steel protective plate and could only be really seen by boaters when the gates were open. Last year the gates began to leak above where they nested in the past making the ledges damp, so obviously they didn't return.