Baby birds and Puffball

Well another early evening visit didn't reveal any new birds or mammals. Only one pair of Little Ringed Plover remained, but all the other wader species put in an appearance, but Barn Owl failed to show.

However, on wandering through one of the overgrown back lagoons I chanced upon the largest puffball fungi I've ever seen. It was as big as both my hands, some 10cm by 10cm at least.

Then just as I was leaving I was attracted to the mad tweeting of baby birds, and crounched down to find a nest full of 5 baby robins in the old brambles crammed between the fence and the earth dumped on the water treatment plant works. My blurry picture doesn't reach the level of cuteness they showed. After briefly taking a picture I left them in peace to wait for mum or dad to help clean up their mess and feed their hungry mouths.

We hit the headlines!!

Well OK maybe not the headlines, but rather p 18 of The Evening Gazette in today's edition. Gareth Palmer came down on Monday to interview myself and Glyn Evans about the fledgling group and its hopes for the future of the lagoons.

Moreover, CBC seem keen to work with us once we have the group on a more official footing.

We also managed to see a number of birds during the visit: Avocet, Greenshank, Redshank, Lapwing, Oystercatcher representing the wading birds. Gadwall, Shelduck, Mallard, Canada Goose and Greylag Goose on the wildfowl side. A single Sedge Warbler was the first on this side of the river this year. Finally a Hobby flashed past as I sheltered from the rain in Alan Wood's car.

A Sunday visit also produced Pochard, Grasshopper Warbler and Little Ringed Plover.

Tuesday evening was calm and still, perfect for watching the comings and goings of the wading birds. It appears we have no less than 5 species of wader displaying, amting and hopefully staying to breed on the lagoons: Avocet, Little Ringed Plover, Lapwing, Oystercatcher and Redshank.

Mallard, Canada Geese and Greylag geese have already produced young, and hopefully Coot and Moorhen and maybe some of the other duck species using the lagoon to rest and feed might stay to breed.

Common Tern also seem to be interested in nesting..if only we had a nesting platform!!

Disturbance of the two lagoons should be kept to a minimum to allow the birds to settle and breed and the local ranger George has already put up signs saying dogs on leads please and reminding people the area is a local nature reserve.

If you do wish to view the small lagoon, please do so from the track, and from one of the corners on the main lagoon, using the sides of the lagoon as cover when walking to one of the corners.

Finally the higlight of my evening visit were reeling Grasshiopper Warbler on the Wivenhoe Trail, and not 1 but 2 hunting Barn Owl!! As if that wasn't good enough, a bad-tempered Badger bustled past me on his dusk ramblings.

Spring in full swing

A trip down to the lagoons this afternoon produced a few interesting observations, not least that the tyre on my bike isn't keeping the air in!!

A few hours observation revealed about 40 species of birds, the highlight for me being Common Tern seemingly displaying and possibly producing a nest scrape on the big lagoon, with the male passing a fish to the female. Four terns visited in total today. Two of the birds were ringed, and will perhaps be able to find out something about their origin.

Lapwing may also be attempting to breed on the smaller lagoon, as two birds are now present. While a single Little Ringed Plover being present may be a sign of breeding nearby.

Unfortunately Avocet don't seem to have settled on the big lagoon this year, with only 1 or 2 pairs seen intermittently.

Shelduck numbers remain around 24 with little signs of breeding, with other wildfowl still present including Mallard (8), Mute Swan (7), Cananda Goose (4 and 4 gosling), Greylag Goose (2) and a single male Gadwall. Coot and Moorhen are also present, but no signs of breeding as yet. The Shoveler pair seem to have gone, and all Teal also seem to have left the site.

Pied Wagtail (1 pr) , Linnet (1pr) , Whitethroat (5 singing males) , Robin (adult feeding young), Meadow Pipit (5pr) , Yellowhammer (2 singing males) , Skylark (3 singing males) and Reed Buting (3 singing males) all seem to be potetial breeders. Stock Dove, Woodpigeon, Collared Dove, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, Song Thrush, Blackbird, Dunnock, Wren, Lesser Whitethroat, House Sparrow, Grey Wagtail, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch and Swallow are all also potential breeders in and around the lagoons as they have been present regularly throughout the spring.

Passage wader numbers have been light with 23 Greenshank, 5 Common Sandpiper and 7 Whimbrel being the maxima.

Raptors have been represented by Buzzard 2, Sparrowhawk 3, Kestrel 2 and Hobby 1 viewed from the site.

A Hoopoe was present last week, but only seen by 1 person on the Hythe Lagoons site.

Other scarce birds through in recent weeks include a singing male Grashopper Warbler, a hunting Barn Owl, 2 Wheatear and 1 Cuckoo.

Spring is not over yet and hopefully we will have more birds to come.

On conservation matters. I am still awaiting a reply from the council as regards placing a bird hide on site. I will hopefully be able to announce a programme of events for the late summer and autumn period by the end of the month.

I hope to be able to also contact the local ranger with a view to getting some signs up asking dog-walkers to refrain from letting their dogs off leads on site during the breeding season and around the lagoons.

I am holding fire on a website at present as I lack the funds to set one up :)

First post

Well this is the first post for the newly formed local conservation action group' Friends of the Hythe'.

Hopefully I will be able to blog regularly on the progress of the group and conservation activities at the Hythe Lagoons and Marshes just south of the Hythe and New Town area of Colchester.

I intend to blog on nature sightings in the area, upcoming events, the progress of our sponsored cycing birdathon to raise money for a bird hide on site and also for Headway Colchester and any other things relevant to the group and the local area and it's wildlife.