Common Bank Lodge

[ianball]

Interesting goings-on on the lodge this morning. A female Mallard with 6 (normal looking) ducklings were trying to climb the weir onto the lodge. In attendance and helping the ducklings was a male Mandarin! Will keep an eye on them as they grow... Also on the lodge were the Coot and 3 chicks, the 2 Little Grebe (social distancing though) and pairs of Mute Swan and Moorhen. Grey Wagtail also on the weir and a Bullfinch calling.

[ianball]

Brief update from this afternoon. Not looking good for the ducklings. The female Mallard and male Mandarin were swimming on their own on the centre of the lodge with the ducklings still on the weir

[ianball]

Not looking good at all. No sign of any ducklings this morning and the Mallard/Mandarin pair were swimming in the centre of the lodge by themselves
Only positive for me this morning was my first dragonfly of the year. A teneral Four Spotted Chaser freshly emerged from the small pond on the meadow by the Gillibrand North roundabout.

[Neil Southworth]

A tick at last! A Garden Warbler was singing out in the open at the weir end of the lodge. Blackcap numbers also seemed to have increased with a minimum of 4 heard along with a couple of Chiffchaff and Goldcrest.
As Ian said, the Mandarin and female Mallard were on the lodge but no sign of any young. A least the pair of Coot still had their three chicks. Just one Little Grebe seen.
Garden Warbler takes me to 86

[ianball]

Glad you got the Garden Warbler Neil. It seems to have gradually worked it's way along the river towards the lodge