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Wildlife sightings 2012
Page updated: 26th January 2012 © Friends of Kelsey Park
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Here you will find statistics on wildlife, (mostly birds), current bird species and populations, current and unusual sightings in the park. They are compiled monthly and updated regularly.
A mention of a sighting on this page indicates more of a check than anything else, and a notification for visitors to try and spot these. Where possible, and if taken, a photograph may temporary be displayed here. With the herons now nesting and hatching we should be able to update weekly on estimated numbers. As with all wildlife, even if seemingly tame, they are wary, scare easily and feel apprehensive when nesting.
(Please see the appropriate ‘Photo Gallery’ for a permanent display of these birds).
Final heron numbers for 2011: Nests: counted: 24 Young: counted: 51
(of
the 24 nest, the most recent were born on the 7th April).
Final heron numbers for 2010: Nests: counted: 25 Young: counted: 53
Final heron numbers for 2009: Nests: counted: 26 Young: counted: 55
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Bird numbers
A count of the lake birds during a period in 2010 can be found here, which was updated once a week during a time of the year when they changed significantly.
Once a month, usually the 2nd Tuesday of the month, there is an official bird count carried out by a group of enthusiastic volunteers.
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Past photographs can be seen in the Wildlife Sightings galleries 2010 and 2011 pages.
Click on each of the photographs below to bring up a larger version.
More photographs for this year are available on this page Wildlife Sightings 2012.
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Click on each of the photographs above to bring up a larger version.
Past photographs can be seen in the Wildlife Sightings galleries 2010 and 2011 pages.
More photographs for this year are available here.
January
Six swans are now on the main lake, with a lot of chasing, ‘attacking’ and flying going on. The attacking swans are the parents who try to move their younger ones on, away from ‘their’ park.
The two extra swans that have come to the park's main lake, Roger seems to think
they are our three-
Mum swan tries to chase these previous cygnets away by flying with them. She landed very soon on the upper main lake and joined Dad. The two youngsters flew two circuits over the park and came down on the upper main lake as well. Mum and Dad swan were still attacking the other arrivals. All photographs by John Burn.
This photo shows two new 'domestic' duck arrivals with our Khaki Campbell, Toffee on the right. It is very difficult for us to identify correctly some of the domestic breeds as many of them are not true breeds but have been bred to improve particular qualities e.g. egg laying, meat production, fertility etc. Looking at the numerous photographs of domestic ducks on the Internet, there also appear to be many variations within breeds. The two new arrivals both have white rings around their neck, which makes them easier to spot, and the one behind looks like another Khaki Campbell and the one in front is most likely a mixed breed.. All photographs by John Burn.
Nic has been busy building a nest (below) for his island (although we don't think he's going to live on it). A curious dog is looking as if it has a bad idea ...
▲ John Burn rescued Fiver, the white Aylesbury duck (above photographs) and managed to get him off the ice, with the help of two of the swans pushing him off trying to get to the food he was throwing to him.
◄ Rare Sighting -
On Tuesday 17th a group of ‘Birders’, whilst on their monthly bird count, came across a male sparrowhawk high up on a tree right beside a Manor Way entrance (the next one 200 yards more northerly of the pillar post box entrance.) Although near the top of a high tree Nick Baelz managed to take this photograph with a fairly recent high zoom camera (click on the photo for a larger view) and this bird can also be viewed here.
