Feeding lettuce to the birds, and an Egyptian goose

Tried today to feed Hillsborough Park's geese, ducks and coots with lettuce, and some grass.  They were underwhelmed, it has to be said.   One Canada goose came up to us, hissed at the coots that were near it, and when they went away, ignored the lettuce we had put on the path.   Some of the coots did peck at it a bit, but did not look as keen as they do when you have bread.

What was happening?   Was it the rain?   Are they so used to bread that they only want bread?  Were they already full?  Was there something about the lettuce?

More research needed, I think.  

Meanwhile, here is one of the recently arrived Egyptian geese:  

Just under a fortnight ago, I was walking through the park when a pair of these circled two or three times, and then landed, one on the water, and one on the shore.  Then, one of them flew across the lake to the shore where I was standing.

They have been there each day I have looked since, sometimes two, sometimes, like today, one.  

According to the RSPB, the Egyptian goose, revered in Ancient Egypt, is more often seen in Norfolk, although it is known elsewhere.   The excellent ARKive has more worldwide information.   The GB Non Native Species Secretariat website has a document that explains how this goose was introduced into England in the 17th century and became a popular choice for private estates in the 19th, in the south and east of England, from where it has been spreading.  A very attractive bird, but it is an offence to introduce it (this does not stop it introducing itself, I imagine!).   The Sheffield Bird Study Group has been recording sightings of 1 or 2 in Hillsborough Park, including one there today.

Avian botulism, or feeding the ducks

On a recent visit to Hillsborough Park to feed the geese, ducks and coots, we spotted some peas on the ground by the side of the lake.   We were surprised that birds ate such things, but the Canal and River Trust are recommending that people do indeed feed water birds frozen peas, or lettuce, or grain.  This story was picked up extensively in the UK media yesterday and today.

But not bread.  The video in this piece from the Daily Telegraph has figures for the amount of bread that is fed to water birds.   A lot of it is not eaten by the birds, but ends up as a culture medium for microorganisms, making the birds ill and encouraging rats.  See also this piece from the Canal and River Trust.

A web search for avian botulism bread finds news stories from last summer and autumn, so the finger of suspicion has been pointing at bread for some time.

A quick web search and search of PubMed suggests the fingers of suspicion in the academic and government literature are pointing at a link between avian botulism and algae, although there seems to be no study directly relating bread and the disease in water birds.  

There is a page from the US National Wildlife Health Center about avian botulism, discussing the conditions that the bacterium needs to grow (a protein source, warm temperatures, and no oxygen) and pointing out that there are regular outbreaks in the USA and Canada (my PubMed search turned up more than one item discussing the problem in the Great Lakes).

This What's New in Health and Safety from the Canal and River Trust (scroll down when you have loaded it) discusses what to do if a bird suspected of dying from avian botulism is discovered.  DEFRA need to be informed.

Thanks to Emma Kimberley for sharing the Daily Telegraph piece via Facebook.

Les oiseaux du jour

OK, it is a bit pretentious and I maybe ought to stop it, but l'oiseau of yesterday was, in my own garden, a green woodpecker - noticed the red head and gold bars before the green, but there it was, nonetheless. I am not counting the ospreys seen on a Father's Day (or is that Fathers' Day?) trip to Rutland Water.

Birds

Rather a random collection of thoughts:

I think there are sparrows nesting in my roof (or under the tiles), which is Very Good. And we have a regular visit from at least one bat, at dusk.

And, forgot to mention, on a recent trip to Rutland Water (which I appear not to have blogged about), heard, but did not see, a cuckoo. My first cuckoo ever, I think, let alone the first one of spring.

Buzzards and ducklings

Saturday 3rd May - two buzzards circling over the house then flying off to the East. And, on the river, the first ducklings I have seen.

Sunday 4th May - starlings feeding young in next door's roof?

Posted this on Sunday 4th and it ended up dated 20th April, for some reason.

Later edit: baby thrush in nest outside office, and blackbirds busy nest building in back garden.

Swallows

Drove this morning from Lubenham (Leicestershire) to Mowsley, and, crossing the canal on that road, saw swallows - my first of the year. And, at the junction of that road and the A5199, more similar birds, couldn't make out if they were swallows or swifts - possibly some of each.

Goldfinches

Outside the window, in the trees. Listen to some like them at http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/g/goldfinch/index.asp

800 posts!

Birds

Were those three blackcaps in the tree outside the office, pecking at the buds? I think they might have been...

Birds - first swifts

Change of title!

We were driving from Fleckney (Leicestershire) to Kibworth (ditto) on Saturday, after dancing at the Fleckney School Fun Day. We had gone over the canal near Wistow and saw two swifts, the first of the year. And then, right over the road, quite low down, a kestrel. We slowed down - we brake for kestrels, and, rather affronted, it flew over to the side of the road.

Les oiseaux du jour

In the park this morning: a goldfinch? It didn't have a red face, though. [Edit: saw another today, 20th, and reading Simon Barnes Bad birdwatchers' companion on the train, I wonder if it was actually a greenfinch, which is what my son told me they were. It didn't look green, but apparently, they don't, always). Later edit: saw some today (26th) and they did look a bit green.]

And a yellow wagtail (or a grey one), by the side of the river.

This was in addition to the usual wrens, thrushes, ducks (including one sitting on an ivy covered fence), moorhens, dunnocks, robins.

In garden -sparrows, starlings.

Les oiseaux du jour

In park:

wrens, several, including one really quite cross sounding one (on a branch very close to river);
blackbird bathing in river;
thrush;
moorhen looking for things in weeds around piece of detritus in river (actually a signpost from the national cycle network...).

Thought last night on way home that there are more blackbirds around in the evening.

And, on late-ish drive from Foxton Locks to home, an owl.

Les oiseaux du jour

Yesterday (didn't manage to post yesterday), a robin, sitting on a post, singing very near me. Today, in park, a pied wagtail, as well as usual - ducks, moorhens, wrens, robins.

Sunday, in garden, a large number (well, 15-20?) sparrows, including two attempting to mate, in the tree which houses the bird feeder. We are trying to encourage the sparrows, endangered as they are, so this is very good!

Les oiseaux du jour

In the garden first thing - sparrows, three woodpigeons. We put up some nesting material (in a ceramic apple, which I hung in one of the small trees in the garden) and it is certainly being taken.

In the park this morning - something flying along the riverbank, but probably not a kingfisher. Otherwise, the usual. On Wednesday night, son and I saw a fox, in the playing field that adjoins the park.

In the park on the way home this evening, what I am fairly sure was a blackcap - audio recording (on rather old BBC Bristol webpage) here.

In the garden after tea (or is that supper?) this evening - a lot of starlings. Lots of blackbirds on the verges of the road, too.

Il n'y a pas des oiseaux

Apologies for any creaky French grammar. I drove the car to work.

Les oiseaux du jour

Pretentious, moi? Not really, I hope. It did occur to me that "bird of the day" might be open to misinterpretation. (Sorry if you are reading this because you found this phrase, and are now disappointed!).

Today, two robins, on a fence either side of the path in the park. One sat within feet of me and sang, for a little bit. I told it my news, as my father always does when robins come to watch him gardening. Is that a Norfolk habit, I wonder?

Also, two very soggy pigeons sitting in a puddle, and what seem to be the usual wrens and thrushes.

Les oiseaux du jour

Nothing out of the ordinary today, but two wrens, both just making chirruping sounds, rather than singing. Probably significant? Last night, two feral pigeons having a disagreement on next door's roof. This morning, plenty of sparrows - some may be nesting in next door's gutter or eaves. I think we have some too, but they resolutely refuse to go in and out of the gutters while I am watching them.

Les oiseaux du jour

Sparrows (trying to encourage them to nest by putting nesting material in garden), starlings (nesting in gutters of next door's house), and, in park, robin, dunnocks (I think), thrush, duck, moorhen, blackbird. Keeping eye out for kingfisher but not spotted yet this year.

Les oiseaux du jour

On the way to the station - starlings and sparrows outside my house, geese flying nearby, in the park: thrush, wren, long tailed tit (duck and moorhen). At station, magpies.