birderbill
Well-known member
Holywells Park's Moorhens- it's a tough life.
A few days a go I was watching a family of moorhens (two adults and 3 chicks) around the edge of the moat area. The family party slowly moved from the moat out into the open grass area and began feeding on the rich grass meadow. Whilst this was happening I became aware of a Greater Black Backed Gull overhead. The gull did a couple of circuits of the meadow and then dropped into long grass near to where the moorhens had setled. Surprisingly, neither parent bird saw the gull and carried on feeding. After about a minute, and probably not believing it's luck, the gull literally burst out of the long grass and in an athletic, hop, skip and jump scooped up one on the moorhen chicks and took to the air. The remaining moorhens all ran for the moat edge and safety. After watching for a short while I moved off and carried on around the park eventually catching up with the gull again. A bloody streak on the gull's glistening white breast was the only sign of the encounter!
Later the same day I returned to the park to try and identify some of the damselflies and dragonflies on the park's canal and ponds. Whilst watching a black-tailed skimmer I became aware of a number of small fish close to the water surface and getting closer to the bank. A few seconds later the reason became clear when the back of a Pike broke the surface, rolled over and with a twist of it's tail powered away. Whilst following the Pike through the water I noticed a Moorhen chick on it's own in the middle of the pond and straight in front the pike. Just as I said to myself "watch out", the surface errupted and the Pike took the Moorhen off the surface and down into the water. With the moorhen in it's mouth the Pike broke the surface once again before disappearing back to the depths to enjoy it's meal!
Bill.
A few days a go I was watching a family of moorhens (two adults and 3 chicks) around the edge of the moat area. The family party slowly moved from the moat out into the open grass area and began feeding on the rich grass meadow. Whilst this was happening I became aware of a Greater Black Backed Gull overhead. The gull did a couple of circuits of the meadow and then dropped into long grass near to where the moorhens had setled. Surprisingly, neither parent bird saw the gull and carried on feeding. After about a minute, and probably not believing it's luck, the gull literally burst out of the long grass and in an athletic, hop, skip and jump scooped up one on the moorhen chicks and took to the air. The remaining moorhens all ran for the moat edge and safety. After watching for a short while I moved off and carried on around the park eventually catching up with the gull again. A bloody streak on the gull's glistening white breast was the only sign of the encounter!
Later the same day I returned to the park to try and identify some of the damselflies and dragonflies on the park's canal and ponds. Whilst watching a black-tailed skimmer I became aware of a number of small fish close to the water surface and getting closer to the bank. A few seconds later the reason became clear when the back of a Pike broke the surface, rolled over and with a twist of it's tail powered away. Whilst following the Pike through the water I noticed a Moorhen chick on it's own in the middle of the pond and straight in front the pike. Just as I said to myself "watch out", the surface errupted and the Pike took the Moorhen off the surface and down into the water. With the moorhen in it's mouth the Pike broke the surface once again before disappearing back to the depths to enjoy it's meal!
Bill.
