13th April 2016
Staff: DWE
Weather: Warm and sunny, wind picking up later in the afternoon.
Projects: Goose Census, Marsh Harrier
This morning I headed to Fiskingemaden in order to survey the area as part of the Goose Census. I found the area had grown up a lot since last year, the reeds obscuring much of the lake here which is bound to make the Wetland Census that begins later this week a bit trickier. Whilst I was here I also took the opportunity to observe the Marsh Harriers frequenting the area.
After lunch I did much the same, though this time looking over Hammarmaden and Hammarbotnen, finally ending up at the Lötenplatform to look at the geese in Rysjön and Löten.
Fiskingmaden:
5 Greylag geese; each individual at this time of year is likely to be part of a breeding attempt locally. Although it is no sure science to say one bird in an area equates to a nest in the same area it is a closer indicator than other methods.
1 Canada goose.
Hammarmaden/Hammarbotnen
148 Greylag Geese
1 Canada Goose
Rysjön/Löten
195 Greylag Geese
4 Canada Geese
For the Marsh Harriers, a well marked male bird with a small white patch on the rump was hunting over Fiskingemaden and was accompanied at different times by a dark female and a white shouldered female. It is still early in the season but Magnus and Teresa (MFG & TMJ) noted a pair dislaying from Åslajön this afternoon so it will not be long before we can look more closely at nest locations and breeding attempts.
DWE