Nature Diary 31st Jan - 6th Feb 2022

Red-breasted Mergansers on Middlesbrough Dock, Middlehaven.
An original painting by Emma Price, February 2022 (© Emma Price 2022)

I'm going to carry on doing these in the 'Nature Diary' format for a while because I like it. If you have any comments about this (e.g. that you don't like it) please let me know in the comments.

Mon 31st Jan The Kingfisher was perched just down from the Yellow Bridge when I arrived at Middle Marsh this afternoon. When I say 'the' Kingfisher, I have no way of knowing that it is the same one, although it seems likely, especially given the fact that all the ones I have photographed in this spot so far this year, have been females (with the orange on the lower mandible of the beak). The dock basin had much fewer birds on it than usual, with one male Red-breasted Merganser, and 1 each of Herring Gull and Black-headed Gull (still in its winter plumage i.e. with no black head and only a little smudge of dark feathers on each cheek).

I think this is my best photo yet of a Kingfisher - Middle Marsh, 31st Jan 2022.
A good way of marking what would have been my Dad's 92nd birthday.
He always loved Kingfishers. (Photo © Colin Conroy 2022)

Tues 1st Feb Work party in the afternoon (as part of my 'day job' with Green Shoots) on Middle Beck in Pallister Park - clearing some of the brambles from one side of the beck to create more suitable feeding habitat for Water Voles. This now rare mammal is still present on a few of Middlesbrough's Becks and Middle Beck seems to have a reasonable population despite the fact that it has been sadly neglected and is used as a dumping ground by many people. Several clumps of Lesser Celandines flowering were a welcome sign of spring despite the continuing cold weather. Stupidly I didn't think of getting a picture.

Weds 2nd Feb A lovely afternoon with some young adults with learning disabilities, from Prior Pursglove College in Guisborough, who came to volunteer at Middle Marsh - carrying on with weaving the willow screen in front of the bird feeders, as well as litter picking and bird-watching. The willow they were using was cut from the willow coppices at Middlesbrough Environment City's headquarters at Nature's World, by the same group, the week before.

Screen-weaving in action. Ian Wilson ((right) from Tees Valley Wildlife Trust
with two students. Photo by college staff, used with permission and consent). 

At the same time, Glen Merryweather took some drone photos of the new ponds and the surrounding reedbed which gives you an idea of where they are and how much reedbed is still left (quite a lot). They also show how much water is already in the deepest ponds. The three patches of water on the left hand side will hopefully become one big pond for at least some of the year (once we get some heavy rain to fill them up).

The new ponds at Middle Marsh, viewed from above.
Drone photos © Glen Merryweather 2022

Sat 5th Feb Refilled the bird-feeders at Middle Marsh (after someone on Facebook told me they were empty - thanks Ronny) and then used some of the leftover lengths of willow (from Wednesday's session) to make a couple of little fences in other parts of the site. I used a slightly different technique involving sticking the pieces of willow into the ground diagonally at about 45 degrees, going alternately in two directions, and weaving them together. Willow will often put down roots when you do this and I am hoping that this will happen here, and we will have a couple of living fences. I will tell you in a few months time if it worked or not.

Middle Marsh was a bit quiet bird-wise although a group of three Teal and a single Redshank on the mud in the lower reaches of Ormesby Beck were nice to see. Middlesbrough Dock was more interesting than usual with about 94 Herring Gulls (a very good count for the dock) scattered between the outer and inner sections. There were also 2 Red-breasted Mergansers, a single Shag, and now 4 immature Mute Swans. The fourth cygnet seems to be spending more time on his own than the other three although I did see them altogether on one occasion.

Sun 6th Feb This morning I visited a bit of lawn in North Ormesby where there were a good number of Bee Orchids flowering last year. It is owned by the Church of England and in a public spot and last year the vicar agreed to leave it uncut, until late summer, except for a strip (about a foot wide) around the edge. This allowed the orchids to flower but made it obvious to passers-by that it had been left deliberately. This year there are at least 20 rosettes (a few more than last year) although dog or dogs unknown have been leaving little 'parcels' there (now removed). Having talked again to Bridget the vicar, we have now agreed to do the same thing again for a second year. As well as the orchids there are several other wildflower species there and the longer we keep this management regime going, the more species will have a chance to colonise and flower over the years.

Middle Marsh and Boro Dock again in the afternoon. Similar birds as yesterday but with now 4 Red-breasted Mergansers on the dock, and the three teal have moved upstream into the main part of Middle Marsh (just below the Yellow Bridge). Also a brief view of a Kingfisher in flight is the first one I've seen since Monday - good to know it's still around.

Many thanks to Emma Price for allowing me to use her beautiful sketches of the Mergansers in Middlesbrough Dock - I think they really bring the birds to life - and to Glen Merryweather for the drone photos.

Three female Common Teal, Ormesby Beck, Middle Marsh,
6th Feb 2022 (Photo © Colin Conroy 2022)