The Gipping Valley Lakes - 3/3/2020

 

Sometimes humans can, unwittingly, create artificial barriers to the natural world. An anti-predator fence around Causeway Lake was one such example. Somehow a cob SWAN has manged to get separated from his mate by this fence, where despite being only millimetres apart they were separated from each other. No matter how hard he tried the cob could not find a way through to his mate.

 

I don't know if the swans ever got together again, its not like the swan could just jump over. Being big birds swans tend to need a big runway to get into the air, and the birds were not afforded the space here.

There was a genuine sense of loss here, the swans wanted to be together but just couldn't despite being so close. And despite all his efforts the swan could not just fathom how to get to his mate.
This was just one of the games of nature being played out on the River Gipping Lakes, as hints of Spring hang in the air.

 

 

Riverfarm Lock

 

The river Gipping and its associated lakes are an assortment of small gravel pits and quarries that form a sort of landscape along the river. Its a local patch of sorts, not being that far from where I live, and I visit it once a month. They hold a range of birds, as you shall see, as they form a variety of habitats. As usual there were lots of SWANS, COOTS, GREBES, MALLARDS and GEESE present on the lakes so I won't be mentioning them unless there are any interesting records.

 

Pipps Ford
The excavated quarry was inundated with water, absolutely flooded, which proved attractive to COOT with 13 birds present, all eeking out territories on the water. How long the flooding will last is anyones guess, and could result in coots nests being left high and dry by falling water levels. A LITTLE GREBE was also present, they breed here most years, so this bird is likely a returning nester.

Digger on the active quarry

 



Two GREEN SANDPIPERS were busy flying about, birds of this species pretty much spend all year at this site, disappearing for maybe a month in May, and can usually be found hanging about.
Pippins Lake has had a noticeable drop in duck numbers over the last month, but still held the largest numbers in the area, with 7 GADWALL, 5 TEAL and 4 TUFTED DUCK.

Pippins Lake

 

The active quarry was, understandably, disturbed by machinery digging out the sand. It only had 4 GADWALL and 4 LAPWING as well as a lot of loafing GULLS.

The active quarry

 



Small bird were becoming more active, the most distinct song was the melancholy tune of the MISTLE THRUSH, cutting through the trees and melting my heart with its sadness. A GREY WAGTAIL was by Riverside Farm Lock, a place where they usually nest, so hopefully the bird is a returning breeder to this man made obstacle in the river.

Shamford Mere and Causeway Lake
Surprisingly Causeway Lake held good numbers of wildfowl. Including the tragic swan pair, there were in total 10 SWANS present. 22 TUFTED DUCK were also on the lake along with a female GADWALL, and there were good numbers of COOT and GREBES present, getting ready for the breeding season.

Pair of OYSTERCATCHER on Shamford Mere

 



Shamford Mere held 5 WIGEON and 2 TUFTED DUCK, as well as a large flock of GEESE, over a hundred strong. The mere was flooding over onto the surrounding land, creating little pools which had enticed a pair of OYSTERCATCHER to come down to feed.
A MARSH TIT was in the riverside alders, a species I haven't seen in this part of the Gipping before.

Barham Pits
Things were as usual quiet around these lakes. A small flock of 10 TUFTED DUCK were on Pit A, as well as a LITTLE GREBE, my first record for that lake. GREAT CRESTED GREBES were nesting here and on Pit B.

Pair of GREAT CRESTED GREBES Barham Pits

 



A KINGFISHER was on the river down from GT Blakenham Lock, and a GREY WAGTAIL was over Pit A. Otherwise that was it.

Suffolk Water Park
The long staying BLACK THROATED DIVER was still around, the bird has been here for more than two months now, but had gone missing for a couple of weeks. This has been a great sighting for a bird rare in Suffolk and one that is usually coastal, so spending such a long time on a lake near Ipswich is pretty unexpected.
Otherwise wildfowl were gearing up for the breeding season, with good numbers of birds present.

GREAT CRESTED GREBE

 



One interesting record here was of a female SPARROWHAWK, which chased a DUNNOCK across the water, into a tree where it caught the bird in front of myself and several fishermen. The sparrowhawk, although flustered by the people paying it attention, didn't fly away despite being so close to humans, it continued to eat the dunnock in the tree before our eyes.

Female SPARROWHAWK

 



Despite what I sometimes say, even an area like the River Gipping Lakes can produce a lot of birds. And that's despite it being a quiet time of year. Winter seems to be well and truly over now, and we have Spring, my favourite season, to look forward to, to the birth and renewal of nature, to a time where anything is possible.