Reintroduced cranes nesting at Slimbridge 2016

According to the WWT website, Monty and Sedge (a new pairing) are now incubating one egg near the hide in the Rushy pen. This is within the fox-proof fence. I hope to visit Slimbridge again soon

Alan

 

Hope that everything will went well !

 

I saw Monty and Sedge with their nest and eggs yesterday (Sunday). The site is very easy to view and photograph from the hide and I hope to post a photo or two tomorrow (some have been posted already on the WWT website). Everything looks fine so far, but there's a long way to go.

Alan

 

1. Was Monty the male of the previous pairing (with Chris) that hatched chicks at Slimbridge previously, or am I wrong on that?

2. Do you know if they are the only pair that are nesting at Slimbridge this year?

 

1. You are correct
2. Bart and Ruby are mentioned on the website. They tried to nest beside the South Lake last year and may be prospecting in that area again. I did not see them during my quick visit, but that is hardly significant.
However more cranes have been seen in the area and other pairs may be nesting. I think that WWT announce nests when they are within view of one of the hides (after all they could hardly conceal it) - but last year's successful nest in a remote corner of the Reserve was not publicised until the chick had fledged.

Alan

Postscript: the Great Crane Project website reports that there are 23 territorial pairs of cranes currently under observation, in South Wales, Wiltshire and Oxfordshire as well as the Slimbridge area and the Somerset Levels.

 

Thanks Alan.

With 23 potential pairs they must be hoping for an upsurge in successful nests this year. According to their website there are 16 nesting pairs -so far, but unfortunately an update on their Facebook reports that one Somerset pair which hatched a chick have already lost it.

 

Monty & Sedge's nest is now shown on the Slimbridge webcam WWT Slimbridge - Slimbridge webcam

Alan

 

I was there on Thursday. I only saw the sitting bird, but the partner was around somewhere nearby as others saw him/her. Several other Cranes out on the Estuary.

But another pair has failed in Somerset.

 

WWT have announced this morning that a chick has hatched. I haven't seen it on the webcam for myself yet, as Sedge is still sitting tightly.

Alan

 

Chick just visible for a few minutes during incubation handover around 13.10 hours. Screengrab attached.



Alan

 

The chick is much more vigorous and active today - I have watched it going for a swim. The parents are attentive and it seems they are still incubating the second egg. Better screengrabs today







Alan

 

Great news and very nice pictures gentle lemur !

 

Was just looking on the Slimbridge webcam. The chick( its tiny!) was blundering about in the water and land under the eye of one parent (father?) the other was on the nest still. Stood up, poked about a while and resettled down- but it shuffled as if it still has another egg rather than a 2nd chick.

 

The adults seem to have given up on the second egg and both are roaming with the chick. This ought to improve its chances.

Alan

 

I had a quick visit to Slimbridge yesterday afternoon, but no cranes were visible at the Rushy - I think they must have been in the thicker vegetation past the decoy pipe or somewhere behind the trees. The parents and chick are said to have been seen on the webcam around 8.30 pm. I did see Bart and Ruby together at the South Lake, but there was no sign that they have bred.

Alan

 

Sad news I'm afraid: the chick died last night. WWT staff have recovered its body for post mortem examination.

Alan

 

P.M results say it had lung and kidney problems/disease. I am wondering if the water quality had any role to play- with a number of captive waterfowl using the lake it can't be as clean as in wilder locations.

 

I thought it was Rushy where the chick was? If so, there's no captive waterfowl on that pond, but they do feed the wild birds from there so there is usually a high density of wild birds.

 

Sorry, yes, its Rushy, so no captive birds, but still fairly high concentrations of birds using it generally.

 

There is nothing on the Project website as to how the 2016 breeding season went . However , the latest edition of BBC Wildlife magazine reports that a pair nesting on the Gwent Levels fledged a chick . The first Welsh breeding in 400 years .