Monty inspectss the eggs. The Rushy pen, Slimbridge, 8th May 2016.
The pair of cranes are part of the Great Crane Project to reintroduce the species to the West of England.
Monty inspects the eggs. The Rushy pen, Slimbridge, 8th May 2016.
The pair of cranes are part of the Great Crane Project to reintroduce the species to the West of England.
What a miserable little nest! I suppose on a gravelly place there are no materials close by for them to build it up to anything bigger. There's a photo on the Crane website of the failed nest in Somerset- the usual big bulky mound of reed/grasses, not like this one.
What a miserable little nest! I suppose on a gravelly place there are no materials close by for them to build it up to anything bigger. There's a photo on the Crane website of the failed nest in Somerset- the usual big bulky mound of reed/grasses, not like this one.
Just what I thought. It's one of several small artificial islands in the pool, which are used by nesting black-headed gulls and avocets (there is a gull's nest on the far end of this one). As you say, there are very few plants and I suppose that as cranes usually nest in well vegetated sites, they do not have the instinct to transport nesting material over significant distances.
On the other hand, I never imagined that I would ever see eggs on a GCP crane nest, let alone take a photo like this. If everything goes well (a big 'if', but fingers crossed ) some lucky people are going to get wonderful photos of the chicks as they to swim to the 'mainland' to find food.
The chap who writes the Crane project blog rather ruefully wrote on their Facebook that all these crane pairs are always just 'seconds away from failure' from all the ever present dangers lurking around them and even a few moments lack of vigilance can spell disaster. I guess this pair within their fox-proof area have a better chance than most though.
The chap who writes the Crane project blog rather ruefully wrote on their Facebook that all these crane pairs are always just 'seconds away from failure' from all the ever present dangers lurking around them and even a few moments lack of vigilance can spell disaster. I guess this pair within their fox-proof area have a better chance than most though.
As well as being on an island, this nest has a clear 360 degree view all around it and the nearest cover is the Rushy Hide and the binocular shop next door. In addition the black-headed gulls and avocets make good noisy guard 'dogs'
I visited yesterday(19th) and there is a bit more vegetation grown up either side of the teenyweeny nest. Only saw the sitting bird, not the partner. But saw four other cranes out on the estuary area.
