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The Society currently has 26 nest boxes sited on the reserve with 18 on the Hey and 8 in the adjacent Well’s Wood. These boxes have been monitored since 1992 and the eggs and birds fledged counted. The main species using the nest boxes are Blue and Great Tits but in 1996 for the first time we saw nesting Marsh Tit (1 nest box) with 8 young fledged. In 2002 (and again in 2003 Nuthatches nested in Well’s Wood
The year 2006 started slowly on the lagoon with both the number and variety of wildfowl being low, however things improved in February with Teal numbers in particular showing a marked increase. As the season progressed the two pairs of Little Grebes seemed to spend most of their time involved in territorial disputes and didn't settle down to breed, unlike the Mute Swans who produced seven cygnets in June which went down to five in July and by September none were present. Quite what happened is a mystery but the same fate may have befallen the Ruddy Ducks as their five chicks disappeared over the same period. On a more pleasant note Mallard, Coot and Moorhen seem to have done well. The reserve has very little habitat to attract waders but during the summer months the water level in the lagoon can drop sufficiently to expose some muddy fringes and this year there were sightings of Curlew, Common Sandpiper and Green Sandpiper.
The nest box take up by Blue and Great Tits was again good but unfortunately the success rate was not. At all three sites where the society has put up boxes the production rate of fledged chicks from eggs laid was approximately 50% for both species, except that is for Great Tits in Hatton's Hey where the success rate was an amazing 90%. Why this should have happened I don't know as it is a very high rate under any circumstances let alone when nests at nearby sites have done considerably less well. The Marsh Tits again refused to use any of the boxes even those specifically provided for them but reports indicate this species is far from common so the one or two pairs which are present in the area presumably find there are enough natural breeding sites. Thanks are due to Andy and Barbara Ankers who again managed to ring many of the chicks and we await news of any recoveries. One unusual species which did find the boxes in Warburton's Wood to their liking is Pipistrelle bat as three individuals were found roosting in one throughout September, maybe we should consider providing a few boxes especially for bats.
The bird feeder proved very popular with a wide range of woodland species during the winter months and thanks are due to Harold Fielding for providing a constant supply of peanuts and for his efforts to out-wit the local grey Squirrels. Thanks are also due to the Fletcher Brothers for their many entries in the log book and to all those who contributed sightings.
The following table lists the average eggs, chicks and birds fledged per nest. These records are returned annually to the Cheshire & Wirral Ornithological Society for inclusion in county records.
|
|
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Average number per nest
|
|
|
|
Eggs
|
Chicks
|
Fledged
|
|
HATTON’S HEY
|
|
|
|
|
BLUE TIT
|
2006
|
8.8
|
|
3.8
|
|
|
2005
|
5.9
|
|
4.3
|
|
|
2004
|
9.3
|
|
6.9
|
|
|
2003
|
6.1
|
|
4.9
|
|
|
2002
|
9.1
|
|
6.4
|
|
|
2001
|
Foot & Mouth stopped monitoring
|
|
|
2000
|
9.5
|
|
2.9
|
|
|
1999
|
7.5
|
|
3.9
|
|
|
1998
|
8
|
6.8
|
4.9
|
|
|
1997
|
8.4
|
6.1
|
4.8
|
|
|
1996
|
10
|
6.9
|
6.9
|
|
|
1995
|
9.3
|
8.1
|
7.9
|
|
|
1994
|
8.7
|
7.3
|
7.3
|
|
|
1993
|
10.4
|
7.4
|
7.2
|
|
|
1992
|
9.5
|
9.0
|
9.0
|
|
GREAT TIT
|
2006
|
8.4
|
|
7.6
|
|
|
2005
|
7.6
|
|
4.0
|
|
|
2004
|
8.6
|
|
7.4
|
|
|
2003
|
7.2
|
|
3.4
|
|
|
2002
|
8.9
|
|
5.1
|
|
|
2001
|
Foot & Mouth stopped monitoring
|
|
|
2000
|
9
|
|
6.6
|
|
|
1999
|
7.1
|
|
5.2
|
|
|
1998
|
8.5
|
7.5
|
7.5
|
|
|
1997
|
8.6
|
7
|
5.1
|
|
|
1996
|
8
|
7.3
|
6.8
|
|
|
1995
|
7.7
|
6.0
|
4.3
|
|
|
1994
|
9.0
|
7.5
|
7.3
|
|
|
1993
|
8.9
|
8.7
|
6.5
|
|
|
1992
|
8.6
|
8.2
|
8.2
|
|
MARSH TIT
|
2006
|
0
|
|
0
|
|
|
2005
|
0
|
|
0
|
|
|
2004
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
|
2003
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
|
2002
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
|
2001
|
Foot & Mouth stopped monitoring
|
|
|
2000
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
|
1999
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
|
1998
|
8.0
|
8.0
|
8.0
|
|
|
1997
|
6.0
|
6.0
|
6.0
|
|
|
1996
|
6.0
|
8.0
|
6.0
|
|
WELL’S WOOD
|
|
|
BLUE TIT
|
2006
|
8.5
|
|
4
|
|
|
2005
|
7.0
|
|
7.0
|
|
|
2004
|
7.8
|
|
4.5
|
|
|
2003
|
5.4
|
|
3.4
|
|
|
2002
|
9.7
|
|
7.7
|
|
|
2001
|
Foot & Mouth stopped monitoring
|
|
|
2000
|
10.0
|
|
4.7
|
|
|
1999
|
9.4
|
|
4.8
|
|
|
1998
|
9.3
|
8.0
|
4.0
|
|
|
1997
|
6.3
|
6.0
|
3.8
|
|
|
1996
|
8.7
|
6.76.1
|
|
|
|
1995
|
9.0
|
8.2
|
8.0
|
|
|
1994
|
10.0
|
10.0
|
10.0
|
|
|
1993
|
9.0
|
6.0
|
4.7
|
|
|
1992
|
7.4
|
5.2
|
5.2
|
|
GREAT TIT
|
2006
|
8.0
|
|
3.6
|
|
|
2005
|
8.8
|
|
6.3
|
|
|
2004
|
9.0
|
|
5.7
|
|
|
2003
|
7.7
|
|
2.3
|
|
|
2002
|
8.8
|
|
7.6
|
|
|
2001
|
Foot & Mouth stopped monitoring
|
|
|
2000
|
8.7
|
|
7
|
|
|
1999
|
7.8
|
|
5
|
|
|
1998
|
8.3
|
7.3
|
5.5
|
|
|
1997
|
8.7
|
6.3
|
6
|
|
|
1996
|
7.0
|
4.0
|
4.0
|
|
|
1995
|
8.5
|
6.7
|
6.7
|
|
|
1994
|
9.0
|
4.8
|
4.8
|
|
|
1993
|
8.5
|
6.0
|
6.0
|
|
|
1992
|
7.0
|
7.0
|
0
|
|
MARSH TIT
|
2006
|
0
|
|
0
|
|
|
2005
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
|
2004
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
|
2003
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
|
2002
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
|
2001
|
Foot & Mouth stopped monitoring
|
|
|
2000
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
|
1999
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
|
1998
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
|
1997
|
9.0
|
6.0
|
6.0
|
|
NUTHATCH
|
2006
|
0
|
|
0
|
|
|
2005
|
0
|
|
0
|
|
|
2004
|
0
|
|
0
|
|
|
2003
|
6.0
|
|
6.0
|
|
|
2002
|
7.0
|
|
7.0
|
|
WARBURTON’S WOOD
|
|
BLUE TIT
|
2006
|
4.3
|
|
2.3
|
|
|
2005
|
8.5
|
|
3.1
|
|
|
2004
|
8.8
|
|
3.5
|
|
GREAT TIT
|
2006
|
6.7
|
|
3.4
|
|
|
2005
|
7.3
|
|
2.5
|
|
|
2004
|
7.4
|
|
4.2
|
|
