Wildlife Diary - June 2008

 

 

Breeding Waterbirds in Glasgow Park Ponds

This is the time of the year when broods of ducklings and other waterbirds appear on many of the ponds in the City.  Some ponds are boating ponds with little apparent vegetation but even on these ponds you may see broods of Mallard ducklings following their mother. 

 

Other ponds are more natural or have been naturalised to enhance their wildlife value.  These ponds support emergent vegetation such as the native iris Yellow Flag which soon will be bright with yellow flowers. This vegetation provides cover and food for waterbirds and Mallard and Moorhen will often be seen among them.

Mallard with young      Moorhen

 

Some ponds are large enough to support a pair of breeding Mute Swan.  The cygnets hatch out from mid May and some are still around with the parents in the following spring when they are chased off by the parents prior to breeding again.

 

Mute Swan cygnet

 

Many birds fight over territories and mates at this time of the year.  Some involve only aggressive displays but Coots can be seen physically fighting. The same birds, however, can delicately feed their young.

 

Coots fighting      Coot feeding young

 

 

On some ponds Tufted Duck or Little Grebe may be seen.  Tufted Duck young are darker than those of Mallard. Little Grebe are very small birds and can easily be overlooked but they have a loud trilling call. The young have striped heads and later may be alone on the pond feeding as the adults may desert the pond to conserve the food for the young.

 

Tufted Duck      Little Grebe