Big clean up at the Queens Park

The grebe have had us all guessing this week first there were two then four and at one point 5 grebes on the lake yesterday only two could be seen. They keep diving and bringing up weed. They can be nasty little things when a duck get in the way they charge with their very sharp pointed beaks like a torpedo

 

The moorhen is also send everyone off  the island so it look like its breading time for them

Surprisingly for this time of year there are a lot of lady birds about and as you can see so are the green fly's

Even the humble pigeon is out and about and very tame coming down for the bread and seed

There ahs been a lot of work done this week by all the bridges to stop the shear drops leading to them as tons of top soil has been used to make the bank safe. I think clay would have been better with a bit of top soil

The activity is partly due to the lottery visiting next week about a future grant to finish the paths etc. So lets hope we get it  but it will be to late for this year as the bid doesnt go in until June. Also this week the cafe has been broken into at night if you saw anything let the Police know

Spring is coming

The grebe is going mad and now we have 4 of them it started with one then two and I thought I was seeing things but there is now four of them. The grebe is what started the RSPB as they used to be killed for their plume for ladies hats etc and they were the first protected bird

We have seen a few Black headed Gulls coming this week

Chroicocephalus ridibundus

Family

Gulls (Laridae)

Overview

Not really a black-headed bird, more chocolate-brown - in fact, for much of the year, it has a white head. It is most definitely not a 'seagull' and is found commonly almost anywhere inland. Black-headed gulls are sociable, quarrelsome, noisy birds, usually seen in small groups or flocks, often gathering into larger parties where there is plenty of food, or when they are roosting.

Where to see them

The commonest inland gull, particularly in N England, Scotland and Wales. Large colonies along the south and east coasts of England.

When to see them

All year round.

What they eat

Worms, insects, fish and carrion.

 

Spring is here with colour coming to the Queens Park above in the woodland walk we have Mahonia (main bush front of picture) in in flower and Ribes in the background

All over the Periwinkle all over the site seen here under Broadwalk bridge

Periwinkle is a colour in the blue family. Its name is derived from the lesser periwinkle or myrtle herb (Vinca minor) which bears flowers of the same colour.

The colour Periwinkle is also called lavender blue

Forsythia; is also out here by the cafe towards the lake but again its all over the site then of coarse the daffs are out but not all of them as yet pansies and hyacinth are out in borders.  No doubt half the daffs will go missing for Mothers Day.

RESTORATION PROJECT
FRIENDS MEETING

Tuesday 20th March, 2012   5.30pm
At  the GAMES PAVILION (adj Bowling Green), Queens Park, Crewe

Agenda
1.    Apologies
2.    Minutes of Last Meeting
3.    Matters Arising
4.    Chairs Project Up-date
5.    Crewe Urban Vision – Objectives and Partnership Potential
by Deb Lindop

6.    Jubilee Crewe Celebrations
by Dawn Clark – Local Area Partnership
Sue Togay – Town Centres Manager

7.     Queens Park an Educational Venue
by Ben Wyre – Crewe Partnership Co-Ordinator
8.    Other Key Events
9.    Any Other Business
10.    Date of Next Meeting

Breading Pair of Grebes arrive

 

Spring isnt far away in the Queens Park a slots of blossom is on the trees as above highlighting the Boar War statue. The Daffs have started coming out but not a in full bloom yet. Given another week we will have a spectacular show

The Barnacle goose id still with us and as you can see its ringed. Interestingly they have never bread successfully in this country there was one that crossed with a Canadian goose at Tatton but the eggs were destroyed

Last week we had one Grebe but the second one has arrived and they are looking very romantic giving each other fish etc so lets hope the breed this time and the yobs dont get the eggs. It hard to see were they can breed as its on water and last year they used the hay balls but there isnt any left for them this time

Grebe and Barnacle goose return

All in one day this week the grebe returned. You may remember last year we had for the first time a breading pair who laid eggs but they were destroyed. So far we have only spotted the one grebe lets hope he bring his mate with him and hopefully bread this year.

The Barnacle goose also returned this week. It very strange as normally they only come in winter and no further south than Scotland. I think this one has got confused and now thinks he is a Canadian goose.

The wild life is picking up with the chaffinch seen below. There are lots of tits and finch currently in the park along with other birds. We say a strange site this week as a rook took a magpie out of the sky just like a bird of prey and he had it pinned down as his mate joined in luckily the magpie escaped

The chaffinch is the UK's second commonest breeding bird, and is arguably the most colourful of the UK's finches. Its patterned plumage helps it to blend in when feeding on the ground and it becomes most obvious when it flies, revealing a flash of white on the wings and white outer tail feathers. It does not feed openly on bird feeders - it prefers to hop about under the bird table or under the hedge. You'll usually hear chaffinches before you see them, with their loud song and varied calls.