I don’t know what has happened to our weather lately for it is still so very cold and dull. Went to Doffcocker Lodge and was dismayed to see that workmen were working in the most productive part of the reserve and would clearly have scared away any birds that were there. The great crested grebe pair and the adult Mute swans with two of their cygnets were present with the occasional grebe but that was all. No fear then onward to the other end of the reserve as you never know what might be around.

Doffcocker Lodge is situated on the edge of the moors in Bolton but is surrounded by a housing estate. During the spring and autumn it can produce some interesting birds on migration. Amongst the resident ducks, geese and swans there is a real melting pot of genetics in residence. The white domestic geese breed with the Canada geese and create some interesting hybrids. There are also several domestic ducks that interbreed with the mallards. The goose in the photo below is a canada X domestic white goose.

Walking to the far end of the lake and all is quiet until my attention is drawn by two cormorants fishing nearby. Cormorants are one of my favourite birds and so I decide to sit and watch them for a while. As predicted they dived and rose quite close to where I was sitting giving me some lovely views of them. Both are quite pale birds, juveniles I think, and they are curious of my presence. I watch them fish and they were very successful, regularly surfacing with small fish.

 

My aim was to try and photograph them with fish in beak but this proved very difficult indeed. First predicting where they would surface was almost impossible as they can swim huge distances under water and secondly when they did appear the fish was usually swallowed before I could find and focus on them. It was very frustrating though I managed it once and I guess that is all it takes.

Whilst sat watching the cormorants it started to snow. It is now supposed to be spring but everything still looks so dead. Even the daffodils don’t look too excited at the prospect of rearing their golden heads and I cant say I blame them. The Common terns which breed here should be returning soon but it is still too early for them. Pleased at having watched the cormorants and with the sound of greenfinches singing in my ears I went home.