new life and death at Norgrove Park

[sandra henderson <>]

dropped in at Norgrove Park this afternoon.  A black duck family was swimming around happily, until a purple swamphen decided on duck for dinner. the parent duck repelled the first attempt, but a minute or so later the swamphen grapped a ducking (they are very small - only a day or so old) and raced off, pursued by the duck.  Swamphen made its way up to the reeds in main pond, where there are a couple of nests with young fluffy swamphens.  The assassin and 3 adult accomplices pulled the hapless duckling apart and fed small pieces to the baby swamphens. There seemed to be about 5 babies, a couple emerging from under a neighbouring swamphen when it became apparent there was a feast on. attached is the culprit with still struggling duckling, about to become dinner.

only saw a single native-hen, along with a spotless crake, Baillon's crake and buff-banded rail as well as the more common regulars.

sandra henderson

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