A Dead Goldcrest

As I was walking along Frimley Road on my way to work I noticed a small greenish lump, no bigger than 2 inches long, lying on the path.  I had walked past it before I realised what it was - a tiny bird.  I stopped, picked it up and immediately recognised it as a goldcrest.  Turning it over showed the characteristic yellow stripe along the top of its head.  It was dead, having probably been hit by a car on that busy stretch of road.  There were no visible injuries to it, but it left some small darkish brown spots, probably dried blood, on my hands.  The feathers on its body were incredibly soft, the slightest breath of air being enough to ruffle them.  I put it down gently under the hedge, so it wouldn't get trodden on.

Coot Chicks at Last!

I was correct last night about the coot's nest at the mouth of Gunter's Brook.  This afternoon there was fuzzy red head looking out from under its mother's wing.  Young coots are pretty ugly as chicks go.  Young swans are cute in comparison, in spite of the 'ugly duckling' of the story.

On the opposite, north side of the Kennet, further up towards the Watlington Street Bridge (by King's Point) there was another coots nest, this time with two little red heads showing.

Ducks and Coots on the Kennet

For the past couple of weeks there has been a female mallard with 4 chicks living in the reeds near the mouth of Gunter's Brook.  Quite a few times as I have been walking home in the evening there has been a group of people stood looking at them.

This evening I think the first of the coots eggs are starting to hatch out.  As I walked over the bridge at the mouth of Gunter's Brook I stopped to look at the coot nesting there.  There was a distinct peeping sound coming from underneath her and she seemed to have her wings slightly more spread out than usual.  I think that at least one of her 9 eggs has already hatched.

Mallard Chicks on the Kennet

Today Zoe and I saw a female mallard with 4 small chicks on the Kennet just downstream from the Queen's Road car park.  We checked out the various coot nests but none of their eggs had hatched yet.  The same was true for the swan's nest near HomeBase.

Coots Again

On Tuesday evening I was walking alongside the Kennet, on my way home.  The coot on the nest at the mouth of Gunter's Brook was standing up and I counted 9 pale yellow eggs beneath it.