Mink destroys Kingfisher nest

killy

killy

Suspended / Banned
Messages
2,983
Name
MIKE
Edit My Images
No
Disaster - there was a pair of Kingfishers nesting in the bank of the river Irwell close to a footpath and nearby was a bench - the spectacle of the birds landing on the opposite bank and flying past with fish for the young has given me and countless others great pleasure, unfortunately yesterday evening after sitting on the bench and seeing nothing for severel hours, I sneaked a glimpse of the nest site from a distance.

The nest hole had been excavated and was empty - there were large scratch marks around the devastated nest site and some indistinct footprint at the foot of the excavation leaving me to suspect the perpetrator was a mink.

this nest site produced 3 broods last year and was one of a possible 6 nest sites along a 2 kilometer stretch of river. This year this was the only nest site that I have identified.


Regards


Mike
 
Last edited:
Very high mortality rate over the winter, is the cause of only one nest this year. Having just returned from New Zealand and seen how they deal with pests over there, makes me wonder why we don't do the same with the invasive species here.
 
Politcal will for one thing.
The Department of Conservation in NZ is a very powerfull government ministry.
We would all have to vote Green to get the equivalent going in this country.....

Having said that, I heard on the news this morning that a new mink control project is starting.
 
Sadly all too common, another royal screw up by the most destructive parasite on this planet (Homo Sapiens, in case you couldn't work it out).

I'll leave it there, or a rant on the activities of humans will follow, as will ideas for a human cull that'll make Robert Mugabe and Saddam Hussein look like ambassadors for Amnesty International. Offence would no doubt result.
 
At my local lake there haven't been any successful great crested grebe, coot, moorhen or swan nests for 2 whole seasons because of mink attacks. I think the birds are starting to catch on because fewer and fewer water birds are visiting each year.
Grim for the animals and also it's now my ex-favourite place to take photos.
 
This is the very reason some of us cage,shoot and trap mink all year round. Murdering little gits.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top