Moorhen busy nest building this morning.

(Above capture is that of a Water Lily in flower.)
This morning,whilst out on my exercise walk (in Rouken Glen Park) I encountered a Moorhen working very hard building some sort of platform/nest on a bed of water lilies.

Approximate location of nesting site.


I had assumed the breeding season for this water bird was long past but research indicates the species have multiple broods each year, managing as many as three on a good year. Apparently, moorhens are poor at picking fox-proof nest sites and make endless attempts as they lose clutches of eggs.In this case the prospective nest is just a few feet from a footpath which may experience a footfall of about 300-500 per day, not to mention dogs. There are islands in the pond which should offer more secure nesting sites. I will watch with interest the progress of this nesting effort.

Nest building in progress.



Pic of Moorhen family with chicks taken May 20th this year.

Water Lilies in the rain today.

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