Cheshire Swan Study Group News Letter June 2011

Since my last News letter the swan study group has ringed a total of 42 swans including 7 adults, 26 second year, 3 third year and 6 retraps.

The Maximum counts of flocks of (mute) swans since February are as follows.

Acre Dell Pools, Congleton = 73 on 14th February, 63 on 6th March and 54 on 2nd May.
Astbury Mere, Congleton = 13 on 2nd May.
Baddiley Meres, Nantwich = 13 on 15th May.
Barmere, nr Whitchurch = 23 on 19th April.
Fields near Comber Mere, Nantwich = 29 on 22nd February(including 7 Whooper Swans) and 16 on 13th March.
Comber Mere, near Nantwich = 19 on 15th May.
Doddington Mere, Nantwich = 2 on 15th February, 2 on 18th March, 7 on 22nd April and 36 on 20th May.
Middlewich Canal = 50 on 12th February.
Nantwich Boating Lake = 16 on 12th February, 16 on 8th March, 15 on 26 April and 15 on 3rd May.
River Dee, Chester = 4 on 2nd + 18th February, 4 on 3rd March, 6 on 26 April and 4 on 30th May.

Interesting Movements.
CBD6(G) was originally ringed as a second year male on 19-1-05 at Llandrindod Wells Lake. Then reringed with the above Darvic Ring on the canal in Middlewich on 13-3-11 = 123 Kms.

CS99(G) was ringed as a second year female on 22-1-07 at Hankelow Mill, Audlem. Seen at Acre Dell Pools, Congleton on 1-10-07 = 27 Kms and at Penrhyn Bay, Conwy, North Wales = 91 Kms.

CT13(G) was ringed as a third year male on 5-3-07 at Redes Mere, Macclesfield and seen on 11-6-10 at Doddington Pool, Nantwich = 28 Kms and on 23-3-11 at Llandudno Boating Lake = 108 Kms.

C375(G) ringed as on 22-11-98 at Winterley Pool, Sandbach as a female of unknown age seen at Winterley until 3-1-06. Has been sighted at Carlton Minniot Park Lake, Thirsk from 9-1-10 to 19-4-10.
This swan has again been reported at this Thirsk Lake during April 2011 = 140 Kms.

In the Crewe and Nantwich Area, 21 pairs are known to have hatched 54 cygnets - the best season for three years.

For more information and any sightings please Email me at Cheshireswans@aol.com

Camera Trap photos

May 2011 Weather Records at Rope, Crewe, Cheshire

All Temperatures in degrees Centigrade.

Lowest Night Temperature = + 1.3 on 4th.
Highest Day Temperature = 23.1 on 6th.
Average Minimum Temperature = 8.2.
Average Maximum Temperature = 17.5.
Highest Wind Gust = 36 MPH - WSW on 23rd.
Rainfall = 58.8 mm or 2.35 inches.
Total Rainfall for 2011 = 200.25mm or 8.01 inches.
Sunshine = 302.2 hours.

Recent Birdwatching Trip to Anglesey 9th to 13th May

List of Best Birds seen and Locations.

Cemlyn Bay = Red Breasted Merganser, Gannet, Arctic Tern, Common Tern, Sandwich Tern, Meadow Pipit, Linnet.

Carmel Head = Peregrine Falcon and Fulmar.

South Stack = Hooded Crow, Guillemot, Razorbill, Puffin, Skylark, Chough, Stonechat.

Valley Lakes = Pochard.

Cheshire Swan Study Group Report 2010 page 3

Number of Swans identified in Cheshire in 2010

Acre Dell Pools, Congleton  =  101.

Doddington Pool, Nantwich =    47.

Nantwich Boating Lake       =    46.

Redes Mere, Macclesfield   =    39.

River Dee, Chester             =      8.

Total in all Cheshire in 2010 = 336.

Cheshire Swan Study Group Report 2010 page 2. Crewe & Nantwich Breeding Results.

	Total Pairs	Total Pairs with Eggs	Total Cygnets Hatched	Total Cygnets Fledged	% Fledged
1999	26	19	57	40	70
2000	32	21	69	40	57
2001	36	16	60	34	56
2002	35	17	82	45	54
2003	27	15	48	33	66
2004	29	13	54	33	61
2005	24	19	74	38	51
2006	22	15	43	25	58
2007	23	15	30	16	53
2008	24	16	56	33	59
2009	26	15	41	25	61
2010	22	10	35	24	68

Cheshire Swan Study Group Report page 1.

RINGING INFORMATION  2010

MUTE SWANS	CYGNETS RINGED	SECOND YEARS	THIRD YEARS	ADULTS	TOTAL RINGED
CHESHIRE RINGING SITES
ACRE DELL POOLS, CONGLETON	1	8		11	20
CHESTER AREA	21	2		2	25
CREWE AREA	6			1	7
DODDINGTON POOL, NANTWICH		5	1	8	14
MACCLESFIELD AREA				1	1
MIDDLEWICH AREA	2	1		2	5
NANTWICH BOATING LAKE	5	4	2	3	14
NANTWICH AREA	31	12		4	47
NORTH CHESHIRE				3	3
RODE HEATH,SANDBACH	5	2		1	8
WHITCHURCH AREA	3			2	5
WINSFORD AREA					0
TOTALS =	74	34	3	38	149