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Goosander

Karl Heptonstall

Karl Heptonstall

Senior Member
The goosander on the river wharfe look to have had a bad year breeding, I've only seen one bird with two chicks and the rest don't look to have any. This compared to most having between 4 and 12 last year. Of course I'm devastated about this! Just wondered how other rivers had fared?
 
Similar with greylag geese on the Yorkshire Derwent, only seen two this year, up to eight per pair last year.
 
This is the sort of thing to post to the Angling Trust and RSPB, you guy`s are the eyes and ears on the ground to be the voice of these birds. I am with you on this and witnessed a decline in all water fowl around the Warks Avon stretches I fish too. Last season I witnessed an Otter nearly everytime I went.
 
I wouldn't shed too many tears for the goosanders. I appreciate that we are drifting back to otters again, but the decline in water fowl may or may not be accociated with otters and is no more than circumstantial evidence. What is required is hard evidence, a photo or better a video clip with an otter chomping on a cygnet with mummy swan watching on distraught. This is what will bring home the message to the general public and good old Tarka would be seen in a different light. A footage of this nature would be a million times more effective than any petition or a half eaten decayed fish. It would be interesting to see how Cwis Packham and that vacuous blond could put a glossy spin on such an unattractive event.
 
A really good nature program on a few years back, 2010, with Philippa Forrester and her husband called Halycon River Diaries did just that. Charlie James spent a whole night filming an otter trying to kill five ducklings and although Charlie stated he loved otters even he stated they are voracious predators.
 
We had a good flood shortly after the young goosander appeared on the river, I put this down as what I thought was the reason for the lack of chicks. There were loads last year and plenty of otters about too. I've only seen one otter in the last 6 months despite spending a lot of time on the banks. I'm sure the young birds are an easy meal for them though. I can't recall seeing any ducklings either.
Last year an otter swam up the river with what looked like a duck in its mouth so adults aren't safe either!
 
Stuart Brookes said:
A really good nature program on a few years back, 2010, with Philippa Forrester and her husband called Halycon River Diaries did just that. Charlie James spent a whole night filming an otter trying to kill five ducklings and although Charlie stated he loved otters even he stated they are voracious predators.
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Well of course they are and most people are aware of this, the idea that showing them killing birds, small animals or whatever is going to turn the public against them is clutching at straws to say the least.

I've not seen many goosanders or cormorants for a while now, could their numbers be dwindling at last?
 
Rhys Perry said:
Well of course they are and most people are aware of this, the idea that showing them killing birds, small animals or whatever is going to turn the public against them is clutching at straws to say the least.

I've not seen many goosanders or cormorants for a while now, could their numbers be dwindling at last?
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I agree - predators in action make great TV and the general public aren't really bothered about what they eat. Unless they're domestic cats eating song birds as was suggested by Mr Packham on spring watch last year. Cheers Chris - now frowned upon because I own a Cat! To be honest, He owns me!

With regards Goosanders - noticed a definite increase in numbers in the last 2 or 3 seasons - at one point watching 20+ birds attacking a shoal of fry but this year not seen one yet - what's going on there then? Rumour has it they're all heading north so presumably Scotland has a lot of Goosanders right now!
 
I think that the public are bothered about what otters eat if the prey are "cute" and swans and ducks fit this nicely. I did query in another thread why otters were hunted in years of yore and it was suggested it was for their pelts. I Googled this and apparently otter pelts fetch a shed load of money in the States. We must be very careful that the totters and the like don't become aware of this, as poaching of otters could become big business. Beaver pelts have always been popular as are ming pelts but I can testify that these animals can be quite vicious. As for pussies, they perform a great job on farms but are not suited to a domestic environment for many reasons.
 
Otters are cute as well though, can't say I've ever heard anyone calling for a cull of foxs because they eat the baby rabbits! Most can and do accept that predators have to kill cute things to live.
As for cats, they're one of the most popular pets in the world, how on earth do you come to the conclusion they're not suitable to a domestic environment!?
 
Rhys Perry said:
Otters are cute as well though, can't say I've ever heard anyone calling for a cull of foxs because they eat the baby rabbits! Most can and do accept that predators have to kill cute things to live.
As for cats, they're one of the most popular pets in the world, how on earth do you come to the conclusion they're not suitable to a domestic environment!?
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Cats are popular because most need little looking after and tend to do their own thing. Great mousers though. As for cuties, rabbits are perceived as a pest and are not in the same category as swans. I've yet to see a family feeding wild rabbits but I do see families feeding swans. Back to the pussy thing, cats are reviled in Germany and are certainly not popular owing to the destruction of song birds and endangered mammals.
 
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