• Home
  • PICKERINGS PASTURE LNR
    • Latest News 2022
    • World Wetlands Day '22
    • Mammals at Pickerings Pasture
    • Things to look out for in Winter
    • What is a Scrape?
    • Wild Goose Chase
    • The Kingfisher
    • WeBS Counts
    • The Tidal Bore on the River Mersey
    • The Peregrine Falcon
    • Canada Geese
    • Dunlins
    • Black-tailed godwits
  • Wildlife Garden 2022
    • Making a Wildlife Garden
    • Plant List
    • Info on wildlife-friendly gardening
    • Wildlife Garden 2019
    • Wildlife Garden 2020
  • HALE DUCK DECOY
    • Hale Duck Decoy - Recent Events
    • The History of Hale Duck Decoy >
      • Restoration
      • The Flood 1990
      • Dredging the Pond and Moat.
      • Tidal Surge & Flooding 2013
    • Hale Duck Decoy - AT RISK
    • First Impressions
    • The Freemen of Hale
    • Booking a Decoy Guided Walk
    • Wildlife - Past and Present - on Hale Duck Decoy
    • Wildlife photographs from Hale Duck Decoy
  • The Insects at Pickerings Pasture
  • The Meadows at Pickerings Pasture
  • Fungus
  • WILDLIFE Gallery
  • Halebank Park
  • Great White Egret
  • The Cornfield Meadow
  • The Ibis Pool
  The Friends of Pickerings Pasture - Wildlife Sightings
Picture

                                                              The Ibis Pool - a brief history                                                
                                                                                                                         click on photos to enlarge

​​In 2015 a local farmer drained part of Carr Lane Pools and probably as a result of this work the flooded field began to develop on the other side of Carr Lane. In April 2016 when we viewed the pools a glossy ibis was present and the Ibis Pool was born.
Picture
The Ibis Pool © CAC
Picture
The Glossy Ibis. © FoPP
Over the next few months the birds visiting the site were many and varied. Mallards, moorhens and coot all set out to breed there and were later joined by gadwalls, shovelers and shelducks. Lapwings and redshanks were the first waders to breed nearby. The success rated varied but soon lots of young birds were visible on the pools.
Picture
Mallard ducklings. © CAC
Picture
Pair of shelducks. © CAC
Picture
Gadwall pair. © CAC
Picture
Moorhen. © CAC
Picture
Male shoveler & coot. © CAC
Picture
Lapwing & chick. © CAC
​During the Spring migration waders used the pool as a stop-over to feed up, wash and relax. As the pool was partly obscured from the road by a good hedge and the area was on private land the birds took full advantage. Ruff and wood sandpipers particularly took to the new venue.
Picture
Ruff. © CAC
Picture
Greenshank. © RPC
Picture
Wood sandpiper. © M Roberts
​
Over the winter snipe were very common visitors and at least three water rails took up residence. On a couple of occasions a small party of pink-footed geese dropped by and little egrets were seen regularly.  A Cettis warbler, a new bird for the district, arrived and was often heard but was seen only occasionally into the Spring. During the really cold snap we were lucky enough to catch a glimpse of a bittern as it flew out of (or over) the pools.
Picture
Snipe. © M Roberts
Picture
Little egret on nearby hedge. © RPC
Picture
Flock of pink-footed geese by the Ibis Pool. © CAC
​Spring migrants were similar to last year but the addition of a pair of garganey added a frisson of hope: certainly the male was still in residence but as the female is very secretive in the breeding season we are not certain if they were breeding. We are certain that the reed beds that had developed over the year held breeding pairs of reed bunting, reed warbler and sedge warbler. Marsh harriers and hobby have been regular visitors too.
Picture
Male garganey. © D. Craven
Picture
Hobby. © M Roberts
Picture
Sedge warbler. © M Roberts
Picture
Reed bunting. © CAC
During this time the RSPB were contacted with a view to them creating a reserve in the area, together with Carr Lane Pools and Hale Marsh. Although initially they seemed very keen, sadly nothing materialised. Other possibilities were also tried with no success. The farmer was on higher level stewardship at this time and was keen to cooperate.
 
Sadly on 19th May, while we were away on holiday, the pools were drained, stewardship had ended and the farmer wanted to put the land back into production. Although he should have chosen a better time to drain the pools as birds were breeding, he was quite within his rights to do so. Letters and phone calls to relevant parties again proved ineffectual and we have now lost this vital and beautiful place in Hale.
Picture
Sunset at the Ibis Pool. © CAC
Picture
The Ibis Pool . © D Craven
Picture
The ditch alongside the Ibis pool was cleared. © Mike Roberts
Picture
A hole was scraped to drain the pools. © Mike Roberts
Picture
The drained Ibis Pool. © Mike Roberts
Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.