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Image Taken on 20 May 2022 at 18:53    Image of day on 29 Jun 2022

Timing of between 4 and 8 minutes between carrying stuff across and coming back unladen suggests that this is the same bird. Moorhen are hard working little creatures we greatly admire.
This is moorhen.me.uk web site after all!


Ref: 20220629_e64_20220520_1853_148+1406_095+20220521_0649_168_fb2 moorhen returning from west never with anything in beak (montage)(r+mb id@768).jpg

Image of day on 11 Apr 2005

The moorhen are disputing territory and can be seen tearing round chasing one another. This chase happened to go through the beam.


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Image of day on 21 Oct 2005

To go with yesterday's adults here is one of this years offspring. Note the developing colouration of the beak and shield (the 'forehead').


Ref: 20051021_d3e_25819 fb1 juvenile moorhen showing developing beak and shield 2005oct16_17-00-14(r+mb id@576).jpg

Image Taken on 19 Aug 2007 at 18:43    Image of day on 12 Sep 2007

There are at least 5 Juvenile moorhen on the main pond, along with alternate adults as they incubate another clutch. Here you can see the huge feet that allow them to walk on water weeds.


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Image Taken on 17 Mar 2006 at 17:25    Image of day on 23 Mar 2006

An interesting detail is that the vibrant moorhen beak colour is surface only - here you can see that the inside is white.


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Image Taken on 02 Jul 2006 at 18:38    Image of day on 25 Jul 2006

The brood of young moorhen are dispersing. Here one of them is resting in the buttercups and clover at the pond edge.


Ref: 20060725_d60_20060702_1838_010 young moorhen sitting in buttercups(r+mb id@576).jpg

Image Taken on 27 Aug 2009 at 08:42    Image of day on 01 Feb 2010

From 4 months ago and found in a cameras 2nd memory card slot were some images of a moorhen using one of it's summertime favourite perches on folded over Iris fronds. We still often see it there overnight on the CCTV.


Ref: 20100201_dc1_20090827_0842_016 moorhen standing on buckled iris fronds(r+mb id@576).jpg

Image of day on 06 Feb 2006

A twig falling into the picture has startled one of 'our' moorhens.


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Image Taken on 04 Mar 2016 at 13:33    Image of day on 05 Apr 2016

Our returned Moorhen appeared for part of another day. Here he/she is stepping down the Iris fronds to pick up some water weed to eat.


Ref: 20160405_d5c_20160304_1333_005+1334_007+009+010 moorhen stepping down to feed on water weed 1+3+5+6 of 8 (horizontal spread montage)(r+mb id@1024).jpg

Image Taken on 02 Apr 2009 at 08:00    Image of day on 23 Apr 2009

Our moorhens regularly visit this feeding site. Now the iris fronds on the main pond have started to grow the pair that 'own' the pond are starting to do the tentative nest-building things.


Ref: 20090423_d3a_20090402_0800_074 fb2 moorhen stepping on log (web crop)(r+mb id@576).jpg

Image Taken on 02 Jun 2022 at 14:35    Image of day on 20 Jul 2022

Our industrious moorhen here gives a good view of the multi-purpose legs and feet in various positions.


Ref: 20220720_e64_20220602_1435_028+1024_015_fb2 moorhen stepping over log showing multiple foot positions (montage)(r+mb id@1024).jpg

Image Taken on 25 Apr 2021 at 09:35    Image of day on 26 May 2021

Stepping quietly over the long grass by the pond we get this portrait which shows the feet we describe as 'lobed' - a compromise for walking on pond weeds, swimming, and walking on land - less awkward on land than the webbed feet on ducks but still good in the pond.


Ref: 20210526_d5c_20210425_0935_031 moorhen stepping through long grass showing lobed feet(r+mb id@1024).jpg

Image Taken on 15 May 2022 at 06:47    Image of day on 29 Jun 2022

Our diligent Moorhen making his way back 'empty beaked' as usual.


Ref: 20220629_e64_20220515_0647_302_fb2 moorhen steps over woodland log(r+mb id@768).jpg

Image Taken on 08 Jun 2008 at 09:56    Image of day on 24 Jun 2008

The moorhen are trying again after the fox scoffed the first lot of eggs. Not sure they have chosen a better place but hope so.
Late News: By chance 16 days after this image was taken it turns out to have been a good place - a chick being fed on the water.


Ref: 20080624_db1_20080608_0956_018 moorhen swimming from second attempt nest on dragon pond(r+mb id@576).jpg

Image Taken on 30 Jun 2006 at 12:40    Image of day on 06 Jul 2006

The moorhen pair suddenly starting a frantic refurbish this platform built a couple of weeks ago for the chicks to roost overnight. Maybe she said in Moorhen-ese 'Darling ... I'm eggy again'.


Ref: 20060706_d60_20060630_1240_018 moorhen taking building material to platform(r+mb id@576).jpg

Image Taken on 16 Mar 2016 at 10:38    Image of day on 16 Apr 2016

We are now seeing a Moorhen on the main pond for brief periods on many days. It doesn't seem particularly bothered by our moving by the windows but we never get to see it when we visit the pond. When feeding the basic techniques is to lift lumps of pond weed and turn them over to expose edible morsels hiding beneath.


Ref: 20160416_d5c_20160316_1038_005 moorhen turning over pond weed to find food(r+mb id@576).jpg

Image Taken on 24 May 2023 at 05:56    Image of day on 22 Jul 2023

Next early morning the same Moorhen has caught and is carrying a worm for a chick. If the Moorhen was going to eat it themselves it would have gone 'straight-down-the-hatch'


Ref: 20230722_e64_20230524_0556_138_fb2 moorhen vee-beak) catches worm at woodland site 2 of 2 (crop)(r+mb id@576).jpg

Image Taken on 16 Oct 2021 at 11:04    Image of day on 02 Dec 2021

Over 3 days we saw what looks like a single individual Moorhen visit the hedge-bottom site. Here are 3 of the better pics from the second & third days.


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Image Taken on 10 Mar 2023 at 08:35    Image of day on 18 Apr 2023

Just this one Moorhen visited the hedge bottom twice during a morning.


Ref: 20230418_e63_20230310_0835_047+1211_054_fb1 moorhen visits to hedge bottom (accurate montage over 4 hours)(r+mb id@768).jpg

Image Taken on 11 Apr 2024 at 11:07    Image of day on 07 May 2024

The Moorhen arrived at the hedge bottom perhaps 30m away (left pic) about 4 minutes later. In the middle we see a visit next day, and on the right an earlier visit.


Ref: 20240507_e63_20240411_1107_031+20240412_0910_049+20240411_0848_017_fb1 moorhen visits to hedge bottom over 2 days (montage)(r+mb id@1024).jpg

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