Cheshire Swan Study Group Report 2019€¦ · ringing data 2019 mute swans s rs s ts d s ringing sites acre dell pools,congleton 2 1 9 12 5 1 alsager area 4 4 audlem area 6 6 chester

Photo by David Cummings.

Cheshire Swan Study

Group Report

2019

By

David Cookson

RINGING DATA 2019

MUTE SWANS

CYG

NET

S

SECOND Y

EARS

THIR

D Y

EARS

ADULT

S

TOTA

L RIN

GED

RET

RAP

S

CONTR

OLS

RINGING SITES

ACRE DELL POOLS,CONGLETON 2 1 9 12 5 1

ALSAGER AREA 4 4

AUDLEM AREA 6 6

CHESTER AREA 1 1

CONGLETON AREA 1 1

CREWE AREA 4 2 6 1 1

DODDINGTON POOL 2 1 4 7 1

MACCLESFIELD AREA 8 8

MIDDLEWICH CANAL 2 3 1 4 10

NORTH CHESHIRE 2 2

NORTHWICH AREA 6 2 8 1 1

NANTWICH AREA 9 4 13 2

NORTH WALES 1 1

SPIKE ISLAND 18 4 8 30 6

STAFFORDSHIRE 8 1 1 10

WINSFORD AREA 1 1

WINTERLEY POOL,SANDBACH 2 1 3

TOTALS 69 11 2 41 123 9 10

TOTAL OF DEATHS REPORTED = 29

WHOOPER SWAN RINGING AND MOVEMENTS

RING AGE RINGING PLACE RINGED SIGHTING PLACES SEEN KMS

NO SEX DATE DATE

BLS 5 M 11/01/2019 Canal, Middlewich 11/02/2019 Canal,Middlewich

(W) TO

01/04/2019 Canal,Middlewich

01/04/2019 Neumanns Flash,Northwich 10

TO

10/04/2019 Neumanns Flash,Northwich 10

V9J 5 M 21/04/2019 Canal, Middlewich 22/04/2019 Elton Hall Flash,Sandbach 6

(Y) 21/04/2019 Canal,Middlewich

23/04/2019 Canal,Middlewich

23/04/2019 Neumanns Flash,Northwich 10

TO

02/06/2019 Neumanns Flash,Northwich 10

07/06/2019 Groby Pool near Leicester 115

08/07/2019 Rutland Water,Rutlanshire 170

Comparative Breeding Results for the Borough of Crewe and Nantwich

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

2011 21 15 63 33 52

2012 22 14 23 20 87

2013 23 13 46 15 32

2014 21 14 47 28 60

2015 17 11 49 27 55

2016 17 14 53 21 39

2017 17 14 53 22 42

2018 16 12 33 18 55

2019 16 12 45 23 51

BREEDING SITE DATA

TOTAL TOTAL

CYGNETS CYGNETS

Crewe & Nantwich Area HATCHED FLEDGED

1 Aquaduct Marina, Church Minshull = 5 > 4 4

2 Baddiley Meres, Nantwich = 6 > 0 0

3 Canal,Barbridge = 6 > 5 5

4 Hack Green Fishing Pool, Nantwich = 5 > 0 0

5 Mill End Pool,Audley = 5 > 2 2

6 Nantwich Boating Lake = 3 > 0 0

7 River Weaver, Nantwich = 8 > 5 5

8 Winterley pool, Sandbach = 8 > 3 3

9 Wychwood Park GC,Weston,Crewe = 4 4

TOTALS = 23

OTHERS SITES

1 Anderson Marina,Northwich = 9 6

2 Billinge Flash,Northwich = 7 7

3 Bottom Flash,Winsford = 6 4

4 Holly House Pool,Congleton = 5 > 3 3

5 Canal,Middlewich = 7 5

6 Pikelow Farm, Marton, Macclesfield = 9 > 8 8

7 Walk Mill, Waverton = 5 3

TOTALS = 36

RSPCA Stapeley Grange Wildlife Centre

Swan Report 2019 The number of swans admitted at the centre was fairly similar to the previous year with a total of 377 admitted in 2019. The number of swans admitted from Cheshire was down with just 79 admitted, compared to 90 in 2018. Staffordshire was the second most common county with 64 admissions seen this year.

In October there was a spill of vegetable oil on the water at Queens Park in Crewe, the RSPCA inspectors quickly responded and brought in four swans and a couple of canada geese. Once they arrived at the centre they were assessed for any other injuries and then washed, using washing up liquid to remove all the grime and grease. They all responded well to the washing process and were soon outside on our pools, so we could assess their waterproofing. Once we were happy with their waterproofing we got in touch with the local ‘Friends of Queens Park’ group to see if the water so was cleared of the pollutant, once this was confirmed the original pair were put back on the water and the other pair were ringed and released on the canal in Middlewich with a wintering flock swans. The centre is always looking for more release sites for cygnets, if you have a large body of water with an island and access for grazing then please email: [email protected] As always, we would like to thank David Cookson for all his help over the last year and for the ringing he has done here at Stapeley. We would also like to say a big thank you to all the other organisations and individuals, who have helped in the rescue and release of the swans that have been in the care of the centre over the past 12 months. Rob Whitehouse Wildlife Assistant RSPCA Stapeley Grange Wildlife Centre

Total admissions Cheshire admissions

Abnormal Behaviour 7 1

Attacked by other animal 14 1

Caught/entangled 13 5

Collision 36 10

Disease 6 0

Fishing litter 38 13

Grounded 23 6

Injury (cause uncertain) 115 25

Oiled 64 1

Orphan 16 6

Poisoning 13 1

Weakness 32 10

Total 377 79

SITE COUNTS - January to April 2019

Acre

Dell

Po

ols

, C

ong

leto

n

Bu

rleyd

am

poo

l,W

hitch

urc

h

Co

mb

er

Me

re n

ea

r,W

hitch

urc

h

Ch

olm

ond

ele

y E

sta

te

Co

ole

Pila

te n

ea

r N

antw

ich

Do

dd

ingto

n M

ere

,Na

ntw

ich

Fro

dsha

m S

ludg

e P

ool

Ince M

ars

h,F

rod

sha

m

Lap

win

g H

all

Po

ol,C

helfo

rd

Mid

dle

wic

h c

an

al

Na

ntw

ich

Bo

atin

g L

ake

Ne

um

ann

s F

lash,

No

rth

wic

h

Pic

km

ere

,No

rth

wic

h

Ru

nco

rn S

and

s

Sa

nd

ba

ch F

lashe

s

Sa

nke

y V

alle

y C

P,W

arr

ingto

n

Sp

ike

Isla

nd

,Wid

ne

s

Wo

ols

ton E

ye

s N

R,W

arr

ingto

n

January

1st 56

10th 82 52 35 3

13th 86

15th 7 58

20th 83 5 8 62 2 2 5 2 32 10 27

24th 50

30th 9 61

February

1st 58

4th 13

6th 23

11th 17

17th 62 19 8 4 3 3 4 4 21 15 16

25th 4 6 21 13

28th 23

March

4th 11 30

17th 49 25

24th 7 8 26 1 3 2 4 12 15 22

31st 25

April

11th 34 5

14th 55

21st 46 3 2 8 2 4 36 11 2 6 15 34 23

24th 6 42 13

28th 9 7 43

SITE COUNTS - May to August 2019

Acre

Dell

Po

ols

, C

ong

leto

n

Bu

rleyd

am

poo

l,W

hitch

urc

h

Co

mb

er

Me

re n

ea

r,W

hitch

urc

h

Ch

olm

ond

ele

y E

sta

te

Co

ole

Pila

te n

ea

r N

antw

ich

Do

dd

ingto

n M

ere

,Na

ntw

ich

Fro

dsha

m S

ludg

e P

ool

Ince B

ank,F

rod

sha

m

Mid

dle

wic

h c

an

al

Ne

um

ann

s F

lash,

No

rth

wic

h

Ru

nco

rn S

and

s

Sa

nd

ba

ch F

lashe

s

Sa

nke

y V

alle

y C

P,W

arr

ingto

n

May

1st 7 52

5th 38

9th 14

16th 32

19th 66 18 9 39 5 21 70 37 12 19

22nd 74

23rd 43 84

26th 54 65

27th 20

29th 58

June

5th 69

7th 83

10th 43 8

16th 51 18 9 76 9 57 22

19th 65 56

24th 23 11

26th 83

July

7th 47 24 28 23

8th 88

17th 79

18th 10 75

20th 19

24th 68

29th 11 37

31st 47

August

1st 53

4th 46 7 30 56 25 6 22

7th 81

13th 17 43

19th 3 30 37

22nd 33

28th 8 24

SITE COUNTS - September to December 2019

Acre

Dell

Po

ols

, C

ong

leto

n

Ba

rme

re n

ea

r W

hitch

urc

h

Bu

rleyd

am

poo

l,W

hitch

urc

h

Co

mb

er

Me

re n

ea

r,W

hitch

urc

h

Co

ole

Pila

te,N

antw

ich

Do

dd

ingto

n M

ere

,Na

ntw

ich

Fro

dsha

m S

ludg

e P

ool

Ma

rsto

n P

ool,N

ort

hw

ich

Mid

dle

wic

h c

an

al

Ne

um

ann

s F

lash,

No

rth

wic

h

Sa

nd

ba

ch F

lashe

s

Sa

nke

y V

alle

y C

P,W

arr

ingto

n

Sp

ike

Isla

nd

,Wid

ne

s

Wo

ols

ton E

ye

s,

Wa

rrin

gto

n

September

3rd 23

5th 19

7th 7

12th 15

15th 62 12 23 23 2 17 12 21 26

18th 16 10

28th 10

30th 12 34

October

3rd 14

6th 13 10

10th 23

13th 68 15 44 33 2 27 9 28 34

16th 24 29

17th 31

20th 74

24th 9 9

25th 25

29th 6

November

4th 29

6th 2 28

8th 11

15th 4

17th 77 12 26 6 11 17 21 11 27

23rd 8 23

25th 12 24

30th 20 44 32 46

December

5th 12 5

9th 8 7 28

12th 6

15th 76 12 4 8 8 3 12 23 7 40

29th 12 10

POPULATION TRENDS 2000 to 2019

Crewe and Nantwich Borough Council Area

YEARS WINTERING YEARS SUMMER

FLOCK MOULTING

COUNTS FLOCK

COUNTS

2000/2001 167 2000 118

2001/2002 181 2001 141

2002/2003 111 2002 148

2003/2004 93 2003 106

2004/2005 88 2004 88

2005/2006 110 2005 108

2006/2007 50 2006 112

2007/2008 65 2007 63

2008/2009 49 2008 66

2009/2010 70 2009 74

2010/2011 46 2010 90

2011/2012 82 2011 100

2012/2013 54 2012 92

2013/2014 73 2013 92

2014/2015 41 2014 86

2015/2016 62 2015 69

2016/2017 57 2016 115

2017/2018 73 2017 78

2018/2019 53 2018 56

2019/2020 37 2019 112

Acre Dell Pools near Congleton

WINTER SUMMER

FLOCK MOULT

COUNTS FLOCK

COUNTS

2011/2012 70 2011 52

2012/2013 50 2012 44

2013/2014 50 2013 41

2014/2015 68 2014 49

2015/2016 58 2015 49

2016/2017 66 2016 56

2017/2018 56 2017 78

2018/2019 84 2018 55

2019/2020 77 2019 48

All totals are resulting from mean counts.

SELECTED MOVEMENTS

RING AGE RINGING PLACE RINGED SIGHTING PLACES SEEN KMS

NO SEX DATE DATE

CDY6 1 M 23/08/2012 Christleton Pool,Chester 21/01/2015 Hoole Canal,Chester 4

12/08/2015 Salford Quays,Manchester 48

24/01/2016 Pomona Docks,Manchester 47

14/04/2016 Crompton Lodges, Farnworth,Lancs 50

12/08/2016 Budworth Mere,Northwich 23

11/12/2016 Pomona Docks,Manchester 47

19/10/2019 Salford Quays,Manchester 48

CFP2 1 F 17/08/2014 Queens Park Lake,Crewe 08/04/2015 Canal, Middlewich 29

24/07/2019 Southport Marine Lake,Merseyside 72

CFS6 1 F 14/09/2014 Pikelow Farm Pool,Marton, 30/10/2015 Tatton Park,Knutsford 14

Macclesfield 21/11/2019 Hoddesdon,Hertfordshire 220

CHF5 1 M 13/08/2015 Canal,Barbridge,Nantwich 08/10/2019 Shell NR,Carrington,Warrington 37

CHX6 3 M 26/11/2013 River Severn,Bewdley, 24/11/2017 Acre Dell Pools,Congleton 91

Worcestershire 17/08/2019 Clumber Park,Worksop, Yorkshire 131

CJJ7 1 M 25/09/2016 Holly House Pool,Congleton 05/02/2017 Canal, Middlewich 12

19/10/2019 Venus Pool, Cound,Shrewsbury 66

CLX4 3 F 12/11/2018 Hankelow Hall Pools, 31/12/2019 RSPB Reserve Conwy,North Wales 92

Audlem

CLY6 1 M 15/09/2018 Mill End Pool,Audley 20/07/2019 Tatton Park,Knutsford

21/11/2019 River Derwent,Darley Dale 49

Near Matlock

CND1 3 F 22/10/2018 Spike Island, Widnes 30/04/2019 WWT, Martinmere, Lancs 31

CNJ9 1 F 05/09/2016 Canal,Millfields,Nantwich 07/11/2018 Canal,Barbridge,Nantwich 6

21/12/2018 Rhosneigr, Anglesey 133

24/01/2019 River Clwyd, Rhuddlan,North Wales 68

17/06/2019 Cefni Reservoir,Anglesey 122

SELECTED MOVEMENTS INTO CHESHIRE

RING AGE RINGING PLACE RINGED SIGHTING PLACES SEEN KMS

NO SEX DATE DATE

7IBH 1 M 02/09/2014 Belan Locks,Welshpool 15/08/2019 Doddington Mere, Nantwich 68

(B)

CV95 1 M 28/06/2006 Chasewater Reservoir,Staffs 05/10/2010 Moss pool,Newport 32

(B) 05/06/2019 Doddington Mere, Nantwich 54

28/09/2019 Doddington Mere, Nantwich 54

CJV9 1 F 01/08/2008 Tamworth,Staffordshire 27/04/2017 River Trent,Burton-on-Trent 22

26/06/2019 Bottom Flash, Winsford 84

CNP4 6 M 28/08/2012 Gledhow near Leeds 22/09/2019 Acre Dell Pools, Congleton 84

CHX6 3M 26/11/2013 River Severn,Bewdley, 24/11/2017 Acre Dell Pools,Congleton 91

Worcester 17/08/2019 Clumber Park,Worksop,

Nottinghamshire 131

SWANS RINGED BY THE GROUP OUTSIDE CHESHIRE

ABVL 5 F 11/05/2017 River Clwyd, Rhyl 18/07/2018 Menai Straits, Anglesey 53

(W) 14/07/2019 Bargor Harbour, North Wales 42

ABVT 3 M 09/11/2017 River Clwyd, Rhuddlan 14/09/2019 Taylor Park, St. Helens, Lancs 51

(W) 03/10/2019 Sefton Park, Liverpool 37

LONGEVITY REPORT

RING AGE RINGING PLACE RINGED SIGHTING PLACES SEEN KMS

NO SEX DATE DATE

ABSS 5 M 06/02/2006 Llandudno Boating Lake 26/04/2019 RSPBS Reserve, Conwy, 14

(W) North Wales

AGED 14 YEARS

CS83 3 F 27/11/2006 Astbury Mere, Congleton 09/04/2007 Astbury Mere,Congleton

15/02/2009 Acre Dell Pools,Congleton 4

13/07/2009 Canal,Coole Pilate nr Nantwich 25

04/01/2011 Nantwich Boating Lake 22

04/07/2011 Doddington Mere,Nantwich 20

03/10/2019 Doddington Mere, Nantwich 20

AGED 13 YEARS

TUJ(B) 3 F 14/09/1997 River Mersey,Kingsway 22/11/2001 Winterley Pool,Sandbach 33

Bridge,Warrington 17/08/2006 Doddington Mere,Nantwich 42

20/06/2007 Queens Park Lake,Crewe 42

15/11/2007 Nantwich Boating Lake 35

06/11/2019 Hanley Park,Stoke 49

FOUND DEAD

AGED 22 YEARS

RINGING TOTALS AUGUST 1988 to 2019

YEAR Cygnets Adults Totals YEAR Cygnets Adults Totals

1988 35 16 56 2004 35 17 102

1989 55 38 140 2005 94 25 151

1990 84 32 169 2006 87 36 174

1991 90 21 140 2007 62 32 144

1992 85 12 128 2008 57 12 84

1993 91 11 118 2009 71 15 112

1994 116 13 166 2010 75 24 134

1995 133 36 228 2011 77 29 151

1996 149 37 263 2012 71 13 124

1997 194 34 310 2013 66 18 129

1998 155 38 259 2014 49 16 86

1999 144 24 229 2015 72 31 138

2000 77 23 191 2016 68 27 134

2001 72 16 177 2017 55 44 124

2002 72 33 162 2018 63 53 152

2003 39 26 104 2019 69 41 123

Total Swans ringed in Cheshire = 4771

SWANS IDENTIFIED IN 2019

Acre Dell Pools Doddington Mere Canal in From All

Nr.Congleton Nr.Nantwich Middlewich Outside Cheshire

Cheshire

January = 43 2 8 3 100

February = 61 0 1 3 107

March = 42 0 0 2 91

April = 43 2 7 4 100

May = 41 1 5 6 91

June = 28 8 3 4 80

July = 34 9 1 6 95

August = 33 13 5 4 107

September = 42 11 3 6 117

October = 25 5 6 3 92

November = 35 2 5 3 125

December = 44 0 5 3 96

TOTAL 132 22 25 9 342