Things to look out for in December

We have a few visitors on the campus west lake from late November onwards, The Goosander the Cormorant and harder to spot the Little Egret.  All are rather shy and tend to stick to the middle of the lake or the islands for the first couple of weeks before they start to venture closer to land.  They have a diet of small fish which although it reduces the numbers overall has a positive impact on the lake and helps to improve water quality and the health of the remaining fish.

The Goosander is a medium-sized duck and a member of a group called the 'sawbills' they have long, narrow bills with saw-like 'teeth' which are good for gripping fish. They are quite a long, streamlined bird, perfectly shaped for swimming after fish. Goosanders can form flocks of thousands in some parts of Europe.

The male goosander is predominantly white with a dark green head, a black back and a long hooked red beak.

The females are mostly grey bodied with a brown head.

The Cormorant is mostly found around the UK coastline on rocky shores, coastal lagoons and estuaries, but it is increasingly being seen inland at reservoirs and lakes.

Cormorants are a big bird with a wingspan up to 160cm, they are built to catch fish which can bring them into conflict with anglers and they have been persecuted in the past. The UK holds internationally important wintering numbers approximately 41,000 and 9,000 breeding pairs.

The Little Egret is a small white heron with attractive white plumes on its crest, back and chest. It first appeared in the UK in significant numbers in 1989 and first bred in Dorset in 1996.  It can now be seen at numerous south coast sites, both as a breeding species and as a winter visitor and is expanding northwards. It is included on the Amber List as a rare breeding species.