Covenham Reservoir

Tony Wait · **Posted:** Thu Oct 11, 2012 10:26 am

I visited the Reservoir on Tues 9th October and saw eight dead Greater Crested Grebes on the bank or floating in the water. Does anyone know what is going on?

Dean Eades · **Posted:** Thu Oct 11, 2012 4:21 pm

This needs Reporting

Anthony Bentley · **Posted:** Thu Oct 11, 2012 4:35 pm

Tony I counted 12 dead on the 8th October. And number of live birds have been falling over the weeks by 20. So there could be more floating out on the water. I was told today that the Anglian Water have been informed by this issue. Something isn't quite right at the reservoir, one or two of the dead Grebes should be bagged and taken in for testing.

Since I have last been on Monday Richard Pipe photographed a bird on the reservoir that did not look well. On a regulr walk around Covenham all of the Grebes would shoot off 20 metres from the wall when I walked closer to them. None of the Grebes did that on the 8th.

It seems that only the Grebes are being affected by this "illness" Which makes me think that there is possibly something wrong with the fish in the reservoir?

I am going to Covenham again tomorrow. So will check on the situation again.

Anyone else's opinon or any knowledge of what is going on with anglian water would be greatly appreciated.

Roy Harvey · **Joined:** Thu Dec 30, 2004 10:23 pm **Posts:** 956

I suggest this investigated with some urgency. Apart from the concern about what is happening to the birds, Covenham is supplying drinking water to thousands of households throughout the county.

Roy

Russell Hayes · **Posted:** Thu Oct 11, 2012 7:51 pm

10+ Dead Great Crested Grebes seen tonight and only a few Living anywhere on the Reservoir and some of those looked sick.

Apart from a few dead gulls which is quite common there, none of the other birds seem affected. What was quite noticeable was the lack of any Cormorants, there are usually at least a few present.

I think your drinking water is safe Roy as Anglian Water and the Environment Agency take regular samples of the water and Anglian Water do treat and test the water first before it enters the mains.

Roy Harvey · **Joined:** Thu Dec 30, 2004 10:23 pm **Posts:** 956

Defra are arranging to take carcases for examination today.
Are the bodies mainly to be found in the south-east corner?

Roy

Anthony Bentley · **Posted:** Fri Oct 12, 2012 11:42 am

Today there were 11 dead Grebe scattered around the Reservoir. 5 in the south east corner, but I can imagine more as thats where the waves were crashing in.

What worries me more is that I only managed to see 2 live Great Crested Grebes! Now weather these birds have gone elsewhere which I doubt as a lot of the birds weren't in a fit state to fly any distance.Possibly they have all died now aswell. I counted 15 live Grebes on Monday so 13 have disapeared in 3 days. This is the first time I have been to Covenham when Great Crested Grebes were my lowest count. There were even more Shoveler, Pochard, Little Grebe and Rock Pipits.

5 Cormorants today which is pretty standard.

John Clarkson · **Posted:** Mon Oct 15, 2012 8:53 pm

John Loft sent me this note. Does anyone have any more information on this earlier event and the most recent?
John

Hi, John,
I see there's trouble with the g-c grebes at Covenham and no-one has mentioned an earlier disaster. Perhaps no-one remembers it. It must be 20 or 30 years ago when the same thing happened and numbers of great-crested perished.
When examined, they were found to be empty, except for feathers in their crops. If I am right in thinking that grebes eat feathers to provide roughage to make up the pellets of fish-remains that they throw up, the feathers will be found to be responsible for this disaster as well as the last one.
I am not going to stick out my neck with any more theorising but thought I ought to pass on the memory of the previous event to someone like you and Phil Espin,
Yours,
John

The Lincolnshire Bird Club

Covenham Reservoir

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