This blog introduces the breeding and child-rearing struggle of little grebes that bred in Inokashira Park Tokyo Japan in 2018.
The chicks who had been observing the previous year were wiped out. Let's see the whole story until the chicks grow up well this year! I started writing this blog.
■
Inokashira Park, which I had neglected to observe for a while.
Two chicks were hatching without the caretaker's knowledge.
Unlike early summer, when four little grebe families were raising children, this is the only one that is now raising chicks at Inokashira Park.
You can use the large pond to your heart's content without being kicked out by your neighbors, and you can catch as many fish as you can eat.
Now that the temperature has dropped and the water temperature has dropped, the movement of the warm-blooded fish will be considerably slowed down.
Now that the transparency of the muddy water has improved during the summer, it is difficult for fish to hide, but it seems that the little grebes will benefit from it and it will be easier to fish.
Foreign enemy snakes and turtles will hardly be able to move when the temperature drops this much.
If the threat of chicks being attacked by foreign enemies is reduced and the food is abundant, the conditions for breeding will be better than in early summer.
But it doesn't seem to be all that good.
Bright hours during the day, which are overwhelmingly short compared to the long daylight hours in early summer.
Since you cannot fish in the dark, you will have less time to feed and the amount of fish you will catch.
Successful parenting also requires sufficient food abundance during the short daylight hours.
In addition, the coming cold winter will coincide with the time when the chicks stand alone.
Can these two chicks live alone in the cold winter?
I wanted to pay attention to Inokashira Park again.
Take a walk in the pond with your family. October 25
Now, the number of chicks in this family is two.
I wonder if there were two eggs laid.
The small number may be due to the fact that it is possible to raise two birds at this time of year.
Maybe I can control the number of eggs laid by my own will?
Grebe discussing family planning.
Little Grebe, Female (Tsubuko), "How many eggs will you have this time?"
Little Grebe, Male (Kaisuke), "It's getting colder and the days are getting shorter, so it's impossible to raise three birds. Let's lay only two eggs this time."
Little Grebe, Female (Tsubuko), "Isn't it okay to make one and grow it surely?"
Little Grebe, Male (Kaisuke), "What if I get sick, I can't help my brothers."
Little Grebe, Female (Tsubuko), "Well, let's give birth to two."
Or maybe Little Grebe thinks it's just a delusion of a caretaker.
Going back in time, I saw little grebes mating on September 5, but by this time plans were underway to raise children in the winter.
Copulation behind the Aquatic Life House, September 5th
I heard that two chicks hatched from eggs this time on October 5th and 6th.
The caretaker learned on October 23, after the chicks had hatched for more than two weeks.
A little grebe that rushes to bring food to the chicks. October 23
In addition to the bait fish, I witnessed a little grebe heading somewhere in a hurry.
Two chicks and a partner are in a hurry to carry the food.
I'm sure it was my father who carried the food.
Did he stay a little too long outside?
Eat lots of fish and grow fast!
The chicks always have a strong appetite!
It will grow up vigorously.
But I don't know what will happen in the future.
One big salvation is not to go up this winter.
I will keep an eye on this little grebe for a while.
■
to be continued
Comments