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Moorhen's des-res is a detached wheelbarrow

Penny Coles
25/ 4/2007

SHOPPERS are being captivated by an "opportunistic" moorhen which has made a discarded wheelbarrow its makeshift home.

The mum, which has a clutch of at least three eggs, is nesting in the partly-sunken barrow on the River Etherow, behind the Wren Nest Mill retail park in Glossop.

Husband and wife Michael and Janet Jubb were out shopping when they first spotted the bird - which they were so taken with that they returned to take some photographs.

Janet, 48, of Smithy Fold, said: "I think there was a male bird too. They are nesting quite close to the side of the river banks - I hope they will be all right."

The Advertiser's wildlife writer Sean Wood said: "This is not typical behaviour for moorhens. This pair must be quite opportunistic.

"Typically they nest reasonably close to water in a cup shaped nest in much denser vegetation.

"They were probably attracted to the wheelbarrow because of its curved shape and proximity to the water."

Sean said it is the female of the breed which builds the nest, by gathering twigs and both parents incubate the eggs for about three weeks.

He added: "Typically the birds will have eight to 12 eggs and more than one brood in a year. Both parents feed and look after the young when they first hatch and they are fed in their nests for a few days before swimming off."

Sean said that while the birds are quite common and increasingly becoming more used to people, they should be left alone to nest peacefully.