Saturday 29 August 2015

The Sparrowhawk soared over the exact spot beside the Long Water where I saw it hunting Starlings a fortnight ago. This bird seems to have a routine in its flights over Kensington Gardens, sticking to the most likely places for prey.


The male Little Owl is also a creature of habit, and was in his nest tree on one of his favourite branches.


The Great Crested Grebe chicks from the fallen poplar in the Long Water were having their first excursion away from the nest, to the other side of the lake where evidently there were more small fish.


Two of the chicks from the nest on the island were with one parent at the Bluebird Boats platform, and the other over by the Lido with the other parent. They were being stuffed with fish at such a rate that you wondered how they could fit it in.


The bold young Pied Wagtail was running around the edge of the Serpentine, taking no notice at all of the crowds of people passing by, few of whom noticed this small grey bird on the grey granite kerb.


The white Mallard, on the other hand, can be spotted from hundreds of yards away and is much photographed by visitors.


The five Coot chicks in the Italian Garden are now quite large and are developing their flight feathers.


There are plenty of young Wood Pigeons, a species that is rapidly increasing in numbers. They don't develop the typical white collar until later, but do have white wing bars.


Some Carrion Crows and Magpies were yelling at each other in a tree near the Vista. This one tired of the game, had a good shake, and went to sleep.

5 comments:

  1. Do you know if Sparrowhawk breed in the Park?

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    1. I don't think so. I did see a family of two adults and two young just once, several years ago, but probably they had flown in from somewhere else.

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  2. Ralph the ducks on the Thames are still looking dowdy. When do they start to come out of their eclipse plumage do you know? Thank you.

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    1. Depends on species, but mid-autumn to early winter.

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    2. Thanks. Sounds like they'll be looking scruffy for a while yet!

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