Friday 18 September 2015

The Reed Warblers are still in the reed bed by the bridge, and I saw two of them. The young ones are now feeding themselves efficiently, and this one took two insects while I watched. The prey is a hoverfly, not protected by its waspy stripes.


The holly berries are ripening, and a Blackbird was one of several species eating them.


While people were throwing bread to the ducks at Peter Pan, a Grey Heron got too close to the resident pair of Mute Swans and there was a dispute.


Neither would back down, and they seemed evenly matched. Swans are bigger but herons are better armed.

The Great Crested Grebe family from the middle of the Long Water were also having difficulties, with Black-Headed Gulls trying to grab the fish they were giving to their chicks. Here one of the adults dives to avoid a raid.


On the Serpentine, a second-year Herring Gull was amusing itself by throwing an empty peanut shell around.


The Little Owls had exchanged places. The male was preening himself in this year's nest tree ...


... and his mate was on what is usually his branch in last year's tree.


They seemed quite happy with this arrangement and were calling to each other occasionally.

A pair of Migrant Hawker dragonflies were mating on the mesh fence under the parapet of the Italian Garden.


Another male was looking very fine in front of the Reed Warblers' bed, too large to be threatened by little birds.


There was also a Common Darter. It has been a very good year for dragonflies.

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