Friday 12 February 2016

A pair of Egyptian Geese have unexpectedly produced a family at the east end of the Serpentine. They must have been nesting in a hole in one of the large trees in the Dell. They seemed to be looking after the chicks very carefully, but there are only two left out a probable seven or eight, and the area is full of big gulls.


The Black Swan was also here, with both girlfriends, and was paying attention to both of them. It's impossible to predict the behaviour of this capricious creature.


The pigeon-eating Lesser Black-Backed Gull was at the Dell restaurant as usual. After several attempts at catching a pigeon, he joined the race for a Cheezy Wotsit.


Also in this area, a pair of Long-Tailed Tits were going through the small trees on the restaurant terrace ...


... and a Wren came down to the top of the waterfall for a drink.


A Cormorant caught a perch on the Long Water near the Italian Garden.


There were two Pied Wagtails hunting for bugs near the reed bed to the east of the Lido. This place is visited by Egyptian Geese, whose plentiful droppings attract insects.


Just along the shore, a pair of Herring Gulls were courting with loud cries.


A pair of Song Thrushes were looking for worms on the grass near the Henry Moore sculpture.


Another Song Thrush was singing on the opposite side of the lake.

People are throwing nets containing fat balls and nuts into the trees around the Long Water. This is appreciated by birds such as Ring-Necked Parakeets and this Jay. But I wish they wouldn't use plastic nets, which don't rot and hang around messily in the tree for years.

4 comments:

  1. I saw a Little Owl in the late afternoon near the leaf yard. It flew from its nest hole into the outer branches of the tree. Unfortunately a Magpie landed and harassed the owl, and it quickly flew back

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    1. Good to know they're still around. They get a hard time from Magpies, Carrion Crows, Jackdaws, Rose-Ringed parakeets and just about everyone.

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  2. Is one of the Girlfriends busking and calling? She appears to be looking away from the Black Swan while doing so.

    The pair of Gulls might as well be posing for an anti-Valentine postcard. Gulls are lovely agile creatures, to be sure, but their courtship behaviour is marvellously ungainly.

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    1. She was definitely striking an attitude, but it's hard to say who it was directed at.

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