Tuesday 16 February 2016

The newly found Little Owl near the Henry Moore sculpture was in its hole, and today allowed me to get a bit closer , allowing quite a reasonable picture. It will probably get used to photographers, like the other Little Owls in the park.


The Kingfisher was on one of its favourite posts in the Long Water. Since it was sunny, I tried using the teleconverter on my camera to get a larger picture, but even at midday there is not enough light in February to make this worth while.


The Great Crested Grebes' nest under the willow tree near the bridge, which had been neglected for some days, is now back in favour and the grebes were building it up.


Virginia Grey sent this remarkable picture of a Greylag Goose yawning, showing the serrated inside of its bill which helps it to rip up grass.


Some Egyptian Geese were browsing among the daffodils on the north shore . One of them was eating a daffodil leaf. These are harmful to humans, and indeed to all mammals, as they contain the poisonous alkaloid lycorine and corrosive calcium oxalate. Evidently birds are unaffected.


Paul had brought a bunch of grapes. These were very popular with Carrion Crows ...


... and Rose-Ringed Parakeets.


A Black-Headed Gull was eating the more traditional treat of bits of bread thrown into the air for it to catch.


The Black Swan was on the Serpentine with both his Mute Swan girlfriends. He amused himself by chasing off some other swans.


This swan was poking at a submerged white object. When it moved away, the thing turned out to be an umbrella which had blown into the lake. There may have been snails on it, or perhaps the swan hoped there were.


The gardeners have been cutting back the large patch of brambles at the foot of Buck Hill near the Italian Gardens. Two Robins and the white-faced Blackbird were inspecting the cleared area for exposed insects and worms, and so was this Wren.

2 comments:

  1. Do swans eat protein, I wonder? I was shocked last year to learn that hinds would eat meat (God save us, they eat birds) when in need of some nutrients. I wonder if swans would do the same with small invertebrates.

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    Replies
    1. The RSPB identification page says that they eat 'water plants, insects and snails'.

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